The superstar DJ and producer who can really blow the lid off a party
Interview : Dan Prince
Hey Gordon welcome back to DMCWORLD. Another great addition to Ibiza’s nightlife in 2013 is the new look Tiare down in Playa d’en Bossa where you will be resident with Oliver Lang…which we shall come to later. Before that, let’s rewind a little and give our readers a little history of Mr Edge. A famous quote from you…”like every DJ, I’m always looking for Ingredient X – the elusive element which makes a good party unforgettable…that night I found it!”. Tell us about that night when you as an artist changed forever…
“Hi Dan. Well, I’d already been DJing for quite a few years and was resident in a club in Miami…I played early sets, then jammed later with the guest DJs on the trumpet. One night one of the barmen suggested I try doing both at once…so I worked on it and the first time I tried it people just went mad!! So that was it from then on!”
Where were the clubs from back in the day where you earnt your clubbing stripes at?
“In the very early days I went to New York to see my brother Stu who knew people at the famous Paradise Garage. There I found the inspiration to make my own records and get into house music for life. Later there were clubs like Shoom where I played live and at early raves with the likes of Colin Faver…I guess that’s what you call back in the day!! At that time people like Adamski were playing live and Carl Cox was the ‘3 deck wizard’! I learnt how to make records by cutting acetates [dub plates] and getting them played at Heaven in London as in those days they had one of the best sound systems around. I also played in Berlin at Mayday in front of 25 000 people in ’91 which was around the same time that I started my labels Rabbit City / Edge / XVX Records in 1991.”
A mutual friend of ours said to me today, ‘Tiare is really going to go off this year, proper raving in the sunshine’. What is the vibe down at the venue?
“For me it’s the ‘open minded’ sound that Oliver Lang and I played at Bora Bora a few years ago and we have carried across to ‘Tiare’ right next door. It’s a daytime pool party 7 days a week – with a new pool going in this summer. I’m really happy to be playing here again so please make sure you come and see us and say hello!!”
What will a Gordon Edge live concept involve in 2013?
“I’ve been working with an amazing vocalist called ‘Tonnic’. She really brings people together on the dancefloor with her vocals and stage presence and we also add a sax player – so the 3 of us jam and improvise while I’m DJing. Its’ a cross between a live show and a DJ set as you can imagine it’s very energetic and has been getting great reaction from the crowds we’ve played to.”
I went to a certain venue along your beach last year and it cost me 30 euros for 2 drinks. What is the drink price situation down at Tiare, people just don’t have the money to be spending that sort of money any more…?
“I totally agree with you…although as I’m DJing I luckily don’t pay for drinks so I don’t know the prices. But I haven’t heard many complaints…how about if you mention ‘DMCWORLD Magazine’ for some free shots, will that help??”
Heh heh. Are you surprised how quickly the whole daytime / poolside party has exploded again in Ibiza? It wasn’t so long ago Bora Bora was the only place you could chase your sunshine dance fix?
“I think it’s a great time to party. Sometimes at night in a club if you’ve been at the beach all day you can naturally start to drop, but daytime parties aren’t like that, there’s a better energy! Also as a DJ you can see people a lot better and gauge their reactions to the music and usually it’s not crazy loud so you can hear what your friends are saying, it’s a lot more social and fun.”
What are your thoughts on the whole Ushuaia takeover of Ibiza in recent years. Is it a good thing for the island or are we losing the magic of the island piece by piece?
“I have had some great times at Ushuaia so I can’t criticise it musically, it’s only the door policy that seems to be more serious than the other big clubs. I hope they change that somehow but it’s the same in most clubs these days. As for the the VIP area, well, it was much better before all that ‘I’m a VIP’ started!”
Eden has been bought in recent weeks by Rene and his team – Ocean Beach Club is doing ever so well in San Antonio…are we bracing ourselves for a San An comeback? I even saw the Clockwork boys down at Es Paradis last week…
“It depends where you stay in Ibiza, it’s only a short distance from Ibiza Town to San An but for some reason people just won’t make the trip. It would be great to see Andy and Danny doing Clockwork again, it was my first club experience in Ibiza in 98.”
What is the one song that will always remind you of Ibiza?
“To be honest it’s the record I made after my first few days in Ibiza, ‘Itza A Trumpet Thing’ – everyone just started playing it and hearing it on the original Space terrace was just mad!!”
You have a day off. What beach, restaurant and club do you head to…?
“I’d try to get over to Formentera Espalmador as early in the morning as possible… magical!! Then eat at Es Moli de Sal…it’s just amazing but take plenty of £$€ and try to make your own private party after that! I love going to Privilege a few times in the season to see what’s going on at the big nights.”
You were playing at Aist and Mahoh in Moscow last weekend. How was that little trip – they seem to love you there!
“I’ve been doing a lot of ‘roof top’ venues recently in Moscow. Aist was the opening of the roof terrace, I played deep house with more live trumpet than I’d usually play in my big club sets, chilled jazzy stuff, people seemed to really enjoy it! Then I did two nights at Mahoh, the sort of VIP Moscow crowd, some very sexy people and vibes about! I think I’ve played in Russia more than anywhere in the world now…always an adventure!!!”
Another interesting date in your diary in recent weeks was India. Now there is a place really having a dance music explosion. What were some of the highlights from over there?
“Yes I’ve been doing tours in India for about 6 years now, I played the Sunburn festival in Goa a few times and that really gets your name to a lot of people. The crowds are very positive; they like a lot of energy in the music and are very knowledgeable about the dance scene. The last tour I ended up playing on an open roof in the middle of the city, big sound system / light show, a great experience!”
April saw the release of ‘Sanktury’ – your 60th release on Edge Records. But that doesn’t touch the sides as far as your releases goes as your have around 200 under your belt. Looking back, pick us a handful of your most treasured tunes from over the years…
“I think I’ve released about 180 12″ record in total over the years, Edge*1 ‘compnded’ is still my biggest record and keeps selling after 20years [yikes!]. Tremora Del Terra [XVX Records *1] was big on the German club scene…it was made after being at Sven Vath’s birthday at Dorian Grey in Frankfurt in 1993. I mentioned Itza Trumpet Thing from Ibiza 1998, so many good memories connected to that record, one day I’ll do a new mix!! Set your Body Free was signed to Subliminal and I got to DJ at Pacha in Ibiza at Subliminal when that was there, some HOT nights!! Need You [Right Now] ambient mix – this has been on so many compilations even an Armani TV advert, that helped life along!”
What is coming out next studio wise?
“I’m doing an album to be released in Russia this year. I also spend a lot of time preparing for DJ gigs and doing my own edits of tracks for DJ sets, but to be honest I think it’s crazy the copyright situation is still a mess, that kind of puts me off sitting in the studio for hours!”
Who are some of the artists you listen to when you fancy a chill?
“I just discovered an Indian Flute player…Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. Have a look on youtube…very chilled…I really like some USA soul; try Bill Withers tracks in the morning…Liquid Dreams Ma Faiza & Veet Sandeh, this album has never left my playlist to chill to for 5 or 6 years… again India influenced.”
And finally, looking back. What is the most fun you have ever had in a nightclub in Ibiza…?
“So many amazing times… playing the main room at Privilege to 9000 people on my birthday a few years ago with my girlfriend holding my trumpet has to be close to the top!”
