Roni Size or Ryan Owen Granville Williams is a British record producer and DJ, who came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and leader of Reprazent! Today he unleashes new solo material ahead of the return of Reprazent!!!

Reporter: Hey Roni! Where in the world are you today?

Roni: I am now working in London out of Metropolis Studios. It’s a great environment, with access to some great mastering engineers and recording studios as well as having an exciting new management team.

Reporter: Massive news from you this week with the announcement of a new solo album and EP due for release this summer, both projects coming out on your new Mansion Sounds label. Let’s kick off with the album; where are you at with it, what direction is it heading in and can you tell us anything about any possible collars on there?

Roni: The reaction so far has been great. I have been working with some up and coming singer/songwriters from Bristol such as Jay Wilcox, Titau Lau, Jonni Slater and Miss Natasha Barnes as well as long time friend Dynamite M.C. The album is a step into the minds of those who may not know me, which has allowed me to take some of the influences of the last decade of Drum and Bass and make them my own. With this record I wanted to keep it quite obvious and dance floor related and not try to be too experimental.

Reporter: Mixmag premiered ‘Made In Korea’ on line last week, lot’s of varying comments; “timeless”, “average at best”, “the master is back”…you happy with the reaction from this first airing?

Roni: You have to take the rough with the smooth. ‘Made in Korea’ is what it says on the tin. I made it in Korea in my hotel room an hour before my DJ set because I needed a track that fitted the vibe and I had a lot of feedback from some bloggers that asked me to please put it out…so here it is. For those who know my previous work, I wouldn’t call this a traditional Roni Record but this is my take on what has come and gone - but with a Roni Twist. This is a DJ tool that works in front of thousands of drum and bass fanatics and won't let you down. 
Reporter: “When I hear this music I hear a MANSION of possibilities. This is just the start of better things to come”. This is seems to be the most positive you have been in a long time Roni?

Roni: I have always tried to remain as positive as possible. This music is about so many things and has so many avenues to explore that it can't be explored in just one record or even one album. Right now I am in a good place and enjoying being 

in the studio as much as ever, as well as loving DJing and performing live.

Reporter: What are the plans for the label, any signings imminent?

Roni: MANSION SOUNDS is my new label and hopefully in the near future I will look forward to making some signings to the label.
 
Reporter: You have also announced that REPRAZENT will return later this year, with a new album set for release in early 2015. What can you tell us about it?

Roni: REPRAZENT have a new album called DO IT FOR THE MASSES, which will be out early next year on MANSION SOUNDS with a live show to follow. It has the amazing Onnalle and Dynamite MC on vocals and it’s exciting to have the additional Drummer so we now have two drummers, as well as bass keys and guitars. It’s been a long time coming but we have already had one successful show at Metropolis Studios and it was a fantastic response and one big step in the right direction. I’m looking forward to taking the band back on the road again.

Reporter: You are now based in London’s Metropolis Studios in London where in June you hosted a Roni Size Reprazent Weekender, two days of production masterclass, live shows and chats with 100 lucky VIP fans. How did it go? What did you take away from the weekend?

Roni: The Metropolis Masterclass was a great weekend .We performed to a sold out select number of loyal fans and also had a chance to do a Q&A session over two days. This showed me that what we do is very unique and definitely holds it’s own. We feel that we started something and it is still very much in demand.
Reporter: Gotta give St Paul’s Carnival in Bristol at the weekend a mention Roni…how was it…? 

Roni: St Paul’s carnival this year was fantastic and it was a great atmosphere at the Red Bull stage and the Main Stage. The sun came out to play and the smell of food on every corner was a reminder of what the Jamaican culture had brought with them.
Reporter: Throw some names at us, some up and coming producers we should be looking out for over the next 12 months…

Roni: The names I would throw out are DJ Joker, Javeon McCarthy and my fellow Bristol's Kaners.
 
Reporter: What is the current top 10 you are spinning…

Roni: When I DJ I try to play the room and not the playlist but I like T.C, The Prototypes, Gusto L-sides, Andy C . I like to play across the board.

Reporter: “You should always be nice on the way up because you never know who you're going to meet on the way down. “ I take it a few people have shit on you over the years…?

Roni: This is just some advice for those who need it . I have been very fortunate to have had a great career DJing and making music for over 2 decades considering I am 100% self taught and still here as hungry as ever. It’s good to make friends regardless but people move on and sometimes it can be sad.
 
Reporter: You were a keen footballer as a youth. What are your thoughts on the current World Cup? The refs have been very favorable to Brazil!
Roni: LOL!!!!! I bet you wish you could take this question back….no chance...I’ve just witnessed a 7-1 thrashing of the mighty Brazil and my sympathy goes out to all my Brazilian people and I'm sure they will be back with a vengeance, but the one lesson you can learn from this is no one person makes a team and right now I have a great team.

Reporter: What is the last great studio toy you bought yourself?

Roni: The last thing investment was moving in to my studio. Now I am based in London at Metropolis and it’s a great feeling. The one thing I would say is you can have all the fancy toys but the most important thing is the sound of the room. But I would like to say thank you to AVID ,Universal Audio, Time And Space, Izoptope ,Native Instruments ,P.M.C,FXpansions and Focusrite for all their support.
Reporter: What is the record that…

…reminds you of your childhood?

Roni: “And The Beat Goes On” – Whisper.

…always gets you on the dance floor?

Roni: “Saturday Love” - Cherrelle and Alexander O’ Neal.

…reminds you of being broken hearted?

Roni: Too many to mention.

…you wish you’d have made?

Roni: I really love the N E R D album.

Reporter: What has been the highest and lowest moment of your career to date?

Roni: The most memorable times are always the beginnings and having my best days with Krust Die, Suv and dynamite being on tour and signing to V Recordings, talking loud, starting up Full Cycle and Dope Dragon and winning the Mercury Music Prize. The lowest is when someone passes.

Reporter: And finally a question from my wife Tess in the kitchen; "do you put Spirulina or Flax Seed in your Nutribullet"????

Roni: The Nutribullet is the king in my house and Spriulina and Flax Seeds are a must as well as avocado, pineapple and nutmeg - anything you like really!

 

Further Roni Size information:

www.ronisize.net <http://www.ronisize.net/>  
https://www.facebook.com/ronisize
https://twitter.com/ronisizebristol 
http://instagram.com/ronisizebristol 

 

Interview materials: http://www.dmcworld.net/