Alex Phountzi (Bugz in The Attic)

How did you get started on music? Can you tell us your musical background?

I started with music when I pearnt guitar as a teenager, I was part of a funk band that did covers and a few local gigs, at the same time I got into buying jungle and drum and bass. From there I learnt how to DJ and then aged 18 met Seiji and got into making electronic music.

Which artists do you think influenced you?

Too many to mention really but several are Prince, Quincy Jones, Dillinja, MAW, Mizell Bros, Soul2Soul, Public Enemy..... I could go on all day!

What kind of music do you usually listen to?

Traditionally I have always been a fan of 'black' music', more specifically black american music. Recently I have tried to be more openminded and listen to wider variety of music but my passion is 'soul' music.

Why did you decide to make a living out of music?

Because it looked like the easiest way of not getting a proper job!!!

Honestly because I always wanted to make a living out of something that I was passionate about and music was always my passion.

Please list the names of your 5 favorite albums.

Impossible question to answer as it changes all the time.

• Prince - Parade
• Soul2Soul- Club Classics Vol 1
• Michael Jackson - Off the Wall
• Marvin Gaye - I Want You
• Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet

How did you join up with Bugz in the Attic?

Myself and Seiji had been working together and I had played guitar on a track that he was going to sign to Orin Walters Mousetrap label. We both met Orin about the same time and from there we met Daz-I-kue, Kaidi Tatham and Cliff Scott. We all clicked as friends and had the same ideas about the type of music we wanted to create. That was the roriginal 6 members and a few years later Matt 'Thylord' and Mark Force also joined the crew.

Do you have any tracks that really stand out to you as being your best work or that you're most proud of?

A track we did under the Neon Phusion moniker 'Timeless Motion' was always something I was proud of.

As a song a production I was also very proud of thetrack called 'Consequences' on the Bugz album from last year.

Could you tell about the concept of your coming EP ((it ain't) rockit science / endgames) from Archive,? also Can you tell us how this song was composed ?

The concept was to go back to doing some basic instrumental tracks. I wanted to do one more electronic 'broken' track and have the other side as a house track. I get sick of being tagged as a 'broken beat' and wanted to do something a little different.

I compaosed the track by working on a groove with some basic music, I then called in a musician I work with called Tom Ashe to add a bit of sparkle to it. The tracks were produced by me but composed by the two of us.

What are diffences of concept from works of Bugz and your solo project?

Well when I work alone I can do whatever I want, when I do work with Bugz I always have in mind 'does this work as a Bugz track' or 'is this the Bugz sound'? You feel more pressure doing a Bugz track as you ae conscious that you have to make something as good as the rest of the guys.

Where do your inspirations come when making music?

Maybe from something I have just heard or sometimes you have a great gig and go home and feel inspired to go and make some music.

What are the five songs that you play most frequently at clubs?

Impossible question to answer as it changes all the time.

• Bugzintheattic - Booty La la
• Prince - Erotic City
• Karizma - Twist This
• Soho- Hot Music
• DKD- Future Rage

What would you like do as your next step?

To firmly establish my solo career with a credible album project.

How do you think about London from a musician perspective?

I have been born and brought up in London so I don't know any different. As musician I think it's amazing as you have all the influences here and this a place where 'things happen' in the industry. Having said that London is a very expensive city and the competition is tough, so you can feel inspired one day and like your soul has been destroyed the next.

Please tell us about your upcoming schedule and projects.

I'm just come off the back of a very busy schedule Djing in Austria, Croatia, Dublin as well as all over the UK.

I've got a regular monthly night that I have started at a new venue in West London called the Westbury where I will have different guests each month.

I'm looking forward to having a few weeks of not so many gigs so I can focus on some new productions.

Thank you

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