You'll be hard-pressed to find anyone who has done more for our artform than Eclectic Method. Armed with 2 DVJ's, 2 CDJ's, 3 audio mixers and a video-mixer, they mix-up audio and video like there is no tomorrow. Time Out Magazine described them as "2 Many DJ's, but with videos". And when they are not busy touring the world, they do video remixes for the likes of Fatboy Slim and U2. DVJ Vision recently caught up with Jonny and Geoff , 2/3s of Eclectic Method.

DVJ Vision: Can you briefly describe what your individual role is within EM and where your roots lie as a performer?
J: We all pretty much do everything. We lean different ways in terms of musical taste sometimes, but we all perform video, remix video, produce it, collect it.
G: During a performance we rotate roles between playing CDs of instrumental music and DVDs of video acapellas - switching between CDJ1000s and DVJ1000s
DVJ Vision: Before EM, were you more of a DJ, VJ or producer?
J: Before EM I was a DJ/producer mostly.
G: My background as a performer goes back to early days as a guitarist in a punk band - I didn't start DJing in public 'til Eclectic Method started up in 2002.
DVJ Vision: How did EM come about?
G: Serendipitous meetings between the three of us really - facilitated by an old friend and music production mentor called Jerome. Plus I had just set up a studio to make AV productions, although I hadn't thought of mixing DVDs up at that stage - it was all video clips on laptops.
DVJ Vision: What drew you to combining audio and video and how did you accomplish that in the days before the DVJ-X1?
J: Vjamm. What drew me in the first instance was Coldcut/Hexstatic's Timber, then more of their stuff and EBN.We used the same live set up that the Coldcut/ Vjamm people where using, their boy Sleepy Tom built us a mixer that could cross-fade video and audio together.
G: Yes me too, the Coldcut CD-ROM Beats and pieces introduced me to Timber and AV mixing on a computer.
DVJ Vision: How has the introduction of DVD-turntables changed DJing for you?
J: Completely changed the live interface for jamming live video.
G: Once Jonny showed me his early AV mix of “Intergalactic” and “She Moves in Mysterious Ways” I was totally sold on the idea!
J: It's completely changing the face of clubs as well, screens playing the video that is building up in a track is an amazing experience.There isn't much Video Editing software that pushes you to be creative musically, the DVJ bridges that as well.
DVJ Vision: What does your typical DJ-booth look like? What kind of audio and video mixers?
J: Our set up is 2.5 meters long: 2 DVJs, sometimes more, DJM 800, 909 and Edirol V4
G: So much lovely Pioneer stuff to play with...
J: And CDJs. Love the 909 - best fader ever
DVJ Vision: What are your favorite effects on the 909?
G: Roll Fader, Pitch Shifter, Hold Echo
J: Roll, Transform, Reverse Echo
DVJ Vision: What about the effects on the 800?
G: Echo and Filter
J: The same ones, although I tend to use the on-channel stuff a lot more, filter mostly, nice big knobs to tweak rhythmically.
G: Can't wait to see the audio and visual effects tied up in one mixer.
DVJ Vision: Do you prefer the X1 or DVJ1000?
J: We are going to answer differently maybe…
G: I actually prefer the action on a DVJ-X1 but I don't know why...seems a bit more friendly.
J: Audio/visual effects is the next step for it, so fun as things get faster, there are new things to do with it.
G: I scratch better on a DVJ-X1 anyway.
J: I prefer the 1000. Especially when it involves carrying it.
DVJ Vision: Where do you get your video content for your live shows?
J: All over
G: Off DVDs mainly - Ian is also a master of finding the best content on the net.
J: Ian does a lot of web hunting, I do too quite a bit. DVDs mainly but downloads and net almost exclusively initially. We buy a lot of CDs for the music, and a TON of DVDs, hundreds now.
G: These days, if we are doing a remix then we are given the parts by the commissioning artist. I wish that happened all the time - such fun to have everything isolated in the audio mix.
DVJ Vision: How much do you prepare for your gigs in pre-production? What software do you like to use for that?
J: Sony Vegas, Sony Acid
G: We make the clips for our stage DVD’s  in Vegas, yes - and it's all about pre-production really, so that we can focus on improvising during the show.
J: Xilisoft, DVD ripping stuff, we prepared years for the live show. Really, in total time, production for all video content we have is ridiculous.
G: I guess we probably have the biggest library of video acapellas in the world
J: But per week on average about 2/3 days a week for me.
DVJ Vision: When you are not performing live, you are busy in the studio doing mash-ups for the likes of Fatboy Slim, U2 and Palm Pictures. Tell me a bit more about these projects and how they came about.
