Leftfield: "There’s nothing wrong with being massive, as long as it’s ‘good massive’"

Dance culture pioneers <b>Leftfield</b> show the young 'uns how it's done at the top of this year's Slam Tent lineup

Feature by Paul Mitchell | 29 Jun 2011

“To me, originally, festivals would be seen as a hippy thing. For years and years we wouldn’t have been seen dead at something which we just felt was not something we’d ever want to do.” Leftfield’s Neil Barnes isn’t pulling any punches, but then again, we’re twenty years down the road since then, and wondering what, if anyting changed his mind. “Well, we started playing some. Early dance festivals and newer festivals like T changed my view of the whole scene. It was all about communication, and could be a really valid experience." With all that experience, he is well-placed to talk about what he does and does not like about the festival scene.

“Some festivals remind me of fairgrounds, sponsorship everywhere. Obviously, you need that, but I don’t like it so much. I prefer the more underground festivals, or the ones which have kept their original identity.” So what’s his opinion of T in the Park then, where he and his Leftfield ensemble headline the 2011 Slam Tent? “I don’t know, I haven’t played there in so long, so I’m not judging that at all. I’ll let you know after I’ve done it.”

Leftfield, formed in 1990 by Barnes and Paul Daley (formerly of Brand New Heavies), became one of that decade’s best known electronica acts, regarded as pioneers in the fields of intelligent dance music and progressive house. The duo left a lasting impression on the electronic scene as a whole; the fact that both of their albums (1995’s Leftism and 1999’s Rhythm and Stealth) were nominated for the Mercury Prize indicates how much they did to broaden the appeal of the genre(s). Tunes like Phat Planet and Release The Pressure became ubiquitous soundtracks of the era, whilst the band also contributed the memorable A Final Hit to Danny Boyle's Trainspotting, the piece soundtracking the unforgettable shooting up scene. The band went on hiatus in 2000, and their reformation as a live act only last year (minus Paul, plus array of musicians) means Neil hasn’t had the opportunity to witness the growth of T into the behemoth of today.

“There’s nothing wrong with being massive as long as it’s ‘good massive’. If the system is good and people have spent money on what’s important, which is the music then I’m not averse to playing the big festivals. I think we’re playing in a tent again this time, which happened the last time we played there. That’s always good for our type of music really.” So, based on his considerable expertise in the area, what does he feel are the best and worst aspects of being part of the 'festival circuit'? "Best of all is the variety. With all those different cultures meeting, you’re part of a big, strange family. If it’s well-run, festivals are brilliant and serve as a means for people to be introduced to music. We played Coachella this year. A lot of people came to see us that wouldn’t have been to see Leftfield before and I think we picked up quite a lot of new interest as a result." Admitting that he does take time out to see as much as possible when he does attend festivals, Barnes is adamant about the one sure thing that's guaranteed to ruin the whole experience from his perspective.

"The worst of the festival scene is when you’re playing on sound systems that are appalling or just below the spec that you’re used to. People just can’t get into the music because it’s too distant and you’re losing control of what you do and you can’t soundcheck either. For some bands that’s very important, to feel confident on stage that everything’s going to work. Especially for us, I'm particularly pedantic when it comes to technical specifications. I’m not going to pinpoint the bad ones, but there are some that are so appalling I just don’t know how they get away with it." Oh come on, you surely can't say all that without outing at least one of the prime offenders? Barnes laughs: "Well, I’ll mention one then, Glastonbury, but maybe I shouldn’t have done that."

Barnes isn't particularly bothered about burning certain bridges, as the revival he initiated last year draws to an indefinite close. "We’ve got about eight festivals to play and then that’s it as far as this is concerned. I’ve got a great group of people, all the work we’ve put in has paid off, I’m really pleased at the way we’re putting it across, and generally speaking it’s been awesome. I didn’t expect it to be as good as it has been; it's almost sad to let it go in a way."

The refusal of Daley to participate in the process did cause initial misgivings and account for the fact that he's not tempted to revive the name on a longer-term basis. "Really, initially when I set the tour up I was hoping that this was something which might happen, that we might compose some new music together and that was why I wanted to do it. But it wasn’t to be and I ended up having to do it on my own. I’ve sort of done the best I can and I’m very pleased with it."

Is there any chance the duo could reunite in the future? Barnes pauses for a moment, then: "There won't be... well, we won't work together now I don't think." So it's pretty safe to suggest the pair don't get on anymore? The instantaneous cachinnation is punctured with "You can put that down." He laughs before reverting to a more serious tone. "I wish I could say otherwise. It’s a sad story but maybe that’s the tale of a lot of relationships, things go wrong. I wouldn’t say things are never... who knows, I wish it could happen. Paul gave his blessing absolutely for the Leftfield revival; he just didn't want to be part of it."

Although the Leftfield legacy is certainly assured, Barnes admits that he sometimes wonders if this current revival acts as more of a nostalgia trip, or whether or not the music they created still holds its own in today's environment. "Sometimes, when I'm standing up there, I think 'Cor blimey, this is thirteen years old, why aren't I doing something new'. And on other occasions I think ‘Yeah, this is alright, people are liking it, this is good’. I do think it stands up largely, and it's a credit to Paul and me that we’ve made something that we can go back to after all these years and there are people interested and young people coming.

"I feel quite honoured that I can do that. I’m sure a lot of people think 'Oh here we go, bloody stadium techno’, but I think it’s still got legs. There was a lot of that last year, some quite cruel reviews. I’m quite happy to take it on the chin but it seemed people weren’t willing to give it a chance because it isn’t stadium techno. In fact, there’s hardly any techno in the set whatsoever. There are elements of it, but it's the story of Leftfield, the story of the 90s and early 21st century’s dance culture and it goes into the future I think."

Headlining the Slam Tent, T in the Park on 9 Jul

http://www.tinthepark.com