Hi Carl. What’s been going on…
“Hi Dan, I’ve just got back from Tasmania DJing at the Syrup Club in Hobar. Great club, people like Nic Fancilli spins there – I went motor-biking everywhere, great trip.”
You took a while to come to the phone, sounds like a pretty big pad you have in Australia…?
“Well you know, east wing, west wing…!”
What have been your biggest Miami tunes over the years?
“Difficult question as so many. But I do have one very special memory. I have never made a record in my life for one particular who I thought would be perfect to bring it out to the world. However back in the UK I decided to make a tune for Danny Tenaglia – ‘Dirty Bass’ which I made with Christian Smith. Tribal house at it’s best. I knew it would go off at at Space in Miami, I gave the track to Danny and he listened to it in his headphones and said “fucking hell”. Every main man and his cat were in the house, I was next to Pete Tong when it dropped, and it dropped. Danny went on the mic and stopped the record and announced to the crowd this is Carl Cox’s new record. The place erupted. It knocked people’s sock’s off.
Tell us about the DMC/Carl Cox relationship years ago… not many people know about it…
“Ha. Never ever told anyone this story in any music press. A heat in Ealing in the early 80s. I was up against only one real contender – Des Mitchell who of course is now resident at BCM in Mallorca. Well he went on and did his set, half way through he stopped and complained about the state of the needles, which were then changed. All the crowd were booing as they thought you get one chance, and one chance only. I played a perfect set, beat perfect. Anyway, my career has done well, it did affect me for a while however because I knew I should have won. My then wife Rachel went crazy though!.”
A week partying with the superstars of the record industry, DJs and artists – or partying in Ibiza – what takes the biscuit?
“To be honest Dan, each gig is just another gig. I have to perform at every party introducing new music to people all the time. Miami has got in now, no the US has got it now. I remember when Sasha first DJ’d at The Sond Factory in New York. The residents were so resentul about this English DJ coming in. They turned the lights off, sound half way down – it was too much pressure for them. Ibiza is such a small island it can be contained easily. Over in America every state has different musical taste – Miami brings it all together.
Best ever WMC party?
“Tenaglia at Groovejet, just rocking. No air conditioning, packed, music to blow your head off – a complete ho-down. Ultra Fest has open so many doors for me, I can spin anything there…”
Your favourite restaurant in Miami?
Smith & Wollensky on the other side of Collins. Waterfront, watching people go by, stunning food.”
Your favourite ever album?
“Stevie Wonder ‘ Songs In The Life’.
Best Festival you’ve ever played at?
“‘Exit’ in Serbia – just totally bonkers.”
Best DJ, that has has ever stepped up… someone you just love playing with?
Laurent Garnier. A genius.”
So how did you get into all this musical madness?
“My dad. Tamla Motown, Atlantic, Stax, old rhythm & blues – everything on 45’s…”
“Thanks Dan, a pleasure…”
Catch Coxy in the Uk at…
April 9th – London @ Koko
10th – Leeds @ Victoria Works
12th – Glasgow @ The Arches
13th – Belfast @ Shine
17th – Bournemouth @ Opera House
18th – Newcastle @ Digital
24th – Manchester @ Sankeys
25th – Birmingham @ Air
May 1st – Dublin @ Tripod
2nd – Liverpool @ Circus
3rd – Cardiff @ Liquid
