One of dance music’s finest touches down in London town for Neon Noise Project
Interview : Dan Prince
Vito welcome to DMCWORLD young man, where in the world are you right now?
“In my kitchen at home in Brussels.”
We are all very excited about September 21st and the ‘Aeroplane All Night Long 6 Hour Set’ adventure at the next Neon Noise Project Party in London. 20,000 LED lights, a 400 capacity and a chance to travel in time back to where it all began for you! What can we expcect musically on the night?
“It will pretty much be something like this : I will open with some funk and Italo disco classics to move into some nu-disco and slo-mo house. Then by peak time I’ll be playing all my dancefloor classics from the day I started DJing till today. The end of the night is to be determined by the crowd’s reactions. I just want to hear good stuff, all night.”
Well that sounds marvelous. Let’s rewind a few years though, back to the days when you were playing guitar in a rock band…then you heard Daft Punk’s ‘Homework’. How important was that moment to the rest of your life?
“Well here I am. I produce music in an electronic way and I play as a DJ every week and make a living out of it. That’s how important it was. It made me. Now I’m trying to get back into instruments and musicality. I was a really good guitar player and lost it because I just haven’t played for years.”
You admit your ‘Paris’ remix did to Aeroplane what ‘Satisfaction’ did for the Rolling Stones. All of a sudden you were doing main stages, getting gigs all around the world. Was that always the plan for Aeroplane, to become a main stage artist traveling the globe or is just a cherry on the pie?
“Never was the plan. Listen to ‘Paris’. Today it seems obvious because you know it, but back then? It definitely wasn’t a career move. Taking the lead vocal out wasn’t a really smart idea neither, but I guess all the stars were aligned and it just spoke to people. Now YOU try and play ‘Paris’ to 15000 people at Benicassim after a 2manydJs set and see how it goes down! That was always the weird thing with Aeroplane DJ sets, playing massive headlining shows with a music that really doesn’t fit the context, but I’ve learned how to do it now and people know a bit more what to expect.”
You were once asked before a gig in the Far East ‘what can we expect from your set tonight?’. To which you replied, ‘no idea, depending on the reactions of the crowd, I go one way or another, we are in this together.’ What is the best crowd reception you have ever received?
“Flow Festival in Helsinki must have been the highlight. Coachella is probably up there too. Then sometimes random parties where people go nuts. I remember one gig on my last Asian tour, Taipei if I remember well. Place went absolutely crazy. Also Studio Martin in Romania where instead of 2 till 4 I played from 2 till 6.30 or something. That’s the gig that made me want to play all night.”
You say that 90% of the music you listen to at home is from before 1994. What was the last GREAT new album you heard?
“Mayer Hawthorne’s new record is great. I listen to it in the car or at home a lot.”
Not many people know this, but Vito de Luca is really good at…?
“Quoting TV shows and movies. I literally speak in quotes. Which can get really weird really fast.”
You have just returned from a quick East Coast USA Tour, how were those dates, have you noticed any changed in America recently in light of the huge dance explosion taking place over there
“Well there is a bit more space for everyone and a bit more money. But it’s not THAT much different. They opened up to the phenomenon that are the big names, it’s pop music more than club music.”
Dream collaboration?
“Marc Hollis from Talk Talk. Or David Gilmour. Or Prince. Or Bowie. Or…”
“At 16 while A-Trak was already world champion, I was learning the job as a wedding DJ” – you admit it took you some time to master the role as a dancefloor DJ, is it something you love now or would you still prefer to be in your studio?
“I prefer studio work but with experience DJing grew in me. In the beginning you love it because it’s constant partying, girls, alcohol, it’s fun! Then when that first phase wears out you get a bit low on energy and motivation. You then need to remember why you are doing it and your love for the music. I’ve never been as good or as happy than since I started playing exclusively stuff I love.”
Fact or fiction? You once had a Domino’s pizza delivered to the DJ booth whilst DJing and you shared it with the crowd?
“Fact. A club in the UK. Can’t remember where. Two shows in one night and no time to eat in between. Will ask on Twitter if anyone remembers.”
Who is the person from history you would most like to have a glass of wine with and why?
“Either someone who did a lot of good, to try and elevate my own spirit or someone who did a lot of bad to ask them why the fuck would any human being ever do that to another.”
What is coming out next from you studio wise?
“Some collaborations on Aeropop my label. Some remixes, and I’m now working full time on my album. I’m not sure what will come out when so just wait and see.”
Where have been some of the stand out gigs of summer 2013 for you?
“So many! XOYO has always been good, Turkey is always amazing…my Asian tour was really great! It’s been going well lately so…I’m really happy.
What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given?
“It’s my grandpa who said one day. “I’ll give you my heart, but don’t steal it ” . Pretty much means I’ll do anything for you but fuck me over and there’s no mercy. I try to remember it as often as possible when I interact with people and be as good as I can. In the other hand, if I’m put in a position where I have to do something against a person, I then expect no mercy back from them. It’s about taking responsibilities for everything you say or do.”
And finally, gotta ask, do you still get a furniture discount at IKEA where you used to work?!!?
“Nope. Can Ikea be cheaper anyway? But if you are ever in Belgium and go to the IKEA in Liège, in the entrance there is a picture of the people working then. That was taken while I was working there, anyone who tweets a picture of it at me will get a gift.”
Aeroplane ‘All Night Long 6 Hour Set’
Saturday 21st September At A Secret London Location
London über promoters, Magic and Medicine presents another special Neon Noise Project party that promises to showcase the best hotly tipped and established acts around; giving them an opportunity to really push the boundaries of music, time and space. After selling out London’s Fire with Booka Shade’s only UK show early this year, Neon Noise Project return with none other than AEROPLANE, playing his first ALL NIGHT LONG 6 hour DJ set. This is a unique chance to travel in time, back to where it all began for Vito.
Tickets:
http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?491944
Info :
https://www.facebook.com/events/180266172147378/?directed_target_id=180266172147378
