For those who don’t know, as his cleverly NTS Radio show is named, ‘You’ll Soon Know’. For our next Frequent Players, we tap into the world and mind of product designer and DJ host, Tim Parker. 

Creative both through his practise as well as his DJing, Tim steps up to the decks for Guest Mix 43 bring his varied selections to the sounds of Frequent Players. We catch up with the man himself to touch base on him, his creative thinking and how that leads to his music. 

Footpatrol: Hey Tim, we hope you’re well? Thanks for letting us come and talk to you today. Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and what it is you do?

Tim Parker: I was born in Cambridge, but I have been a resident of London for around 15 years. I have been a DJ for around 17 years – although I have lost track of the exact number of years at this point, haha. In addition to my DJing, I work as a digital product designer during the day.

FP: What is it specifically about product design that intrigues you? 

TP: I have always found technology and the internet interesting. Moreover, in my job, I get to exercise my creativity, solve lots of problems and continuously learn new tools and techniques. I get bored quite easily, so the fact it moves at a fast pace works well for me.

FP: Also aware that you study Japanese? I know this isn’t something you can do half-heartedly, what made you want to learn a language? And what’s the hardest part about it for you?

TP: It was around the time when I had been working at Mixcloud for six years, and I wanted a new challenge, but I wasn’t ready to leave just yet. Having hit the age of 30, I realised that I had never truly spoken another language beyond the basics I had learned in secondary school. I had taken a couple of trips to Japan and loved the place, so figured ‘why not try Japanese’?

Although the hardest part has been staying motivated, it’s taught me a lot about self-discipline. At this point, I have invested so much time and effort that I am not willing to give up! Haha.

FP: The NTS Tim Parker ‘You’ll Soon Know’ show has been going over a decade now, quite an achievement and congrats! (it’s always on in the office) how has the show evolved over the 10+ years? and how do you decide what goes into each mix? 

TP: I feel the show has evolved a lot in 12 years, but at the same time I feel nothing has changed! When I started the show it was a graveyard shift from midnight to 2am on a Monday, I was new to radio and NTS was just starting. I’ve had the pleasure of learning from many greats around me, refining my skills and becoming more confident in what I do as the station has grown to the point where I’m able to be on at 1pm, not 1am! Musically, however, it was the same ethos then as it is now – play the music I like, how I like to play it.

Oh and that’s dope you guys are listening in, thanks! 

FP: Is there a plan to release any future EPs? 

TP: I wish I could say yes, but I need to get my act together and make more music! I feel creatively ready, I just need to make it happen…

I have a couple of draft bits with IvyLab we need to jump back on, as well as a couple of collabs with Deft which are close to being finished. Hopefully, those will see the light of day this year.

FP: We’ve also seen you’re pretty nifty with a camera too, is this something you enjoy doing in your spare time? What’s your go to camera and any influences in this field?

TP: I have always enjoyed and appreciated photography, especially while travelling. Although having an iPhone in my pocket was great, purchasing a Ricoh GR3 a few years ago helped me regain the purpose of my photography that I had lost since finishing university. It’s nice to carry an actual camera, and I quite like the GR’s constraints. If it had a ton of accessories, I would be fiending for more gear or struggling to make decisions!

I have so many photography inspirations that it will be hard to name just a few. My buddy Repeat Pattern recently released a dope new book collaboration that you should check out. I love all of his work, and I enjoy shooting with him on our adventures in Japan. Lakehills has been a visual inspiration, especially his recent work on the IvyLab live show, which is breathtaking. Masataka Nakano, Greg Giraud, Johny Pitts, and Ryan Lafferty are a few more names I’ll add to the mix.

FP: You’ve a got a Vancouver show coming up in July? Can we see you residing at any events  here in London this year? 

TP: As of now, I don’t have anything concrete lined up in the UK. I haven’t done a great job of putting myself out there for shows, and I’ve been slacking with releases. However, I have been talking with a few of the crew, and there’s talk of getting something semi-regular going. Let’s see if that happens; it would be fun.

I’m very fortunate to have been invited back to Basscoast, just outside Vancouver, in July by the amazing Basscoast team. It’s truly one of the best experiences, and it’s located in an area I absolutely fell in love with. I’m eager to be out there now and excited to see everyone!

FP: Thank you very much for taking the time to chat with us Tim, if there’s any shoutouts you wish to make or words of wisdom on people looking to get into product design, learning a language or DJing, the floor is yours!…

TP: Maybe not that much wisdom, but getting started is often the hardest part, once you get the ball rolling just try to keep progressing even if it’s slow progress – it all stacks up after a while.

Shouts to you guys for doing your thing and having me be a part of it. Big up to everyone who listens in to the show or checks out the mix. If you aren’t familiar, tap in – https://nts.live/shows/youll-soon-know. Peace!