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 Tell us about how you've become involved with playing at Carl Cox's night at Space Ibiza?Carl invited me to come and play one of his gigs on his night and I fell in love with it and 2010 was really really cool as I get involved in bringing people in on the terrace, I had Dubfire come in and do one, I also had LTJ Bukem come and do one and we had a Saved party on the terrace that was at the end of the season. Yeah, this it the 10th anniversary the thing I like about it is it’s a lot more of a mixed crowd; a lot of European, Spanish, German, Italian as well so the vibes always on. You mentioned he’s doing his 10 years of parties at space this year, what for you makes Carl Cox a great DJ? What attributes does he have and why has he maintained his popularity with the younger and newer audiences as well as the old crowd? I think he is one of the most humble and nicest DJ’s around, for a guy who has been DJing for 30 years but still acts like he does when he was 18/19, it's that quality that comes across most with Carl, the energy as well, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him stand behind the decks and be moody or unhappy regardless to who is in front of him and what crowd. When we were growing up that’s what we saw, regardless if you are into the particular music he plays, I mean I like what he does, but you cant help but like the energy that he has got. You mentioned about bringing artists in last year like Dubfire is that the same this year have you kind of had an influence? As its Carl’s 10th year anniversary I think it is totally down to his choice, I think last year it was the first year he has residents play for him and they took suggestions on board. This year is basically about Carl bringing in who he has had over the last 10 years. He has managed to get Richie Hawtin, which was great. They have Funktion 1 sound at space and it has been taken back to England over the winter and refined and retuned, as a DJ do you have a preference? Do you feel your style/sound suits a specific sound system? I’m a massive fan of analogue sound systems, Gary Stewart and the JBL sound systems, I was actually at Gary Stewart’s workshop in Vegas the other day and that is my favourite sound system. Funktion 1 if it’s serviced right like they do at Space, with care and attention I don’t think you can get much better than that because they service it and look after it. I have heard some Function 1 systems that sound terrible as they haven’t received the care and attention they need. Moving onto Saved what’s happening with that at the minute? At the moment I’m just finishing off a collaboration with Rolando, the guy who did Knights of the Jaguar, so that’s going to be coming out in August. I’ve also got the Spencer Parker album that will be coming out on the label, and some singles from myself and Jordan Peak. The label at the moment is concentrating on the artists, instead of doing one new artist each release; I want to do four singles each year for an artist and an album at the end of it. What kind of role do you play with the label? Well my brother runs it day to day, but we sit there and decide the music together, that’s the main role. Also, when I’m on the road I like to take the artists with us and try to put them on the same shows as us and break them through. Instead of just putting a record out and forgetting about it, we try to develop the artists as well but Mark [Fanciulli] is doing the day to day stuff. How does Saved as a brand and image help your brand and career as a DJ? Everyone knows that the record industry is like an expensive business card, what you put out on the label is how you’re perceived and what you like musically. I wont put anything on the label that I wouldn’t play I have to like that B side. So I think it helps me and people who see me understand that that’s the music I come and play. You mentioned playing music you like; do you think that perceived coolness of an artist or a track is a big factor in electronic music? I think with age coolness doesn’t really count anymore, a lot of people are like ‘Oh no I cant do this and that’, and I used to be like that when I was younger and think cool was what everyone wanted to be. When you are trying to make a label be perceived one way it will always fail but if you do it naturally it will work. I'm not worried about putting something out, as long as I think it’s good. Some people might be saying that’s too commercial but I just don’t really care, I would of done ten years ago. Have you found that you have wanted to do something but found you are not cool enough for them as they are too niche? Yeah, I live in the UK and played in the UK and played in every other club, like there’s one club like Fabric that I have always wanted to do but have never been asked to do it. But then again there’s a flip side I go to Germany and do Berghain and Panorama bar. Maybe it’s a UK thing. Do you think UK underground DJ’s have a stigma? I was speaking to Loco Dice about this and UK DJs pretty much ruled the 90’s no one had a look in, you had everyone from Sasha, Carl Cox literally they were the superstars of the world. There wasn’t too much from the Germans or the Italians, where as now it has gone like role reversal, and I think now its gone the other way. I think it’s a lot harder for UK DJs now to break through than it is for other European countries. You’re in LA at the moment, is that your base? I’ve just come here for 3 months for a change, I have been touring America for 10 years and wanted to come here and write some music here while I was here. America at the moment is rocking and there are a lot of people here like Martine Buttrich, Damian Lazarus, Mr C, even through to the commercial guys here writing pop stuff. Where I am from, Maidstone, is a tiny town outside London so to get in a studio with certain artists is quite difficult where as here people are flying in and out all the time so it’s quite easy to get hold of them. What’s the biggest challenge you face in trying to keep true to the reasons that got you into DJ’ing in the first place? The main thing is if you believe in it its fine but the thing my brother said to me the other day that you can’t take your eye of the ball anymore you constantly have to be doing everything; production, touring, running a label and I think that’s the only thing I find tough in this industry. If you take your eye of the ball there’s like 50/60 kids coming through straight away, but I think that’s a good thing, we need young fresh talent coming through all the time. I think keeping true, you have different responsibilities as you get older, I think what you need to change slightly is that you started this as a hobby and then it becomes a business. People don’t like to admit that but if you can’t run your record label, you have to be able to support the people that work for you. It takes the fun out of it a bit when the business side of it gets involved. How do you maintain the fun? Gigs and keeping your feet on the ground and not taking things to seriously. This year in Ibiza there is a whole host of artist from the dubstep/bass scene, perhaps a bit commercial like Magnetic Man, and other people like Chase and Status and Pendulum who are playing a lot more than they have before in Ibiza, what do you think about the fact that dance music is basically becoming pop music? I think its amazing personally, its funny cos I used to listen to Benga and Skream when they were coming through, especially coming from Kent as we have a big Drum’n’Bass community and I'm always keeping an eye out for the Dubstep stuff. I think it’s good that electro is in the top ten it’s only going to make it better and stronger. People think its too commercial and this and that but so what? Its good music. I’m into it; I think it’s a cool thing. Its like the US, ten years ago it was hip hop and now you’ve got SHM and Guetta that are making it 4/4 so the rest of us can play over here as they don’t just want hip hop they want some electronic music. |
