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Fusion-HQ
Starting Member
United Kingdom
12 posts
Joined: Nov, 2008
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 Posted - 2009/01/09 : 15:30:37
Wotsee Got Planned For The New Year Then? Fusion Amongst Other Things!
An Interview With MC Wotsee
By Jon Brown
Irrespective of whether or not you’re Welsh, if you fully support the Hardcore movement – especially at the moment, you will find yourself fully aware of this lyrically talented lad from Newport. Always moving ever forward with drive, creativity, determination and a will to succeed, MC Wotsee aka James Watts has spent the last decade perfecting his craft with a style that is always unique, upbeat and often comically poetic. Never taking himself too seriously, James has built a sure fire following not just at home in Wales, where he has also been known to promote a party or two, but in fairness pretty much around the Globe.
Cutting his teeth on a selection of Hardcore internet radio shows and bagging himself his first professional gig over a decade ago at the infamous Jailhouse in Hereford, followed by a now historical partnership with DJ Dodgee - the duo travelled to various gigs across the country and were very well received. The pinnacle of which {at that time}, being the fondly remembered Compulsion at Bowlers in Manchester, which was the top of any MC’s hit list back in 2001.
In 2004, after a three year run of playing almost every major party in the UK, James won the much sought after ‘Best Breakthrough Award’ at Slammin Vinyl’s now infamous Hardcore Heaven Awards which undoubtedly rocketed James further into the Hardcore limelight with such fan fuelled force that not even a quite serious car accident could stop him. Fate, it would seem, favours the Wotsee.
Fast forward to today and not only does James still hold peak time positions on the Main Stage of many a heavily branded event, but he also hosts the busiest Hardcore internet radio show on a weekly basis on Krafty Radio (http://www.kraftyradio.com), still enjoys checking in on promoting from time to time, has a new website, record label and no less continues to develop new lyrics on an almost daily basis, committing the very same effort, dedication and enthusiasm to his work as the day he started.
As we prepare for his appearance at Fusion’s return to The Opera House in Bournemouth on the 7th March I asked Wotsee a few questions about his current state of affairs…
James – how are you Sir? How is the Welsh legend that is MC Wotsee? How’s the 5 kids and have they been to Cash Converters lately?
I am really good thanks, just waiting for a new year to kick off some new things. The five kids are still the same mate and my cupboards are so empty I think I will be in Cash Converters most days in January.
(I do of course refer to the lyrics ‘5 Kids’ and ‘Cash Converters’ both of which if you didn’t already know were written by James and feature regularly as part of his sets!)
We’re seeing you absolutely everywhere at the moment! Is this something that’s a regular occurrence for you now - a tightly jammed weekend?
On average I do about three gigs per weekend and I do a few under 18’s parties in the week, along with my radio show TNT. There are a few events that I do not get on but it is my aim in 2009 to get on those also. If I can fit them in. (Chuckles).
Last time I interviewed you on 'Fusion TV' we covered many topical issues including Sharkey’s bum. That’s not the main cause of my interview today of course – let’s move on from that (quickly) and ask… how has Krafty been doing and progressing since then – I hear you’re hitting big numbers and keeping at the top of the online Hardcore radio tree? Anything new and special lined up and a brief description for those that don’t know what it is?
Krafty is doing really well for the TNT (Total Newport Thursdays) show, I would say all year we have averaged 110 listeners with the lowest being 80 and the highest 150. At some point in the future we could look at maybe having a guest on the show and making it three hours or possibly even doing it in a live club so people could come and experience TNT.
Your website’s looking pretty special – who’s behind that and how has it been working for you so far? Do you think it’s important to have that platform now as well as the show and not just that but your view on the impact the Internet has on Hardcore at large at the moment?
Ralph from Stay Hardcore designed it for me, but all of the sections and ideas on that are my own. I think for me it is very important to have such material as I have never been pushed by anyone in my career or put in people’s faces, so having an online source where people can see, read and listen to things about me is something that I wanted to do. I think the Internet can be very good for the scene but it can also damage it too with people bitching about events and topics. People need to remember it is about the music, not a fashion show and not a case of my mate’s bigger than your mate.
There’s quite a few lyrics on your site – you seem quite happy to give them away willingly – why is that?
I created what I class ‘the most unique MC Style ever’ and it would be blatantly obvious if anyone ever tried to copy that. For me I like to continue changing what I do and to get feedback from people on the things that I am trying to do. It also prepares people to look for new things in my set or tell me what they want me to do.
I actually think putting them up also inspires a lot of MC’s as they can get to see how one of the top three in the game puts his sets together. I will always continue to do so and I think on my website there are nearly 150 that people can have a read of and there are a lot more being added all of the time.
Where do you draw the lyrics from – what inspires them?
