Perseus Traxx – The Ransom Note Mix

As the tail-end of the week starts to kick in and you find yourself becoming increasingly distracted from your work by the potential partying to be had over the weekend you find yourself struggling to keep your mind on your work. Well we're about to change all that and we strictly encourage you to get your head firmly in the club you want to be in this weekend as you surround yourself in this hour-long mix from Perseus Traxx that's sure to get your heads right up in the clouds, or down on the dancefloor – whichever you prefer. 

Settle yourself in for some aural treats and read on as Perseus Traxx takes over your senses in a way you'd never thought was possible until now;

Please introduce yourself: who are you, where are you and what are you?

Iʼm Nigel Rogers, friend to cats and producer of electronic music. Most of my releases have been under the name Perseus Traxx, although Iʼve also used Sir Leon Greg, Ellis de Havilland and worked with others as Nite Vision and a number of other projects. I live in York, which is a lovely little city and very calming.

Describe your music as if it were a meal.

Itʼs a buffet. You can take what you want, leave what you want, itʼs still going to be around later. 

What is a Perseus Traxx?

Perseus Traxx is a proper noun, not a description of the music I make. Consider it as Traxx being the surname of this mythical human named Perseus. I use other names, and have a list of characters waiting to be used, though people tend to prefer to release my music using the name Perseus Traxx.

Why do people use two xʼs in Traxx?

Iʼm unsure, there seems to be a lot of it about. Initially I was just going to use the name Perseus, but when I got round to releasing, it seemed that a hip-hop guy had snagged that, ruining the plan of a homage to other producers named after characters from classical mythology. That said I think thereʼs a guy who does a few disco edits who decided to use the name Perseus too. I make tracks, Trax is a label, I added an additional “x” so there was a distinction. A little later I found out Melvin was using the name Traxx, but it was a bit late by then. My friend Sean and I have a bit of a count regarding the number of artists/labels where the second name is “Traxx” and there is a separate list for all the ones where the first name begins with “P”. Iʼm not sure of the figures but theyʼre mid to high teens I think. Maybe I should just use my own name…

What turns up your fader?

My numerous cheese plants sprouting bright new growth, straining to escape and open out as the roots reach out into the air. It makes me feel very proud. Also my girlfriend.

What is your greatest regret?

I donʼt think I have any. Everything in life has evolved to this moment and Iʼve met the most amazing person as a result of it.

How do you relax?

I find it difficult to relax fully, though at the same time am usually quite relaxed unless Iʼve left it till Sunday to write the pub quiz for my localʼs sunday night quiz, and Iʼm heavily hung over. A bath can always help with relaxation though, I have a massive skylight in my bathroom so get light or stars, itʼs pretty cool really. Also the ferns and cheese plants surrounding my bath make me feel Iʼm somewhere tropical.

What was the first electronic record you ever heard? How did it make you feel?

I have absolutely no idea, and though I could search my mind and maybe pinpoint something, there are a lot of questions here and Iʼve been told they need answering and returning before five this evening and I have a radio show to go and do in Leeds, so weʼre at a timing impasse.

If your sound was a visual thing, what would it look like?

Iʼm unsure of my sound. Possibly fog because of the way I feed effects back, maybe some sort of LSD laced fog which could contain some sort of mild terror or something really beautiful. Maybe itʼs more of a lucky dip barrel then…

What was the music of your teenage rebellion?

I donʼt think I was a teenage rebel. I was into Bomb The Bass and the music that seemed to be on every news programme and documentary reporting on the acid house terror sweeping the nation, though I had no idea where to go and get it. Rave tapes I suppose.

Are you a kick drum, hi hat or a snare? And why?

Hi-hats are good for the brain, nice shuffling high frequency brain function tuning. Kicks are good though, that solid feel to move the body along with really low bass wrapping you up, punctured by snares that snap you back. Iʼm neither one nor the other, probably why I combine them all on a regular basis.

If you were a cat, what type would you be?

British, short hair domestic. Still wild, but looked after if they want. Not all long haired getting my own turds caught in it and chasing me wherever I go, or all squashed faced with no sense of smell and a brain damaged by inbreeding. Probably a rescue cat. People need to treat pets as pets, not status symbols. Iʼm not keen on the idea of money being paid for pedigrees. Cats are stylish enough without being altered, and there are loads of people who hate them and treat them badly, so why not give a home to an awesome cat that really needs one? 

If you could be a mythical creature, which would you be and why?

Humanʼs are creatures, Perseus was mythical. Weapons from the gods including a helmet of invisibility and shoes to make him fly, plus a flying horse just incase. Transformed from man to god by his weapons, and immortality through his deeds. If it had to be a non humanoid, then probably Teumessian fox. A giant fox destined never to be hunted down. The options are then there for a quiet life or total mischief without repercussions.

Do you think that it's time we became nocturnal?

