Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Mr. Dubz:
I was born in England then I moved to Ireland at 7.
I spent about half of my time in each country.
I now live in London, I’ve lived here for about 9 years. I’ve really just been trying to balance a lot of elements such as work, music, education and life. To keep progressing musically, as a person and in all I do.
New York is great too, but it’s hard to emigrate. I loved my time there, it’s mind opening and inspiring.
Dublin’s nice also, there’s no party like an Irish one. My family home’s in a rural part of Ireland. I like that contrast in my life.
I don’t really like representing one city, each place I’ve lived is one of my homes.
I decided to become an artist soon after I started Djing in 1998. I just knew I wanted to make music. I loved the scene, the music, the record stores and concerts. I bought a beatbox in 2000 and started making music. I was playing at underground parties and house parties at that time.
I later studied Sound Engineering and Music Technology.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Mr. Dubz:
My surname in gaelic is Ó Dubhtaigh or Ó Dubchain.
I think it works great as a name Mr. Dubz. What can I say it’s perfect.
mc2:
Is also a name I use when I Rap. It’s more heavy Hip-Hop style music.
I chose it because it’s explosive and I explode on the mic, it’s my release of tension.
Plus it equals Energy and it’s out of respect for Albert Einstein.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Mr. Dubz:
I think it has some great positives, but there’s some tough negatives too. I think it’s become harder to sell music due to free streaming sites. But there are different avenues to sell music digitally. The high street music shops and record stores are all dieing off. The physical music album model is being challenged with a more digital single style which does not really hold the same power or mystique that it used to. I prefer albums, I like they journey they take you on.
I have some of my music on:
https://soundcloud.com/sean-doohan
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Mr. Dubz:
Firstly keep making the best music you can, keep practicing and make an amount of music you are confident with.
A positive attitude, hard work and determination. Keep asking, keep looking for promotion, for events and put on your own.
Network but trying to find the right type of people is sometimes difficult.
Have fun, if it’s not STOP and evaluate because, your doing something wrong.
If you can afford it a good manager, as they have the contacts.
Studying Music, Sound Engineering or Digital Marketing really helps. (Plus going online and checking out what you can learn there.)
Websites like yours Exposed Vocals are excellent thanks for your help.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Mr. Dubz:
At this moment I’m not touring. I’m completely focused on getting my record label up and running, songs recorded, mastered, albums compiled and then promoting them online.
After that I will, however, if there’s a show someone wants to offer me in the meantime, I’m always open to consideration.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Mr. Dubz:
Mainly from my feelings of love. I first put pen to paper it was poetry in school at about 14 studying William Shakespeare. I still use a very poetic writing style.
But everywhere I can, my life experiences and global issues.
I usually write the music first, I usually start with the beat, as it then holds everything in place and gives you the foundations to work with.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Mr. Dubz:
No I still don’t have a band website and I feel it’s not as important as it used to be. There are too many, even the main artist’s sites would not be attracting very much traffic these days. It really doesn’t make commercial sense to spend too much on a band-site, plus the industry is divided into pieces. Social media networking or communication is what people used to do on artist’s forums and band-sites just link to them now.
Twitter: @ Sean_Doohan
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Mr. Dubz:
Obviously there’s none (In my opinion) and if there were then I would be insulting them. I wanna make friend’s and avoid enemies and their music.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Mr. Dubz:
I’ve got to be serious here, when I get out I’m not going back. I’ve had too much to deal with due to money, people trying to say I can’t, people trying to knock me or working at mundane jobs.
I would be smart and boring, I would live off interest rates as that would be enough to begin with. Get Artisan Company Entertainment (A.C.E.) up and running and actually start my career. I would start other business’ and set my goal to make a million by the end of the year.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Mr. Dubz:
A nice studio space to put all my musical instruments is the first thing on my mind.
A nice new audio interface (Universal Audio)
or a new Mixing desk would be nice (Yamaha N series)
I’m now working with:
Apple Macbook with Logic,
A huge amount of classic keyboards as sampler instruments and plug-ins:
Alicia’s Key’s, Yamaha Motif8, Moog Little Phatty, Moog Voyager, Roland
Access Virus Prophet, Sony Oxford plug-ins, etc.
An EMU 61 Key midi-keyboard
Focusrite Saffire
SE Electronics Titan & 2x Shure SM57 Microphones
Wharfedale Diamond 8 Speakers
Ibiza sound 18†powered speaker
Roland MC303
Yamaha C1SX
Westfield Bass Guitar with Berhinger UltraGain
Bongo and percussive instruments
Technics 1210 decks and Vestax mixer
Numark mixtrack pro II
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Mr. Dubz:
I’ve been approached by a steadily growing number of promotional websites (such as yours) and other business personnel. Some radio broadcasters and some from the best PR and management business’.
I would also highly recommend some websites such as Fiverr. A site that I’ve just started using.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Mr. Dubz:
It has to be Alicia Keys, as she’s my favorite musician and is an inspiration to me.
I love her music and she’s a really nice person with similar beliefs to me.
She’s more beautiful in person and the nicest musician I’ve ever met, with no ego even though she’s so talented and beautiful she’s still a down to Earth, the real deal.
Madison Square Garden, 3 Arena Dublin or Scala (As I know the sound engineer.)
I have made a number of remixes of her work. Most recently a ‘Back To Life’ remix.
I always have to add some production work to all the piano and vocal songs she releases. I love her voice, powerful lyrics and her magical, mind-boggling and in my opinion best ever piano playing ability.
It’s helped me grow so much as a producer and musician.
You can listen to my remixes here:
https://legitmix.com/discovery/remixer/18894/Sean-Doohan
With Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix as the other acts of the night would be just perfect.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Mr. Dubz:
Ideally playing Soccer or Basketball as I really liked playing them.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Mr. Dubz:
It was ‘Michael Jackson – Thriller.’ I was about 4 I used to play keyboard even then.
Honestly what was going through my head was I want to make music so much. MJ, had a real talent and such a huge stage presence too.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Mr. Dubz:
I do find that tough as music and life/jobs are in some ways polar opposites. I never chase ‘fame’ or ever have. Not that I didn’t want it, I did and still do. I’m just building, creating and designing my own thing. Some just chase but they don’t know what their chasing and that it can be a trap for them. I see the music industry from a perspective that I don’t know if there’s a positive to it yet. Your locked in or your locked out so much. Some are stuck in situations that are not safe they are actually trapped with a sugar coated facade that’s fake. With a bunch of fake people who want them to pay for everything that they want to give to their own families or just to have a family even can be hard. Then there are many people who know a persons face who do not have their best interests at heart, plus they have this habit of not thinking well known people are still human. That’s what some people think fame is when sometimes it’s just criminals, sharks, pushers or scam artists and a thing called idolatry. Some people really make life hard in one way or another. It could be perfect in a family unit otherwise it can basically take lives, due to the stresses and pressures. The time at work to get by and live is just so frustrating at times and musically it try’s to kill the vibe. Then if I don’t get it right in my musical career (as in make above a certain amount per year) it could be so detrimental to me as I would be stuck financially and work-wise. So it’s a pretty hard balance that I’m still working on.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Mr. Dubz:
A lot, I’m fully rolling out my record label soon. A.C.E.
I should have my album on itunes & all major digital stores by the end of the year.
It’s a vocal lead RnB/ Hip-Hop album is coming together really nicely.
I also want to put my Drum & Bass/ Jungle mix-tape on itunes too.
