

1. Where can I buy your vinyl records, CDs and MP3s? A regularly updated list of stores that sell our records and digital music can always be found right here: http://goo.gl/2Nio



You can of course also buy digital copies of our releases directly from us at: http://www.theoutsideagency.com. “But, what the FLAC?” For questions about the FLAC format we offer please refer to item #18 of this FAQ.

2. Do you perform? How can I book The Outside Agency for my event? We play three or four-deck DJ-sets and are also available for live performances.



We can be booked through Third Movement using the contact information below:



E-mail: bookings@thirdmovement.nl

Phone: +31(0)229-265286

Fax: +31(0)229-265179 It is very beneficial to both your operation and ours that you pass along as much information as possible with your booking request: Is your event expecting 500 people, 5,000 or 50,000 people?

Do you want a mixed martial arts set, early rave set, live set, etc?

Do you live in a region of the world that could currently be classified as a full-on military warzone?

Do you come from an extremely wealthy family?

3. Where can I download some DJ sets by you? Try these:



http://lsdb.eu/list/artist/775/The_Outside_Agency.html

http://www.mixcloud.com/theoutsideagency



No thanks necessary.

4. Why did you call yourself “The Outside Agency”? When we met in 1991 we actually started our X-Factor project for Coolman Records. Later the same year we snagged the TOA name from a ghost story by Daphne Froome because X-Factor was exclusive to Coolman and we had just gotten our offer from Mokum Records. In retrospect the name has been very fitting for our music. Moreso than X-Factor could have been.

5. How long have you been making music? We’ve been fiddling with the production of electronic music since about 1990/1991. We got our first release in 1996. This release was comprised of demo material from 1994.

6. What do you use to make music? We use Renoise and Cubase as our main production tools. We’re more than fluent in those, but we also speak a little Reason, FL Studio and Ableton Live.



“So, what kind of outboard gear do you use along with that?”



We don’t use any outboard gear. As our good buddy The DJ Producer once wisely put it (long before we ourselves had the sense to fully realize the far-reaching implications of such a statement): “We fucked all that dinosaur shit off back to the stone age.”

7. What is the secret to your sounds, kicks, etc? There is no secret to anything we do other than a lot of hard work, experimentation and some really good (or well-trained) ears. It just takes time. What we do we have been doing for 20 years. Think about it before you say anything… 20 years. We are fairly certain that if you keep working on whatever you are trying to do for 20 years that you will ultimately be able to do what you have set out to do. Even if you look at our first releases you will see that it took us 5 years to get to the point where we could get a release.



Most people are not blessed with the patience necessary to achieve their goals in life regardless of what that goal may be. The tools available to people making music these days make it infinitely easier than it ever was for us, so yeah… srsly dudes… patience and perseverance.



“But, will you give me some pointers?”



We just did. Update: Against our better judgment we have started to answer questions in a A&A session at the Global Hardcore Forum. Get on that now while supplies last.

8. Who does your mastering? We do. “Are you available for mastering jobs?” Maybe. It depends on who’s asking and how much you are willing to pay for it.

9. Do you prefer hardcore or drum & bass? We love both equally. We really do not like one more than the other, but sometimes we do just a tiny little bit.

10. Why do you use drum & bass elements in hardcore? This question belies a worrisome lack of intelligence, but we will attempt to provide you with some clear-cut answers to help you get your affairs in order.



We use drum & bass elements: Because we can. Because we want to. Because you don’t want us to. Because, as evidenced by your question, it seems to be working. We don’t use drum & bass elements at all. “Will you stop doing that, please?”



No. “But now everyone is doing it and you’ve ruined everything.” Right.

11. Can you tell me what’s wrong with me if I think all your music sounds the same? Any of the following could apply to you and/or your situation: You are simply not at the right level to fully appreciate what we do. You are too young. You are too old. You have little to no taste. You have refined your taste too much. It has been refined to the point where it has turned against you. “So, it is really just me, then?”



Yes, it is.

12. Why don’t you make more records like “—-”? It should be obvious to anyone by now that we have always made exactly what we wanted to make and never what others want us to make, but we will, as always, attempt to give a list of helpful answers to your question/problem.



We don’t make records like that anymore because: We already made that record. Do you see how much sense that makes? Think about it. If you want more of the same from an artist we advise you to look up artists who have become unstuck in time in the negative sense of the term. There are quite a few of them.

13. Are you ever going to work on music together with “—-”? If we have not worked with an artist already then chances of it happening are not great. We also need you to understand that asking us if we will work with someone has absolutely no influence on our desire to work with this person. We do however appreciate your attempt at input a lot. We are currently working on tracks with: Broken Rules

Dep Affect

Katharsys

Mindustries

Ophidian

Peter Kurten

Sei2ure

Tapage

14. What is that nonsensical babbling at the end of your records? We have taken to calling that an “end-bit”. “Why do you use them?” Around 2000, when we were putting together In Theory Everything Is Straight, we heard a drum & bass record where they’d used a snippet from the movie Friday at the very end of one of the tracks. We then did it on that BMR record and have been doing it ever since. We do it because we think it’s fun and it gives some insight into which TV shows, plays, people, cartoons, movies and viral videos we love.



“Why aren’t they on the digital masters I bought?”



We want to keep them exclusive to vinyl.



“Will you ever change your mind about that?”



Never.

15. Will you listen to my demo? Yes. We will actually voluntarily listen to your music. You can send us music through our soundcloud dropbox:



http://soundcloud.com/the-outside-agency/dropbox



You should keep in mind that it can take months before we get around to it and that we do not guarantee any kind of response. If you can handle that, send away.



