‘Jon – you be the leader!’
Captain Tinrib on the Superfish! tenth birthday summer spectacular!

Live performer, producer, remixer, engineer, and party-organizer/goer, Captain Tinrib is one of the truly legendary figures of hard dance. The Captain (real name Jon Bell) started producing music as far back as 1991. Through Tinrib Recordings (now TinribDigital), he pioneered the distinctive acid sounds, tough funky drum derangements, distortion, hoovers, vocal samples and other features that are recognized today as hard house. His trademark is a combination of power and energy with surreal humour. He is also one of those rare people in the business with not only a distinctive sound and style of his own, but also an ability to collaborate creatively with others across the spectrum of hard house, trance and techno. Some of his classic tracks have been co-written with fellow pioneers Karim, RR Fierce and Steve Thomas; more recently he has been involved in outstanding productions with future heroes such as Ben Javelin and Frank Farrell.

The Superfish! club night he and others founded is now ten years old! The tenth anniversary party at the Fridge, Brixton, on August 24th promises to be the most spectacular hard dance event of the summer. It will be the showcase for the huge amount of fresh new tracks he has recently produced, two of which topped the Banging Tunes charts in July: ‘We can Fly’ (with Omega 3, on Vicious Circle) and ‘What are we waiting for’ (with Butcher Boy and Steve Arnold, on Tidy Trax). It is also the last chance to see Captain Tinrib live this year before he sets sail again for his new home in New Zealand. I asked the Captain what delights he had planned for those coming to the Superfish! birthday party. First, though, I wanted to know more about the making of Captain Tinrib…

When did you first become interested in things nautical and marine? Did this precede your musical career or develop in tandem with it?

Been out and about partying from the age of 18. Enjoyed it so much, extended this into music creation as a hobby. This hobby took off and became a career. Tinrib was born.

You have a very original sound and style, both live and in the studio. But were there any artists or tracks that influenced you when you started making music?

All the German stuff was good back then. Andy from the now, Intergroove sorted us a lot of music and also Karim when he had his shop in Covent Gardens too. Not one to copy exact sounds, created our own music. Guess that’s why it’s original and so stylish! Tinribized.

Why was the label ‘hard NRG’ rather than ‘hard house’? (Or is it the same thing?)

Didn’t wanna get muddled in pigeon hole world so went for sealgull world, we looked at the closest sound, and labelled our label ‘UK Hard NRG.’ Its hard, got NRG and from the UK! Too easy!

As you say, your music and your live sets defy simple categorization. So how would you describe your own music? And how would you describe one of your live sets?

An hour of all genres of music possible at 145 – 155 bpm. Technotranceyhardnrgizedfilthy pirate music.

Like it!... Would it be fair to say that the various Superfish! resident DJs represent the different aspects of underground hard music - hard nrg/hard house (e.g. Karim), techno (e.g., Dave Randall) and trance (Weirdo, Steve Hill); but that you, the Captain, straddle them all – in your own music as well as planning the musical progression of the night - to combine them into a disciplined ship’s crew? (Straddle them in a metaphorical sense I mean.)

Back when we started up all these styles were in one category. The placement at our Superfish club nite is a build of music throughout the night. This also exists in the Captain Tinrib Live show, though its all put into one hour to cover the spectrum of me travels over the seven seas.

The first Tinrib album ‘Fish Tales Vol. 1: Battered and crispied’ is mixed by Tony de Vit. Can you tell us how that collaboration came about?

We had created over 10 Tinrib Vinyl releases and felt the time was ripe for a mixed CD and whoever better to mix it than a true master. We approached Tony and he was more than happy to mix it up in his studio in Birmingham.

The Tinrib image is of cartoon fish and a very characteristic look to all your packaging (logo etc.). Do you do this yourself? (Are you a trained artist?)

Not a trained artist. A dabbler. Came up with the idea of ‘Elfish’ an Elvis & Fish cross, the future of rock and roll. Got my brother who can draw involved and adapted him a few times. As cartooning isn’t my speciality, found a few cartoonists and watched how fast they were able to draw him. So realised I just needed to give them my ideas and they would draw them. The rest of the designs are manipulated by the skipper himself, the Superfish! flyer story is told.

