PLEASE NOTE that the letter below is now a few years old, but the reason we still include it on our weaponry page is because every so often, even after almost thirteen years of LAB4 touring on a world wide scale and being crowned numerous times now as the undisputed pioneers in Live Hard Dance, there are occasionally still people on chatrooms who want to discredit LAB4 in regards to their 'authenticity' regarding the live set performance.

Even though the criticism these days comes only on occasion, we did notice that from the time we first published the letter below on this page, that the amount of criticism dropped dramatically in a very short time period - rather than there being threads lasting sometimes for days on the 'LAB4 Live Debate', with many fans finding themselves wanting to defend LAB4, often armed without enough, or the correct information. The moment we uploaded the letter, people on chatrooms had a point of reference that they could link to, so that people could see LAB4's repsonse in their own words.

The letter at the time was quite loaded with 'true artistic passion', and a certain vibe of shortness with the 'cynics' of the time. Like with anything else we write on this website, we offer no apologies for speaking our mind on our own website - especially on topics of conversation that have so often been directed personally at LAB4 themselves over the years. For this reason, the letter below has not been altered over the time, although Adam's mood about this topic has indeed mellowed somewhat over the years :-)

Since this letter was written, the only reason it now stays up is for the people who are interested in a technical explanation regarding the live set. Both Adam and Lez no longer feel the need to have to defend their live set the way they once did, especially since winning the following awards:

* UK Hard Dance Awards - Winner 'Best Live Act' - 2005
* Mixmag Dance Music Awards - 2005
('Best Live Act' catagory was dropped from the 2005 polls, despite the magazine asking for public votes)
* UK Hard Dance Awards - Winner 'Best Live Act' - 2004
* Mixmag Dance Music Awards - Runner Up 'Best Live Act' (all genres of dance music) - 2004
(Scissor Sisters took out the award, with other acts also as runner up: Chemical Brothers, Faithless, The Prodigy
* Loud Magazine Awards (Japan) - 18th 'Most Popular Band' (all genres of music) - 2004
(This award was somewhat of an honor because at the time, LAB4 had not toured Japan for two years, yet were still in Japan's Top 20 Most Poplular Band).
* Mixmag Dance Music Awards - Winner 'Best Live Act' (all genres of dance music) - 2003
(Won over and above acts such as Moby (No 6) and Groove Amarda (no.7)
* London Underground Clubbing Dance Awards - Winner 'Best Live Act' - 2003
* Loud Magazine Awards (Japan) - 4th 'Most Popular Band' (all genres of music) - 2003
(This award crossed all genres of music, including Rock and Pop Music. LOUD Magazine is the most respected Music Magazine in the whole of Asia).

THE LAB4 LIVE DEBATE....

In response to the handful of "educated informers" that claim on different chatrooms all over the country, that they "know for a fact" that the LAB4 LIVE SET is in fact, not live....

....This is something that we did not want to get involved in or waste our time writing about because we already have far more work than time. However, it seems that there are a few more than a handful of experienced 'critics' who have far more time on their hands than ambition, and who choose to spend that time accusing us of 'being fakes' among other things. We are sure that for some reason the world must need critics and negativity (although f*** knows why!!)- but surely those critics who do not have the guts to criticise or question to the face of their targets are nothing but pitiful and jealous.

The reason for this explanation is that we fully appreciate the positive support and responses in our defence from others, and we feel that we at least owe all of you a description of our live set up and how it works....

The fact is that anyone who has ever asked has been told exactly how it works - it is no secret and never has been.

We don't have time to get involved in chat rooms or forums but we are aware of much of what has been, or is being said about us - as well as some of wisdom that has been put forward - for example, 'if you see any red lights flashing , then it's definitely on tape" or, "if you see a computer on stage then it's definitely being mimed.....', or one of the most common pearls of absolute wisdom - 'a friend of a friend of mine said it's not live cos his cousin's mate is a DJ and he was at a sound check....' Mmmm. No explanation needed really.

The first point that we would like to make is that whether dance music is 'live' or not, is a debate that could be argued forever. If you know how to program everything from a sampler, to a synth, to a sequencer, as well as knowing how to sound engineer and play an instrument, then you would know that it is possible to program every single event to happen without needing to touch a single button - not even a start button if you didn't want to.

You could then still argue that what was heard through the sound system was still 'live' - as every note and midi control number (filter sweeps, pan, volume fade, patch change etc....) is being produced as you hear it. OR you could argue that it's no more 'live' than a CD or DAT in that it is a pre-programmed sequence of numbers put back together to reproduce a piece of music.

