You were born in Dublin, and then moved to Belfast to study at the Queens University – how was your life different from living in one of the coolest city’s in the world to a city with so many problems…
“Belfast doesn’t have a lot of problems. It’s a common misconception that you’ll get there and have to dodge bombs. It’s not the case. Belfast is one of the most fun, welcoming, amazing places to go out. I had the best three years of my life there.”
I used to jump on a plane three or four times a year to Belfast to fall around the dancefloor at Shine, what an amazing club eh? As I remember, didn’t you once work for them?
“Yes this was my first job in music, I stamped people’s hands on the door and sorted the guest list. For about 2 years. They had Andrew Weatherall, Justin Robertson, Slam’s Stuart and Orde, Laurent Garnier… great line ups and I got to watch them every week.”
Your move to London, best decision of your life?
“I don’t know. I guess it was the best decision in terms of my career as there’s no better place to be doing a radio show that Radio 1 in my opinion. I miss Ireland sometimes though.”
A few minor radio stations and then the big step up to Radio One… what’s the best thing about being a presenter/DJ on one of the biggest radio stations in the world?
“Radio 1 respects it’s specialist djs… we’re given freedom and space to choose and program our own music. It’s my favourite thing in the week, sitting and figuring out what to put in my show and where to put it. Also the reach of Radio 1 never fails to surprise me… wherever I go in the world, from Moscow to Miami… they know and love it. I love that when I’m broadcasting on a Friday night we have regular listeners all over America who are still in work and gagging to get out for the weekend… I like my colleagues there some amazing people who work for Radio 1.”
You have just teamed up with Us3 Productions for some very special online TV shows (www.anniemacpresents.com ) centered around your Annie Mac gigs around the UK. Tell us about all this…
“It’s a chance to get the tour out there for all to see. I don’t pick the biggest venues or the biggest club nights, I pick the places that I have history with, where I like the promoters and I like the atmosphere… they can be anything from 150 capacity sweaty basements to underground carparks. Because of this loads of people don’t get to see it and experience it… it’s a chance for to make a decent reflection of what it’s like and I think it works.”
How difficult was it going from behind the mic to in front of a camera?
“I’ve been doing TV for a few years now and I have to say I found it tedious at the beginning as compared to radio which is so immediate and spontaneous – TV is so preconsidered. You chat to someone and get a good connection and a laugh with them and then it’s like ‘hey can we just do that again from a different angle?’. That’s what these Annie Mac Presents show are not.. they’re what you see – is what you get…”
Who has been the biggest star you have ever interviewed?
“Mmmm Mary J Blige maybe?”
What is the biggest choon in your box at the moment?
“MGMT – Kids Soulwax remix, Kidda – Under The Sun (Herve remix), Chase and Status – Eastern Jam”
You have some cracking DJs and live acts accompanying you on your tour at the moment, Erol Alkan, Pendulum, DJ Mehdi etc etc. – who in November are you really excited to hear?
“Mehdi’s one of my favourite DJs, he always rocks the disco and I love Disco. A-Trak is amazing. He just did the Bournemouth dates and we broadcasted it on The Essential Mix..his skills are incredible and his selections are so unpredictable…Toddla T is a brilliant party DJ aswell… they’re all brilliant..that’s why I chose them.”
Okay, so you are at home. A Friday night off. Silly TV on, a pizza in the oven – what tunes that Radio One’s listeners wouldn’t know you are dancing around to?
“I love the TI album.. that ‘Live Your Life’ track with Rhianna is soooo good. And Britney’s ‘Womaniser’. On an old tip, I’m addicted to Bill Withers at the moment…”
Best club you’ve played at this year?
“I have to say in terms of organisation, sound system, crowd, atmosphere and everything just being easy it’s got to be The Warehouse Project in Manchester. I always love playing there.”
Favourite record of all time?
“Van Morrison – Sweet Thing’.
Comedy Dave used to work for us in our warehouse at DMC, a lovely lad. What is the funniest night you’ve ever had out with Dave, Chris and the gang…?
“I have never had a night out with them, apart from the obligatory Radio 1 Christmas party… where Chris was very nice and a gentleman.”
Your club set – different to what you play on the radio? What are your floorfillers?
“Yeah it’s different… you can’t mix up the styles in the clubs quite as much as I do on the radio…”
Are there any records you love that you are not allowed to play on the radio?
“The filthy ones!!! Ha ha! There’s some tunes that aren’t worth playing on the radio because by the time they’re ‘de-fucked’ (in house term for reversing the swearing), they are pretty much indecipherable as the tunes they once were. Acts like Spankrock and Yo Majesty sometimes suffer for those reasons…”
Who are the future music acts we don’t know that we should be looking out for?
“Oh Jesus so many… I love a guy called U-Tern who is a brilliant maker of disco. Also Sammy Bananas, a protogee of A Trak, a party producer who’s getting better and better… Sigma are hot in D&B.”
Have you ever eaten Haggis?
“No – and I don’t intend to any time soon.”
Best festival this year?
“Radio1’s Big Weekend was amazing… it sounds cheesy but it was sunshine all weekend, the line up was amazing, from Madonna to Justice to Pendulum, to Hot Chip… and it was loads of fun. Glasto I loved this year too… but I love it every year…”
