90s was the best time for UK music: JSL

Fresh from collaborating with Diljit Dosanjh on 'Main Fan Bhagat Singh Da' & numerous other projects - We catch up with producer JSL for an exclusive chat.
Who is JSL?
Well it���������s the same JSL back from the days when StereoNation used to be Johnny Z
Many may remember you as a underground remixer/producer ��������� what year did you first start out in ��������� and how did you get your music noticed?
Well, I started my stuff in late 90s..I used to remix songs on and off just for some fun.. One day we had relatives at home, I played few of the stuff to my cousin who also had a similar interest, he asked me to make a remix compilation and release it on net, I didn���������t have internet at that time so I asked him for the favour.
Back in 2007 you and Manni Sandhu released a remix album called ���������Mutual Concept'. Do you remember how you and Manni came about to doing this release?
Well, by that time I had released approx 6-7 underground albums and I was kinda fed up of it, because I hated that scene, picking up someone else���������s song, cut the bass and highs, add your beat and tag it as your own. So I started searching for vocals, found some of them, also at that time I heard some of Manni���������s stuff.. So I approached him, appreciated what he was doing, he also knew me from my work and we had a nice chatting session... I told him what I was up to at that time, I had like 4 songs ready and to my surprise he also had a few finished songs.. So we both came to the conclusion of making a mixtape together.
From remixing undergroud, you got your big break on a number of official projects including DJ Sanj���������s ���������American Desi��������� album, how did the break come into this official release?
In 2007 I completely dropped music from my life and started assisting my dad���������s business. In 2008, we had an argument, he asked me to leave and I was back on track. I started looking for a job related to music and then a friend told me about Gaurav Dayal a well known music director from Delhi. He told me he was starting an institute named Beat Factory Academy and I was the first student. He made me meet TAZ Stereo Nation, TAZ gave me my first commercial break with the song 'Dost Karleh Toast'.
March 2013 ��������� ���������Main Fan Bhagat Singh Da��������� ��������� You teamed up with Diljit Dosanjh for this single ��������� how did this project come about and what were your reactions to the feedback it received?
I met Diljit in 2012 with the help of a mutual friend Sonali Singh, we chilled out for a few weeks, made some samples, Fan Bhagat Singh was one of them, after a few months I was approached by the Producers of ���������Bikkar Bai Sentimental��������� movie, they loved the track and also It suited their story, so I approached Diljit bai and asked for this favour, he agreed and the song was featured in the movie. The feedback is CRAZY and I am totally packed with work at the moment.
���������Bikkar Bai Senti Mental��������� is a Punjabi movie which you���������ve done the soundtrack for ��������� How impressed are you with the current level of Punjabi cinema ��������� Is it an exciting time to be involved with it right now?
Well, I would say I am grateful to be a part of this movie, it is totally different from the usual stereotypical Punjabi movies you would see, the screenplay, storyline of this movie has a kinda dark feel to it as it portrays how a common man suffers in his day to day life in India (corruption etc.), because of what the music had to be aggressive as well as dark at the same time, everyone appreciated the music.
Would you say Indian based producers are still looking at the UK scene for the latest trends in Punjabi music?
Well I feel, UK based producers have become more Indian than the Indian producers. Late 90s and early 2000 was the best time for UK music, am sorry to say but most of it sound the same to me now, except a few.
Source: simplybhangra.com