J: We made a mix for Fatboy Slim because we loved what he did, he checked it out and said he wanted to use it on DVD.
G: U2 came about because of a mash-up mix that was posted by us on YouTube, seen by the band and liked - simple as that.
J: Palm Pictures contacted us after seeing other work we had done with our friends at RES.
G: Amazing to have officially remixed U2, couldn't believe it at the time, still can hardly believe it now.
DVJ Vision: Is that project done or is there more to come?
J: U2, the latest one was Vertigo. Now we are looking at battle breaks, AV clips that look and sound cool and work for DVJ performers. So trying to get the licensing (which is hefty) sorted out on stuff we have done for use for remixing.
DVJ Vision: Do you plan on selling those AV clips?
J: Plans are not fully in place, some sold, but a lot of free content, like clips we have put on Pioneer's DJ Sounds site.
DVJ Vision: Yeah, I saw that. Some very cool clips.
G: I think there will definitely be a market for battle breaks of the right type and caliber in future - we're definitely going to be involved in that.
DVJ Vision: What else do you think needs to happen to push the scene forward? DVD-turntables have been around for a number of years now, yet the number of people performing on them is still relatively small.
G: I think there's been quite an explosion of activity in this area recently - even within the last six months - it's pushing itself forward quite nicely really.
J: The scene will sort of push it's self forward in a way, more people making videos so people have abundance of content (cool content).
G: And of course the technology will continue to adapt and become more affordable to all.
J: Also it’s just coming into public consciousness a lot more, here in UK they definitely edit major TV trailers in a more AV-Remix style in the last 2 years.Yes computers speed up and next thing everyone can make AV remixes like they could make audio remixes 10 years ago
DVJ Vision: Having performed all over the world, how would you compare the scene’s in Europe, the US and Asia?
J: Asia is well cool, Europe is party central in particular Spain and Ireland, they know how to rock. America is cool as f**k, we have an overleaning towards American content.
DVJ Vision: Where do you think the art of DJing with DVD's is more visible? Where is the bigger scene?
J: In terms of clubs suited for it Japan, in terms of AV artists UK and America. It is hard to get your hand around the Japanese scene though, there are probably a hell of a lot more AV Artists. In fact if you make AV we are eager to hear from you.
G: The biggest scene will be in stadium shows I reckon. I love the big shows that major artists are putting on now - a great opportunity to make some mind-blowing AV shows. It's the new pyrotechnics - (that should be pyropioneer of course...)
DVJ Vision: Who have you seen recently that blew u away?
J: Mike Relm, and a Japanese kid called Ito.
G: The Sancho Plan - ace MIDI pad bank control of Flash movies. I totally love the Sancho Plan.
J: Oh yeah, Sancho Plan rock, that was amazing, they trigger live robot animated drummers on screen with their drumming.
DVJ Vision: Where are they from?
G: From London and Cambridge, where we played a gig with them for Cybersonica. Genius idea - incredible coding...
J: Nice animations, too.
DVJ Vision: Do you think DJing with DVD’s is the future? Or will it be more HD based?
J: Nice question. DVDs first, but computer processors are going to hit that point soon enough where you can scratch and apply live FX to HV video streams.
G: Yes HD will be the future for sure - possibly even real-time online.
DVJ Vision: People use all sorts of names to describe what you do. What term do you like best? DVJ? Video-DJ? DVD-DJ? Something else…?
J: Disc Video Jockey? Yeah sure. Geoff? What do you call yourself?
G: I usually prefer Video DJs - but video turntablist is more accurate for us now I guess. Ian always prefers AV performers.
DVJ Vision: What's next for EM?
J: Wow, we gonna have dinner.
G: Just finishing an official video mega-mix for George Michael - then we're going to make some tunes together.
J: We just did Faithless, remixing Fat Freddie's Drop at the moment as well. A lot of sort of constant video remix online output, some DVD action and a lot of traveling.
DVJ Vision: Any tours coming up?
G: No we don't tend to tour much - not since the Res World Tour last year - but we have some good festival dates coming up in the UK. Really looking forward to Bestival this year - we get to play and see the Beastie Boys and the Chemical Brothers – wow.
DVJ Vision: Gentleman, thanks so much for your time. I really appreciate it.
G: You're welcome - great to talk to you.
J: You’re welcome Lars, it was fun.

For more info go to http://eclecticmethod.net

This interview was conducted in June 2007