No. Sleeping patterns shift as they need to. I do however think that creation of bullshit jobs to keep people consuming and stop them questioning, thinking and acting is harmful. People should have more leisure time to ponder and create, and help others and find solutions to problems, instead of being forced into the triple 8 cycle of 8 hours sleep, 8 hours work, 8 hours life/commute/nourish/free time. There is no need for this anymore despite what people are repeatedly told.

When was the last time you did a somersault? Can you do somersaults? Do you know what a somersault is?

Probably on a bouncy castle at Beacons festival a few years ago. Basically, my understanding is that itʼs a backwards flip. Even with the springyness of the castle I didnʼt land it.

How many cats would it take to bring down Peru?

In Peru cats have a vested interest in the status quo, and it isnʼt yet their plan to take the nation down. A lack of opposable thumbs puts them at a disadvantage which is why they “team up” with humans.

If acid house was a real house, what would it be like?

A dark cellar with a strobe going off in the corner.

How big would a book need to be for it to break an egg?

Tricky question that. Are you talking about total mass, or length, width, depth type dimensions? Would it be an ancient occult book covered in gold and padlocks? Would we be lowering it onto the egg? You know that half a dozen eggs can easily support a 15 kg cement block? It also depends on the egg orientation. The strength is in its end to end capacity, crushing from the side is easy.

What is the secret to happiness?

Helping others.

Onto the mix… Where was the mix recorded?

In my living room in York.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

Iʼm uncertain, possibly a packed out cellar or basement.

What should we be wearing?

Just come as you are.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

Thatʼs something Iʼve never given much consideration to. I often record to tape, simply because my reel to reel is there, but sometimes itʼs a pain, so straight to my portable recorder is best. Iʼd like a rotary mixer or a Rodec. Somewhere busy would be good, as it gives purpose and at home I tend to drift off. Besides, music is to be played to people, not walls.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

The last one, Matt Whiteheadʼs Transfer Mix of Room 13 (Ed DMX and Bass Junkie) released on I Love Acid 001. Absolute belter of a tune, though Movement by John Shima is pretty hot, I love his stuff at the moment. There are loads in there that are favourites, probably why you got a mix of records of 13 records from me, rather than a “Nigelʼs solitary pick of the month” though I suppose this is the opportunity to do that. Lets do the obvious then, and avoiding the amazing sentiment of Unknown Deetroit (sic), or the fact that it took me 6 months to finally get the Pagan Sector 12” back from my friend in Manchester after Danny gave it to me when he played over there in October, or the fact that each of the three tracks from the Posthuman release on I Love Acid are killer and it was difficult choosing which one to play; I think Iʼll go for Euterpe, my current release on Flight Recorder 012, which is in shops now.

Whatʼs your favourite recorded mix of all time?

I had a 2 hour tape of Laurent Garnier on an early Essential Mix. I donʼt often listen to mixes so donʼt have an all time favourite.

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

John Peel. He was just a great guy with amazing wide ranging taste. Iʼd probably step back a bit and let him just play rather than muscle in doing back to back with him, after all heʼll have been freshly brought back from the dead…

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

You know those old 70ʼs all in one radio, tape deck, record players with the wooden sides. I had a pair of those and a car stereo equaliser. I cut some slip mats out of felt and used the volume controls. Now after not having turntables for several years, Iʼve got a pair of technics 1200ʼs and a Vestax PMC 280. The bass pot on one channel is a bit dodgy and I donʼt like the crossfader but canʼt quite justify a new mixer at the moment as Iʼd like to get a load of screen printing kit for a new music thing I hope to start.

Whatʼs more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

I guess you have to set the scene at the start, and somehow bring things to a close at the end. I donʼt have the definitive answer to this question.

What were the first and last records you bought?

An album by Madness as a school bring and buy sale for Blue Peter in the mid 1980ʼs was my first. The last was Seaside Houz Boys “Surfing On Ice Cream” on Hot Haus Records.

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Sherbert.

If it was an animal what would it be?

Some sort of cat, because itʼs doing itʼs own thing and sometimes gets caught messing things up.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

I struggle with the ones I released on Bunker under my Ellis de Havilland pseudonym.

Upcoming in the world of Perseus Traxx?

Iʼve got releases due out on I Love Acid, M>O>S, and Iʼm banging the machines in Berlin on August 8th. Iʼve got a few projects I want to get a move on with, but should keep a lid on those rather than wear the previous egg on my face if things donʼt work out.

Anything else we need to discuss?

Oh, I do a show called The Jump Room on the last Wednesday of every month between 4pm and 6pm on the excellent Leeds based KMAH Radio. Iʼm clock watching and typing fast now as I have to hop on a train there now do the show. The jump room is a room allegedly found in a few facilities in the USA and is said to house Telsa plasma fields which allow teleportation. Theories of teleportation and reports of these devices work in tandem with time travel. Time and space are both warped. As such I can play music from throughout time and genre. I try to avoid warps though, but not Warp. Thanks for hosting the mix and asking me a really searching array of questions. Ta-ra for now

Goddesses of Inspiration II is out now via Flight Recorder.