Let’s talk about your current work now… What do you enjoy most – the creative process in the studio or live performance?

I enjoy both I’d have to say. The sound in clubs on stage can be tough to work with sometimes, though poss through experience. The creation in the studio is moved to the live stage by missing sounds out in the mixes and having to put them back in live at the disco.

You moved to New Zealand a couple of years ago. How has living in NZ affected the way you work?

It’s given me a new lease of life. I have built a studio on the side of our house there. I have much more time and a clear mind.

What’s the clubbing scene like out in NZ?

The whole population of NZ is only 4 million, so it’s a smaller scale affair, there are so many beautiful spots there for outdoor parties which are extremely worth a visit. Come have a look at our free party and wedding in April 2008.

You’ve had a number of widely acclaimed dance-floor hits in the last two years, including ‘Attack of the 50 foot DJ’ (with Sol Ray), ‘Acid gate scandal’ (with Max Alien), and ‘Get Lost’ (with Frank Farrell). One that fascinated me is the ‘The Great Gatsby’. What did Paul Glazby say when he found you’d written a tune about him?

He signed it for his label! He had to! Met Paul on tour in Japan about 5 years ago. He was named John Travolta and myself Señcho Banderas. I thought the Great Gatsby was more appropriate! Crazy buggers!

Are you at all tempted to follow Glazby’s example and get into personal training and healthy living, or do you favour the rock n roll lifestyle of the traditional party-going DJ?

I enjoy the party lifestyle, though when back in NZ tend to just do it once a month to stay on track. UK holidays tend to end up more on the party side!

Your track ‘Rampage’ (with Pierce Rooney and Robert Dalton) was one of the biggest hits with clubbers over the last year. But what is your own favourite of your recent tracks?

There is one coming out on our new album called ‘Fishy Situations.’ This is a favourite at the moment.

And what’s your favourite own track (or remix) of all time?

There are so many out there, would have to re check to know. From my brain right now, ‘Street Tab’, ‘What You Got 4 Me’ RMX, ‘No Women Allowed’ remix, ‘Blue Oyster’.

Tell me about your new project, Omega 3. I hear there is an album out later this year.

There sure is. Spent the last year with 3 New Zealand producers, Scuba Steve, Butcher Boy & the one and only Captain Tinrib. (Omega 3.) We have finished the album Omega 3 – Lost @ Sea and its due for release at the end of October 2007. Its all finished and coming out on mixed CD, Picture disc and MP3 from Tinribdigital.com

Let’s talk about the current scene now… What do you think of the present state of hard house (or ‘hard dance’ more broadly)?

I’d say that from this year’s experience that its being destroyed by bad promoters who really don’t give an F. Lots of overbooked DJs, parties too big for their boots, nights being cancelled, really bad production and sound. This needs to be addressed or people will not go back!

Which of the new DJ-producers coming through particularly impresses you?

From recent studio experience, I’d have to say, Omega 3, Ben Javlin, Ben Stevens, The Leprechauns, Disturbed, Frank Farrell, Dave Owens to name a few.

Any recent tracks by you’d like to mention?

The artist Captain Tinrib & Disturbed - ‘Shut The F**k Up,’ and ‘Something Heavier,’ to be release on Vicious Circle on vinyl and at Tinribdigital.com for digital.

Let’s talk about the Superfish! 10th birthday do…. Tell us about your plans for the big party on August 24th. I hear this is going to be pretty spectacular.

The Fridge stage is being converted into a Nautical theatre setting. Huge galleon in the middle with adapted piratetechnics, two pirate dancer rafts either side with the latest pirate video sails. The biggest Superfish! lineup to date. What more do we need? See you on deck.

Are you really going to build a ship inside the Fridge?

Certainly are. Come down and check us out. Theatrical Dance Party.

If you’re the Captain of the crew, who’s first mate? (Or, should that be: ‘Who’s first, mate?’) ;o)

My beautiful wife to be, Sarahbelle.

Captain Tinrib, can you re-boot the system?

Don’t need to, my system runs good. Try a Mackerel.

All systems set for the Superfish 10th birthday spectacular…… 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 1…. Captain Tinrib!!

I thank you!

Check out the Superfish! event page and TinribDigital/Superfish group.

This interview digitally mastered from the Nut House