The kind of club music that we write demands a rigidity and 'mechanicalness' to it's timing that is virtually impossible to produce with 'real' instruments.... I have played the drums since the age of 7 and in both of the bands that I played in before LAB4, we worked with computers and sequencers on stage. I would wear headphones through which I would hear a click track, which is basically a loud metronome that is being generated by the computer. I would play in time to the click track, the rest of the band would play in time with me and we would all then be in time with the samples and sequences that where being played by the computer. Playing to a click track is something that many musicians refuse to do, saying that it takes the 'feel' out of what they are playing - the fact is, if you have mastered your instrument then playing with a click track will only enhance the feel you can put into it and most musicians don't like it because it requires more discipline and practice than most people are willing to put in. At that time we got slagged off by other 'rock' bands for using a computer - saying 'it's not all live, there is backing stuff on the computer' - It didn't occur to them that we had a full band on stage as well as the computer....

As we moved on, the computer just wasn't dealing with gigging (this was 10 - 12 years ago) so we tried various different set ups until we arrived with the set up that is still the basis of what we use now with LAB4, the main piece of equipment being an Alesis Data Disk which is basically a midi filer which can be used as a very simple playback only sequencer. Because of it's minimal functions it is very stable and can deal with the rigours of gigging.

The band that we had before we were LAB4 was called M.A.D and at the time samplers were very expensive and the extra memory cost even more. We had an Akai S950 and used to borrow one from a friend. While we were playing one track using one of the S950's , I would be playing the drums with one hand (in time with the click track) while changing the disk in the second S950 and reloading the memory ready for the following track - Not easy!!!!! This kind of set up took 4 - 6 days of 6 - 8 hours of rehearsal per day.

(To any 'critics' out there who are thinking I'm prattling on - FUCK YOU! Have some respect and listen (you just might learn something), or keep your criticisms to your self).

The point I am trying to make is that there has been years and years of trial and error development and experience that has gone into refining our live set up and there are obviously a few people that figure 'it doesn't look like they are doing it and it sounds too good to be live.....' - WE DIDN'T ACHIEVE THIS OVER NIGHT!!!!!!!

Another point that we have been criticised on is that our live set sounds so much like the album tracks so 'it can't be live....'

With electronic music there is no reason why it shouldn't sound the same live. Back to the point about being able to program every single event if you know how to program! - When you are writing a track, you can record all the filter tweaking that you do (you can record pretty much any midi event that you might want to do) as part of the song so that every time you play the track back, the filter will sweep in the same way every time. Some times you may want to do this and some times you may want to do it live but the point is that with electronic music you can reproduce things exactly as you wrote them. For any 'critics' out there who are about to point out that some older synths don't output all forms of midi control information - use your imagination!! Sample the synths and then filter or pan the sample....

Get the idea? Just because you can't imagine how you could possibly reproduce such complex music live , it doesn't mean that it cannot be done - it just means that you have a limited amount of knowledge when it comes to programming electronic music - USE YOUR IMAGINATION!

And so, back to our live set. One of the biggest problems we had was running out of memory in our samplers and also the problem of being able to control the tempo without having the problem of sampled loops going out of time. At the time, the only solution that we could find was to sync an Akai DPS 12 hard disk multi tracker to the Data Disk. By doing this we could work out certain places in the set where we switch from the Data disk and the Akai to just the Akai and at those points we can adjust the speed of the set with the vari pitch control. At these points we are still able to play live samples etc. which can be kept in time by setting a slight amount of pitch bend to one of the modulation wheels - the same kind of thing as a DJ putting their finger on the side of a turntable to slow the record down, or pushing the record round to speed it up a little.

Then there are points set up where the Data disk can be re-triggered into the set and you then have a mixture of sequenced and hard disk recorded parts. This is all very variable and these are just a couple of techniques that we use in our sets. It all depends on what tracks we play and how the gig is going.

Another trick that we often use to create riffs is to program a pattern of Midi volume controls that go from a full vol of 127 to 0 and back to 127 in a way that you can then hold down a chord and it will be chopped up into a riff perfectly in time regardless of how 'in time' we may have played the chord - the volume info is being sent out perfectly in time so the riff will be in time. Some good examples of this are the riffs in 'I'm alive', 'F8' and 'Candyman'.

There are SO many ways of programming 'Live' dance music and it would take almost a whole book to describe every trick in the LAB4 live set and a couple of follow up editions to go into every possible way of doing it. We have just replaced our Alesis Data Disk with an Akai MPC400, which will now give us even more control over the actual sequences that are playing along with more versatile effects, filters, real time stretching etc… - We are only just starting to imagine the basics of what this will eventually allow us to do.

For the person who said they 'went off LAB4' because they saw us two nights in a row and we played the same set - it takes weeks to finalize the programming for each set and when we feel we have got a new set that we are happy with, then we will keep it for a few weeks. That way we can try out new tracks in amongst old tracks and decide what's working well with different crowds, and what's not. Meantime we will be working on the next new set in the studio. It's not like being a DJ that is able to just pick the records as you go along, we have to try to imagine how the set is going to go down before we get to the gig and once we have decided on the set (often a week or two before the gig) then we have to trust our judgements - if it's not going well we cannot just pull out one of those 'sure thing' tunes like a DJ can. We change our set at very least once a fortnight and we have never played the same set at the same venue twice.

