Music Through Pictures, is a new and unique interview series, attempting to highlight the relationship between art, sound, images and music whilst also getting an insight into the musical minds of some of our favourite DJs and producers...

We are hugely excited to have A Guy Called Gerald contribute to our second instalment of Music Through Pictures - if anyone is worth getting an artistic insight into, it is this man. Gerald Simpson has a truly unique insider’s view of the evolution of dance music having been involved since the early eighties when at 14 years old he started sneaking into Manchester’s underground clubs to dance to a blend of jazz funk, dub and electro funk that would later influence his sound dramatically. Now residing in Berlin, A Guy Called Gerald is probably best known for his 1988 classic 'Voodoo Ray' and his production with 808 State, with the infamous 'Pacific State' track that made him the first producer to have TWO instrumental dance tracks in the UK charts at the same time (a rare feat). His experiments in music production since the eightes, even the mistakes he made and rolled with, have gone on to act as a blueprint for a whole host of dance movements to follow. With the release of his 'True School Manifesto' (a written allegience to playing authentic, honest music that focuses on good times and rejects the notion of 'style' and musical trends), the ethos of A Guy Called Gerald is certainly one to take heed of.

- 1 - A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray

"This track will never be repeated, but some folks will always try to do someting similar. Their problem is they haven't realised in 25 years nothing I do or have ever done is repeatable. ;) HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY VOODOO RAY. WE RULE!"

- 2 - A Guy Called Gerald - Cops

"This song was written as a way to release tension at a time when I was living in a gun town called Manchester a long time ago. The cops had a bad attitude at the time because they were working in a war zone."

- 3 - A Guy Called Gerald - Humanity

"This track is pure love and sunshine, and this is what I see in this photo. A light, happy vibe."

- 4 - A Guy Called Gerald - Ses Makes You Wise

"This tune reminds me of the land of my parents, Jamaica."

- 5 - A Guy Called Gerald - Subscape

"This track is over 20 years old but still gives me the chills. This image reminds me of the studio where I wrote it..."

- 6 - 808 State - Pacific State

"This track reminds me of a saxophone guy playing a lone sax over a track alien to him, but he's doing a good job :)"

- 7 - A Guy Called Gerald - Free Africa

"This track reminds me of a time I realised that I've never seen the land where humans were invented."

- 8 - A Guy Called Gerald - In Ya Head

"This track is a crowd mover. When played live it never sounds the same twice. I love adding new parts to tracks and tricking them out so that eventually they become a different track. This is how I write music and perform it."

- 9 - A Guy Called Gerald - Groove Of The Ghetto

"This track reminds me of that day I found out that it never rains when I have my umbrella with me! Funny, but true - I have a special umbrella that has never been wet :)"

A Guy Called Gerald is playing LIVE at the secretsundaze Easter Special on Thursday March 28 at Electric Brixton alongside Nina Kraviz, Mike Huckaby, Anthony Naples, and more.
Buy tickets here

[Author: MEOKO]