DJ Meme

We catch up with Brazilian House legend DJ Meme as he gets set to unleash his monster new single with Jay Sebag ‘Fall To Raise Up’ on David Morales’ DIRIDIM label…

A huge welcome to DMCWORLD DJ Meme, where on planet earth are you today?
Thank you DMCWORLD. I’m flattered to pop-up on your pages 🙂 Right now I’m in Brazil, my home when I’m not in Italy.
What is the best piece of new music you have heard recently?
Surely has to be this British boy Tom Misch with his last album ‘Geography’ He’s one of those multi-talented guys who can play many instruments and sing extremely well, which makes his music pretty unique and personal. I love every tune.
So you’ve been producing since the Eighties, tell us bit about how you first got into making music and what inspired you?
When growing up in Brazil, you can’t close your ears to Bossa Nova (thank God!), which was the music my dad used to listen at home everyday. But when I was around 11 years old in 1976, Disco was the big thing and those melodies and harmonies hit my head like a hammer and never left, so you can imagine how Inspired by strings and basslines I am! You see… It’s all about the music and my straight and close relationship with that. I consider myself a man of music, and not only a DJ, so after years learning the secrets of playing records to people at the clubs, it was fair and natural for me to enter the door of music production when I had the chance. In 1985 I started to create re-edits at the radio station I used to work and In 1989 I bought my first AKAI MPC60 and a Yamaha DX-7II. That’s when I discovered I could also create music, instead of editing only. The rest is history, and still in being written.
How do things compare to back in the day and what needs to change in the music industry for the better?
Well, I am not a guy who complains about the present and flatters the past. No way, otherwise I wouldn’t be making and playing fresh music to all kinds of people, which is what moves me forward. But, if I can give a tip to the newcomers it would be to try collaborating instead of only making music alone in your studio. The more talented people you have around you, the better you music will be. Some people have never tried that because they don’t feel ready for It, or sometimes ’cause they don’t feel confident surrounded by other people, but…they have no idea what they are missing! Music is like a barbecue – it wasn’t made to eat by yourself alone, so the same way you share it with people at the clubs, try (at least once) to do it in the studio.
What’s been your most successful release so far?
Damn… It’s hard to specify one only cause sometimes different tracks are hits for different crowds. From the Disco-House side I can say I was pretty lucky with my orchestral Disco remix for Fish Go Deep’s “the Cure & The Cause “, that actually seeded the birth of my own project DJ MEME ORCHESTRA, which was exactly about collectivity and working with different musicians. With that, I had ‘Any Love’ and ‘Love is You’. Both did great with many different remixes that became classic tracks today at the House music universe. From the Soulful side, I think my remix for Underground Ministries ft. Kenny Bobien “I Shall Not Be Moved” It’s still being played like a new track everywhere I go; and last but not least, my Afro-House project Brazilianism ‘Canto Pro Mar’ on Defected Records was really huge and became a classic everywhere. I still get some gigs because of that lol (PS: The follow up is coming in 2019).
You’ve teamed up with Jay Sebag on your new single ‘Fall To Raise Up’ for DIRIDIM, what can you tell us about it?
DIRIDIM is David Morales new label, and you know … David is family to me. We’ve worked as a team at DEF MIX for a couple of years, so…it’s pretty natural and joyful for me to sign a track with his new label. David knows how to make you feel at home. On the remix job we have Eric Kupper…Y es, the GREAT ERIC KUPPER !! Eric is my “Jewbro” (we’re both Jewish) and I openly declare he’s also a music Idol to me. Look how many hits he played and produced, it’s insane!! Eric took the song to a more electronic and darker level which really match the emotional lyrics in a different way. His version is a perfect match with my original mix. …and the cherry on top: My own son Daniel is furiously playing the electric disco bassline all over the track.  I’m proud and happy with the whole pack and that’s what I was talking about: A family thing !!
Jay is largely known for singing on Martin Solveig’s ‘Rocking Music’, how did you link up with him?
Jay Sebag is an old friend from Paris and also a former collaborator with Martin Solveig. We’ve been always talking like “when are we gonna do some music together?” and then I had this track almost ready, waiting for something special that was missing, so that’s when I call Jay and said: – “MON AMI, I THINK IT’S TIME”, from that point, everything happened pretty fast. I loved his contribution since the first words he recorded for me. His interpretation is very emotional and the way his voice sounds doubled in 2 different octaves is AMAZING. He is a real singer, no bull!
Who or what inspires your music and how do you typically go about writing a new song?
