Interview with Team Teamwork
So who exactly are you? How many make up Team Teamwork? Names? Ages? Care to disclose any info? Any other hobbies, etc.?
For a while, I was into the whole being a mystery thing, like keeping people guessing about the amount of members and all that. But since I started playing shows recently, I decided to drop the facade. I’m Tim Jacques. I’m 23 and from Windham Maine and currently live in Somerville Massachusetts. And when I’m not making beats, I’m a graphic designer.
What are you doing in your free time?
Making beats.
How did you get into mashups and how long have you been doing it?
I got into mashups when I first heard Dangermouse’s Gray Album in 2004. That made me want to make mashups but I didn’t really get started until fall 2007. That’s when I first got the desire to really put in time and figure out how to make a beat.
Software? Hardware?
Macbook Pro, Ableton Live 8, M-Audio Trigger Finger, and a big keyboard.
What inspires you?
It’s hard to pinpoint things that inspire me. It can really come from anywhere. For example, I was at a bar in Iceland a month ago and I heard “Missing You Now” by Michael Bolton and felt that would be an amazing song to sample.
Favorite band/artist?
band: Okkervil River, artist: J Dilla
What is playing live like? Do you prefer it?
Playing live is a lot of fun. I have a set up that allows me to play my songs and trigger samples kind of like with an MPC so I’m actually doing something on stage instead of bobbing around on my computer. But I prefer being able to bury myself in the details and actually build the songs over doing it live.
How did you get the idea for Ocarina of Rhyme?
My girlfriend was playing Ocarina in January and I realized that the Hyrule Field Theme had the perfect tempo for a hip hop beat. I set a goal to make 10 songs out of the soundtrack and that’s it.
Do you plan to make another videogame/rap remix album? Mario or Sonic perhaps?
I’ve been playing around with the soundtracks of Final Fantasy 9 and Mega Man 3, lately. But I don’t have any plans to make another video game album.
Do you plan to stay with one on one remixes, or are you experimenting with multiple song mashups?
I really like the one-on-one thing. Well, really none of them are one-on-one, they all have, at a minimum, 3 samples. I have one track in the works with 10-15 samples. It’s not going to be a Girl Talk-ish party-time sensory overload, though.
Explain your process of mashing…where do you get ideas? How do you choose songs?
I find a rap song I like, see if I can find a the vocal track on the internet. Once I have that beatmapped, I go through my records and itunes looking for a sample with which to make a beat. Once I find that, I get to work on making it sound as good as I can.
How much time do you spend on your music? How long on average does one song take?
I try to do it for at least an hour a day. Each song takes, on average, 5 to 10 hours start to finish.
Favorite song you have made?
My favorite is “We Major” a collaboration beat I did with my friend Matt from Blue Wires (myspace.com/bluewires) that’s on Good-ass 1.
Tips for aspiring mashup artists? Or tips on how to get started?
Do some research to find a program that’s intuitive to your learning style. I went through a bunch before I realized Ableton Live was the one for me. And just like anything else you’d want to be good at, put in work – tons of work.
Plans for the future? Any goals? What can we look forward to?
I’d like to do more live shows. I’ve got a few new demos that will probably end up on a Good-ass Remixes vol. 2 on my Tumblr (teamteamwork.tumblr.com), but no concrete concept album ideas at the moment.
Favorite pizza topping? Favorite candy? Favorite Color?
Mushrooms. Take 5 bar. #ACE00C.
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