Warp have almost reached their 100th single release this year (Wap100 will be a special release, its being kept under tabs at the moment) and we asked Steve Beckett, a co-director at the label, how he felt about this:

SB: it feels like wap 100 is our first release and we haven't even begun to achieve what we want to achieve with the label.And no of course I didnt think that we would be releasing 100 singles.

S@E: The label has undergone serious changes in sound in recent times..Do you think its important to kep changing all the time?

SB: yes because the world keeps changing and things get really boring if you stay the same.

S@E: Is Warp leaning away from traditional techno/IDM with artists like Red Snapper, Jimi Tenor and Broadcast?

SB: Warp has always been about variety, our 4th release was a hip hop record, boards of canada is a new signing and they fit in the "traditional" style if thats what you want to call it. We just sign music we like from any genre.

S@E: Aphex Twin's "Come to Daddy" was scheduled by MTV USA for heavy rotation, and your latest signing Phonecia come from Florida (as far as I know?). Do you think that Warp can make a big breakthough in the States, where electronic music and the whole scene around it is only in its infancy?

SB: Its already starting to it just takes time cos its a big country.

S@E: Warp run a club called Blech in London. How does Warp's music go down in a club atmosphere? Its hard to imagine what way someone like Seefeel would be recieved.

SB: well for a start we dont just play warp music but we tend to start it like a gig with the live band then every one gets pissed and then we turn it into a club where people dance and fall over.

S@E: Whats the story with ownership of the labe? On Squarepushers' "Big Loada" EP I see that its copyrighted to EMI.

SB: Thats not the copyright its the publishing and its warp/emi not emi,emi administer our publishing company there is no ownership and the record company is owned 100% by myself and Rob Mitchell.

S@E: Is there any question you'd have liked me to ask, but didnt? If so, whats your answer?

SB: Yes I'd like you to ask me what i think of Big Beat and I would reply, "its not big and its not beaty".

S@E: Finally, have you got any plans to come to Dublin with Blech soon?