Newport (laughs), my home town is a complete pit but I am very proud of where I am from and what I do. Everything I ever MC about - is totally my experience and listening to a set of mine is like me asking people to put themselves in my shoes for one hour and go on a wild experience like a virtual reality machine. Basically come see the crack heads, drug dealers, drug addicts, benefit claimers, criminals and prostitutes with me.
Your lyrics are signature as is your love for LaCoste – care to explain your passion for the Crocodile brand? Why that over everything else?
I am going to be one hundred percent serious here, I have a pet hate with ever seeing someone in the same clothes as me even to the level I will go home and change or go to a different club rather than stay out, as the person normally either comes and sits next to you or says “nice top mate”. That to me is like being a member of one of those families who all buy the same jackets for Christmas and walk around town in the January sales all dressed the same.
Back in the day ‘Lacoste’ was so rare and expensive in Newport and Cardiff that I knew no-one else apart from the proper Hardcore Soccer hooligans would wear it. Also I used to be a very fat person and ‘Lacoste’ makes the shoulders on their clothes a lot bigger than any other brand including ‘Stone Island’, ‘Ralph Lauren’ and ‘Aquascutum’. Stupid I know, but then again that’s just me and you asked.
How’s the label coming along, another chat about that for those that haven’t seen it or heard about yet?
I started a label in the summer called ‘Exiled Digital’ but I have decided to put it on hold for a bit as I would much rather get in the studio with other acts and put together some new music and ideas. I recently just made a track with Joey Riot and have plans to make a lot of others with a number of other artists in the Hardcore scene.
Going back to promotion and the World of promoting - have you now completely moved away from promoting altogether, has the towel been well and truly thrown in and why?
It was, basically there was no super venue in Wales and with ‘Atomic’ I was finding it hard to be there all night so I decided to pass it on to Kev to work with as long as I was booked anytime I had no other gigs in the country or when I could get back in time. 'Atomic' will be monthly and I will be there quite often but it is now nothing to do with me.
'Hardcore Evolution' on the other hand is coming back to another super venue, I for one can’t allow Wales not to have a massive event and when the chance of putting on a massive all night event came up I just had to take it so look out for ‘Real Deal 3’ on February 13 2009.
Speaking of promotion – you’ll be joining us in March for 'Fusion', which highlights a Superheroes & Villains theme – do you have a favourite Superhero or Villain, aside from yourself of course?
‘Hulk Hogan’ is the greatest superhero of all time; you can stick all your others up your ass. Who else could kick out of every finishing move of all time and still get the whole World behind him. ‘Hulkamania’ will never die!
Thank you James! We’ll see you on the Main Stage at Fusion at The Opera House in March!
Cheers!
Picture: Taken by and copyright of Tristan Griffiths http://www.tgpromotions.com used with permission.
Classic Fusion TV Interview From 2008
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=39xWTAU1xAM&feature=channel_page&fmt=18
NEXT EVENT:
USEFUL LINKS
Catch Wotsee At Fusion - 7th March - The Opera House, Bournemouth
https://www.theticketsellers.co.uk/buy_tickets/events/?id=10005710&elId=503&ref=btnfact
Happy Hardcore Event Page - Next Fusion - Let Us Know You'll Be There!
http://www.happyhardcore.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42576
Fusion Group On Don't Stay In
http://www.dontstayin.com/parties/fusion
MC Wotsee Official Website
http://www.mcwotsee.co.uk
Catch Wotsee & Denzo On TNT - Every Thursday At 9pm
http://www.kraftyradio.com
Fusion On Facebook
http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2566686085
Fusion TV On My Space
http://www.myspace.com/fusiontelevision
Fusion TV On You Tube
http://uk.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=PORTSMOUTH10001
Fusion TV On Veoh
http://www.veoh.com/channels/fusionhardcoretv
Fusion On Ebay
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=fusion%20cd%20pack&_sacat=See-All-Categories
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MAtRiCks
Advanced Member
Canada
1,059 posts
Joined: Sep, 2006
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Posted - 2009/01/09 : 16:52:40
quote:
Last time I interviewed you on 'Fusion TV' we covered many topical issues including Sharkey’s bum.
haha, what the hell! :P
I really love MC Wotsee ever since HTID in the sun 2007, and especially after his work on The Last Word and The Final Goodbye. When we were in Spain, I did notice he was wearing a lot of Lacoste on stage, now I guess I know why lol
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DJ MAtRiCks - http://www.rave.ca/member/matricks
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ravekutz
Junior Member
Australia
92 posts
Joined: May, 2007
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Posted - 2009/01/10 : 07:15:33
I think he's the best hardcore mc out there. Amazingly talented. Makes mcing look easy, when really it's far from that.
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DJ-Intensity
Advanced Member
United States
1,903 posts
Joined: Mar, 2008
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Posted - 2009/01/12 : 13:07:13
quote:
Originally posted by ravekutz:
I think he's the best hardcore mc out there. Amazingly talented. Makes mcing look easy, when really it's far from that.
Couldn't agree more.
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DJ Intensity.
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