We love to work with industry experts who are at the top of their game. Long time friend, frequent collaborator and international musician, Jon Kennedy, is the subject of our first (in a series) of guest interviews.
We caught up with Jon about working with STANDBY, his career and his plans for 2015. Check out what he had to say below and then go listen to his work!
How do you know STANDBY PRODUCTIONS?
We go back to 1997 and the skateboard scene, I was running a skate park in Stockport and skating everyday, Simon would come down nearly everyday and film all the skaters. Famed for my Beni Hana’s and Melon Grab’s I’ve flown over the top of Simon’s head a few times over the years, whilst he’s been filming!
What have you worked on with STANDBY and why?
We have done showreels, educational films and advertising films together for many years. The music I make and represent via my record label “The Jon Kennedy Federation” is pretty cutting edge gear, not commercial and more underground, I feel it gives a brand an audio identity that is fairly unique in this day and age of “everyone is a star because they have a youtube account”. Armchair critics believing their own press release, voicing their opinions via Twitter, Facebook and such. As if anyone actually cares! It should come down to the product that is made and not what one is eating or where they went on holiday. Standby run a tight-ship and keep it with style, without adhering to the afore mentioned social media garbage, that most company’s have now adopted in their PR campaigns and “Like” and “Share” winning posts.
Tell me about what you do day-to-day?
Mostly I am researching music, listening to artists, creating new tracks, remixing others, scouring the globe for new and interesting places to go and perform and then of course the more dull, office end of all of this too 😉
What music do you make?
That is the golden question but it ranges: instrumental hip hop, Trip hop, downtempo through to psychedelic, rock, electronica, jazz, beats, bits and pieces.
Tell us about the Jon Kennedy Federation?
This is my label, which is basically a platform for me to control my own music and not have it in the hands of an industry tyrant. I also represent 6 other artists where we collaborate with all sorts of clients from Vans to Conde Nast, Vogue to Jamie Oliver, Gumball 3000 to Prague based Tan?ící Kuchyn? (dancing kitchen) and many many more.
What are your thoughts on music these days and the general industry?
Everyone is able to make music fairly quickly these days, a result of expanding technology, which is fabulous if your idea’s are sound, good and clever. You can’t polish a turd, but you CAN roll it in glitter!
Tell me about music and film and what you think makes it work?
I have had tracks in a couple of feature films of Hollywood standard and to see and hear these 2 things together really shows how the industry at my level, as an independent artist (and underground label for over 15 years) can mix with a director, actor and supervisor from the highest ranks of Hollywood. It works for me, of course, how and why is up to the viewer I guess, but it gives the visual a unique sound and not the regular. THIS is paramount in making a piece of visual and audio art that is unique to it’s maker and thus, hopefully a better, smarter and fuller experience for the viewer.
What’s next for Jon Kennedy?
This year: hella tours, from the Middle East to Japan, USA to Indonesia and all over Europe it’s a pretty crazy schedule this year so far booking into December already : www.jonkennedy.co.uk/events
Jon Kennedy’s final thoughts?
Be f**king nice to each other…
How do people get in touch or see you at work?
I am easily accesible as long as you get the correct JON Kennedy (no “h”) I am top ranked on every single search engine available or directly www.jonkennedy.co.uk/contact