The final point we would like to make is that it has always baffled us why people will unquestioningly raise a DJ to God like status (and yes, some of them do deserve it) yet relentlessly slag of the live acts for not playing live - not considering the fact that the DJ is mostly playing music that some one else has written, and he/she gets to choose from the best new releases in the world every week, while the live act has to hold an audience for an hour or more with a selection of tracks that they have solely written, as well as keeping often temperamental equipment going, and entertaining a crowd because they are on stage! The fact is that however it is done, the artist who wrote the music and is presenting it, surely deserves respect for at the very least getting up and having a go - as apposed to slagging off someone who they don't know for something they don't understand....

We are at a loss as to understanding what it is that these 'critics' want us to prove! Do you want us to prove our ability when it comes to writing music - well we have written everything from classical music for the BBC (a program called 'So safe with us' - about the NHS if you want to check up), lounge jazz for a Polaroid advert, industrial metal for a Bacardi advert and break beat for a Reebok advert........ (Or is that boasting? Perhaps you could have a go about that next???) Do you want us to prove that we actually write the LAB4 music and program our own sounds etc?

Maybe we should do a sound check demonstration instead of a set at our next gig, and have a 'critics' only guest list followed by question time....

To anyone who has inadvertently become drawn into this life wasting debate, please forgive our outburst, it's not often we make a stand or get our backs up about the odd bit of bitching, but the fact is that there are a lot of loyal LAB4 fans out there who constantly give us support and are honestly the reason that we are still doing it. We do have a great life now - but it is still 7 days a week solid work - and yes, we are lucky to get paid for doing what we love but it has taken over 15 years of disappointments, kicks in the teeth, being ripped off , having to sell equipment to pay rent and putting up with rumours and slagging for both of us and there have been times when we have come extremely close to packing it all in. The gigs are the reason we keep going, it's what we write the music for, and it's what keeps us on our toes. This explanation is for the sake of all the people who have been so supportive, NOT to appease the 'critics'.

We will continue to work on and develop our live set and hope that we can continue to inspire those of you who are looking to enjoy life.

If you have been offended by this statement then it can only be that you don't mind givin'it, but you can't handle takin'it, and therefore you deserve it!

And if any of you reading this think that there is someone who you know that could be given some piece of mind about LAB4 LIVE, or at least encouraged to get on with their lives, then please feel free to pass this on.

LAB4

....No doubt the brash nature of this letter will offend some people (although only the ones who claim to know a lot about performing live dance music, and will now look a little foolish!) The fact will always be, that all too often a little bit of knowledge is much worse than no knowledge at all.... too many people learn a small amount about a particular subject, then go on to try to convince other people that they are in fact an expert on the topic.... Well be warned experts - you may have to read this all over again, and concentrate very hard for this not to go totally over your head....

DANCE VALLEY, August 2001.

AND IN RESPONSE TO....

There have been many responses to the above letter over the years, too many for us to be able to keep up with adding to this site. Over the years though, all of the comments we have received have been postitive and supportive - we have never had anyone write in directly to challenge LAB4 on this letter or the information in it. Many Thanks to everyone who over the years have written in to offer their support and good wishes, even your letter did not make it to this page.

"This is the first time I check your website.... just read your article answering the critics. To be honest with you, I have wondered many times myself WHAT you were really doing live on stage but never doubted that it was actually "live".... A few of my friends are DJs and I find it hard to follow what they do on two decks, so with so much gear on the stage, I am completely lost... still don't grasp it too much, too technical for me. Never mind though, I really enjoyed every single time I saw you in a club...." Tom - 22.03.03

"These 'I know everything about live music' people are complete dicks! They're just jealous cos they can't do it themselves! Lab4 rock, no matter what the critics say!" Chris - 18.03.03

"Just a simple message guys. Your sets are always spot on and despite those f%&@ing crititcs out there who would probably shit their pants if they ever got on stage in front of 40,000 nuttas.... Your music is an influence to hard energy lovers everywhere. Keep up the good work!" Karl Hunt - 17.02.03

"Just wanna say I think your wicked and anyone who doubts you playing live is a tosser. I'm currently studying music technology at college and undertsand how its possible to play live like you do...." Ben Atha - 24.01.03

".... I've heard you live twice and I have a BTEC National Diploma in music tech and I know you really are live! Those tossers that think otherwise need a good slap!! Keep the passion lads." Gib - 27.12.02

