Gosub: Universal Systems

“Techno? It all sounds the same!”. You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again. How to win the showdown? Play a track by Gosub (preach it!).

It could have been his master-plan from outset, when "electro's solo surfer" from Miami (real name Shad T. Scott) created his own Isophlux label in the early 90s, seeking to "bring musicality and soul back to Electro/Techno". 

While IDM dominated Shad T.'s first releases, the year 2000 saw a new alias rise from the seas and the universal Gosub sound was born. From Miami to Brooklyn, from Anthilia to The Mountain Of RU. 

And this weekend? It's Berlin's Libertine to Barcelona's Hakke, as Gosub presents a new live set, christening his new release on the Berlin label. In anticipation of his Saturday gig, Hakke member Nicolas Falvo introduces Gosub on Say What!

Hello Shad, thanks for spending a few words with us! Can you tell us how the project Gosub was born?

I wanted a new project to explore new concepts in 1999 so the name meant a few things to me. Originally the project was going to be an exclusive Isophlux project but after a few years break I decided to start releasing music for other labels.

How is the underground Electro/Techno scene in the USA nowadays? How does it compare to back then?

It’s the same pretty much to me since I really don’t go out much unless friends are in town playing. It's more organized and maybe a little more image oriented now with the internet. I sound like I’m conspiring horse and ashen to an auto...

What inspired you to make music when you started?

I grew up on Miami bass and New York electro but in the late 80’s I was in a hardcore band that exposed me to the production side. Band-mates getting deported pushed me into making music alone.

Was the Miami bass movement a big influence on you?

Yes. I ended up running a small studio in Miami where we worked on a lot of bass and speaker competition CDs back in the day.

You have many amazing releases and the Gosub sound became legendary to us, especially in the last few years. We were wondering if the success of Gosub was already recognised from the start or do you feel it more these days since the 90s revival?

I don’t know, my releases seemed to always do well, but I think it’s because I never follow trends, I just make the music I want to hear. People tell me that my old records sell for some big dollars which kind of amazes me but it makes me feel good to know that people find value in my work. Friends ask me why my releases seem to go up in value like vintage synths and I joke with them and say I sprinkle gold dust in reverb tails.

Detroit is so historic in the techno world, with artists like Drexciya or Aux 88. Have you ever collaborated with them?

Yep Detroit is always a hot bed for creativity. I think it’s the cold winters that make you want to stay in and work in the studio. Plus the potholes lol. But everyone I know from the D are good peoples. I worked with a handful of folks in the past like doing remix swaps with Aux-88, worked with my old friend Alex Lugo from Ultradyne in the past, and back in the early 2000’s used to talk with James S. from Drexciya on a project concept for Isophlux and what I had going in Brooklyn at the time. But overall I have to say I have been lucky to meet and hang with good people from all over.

I saw you also collaborated with big artists outside the underground scene like Alanis Morissette and Aerosmith. What was your role?

I did a lot of programming and engineering in Los Angeles so had the pleasure of working with a lot of big names. I walked away from it as I got burnt out from project after project.

What do you think about the scene in Europe? Do you enjoy performing here?

I love the scene in Europe as people seem to really appreciate the music. A lot of people artists in US compare it to the 30s and 40s with American Jazz artists having more success in Europe than in their own hometown. Artists and creative music tender seem to be disposable here, not for all folks but feels that way sometimes.

You have an amazing upcoming double album on Libertine records and we are looking forward for it to be out. What is your favourite way to work: hardware or software?

I use both hardware and software. I find that working with just hardware or working with just software and sometimes both makes me write differently. So some projects or releases might be all hardware, then it might just be software but it all depends. And to be honest with you I’m somewhat lazy so I don’t have the patience to work all day on a sound. I’d rather get the song out of my head. I know dudes that will work on modulars all day and that’s cool but at the end of the day I just don’t have the patience. I’d rather just explore sound quick and a lot of times it’s just how you play it more than the sound itself. But that’s just the way I work, but not saying anything bad about people that can focus on the smallest details.

One thing that I noticed is even with all the new software and all the new hardware that’s coming out all the time, I haven’t heard anything that’s really saying something new for the most part. In the early 90s yeah that explosion happened... I guess I’m waiting to hear something sonically new. But just like everything you have these cycles with peaks and valleys. If you read up on music history this is a constant cycle since the start of it.

We are really excited to see you live as for me personally I was really impressed by your live in Berlin and from the feedback, Barcelona is really looking forward to seeing your show! Thanks for you time Shad and see you soon.

It’s my pleasure and honoured to be invited to come play in Barcelona.