Ten Thousand Yen Interview

Music

Putting out gems by the likes of Julio Bashmore, Presk and the über cool Xxxy, Ten Thousand Yen the label headed up by Mial Watkins aka Doc Daneeka and Ian Yeti. Both originating from Wales and having now dispersed into the big wide world, Doc D and Yeti are flying the experimental bass music flag at international level.

Understated and overly edgy – if you don't know about the label and it's runnings – get to!

Hello guys, a pleasure to catch up with your lovely selves in these busy months. For any newbies unfamiliar with the TTY imprint, let’s get our cards laid on the table. Is there a staple ethos to the label – a defining characteristic, as it were?

Yeti: It’s really hard for me to nail it down to one characteristic, but whatever we put out it’s got to sound exciting & different to our ears. Bass, interwoven rhythms and a raw vibe are all key considerations.

Doc Daneeka: yeh basically, there's no real formula – its the output of music that we both really love and want to share with other people

Which ar tists’ material have you been outputting since it was founded?

Y: We’ve had releases from Venom & (Benjamin) Damage, C.R.S.T., Chesus x Diverse Concepts, Julio Bashmore, Didz & Chico, xxxy, Presk & The Watkins Screamers so far.

And, of course, the name! What’s the stor y behind it?

DD: We were travelling around India in a rickshaw with my brother and another of our best friends. You (Yeti) had some good names to try out – we took a vote and just went with it.

Y: Yup, there’s an old saying in Japan that a man with Ten Thousand Yen to his name can do anything – even walk through walls, but it is only good for waste if he invests unwisely. So we decided to start a record label.

How did the working relationship between Doc and Yeti come to be?

Y: Friends of friends to begin with, meeting through Swansea’s healthy DIY punk & rock scene, we eventually played together in a band and the rest is history..

DD: ha! yeh – you cornered me and told me i need to come drum for you! 😉

Do you find it difficult to keep the label afloat when one of you lives in Dubai and the other between the UK and Berlin?

Y: At times it’s a pain in the arse, but technology has got us all so connected these days that at times in the early days of TTY we were chatting to each other more living thousands of miles away than when we were both in Swansea!

When you’re A&R’ing are you mainly trawling through friends’ banks of tunes or can they be random stumblings across total unknowns? Where are you finding these goods?

DD: all the tunes have just made their way to us – one way or another – we'd like to think we're building a family vibe now – so yes – lots of them are passed directly from our friends – however – if you look at how we signed Presk – i was playing in Eindhoven last year and he was playing before me – his stuff was so good – so we begged him to do an e.p. – but from there we have become friends – so i think

however we do it we want it to end up being a family.

Can you any shed light on future releases and exciting forthcoming projects?

Y: We’ve got a sweet single from Doc Daneeka & Abigayl Wyles with a Lando Kal remix on the flip coming up, followed by an EP from the man that is known as Mickey Pearce, alongside some future Presk & xxxy material in the pipeline.

Who were you listening to when you were miniature that has had the biggest effect on the way you see, make and put out music today?

Y: We were both music and label nerds from way back..seeing Aphex live in 2002 was a ridiculous eye-opener for me in terms of the interweaving of genres and throwing everything into the mix. Labelwise, the first indies that made me think, “I’d love to do that” were the likes of: Quannum, Ninja, Warp, Rephlex, Def Jux, & XL.

DD: yeh i'd basically second that.

What is Ten Thousand Yen in GBP Sterling at the current exchange rate? (You may not consult a currency converter.)

Y: 50 Squids??

D: i'd go 42

Y: I reckon he cheated.

Is Doc Daneeka a qualified medical practitioner ?

Y: Yes.

Yeti – you’ve expelled the myth that yetis don’t exist. Where have you been hiding?

Y: Swansea. Or the Desert.

For all things musical to do with TTY, check their soundcloud