I have to admit that my inspiration comes from the music I hear everywhere. It doesn’t matter If it’s a new or an old classic track. Sometimes I hear a song and suddenly my mind starts to process that in a different way, bringing me different music lines to complement that, and then I start to sing something completely different over that, and that’s when i pick up my phone and record all the ideas. At the moment, my phone is a big mess but full of new ideas for tracks waiting to see the light lololol
What’s your favourite piece of studio kit and what instrument epitomises your sound?
I don’t want to go polemic here, but … you asked, so here it goes: I have to admit that my main “equipment” now in the studio is my multitrack collection of original disco songs, which have been my source for the best samples in the world. Think about it : If you’re going to sample something (and everybody does it, even If it’s a kick drum) where would you find the best sounds If not on old hit records? I have this big collection of classic multi-tracks to open and get isolated basslines, piano hooks, original disco drums, vocals, etc.,  then I twist those sounds and turn it into new and fresh parts for my new tracks. Shoot me those who never ever used other people’s sound or ideas. On the plugins field, I love the CLA Plugins by WAVES and also everything UAD does.
How important are songs for our dance floors?
Ok, forget the exceptions and let’s focus on the frequent cases:  A song usually has a hook. It can be an underground or a mainstream track, but If there’s a hook line, you’ll probably remember that track when you wake up the next day, which means from now on you’ll be taking that song and the club culture with you during the whole week and not only on Saturdays. Think about “I FEEL LOVE” without the lyric parts, and then…try to sing it to a friend. Everybody agrees how fantastic and innovative that arrangement is, no doubt, but we may also agree that without the lyrics and melody that would probably would have never made it. A good dance song is the best way to take dance music to the masses, keeping our universe relevant worldwide.
You’ve also recently collaborated on a compilation release with your good friend Jamie Lewis, what can we expect to hear?
That was a CD we made together for CALA SVEVA, the beach club where I’m resident in Italy during the summer, and we’re both very proud of that. It’s a collection of classics and new tracks of Purple Music we selected together to celebrate the 15 years of Cala Sveva, but we have plans to do more things together in a near future. Jamie and I are real friends and If you want to start a project, there’s nothing better than the mutual wish of having fun together.
Have you any plans to make an artist album?
I never obligate myself to do anything, and the lack of obligations is what keeps me interested and moving forward. But in fact I just finished a project that took me 1 year and a half to conclude, which is a Brazilian album with fresh compositions (2 covers only) totally arranged with the 60’s and 70’s kind of vibe. It’s my most important project so far and I’m totally in love with that. It’s a non-electronic album where you have Disco, Soul, Jazz, Boogie and Bossa Nova. It was crafted with time, love and surrounded by talented people like Azymuth, Vincent Montana, Jr., Marcos Valle, so you can expect a lot of strings everywhere. The sound of the record is amazing and you can feel the depth on the mixes right from the first track. I couldn’t be more proud of that. it will be probably released it in 2019.
What’s been your highlight gig of this season ?
I played along with Eric Morillo this year at Brazil’s superclub LaRoc for 2.000 people. 12hrs in a row, just me and him on the line. 5 1/2 hours myself and 5 1/2 hours Erick, then we played B2B in the end. People went into a frenzy.
What makes a good DJ?
A good, intelligent and surprising music selection. Period! There’s this famous quote by Boy George which says all:  “Imagine if you went to see a comedian and knew all the jokes? Or a film and knew the ending? Why expect the DJ to play shit you know?”
We come to raid your record collection, which embarrassing record do you chuck out the window before we arrive?
Oh dear. I’ll have to blame myself on this, but here it goes: It’s a whole album I produced with Lambada style remixes for Polygram records in 1989. At least I made money enough to buy my first drum machine. Now, let’s change the subject please, lol!
What record makes you say ‘damn, I wish I made that’?
The Bucketheads – The Bomb. BRILLIANT !
Three big tunes in your record box this weekend…
DJ Meme – Fall to Raise Up ft. Jay Sebag
The Shapeshifters – Try My Love
DJ Meme – Jazz Carnival (TBR)
Who are your top 5 producers of all time?
Gamble & Huff
Quincy Jones
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Nile Rodgers
Louie Vega
What’s next for DJ Meme?
I have my entire focus now on my next release ‘Fall To Raise Up’ for DIRIDIM featuring Jay Sebag. The feedback has been amazing on it so far.
‘Fall To Raise Up’ will be released on September 28th 2018 on DIRIDIM