Back It Up: Ghost Writerz Interviewed

Tru Thoughts signings speak to Clash...

A new project, Ghost Writerz – Harry 'Sleepy Time Ghost' Metcalfe and Jason 'Jimmy Screech' Bradshaw – already have a lifetime of music behind them.

Rolling with the Unit 137 collective, the duo learned their trade the right way; absorbing music at every turn, the pair swapped soulful vocals with a hip hop beat, reggae production with a jungle tip.

Deciding to go it alone, Ghost Writerz was born. A handful of cuts have emerged thus far, with Tru Thoughts swooping in to sign the pair.

New single 'Back It Up' drops on December 8th, lighting a fire to keep winter's cold away. The beat is sparse, intense and almost tribal, with MCs swapping lines over the crisp production.

Clash is able to premiere the video for 'Back It Up' – check it out below, then read a quickfire Q&A with Ghost Writerz after the jump.

What was your first experience with sound system culture?
Yow, we been living this man! As a youth growing up in London, Jimmy has been around the culture since a baby, and his Dad has an incredible vinyl collection, so it runs deep. Sleepy really started to absorb it when coming to London to study, from the West Country. As a duo, we were actually brought together by the Unit 137 sound system, and the studio that was built around it.

How did your involvement with Unit 137 shape your outlook?
137 is at the core of our existence. It is home to our band of brothers, musically. It’s where we jam, and hear all the latest sounds from the producers in the camp, like Hylu and Ed West. It’s where we hear all these different types of thesis, from our learned colleagues hahah! And where we put together our supernatural synthesis! It’s where we study this ting! Done know!

To what extent do you believe yours is a particularly British outlook? And how do we define such an outlook?
Well, we see this is a very special country, for all its faults. Empire has seen a thousand sons return to a step-motherland, looking for their lost riches. And then we learn the people living here are just as pissed off by those running the show. So we take all this dissonance, and all this wonderful variety of culture, and we turn that into meditation, entertainment and, sometimes, joy. Our sound wouldn’t carry JA, USA, UK influence unless it was born here. It’s a continuation of the struggle.

Who do you regard as peers?
The scene is so healthy right now, it’s mad to see so many friends and others we respect getting so much shine. Stylo G, Aries & Gold Dubs, our Unit 137 fam Hylu & Jago, Ed West, Lionpulse Sound out of Bristol, RTKal from Brum, Pete Cannon from Manny. Rodney P & Skitz. Shout out people like Foreign Beggars too, and the Mouse Outfit. Toddla T and the big dutty stinking Serocee have really got our back. Shout out 1Take Entertainment, G.O.L.D.

How did the tie up with Tru Thoughts’ new off shoot Sharp And Ready come about?
That’s something we played a role in really. Our management is with Lionbeat, and JC had been pushing to get us a deal. Now, we’d been making music for over a year by that point, we had over 30 tracks in the bag! No lie! So, that was a lot for Tru Thoughts to get excited by, and it played an important part in bringing about this bigger situation. So we happy to be recognised by a platform just for Sound System Music! It’s a very natural fit for us.

Jimmy – you’ve worked with Roots Manuva, what did this experience teach you?
Yeah, Roots is like a godfather in this game. Sleepy would say the same, in terms of his being a major influence on our team. My touring with Roots means I’ve seen where this music can take you, if it’s handled a certain way. There ain’t no hurry up and go round ting in this game for us. We’re making real music, with a message, with heartfelt sentiments, with soul. It takes time for that to bed in, and so you have to be a campaigner. We know we have to be here for the distance! GWz All The Way! Or bust!

To what extent are you influenced by your surroundings? Is this a London sound, for example?
Yeah, it is a London sound. But then Sleepy is from Kernow! Kernow Mafia! Na Mess! I guess, working with people like RTKAL, Serocee from Brum, Pete Cannon from Manny it’s clearly an urban connection. We think that’s where the styles start to coalesce. So this is a UK sound man… predominantly London… but UK by definition.

‘Back It Up’ – this feels like a mission statement, what made you lead with this track?
Hahahhaha! For the girls! Honestly? We were having some fun with this track man, and it was a stand out for the first single. We’ve got music with a message to come, for sure. Tracks like ‘Survive’ and ‘Rose’ tell a bit more of a story from us. ‘Back It Up’ is just about the beautiful girls in the dance, having fun.

The remixes are particularly broad, is it important to you not to get tied down to one sound?
YES! Our music is Sound System Music, so you can always expect the full gamut of Reggae, Hip Hop, Jungle and other elements in between those as we move. We are gonna put a lot of energy in making our release packages diverse. Something might have been out for a year, and we’ll come with a remix. Our music is not disposable! It’s here for the ages.

RTKAL is on one remix, are you fans of his work?
BIG fans. This guy is the future.

Any surprises coming up for your debut album?
Wait! Wait and see… But, in short, YES!

What can we expect from the Ghost Writerz live show?
Wait for 2015… It really is a case of GWz All The Way. We are not here to mess about: We’re here to spread knowledge, positivity and joy through Sound System Music.

(unless stated all answers by Sleepy Time Ghost)

Photo Credit: Ellie Bradford

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'Back It Up' will be released through Tru Thoughts' new Sharp And Ready imprint on December 8th.

Clash x Tru Thoughts x Erased Tapes will be co-hosting a stall at this weekend's Independent Label Market. Ghost Writerz will be there, too, with Sleepy Time Ghost aiding Unit 137 as they provide some smooth sounds for Spitalfields Market – it all kicks off at 11am on Saturday (November 29th).

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