The brilliant UK producer rising up once again with his new monster ‘The Morning Sun’
Interview : Dan Prince
Louis welcome to DMCWORLD – where in the world are you right now?
“Yer, as much as I would like to say somewhere cool and hot…I’m not! I am at my wonderful home in Coventry in the UK.”
A monster of a new tune setting the world alight right now, ‘The Morning Sun’. So the obvious question we are all thinking, who’s gonna sign it?
“Well there has been loads of interest, Ministry, CR2 all seem to like it, but no one has fired over the contract as of yet. Whether it suits them or not, I would like to see Defected, Protocol or OFF Records jump at it, but I still have faith in CR2 as I feel it suits them. Plus would like one of these labels added to my current CV alongside Spinnin’ and MoS who I released with a couple years back now.”
When was the tune created, where did you first roadtest it?
“Believe it or not I’ve been working on it for about 4 months in the midst of other projects just because this sound I was really trying to master really well…the Deep House style with a garage twist. I had to be clever with it so it didn’t sound like two weird styles mashed together. Think I pulled it off! Roadtest? It’s as fresh as a daisy Dan so not had chance yet! I’m itching though! The bass drop is quality!”
You have an English father and Italian mother, what can you remember about the music drifting around your house growing up?
“Was it Luciano Pavarotti vs Duran Duran you mean?? Ha…nearly – well it was when my grandparents came round anyway! Proper Southern Italian rural folk not far from Sicily! Mafia land! Otherwise my mum would kick back to UB40 and the old man was The Sweets, some girlie rock band like that!”
How soon after you started going to clubs did it become obvious to you that you wanted to be the guy playing and making the music rather than on the dancefloor?
“I knew before I went to the clubs!!! When I was young at school my parents had split and I couldn’t afford a lot…definitely not a pair of Technics 1210 decks which were a lot more expensive then they are now. So I would hook up my stereo with my mum’s and would find tracks that had the closest bpm and would mix them in and out with the volumes!!!! My mates would even come round sometimes or they would buy the mix tapes off me for a pound!! Good times!! (Ha).”
Who were some of the early producers and DJs that grabbed your attention?
“Couple of the first Ministry of Sound Annuals, think it was with Boy George & Tall Pall. Then Tongy jumped in! Wow that was Ministry at it’s best. Big albums with some nice mixes! Also some nice productions from Todd Terry, Double 99, Prodigy and BlueBoy! So think I’m slightly going back to my roots with that house groove, bringing it fresh into the new 2013 Deep House era! Couple of the best sets live? Hmm, Tiesto around 98-2002, Carl Craig, James Zabeila and back in 2001 – DJ EZ!!!”
What are some of the big tunes you are currently spinning?
“MK Is doing some nice stuff, been spinning a couple of his before they get too commercial. Some up and coming on my imprint label Proud Sound from myself, one called ‘Insanity’ which is another big one. Pleasurekraft ‘Got a Feeling’ and a few from some people might not have heard of yet – Josh Butler from Leeds and Will Clarke who are doing some nice ass productions indeed. Right down my street! In fact I licensed one of Will’s recently. Good lad. ”
Loved the interview on RA…hitting the tequila at 10am…a usual occurrence in your studio?
“If the sun is out I just can’t help myself! Slam a tequila and I feel like I’m in Miami Beach rather then a compact studio in Coventry! A lot of coffee is consumed, not very rock n roll…but I/we have fun in there! I try to stay pretty level headed as I’m quite a perfectionist!..it’s a problem!”
Anthem of the summer?
“Well in most peoples eyes its got to be MK – ‘Look Right Through’. But in my eyes it was Port Limbo – ‘Life Sometimes’ – Louis Proud Edit! Boom. If ya reading this check it out, you’ll see why! Summer vibes at it’s best!”
You hail from Coventry, a city steeped in ye olde clubbing folklore. What is the scene like there in 2013?
“Honestly Dan? There isn’t one! Quite simple really, the scene slowly deteriorated. Now you have a couple of events trying to bring some nice names into the city, full respect, but the people who matter don’t bother with the place and you won’t get the right kind of people in to make the event a massive success. It’s had it’s day for a long time to come. It needs to move with the times, promoters and club/bar owners killed it off too with their squabbling like little girls – looking out for themselves and their own click.”
Some of the producers around the globe you are giving high fives to at the moment?
“Very very tight, flawless production in itself…Calvin Harris. I don’t like his style so much but I give credit where it’s due and as I mentioned, it’s very tight, professional and clean. Otherwise, from before, MK and my man Joris Voorn!”
Messiest ever tale from Ibiza?
“Oh shiiiiiit!!! A close call out of two when over there with my Proud Sound team playing at Es Paradis and Savvanah. Went and got a bit crazy after the graft a couple of nights/night off. Back at our Kanya rented apartment in the early hours, I spent about 2 hours being pulled back in from the balcony by about 6 lads as I was trying to end it by jumping over the balcony!! I’m sure one of them was even keeping guard on a stall in the middle of the sliding doors! Poor sod, wrecked his night! Ha!! We were all pissing ourselves laughing the next day. The other close second was a mate James who spent all morning after a crazy one with his insurance documents in his hand everywhere he went as he thought he was having a heart attack and might need to call an ambulance! Hahahaha…I don’t think he put those documents down till that night!!!”
What is the one piece of vinyl you will never sell?
“Members of May Day ’10 in 1′, Sigmum ‘Coming On Strong’ & BK ‘Bad Ass’! All the originals and first releases!”
Funniest thing that has ever happened to you at a festival?
“Wrecked one time at Global, decided to go on a fairground ride with the missus and forgot to make sure my phone and keys were safe in my pocket. Fell out upside down and spent about 2 hours plodding around the ride looking for the phone like some zombie. I must of asked the ride attendant at the booth at 10 minute intervals about 20 times if anyone had handed a phone in, it was like Groundhog Day! They must of loved me! Was funnily enough the best time I have ever had at a festival too in the end! The hospitality tent was rocking and Carl Cox was smoking as always!”
The record that always makes you cry?
“I don’t cry! Though Oasis – ‘Hold On’ has a little emotion in it for me personally.”
The record you wish you had made?
“Candi Station – ‘You Got The Love’ – original!!!”
The cheesy dance record that always gets you dancing at weddings?
“At my own wedding it was rocking…’Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”. Will always shock it out to that!”
It may not be good for image but Louis Proud really loves…
“To sing-a-long to the 1950’s songs in Frankie & Benny’s restaurant! Frank Sinatra is a legend! (Ha).”
And finally what is coming next from you studio wise?
“Well I use to have my own PC home set up with Cubase, but have recently invested in an iMac 16gb RAM rude boy! So getting to grips with Logic. In the meantime, been using a mate’s professional studio in Coventry called ‘Fidget Studios’. My mate is a great engineer and were both off our rockers in there, we are dead cert we will film a session one time with all the f**ked up goin’ ons!! I’ll continue the progression with that house sound like ‘The Morning Sun’, but have an exciting release out 15th October via Beatport on System Recordings of New York City, called ‘Never Let You Leave’!!
Web: www.proudsound.com
Y/B: youtube.com/user/louisproud
S/C: soundcloud.com/louis-proud