".... I read your comment to the negative types and was impressed at what goes into the music, but really screw people who say you aren't live. I watched you give us exactly what we wanted and more.... If people would rather sit around discussing whether or not the sequencers are live then let them. The only people they are upsetting is themselves, they should be concentrating on the music. Really, all these wasters are doing is subsidising the night for the rest of us, who genuinely love your music. Keep on going, and fuck the critics.... I've been around various music scenes for the last 10 years and everywhere there are people who criticise because they have not got the ability to create themselves.... I can't help but be surprised and really stoked that an act as major as Lab 4 care so obviously about how their fans perceive them. I don't think anyone who has seen them meet the fans after a gig or read their website can argue with them really." Ben - 24.12 02

".... HATERS!! The fact that what I heard was not mixed but PRODUCED makes the music that much better. I've seen my share of live P.A's and some people are FUCKING IDIOTS... So I just wanted to let you know that my friends and I are very greatful that you guys do what you do." Frank Edmonds - 20.12.02

"Just a quick message to say WELL DONE for nailing the critics and producing consistantly banging, high energy, hard dance music and a performance that never fails to impress us and leave us breathless every time!!! The only gig we dance non-stop to. Keep up the good work...." Ian and Linda Court - 30.11.02

"Nice how you handled the 'critics' - its down to jealousy that they aren't that talented! Wish i could do what you did...." Alec Burrows - 29.11.02

".... let the boys know that here in the Far-East, there is a voice who will support them..... article on Lab4's live performance and I do agree with them (the boys, not the critics). Personally, I perform with Synths and Sequencers in a band too.... sad that these ignorant clowns do not understand the time taken to prepare these sets.... Besides, if they are there to criticise, so be it, I am here to PARTY!!!" Reggie - 06.11.02

"Just read your weaponry page. Spot on. As far as I'm concerned you could turn up to Leeds with a £5 walkman from Dixons, play a tape for a bit while you sit down with a beer and a spliff and you'd still have my respect and admiration." - Peter North 30.10.02

"I read Adam's comments on the Lab4 live debate thing. Was really interesting to learn how the music is played and setup for a gig too. Made me realise now why you couldn't play my scrawled request for "Bardig" at the sundissential gig in February! Who are these so called fuckin critics anyway? The real critics are the fans, the clubbers, the people that turn up at the gigs. The very mention of Lab4 in clubbing circles is always met with either knowing smiles or clenched fist salutes. You don't have to justify yourselves to anyone anyway. A DJ is only really as good as the records in his box. Your music is a stand alone testament to your talent." Steve Wise - 28.10.02

"Don't ever let a handful of nerds get to you.... your response to these people is great.... the people that know lab4, and the people that are still getting into lab4 every week for the first time are the ones who count anyway :-)" Aaron K - 12.08.02

"I read that article about your critics, what a bunch of stuffed shirts. I was at your only U.S. performance on New years Eve 99, and I must say, you guys rock. From the music to the stage presence, you have it all covered. I look forward to the day that you come back to the U.S., until then, keep making those dope beats, I'll keep buying them!" Minus 28.07.02

"Let's always keep in mind that people don't buy critics - they buy music. Word of mouth about how wicked your performance is, will always far outweigh what some losers have to say with their 'expert opinions' - YOU GUYS ROCK!!" Jemma - 03.07.02

ALL OF THE ABOVE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN UPLOADED ONLY AFTER RECEIVING FULL PERMISSION FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ORIGINALLY HAD THESE OPINIONS AND FELT COMPELLED TO FORWARD THEM THROUGH TO US.

LAB4 EQUIPMENT...

Over the past couple of years, both Lez and Adam have made many changes to their personal set-ups and the live set . Over some time now, Lez has taken like a duck to water to software and plug-ins, whilst recently Adam threw a complete curveball to change from Mac to PC, and took on Abelton as his new favourite toy.

They're new seperate working inspirations have been the topic of some interesting conversations, as well as caused lots of questions from people interested in LAB4's writing changes and updates. We will soon add some questions put to both of them about how their personal studio set-ups and their inspiration has changed over the past couple of years.

In the meantime to see the seperate studio equipment lists, please click the links below:
London Studio
Oxford Studio

If you would like to direct any questons to LAB4 about their updated set-ups, please feel free to contact us by email by clicking HERE and we will endevour to get the answers up as quickly as possible.

LAB4 LIVE SET UP: (some adjustments still to be made on this list)

Carillon PC running Logic Audio -
(custom built for live use)
Alesis Datadisk sequencer
Akai DPS12 Hard Disk recorder -
(synced to Carillon) x2
Akai S2800
Akai S5000
Yamaha TG55
Deep Bass nine
ART FXR
Alesis 32 band graphic
Soundcraft F16 mixer
Kawai K1 Mk 2
Yamaha CS2X
Roland D50
Roland Juno 2
Behringer Ultra Graph