A Talk with Three Artists Gaining Attention from Gilles Peterson!

This time, we welcomed members of the band The Stepkids, who have been releasing highly original music from the Los Angeles-based independent label Stones Throw, and the label's owner, Chris Manak a.k.a. Peanut Butter Wolf, who also works as an artist himself. We discussed their unique sound creation, the music that influenced them, and the future of the label. Due to time constraints, the full transcript, including translations not aired on the program, is published here on OPENERS.

REVIEW | TRACK LIST

01. Teebs / LSP (Brainfeeder)
02. The Stepkids / Shadows On Behalf (Stones Throw)
03. The Stepkids / La La (Stones Throw)
04. The Stepkids / Cup Half Full (Stones Throw)
05. Bill Evans Trio / Beautiful Love (Riverside)
06. J Dilla / People (Stones Throw)
07. Quasimoto / Jazz Cats Pt. 1 (Stones Throw)
08. Aloe Blacc / Gente Ordinaria (Stones Throw)
09. Run-D.M.C. / Sucker M.C.'s (Profile)

Tokyo's Reaction Was Great, Making It a Memorable Show

──You just finished your first Tokyo performance the other day. What are your thoughts, including the audience's reaction?

DanFirst off, I was deeply moved that the audience truly understood our music. Usually, when you're in a new place, it's hard to get feedback, but in Tokyo, the reaction was so positive, and the fact that we could feel that ourselves made us really happy. It was a memorable show.

──You've all been active as musicians individually. What was the catalyst for starting to work together as The Stepkids?

TimAll three of us can sing and compose, and play various instruments. Although we hadn't recorded before, we used to jam together. We formed the group with the concept that not one person would be the leader, but rather each of us would handle vocals, composition, and lyrics.

We're Already Working on the Second Album

──How did you come to debut with Stones Throw?

Peanut Butter WolfWe met them through Scotty Coats, a DJ based in Long Beach and active in the music industry, who passed our demo to someone on the Stones Throw staff.

──Your music feels like it has the spirit of 1960s and 70s soul and rock, yet evolved into 21st-century music. Who are your influences? And what is The Stepkids' musical concept?

DanWe started with the concept of absorbing various kinds of music to create an original style that differs from other artists. We've been influenced by many artists, but particularly by those with unique styles like Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Stravinsky, Beethoven, and Olivier Messiaen.

──Your album was just released, but are you already working on your next project?

DanWe've already started working on the second album, and about six or seven songs are finished. Following the concept of this album, we aim to create even newer sounds, sounds that other artists don't have. Once it's released, we'd be happy to tour again and visit various places, including Japan.

We Want to Release Music in Various Genres Based on Hip-Hop

──You founded the label "Stones Throw" in 1996. While I feel a distinctly American aspect to the label, it also has a unique presence. What was the impetus for starting it?

Peanut Butter WolfAt the time, there were many music labels in New York and Los Angeles, but not many in the Bay Area where I lived. However, there were talented rappers, producers, and DJs, so one reason was to create an environment where they could work. Another reason was that I wanted to release music I produced with my partner at the time, the rapper and MC Charizma—who has since passed away—on my own label. Those were the two main reasons.

──It's been 15 years since you launched the label. With the emergence of artists like Mayer Hawthorne, Dam-Funk, Aloe Blacc, and The Stepkids, the sound released by the label has also evolved with the times. What are your thoughts on this evolution?

Peanut Butter WolfIn the 90s, when I started the label in my teens, I loved hip-hop, and part of the reason I started the label was my admiration for hip-hop labels like Cold Chillin' Records and Def Jam Recordings, so hip-hop music was the main focus, and we had many artists in that genre. However, I myself listen to various genres, including soul and jazz, and I believe hip-hop is a music form built from the fusion of different genres. Therefore, I want to create the label's identity by releasing music in various genres based on hip-hop, without being confined to a single style. Above all, the strong concept is to release what I want to release (laughs)!

The Song That Changed My Life!

──If you had to choose one song that changed your life, what would it be?

Dan"Beautiful Love" by Bill Evans. I heard this song while taking jazz piano lessons, and it changed how I listened to jazz piano, awakening me to the beauty of jazz music and leading me to become deeply immersed in it. It greatly influenced my approach to composition, changing my perspective from merely expressing technical skill to a different way of composing and a completely new way of thinking as a musician.

Tim"NUMBERS" by Kraftwerk. I love everything on this album.

Peanut Butter WolfIt's very difficult to pick just one song, but I'd first mention Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." This was the song that played at the opening of a children's TV show broadcast every Saturday morning from 6 AM when I was about three or four years old, and I used to wake up early just to listen to it. Then there's RUN DMC's "Sucker M.C.'s." The way the song was made, with its sampling and mixing, was fresh and very impressive.

──Thank you very much.