SID ROAMS INTERVIEW
The Boy Hollywood
CHAMP: What's Goodie Sid Roams what are you up to?
Bravo: Man, we just keeping our shoulders to the grind block, finishing up this Product of the 80s thing and working on beats. Staying up on the balance of artwork and inevitable business.
CHAMP: Now I wanna get the name Sid Roams. What's the origin of the name?
Bravo: Hahaaaaa! Yea, we always get that question. It originated from the fact that we needed a name for our production team and, instead, we made a character. That’s the best way to describe it…
Joey: Also, my Grandmother had this friend named Sid. He was a real slick dude…Gold chains, brown leathery skin, raspy voice. He always stuck in my head. Plus we in good company with Poitier and Vicious!
CHAMP: How long have you guys been making bangers?
Joey: We bought an akai s900 when we were 15. That was our first sampler. So it’s been about 17 years.
CHAMP: Now you guys hail from Cali. What were some of the artists you guys have been influenced by artist-wise and producer-wise?
Bravo: I mean, you gotta site the originators like the Premiers and Dres. That sound shaped our music-making brains in a million ways. PE, NWA, Ultramagnetic… all that early breakbeat style and the later chopped-up style. Diamond, Pete Rock, Showbiz, JayDee, Havoc. But you know, as time goes on, I think the movement we’re part of influences us the most. There are so many talented cats around: Ev and Al and JakeOne. DJ Khalil, Nottz, Sebb. Its all inspiring production.
CHAMP: What was the beat you would say put you guys on and gave you some recognition?
Joey: Being that we never produced the pop smash of the summer, it’s hard to know what first gets peoples attention. For many I would say it was Evidence’s “Mr. Slow Flow”, others may have heard Infamous Mobb’s “Who We Ride For”. And some people may know us from Dilated Peoples records before the name Sid Roams existed.
CHAMP: Now the ABC joint was the one that got me familiar with you guys and that beats just grimey and bananas. How'd P get his hands on that and how'd you guys end up working on HNIC 2?
Bravo: That was the first joint that he picked for the album. We had already done a couple songs with P but it was for Dirt Class projects. When he was building HNIC2, Twin brought him through to listen to some beats. Illa Ghee was at the studio too, so me and Joey were just playin joints and checking the reaction in the room. We ran a bunch of tailor-made beats and everyone was feelin em but no stand-outs. We basically just loaded it up on chance cuz it was unfinished and just let it drop. It had a crazy effect in the room and that was that. P said ,”That’s the sound that I need right now!”
CHAMP: Now what influenced you guys to make you style of beats which is a dirty grimey and just different sound?
Bravo: Haha.. who knows? Like most producers, we strive to make that “fix your face” music; that teeth-grinding shit. I think the mood just comes with the territory. We try to get creative with it and put our spin on it. But I also think a lot of influence came from staying in New York. It just fits with those streets and that way of life.
CHAMP: Now for my producer heads what tools do you guys use to chef up a beat?
Joey: The set up seems to change every year or two, but as of now we are using the MPC2500 and Digital Performer. We recently switched up our Motif for Reason as the sound module of choice. The motif is a solid piece of gear for the most part. But reason is a beast that can’t be tamed.
CHAMP: What's your views on the use of Fruity Loops?
Bravo: I’m sometimes envious of kids that get to start making music with all this incredible software cuz, for us, the learning curve was a big part of the process. Back when we started, not everyone could just get up and make beats. We paid dues! But all this new shit is dope too. If you can make it bang, then you took the program to its best capabilities. It doesn’t really matter how easy or hard it was.
Joey: I would say the same thing in another way. At first I frowned upon all theses programs, it came from the frustration of seeing how accessible things became overnight. Anybody who had $400 bucks could have the basic set up to make beats. When we spent years saving up mega bones to buy a sampler, then a synth, then a mixing board, then effects. But in the end I would never change that history because those years of learning still get applied in today’s world of computers. We bring all that to the table when we sit in front of our software programs now! In the end it really is about making good music. You would never hear us say “that’s a dope beat…but he made it on fruity loops so it doesn’t count.”
CHAMP: Outside the Mobb which other artists have you been working with?
Joey: Mostly west coast artists again cuz we’re back in LA. Of course Evidence. And we are still recording with Big Twins to put the final touches on his solo album. We are really just trying to reach to a lot of the artist we like right now!
CHAMP: Which artists would you love to work with?
Bravo: I can’t front, we’ve been pretty lucky with the caliber of artist that we collaborate with. But there’s always expansion. I would still love to build with MOP, Styles and Jada and them, Clipse, Nas,… mad others!
CHAMP: What else can we expect from Sid Roams in the future?
Joey: We have a whole bunch of music coming out before 2009. Product Of The 80’s which is primarily Prodigy with help from Big Twins and Un Pacino is first up. Then Big Twins solo record “The Project Kid”. Also a joint on Evidence”s “Lay Over” EP. And lastly, the next Sid Roams instrumental album, “Zombie Music,” which is a collection of our personal favorites.
