The Original House Gangster returns with bass, grooves, melodies and hard hittin’ Sneak Beats – ‘Moody Warehouse Music’
Interview : Dan Prince
Sneak welcome to DMCWORLD, where on the planet are you today?
“Hey Dan, right now I’m at home in Toronto, Canada enjoying a few days off. I’ve been living here for a while now but people still think I live in Chicago. Most people ask why? Then I ask them if they’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting this great country? Life is good up here!”
Well massive news for you this week with the announcement of your brand new Moody Warehouse Music series, a new project set to capture your mood when you are playing in warehouses and unusual venues. Four tracks first up, please give us a few home truths on each of your little babies…’Going Get Got’, ‘Gone Gong’, ‘Jam Hot’ and ‘Jaqc Da Bass’…
“These tracks are all new, made over the winter and this winter was a ruff one so a bunch of goodies were produced. All I can really say about the music is that they all are specifically directed towards DJs and the uprising of the warehouse scene again. These are proper warehouse sounding tracks and I can’t wait to hear them on vinyl again. I feel like they will be surely remembered and played till the wheels fall off.”
I loved your quote that came with the release…“This is music for real DJs, the ones that can walk into a party no matter where and make that place bounce!”. Genius. So the obvious question…is the scene lacking these type of DJs nowadays?”
“Seriously, this topic is a touchy one because all that is left over from the true art form of House Music producing and mixing has been some old school cats still doing it while being punished by the sad state of music and the EDM epidemic. These new jacks are a bunch of posers, fakes, genetically modified DJs and in many ways very disposable just like their social media campaigns.”
Who are some of the guys you love spinning alongside?
“Simple, I like playing with REAL DJs, people that still love to do it for the art form not for fame. I have a lot of respect for the cats that have been in it for more than 20 years, that takes dedication, hustle and mad love. Most of the new DJs are a circus act, acting like they know what it is to really get down on the decks. I send my respect to the OGs of the industry, they still do it best.”
The Ibiza summer season is just around the corner and you have picked some fabulous clubs to play at this year. You still feeling the love for the white isle, the million pound hotel complex’s opening up here there and everywhere don’t get in the way of your house music sessions there?
“I’m all over the Island, playing for Pacha, Sankeys, Ushuaia, Gatecrasher, Space with Carl Cox, and many other underground style parties. I really don’t care much about the new complex hotels etc, these places will always be full of douche bags and you know that’s fine with me because in my book they don’t matter. We still got the best of the Island, there are many more amazing events and parties that really matter. As long as they stay out of my way they deserve to have a place for their EDM bullshit.”
A quote from Terry Hunter : “I hate to say it and without sounding old, the EDM situation is all about current artists getting bored with the sound and creating all these sub-genres. Now everything revolves around drugs and you need to be on something to enjoy it.“ Thoughts on that little comment?
“Nothing but truth there, Terry Hunter is an OG from Chicago that has produced many great House hits, plus he has been in this DJ / Music thing for over 20 years. The truth about it is that most people don’t have a clue, they get drawn into EDM like it’s McDonalds and they be getting a happy meal, which will suck! Drugs have been part of the music industry since day one but now it’s become mainstream and now the drugs you get are the worst, the good stuff was all taken 15-20 years ago. Now it’s all about the Festivals where you pay up to $500 for a tickets to get all jacked up in public and you couldn’t care less about the DJs or Music, it’s about fake bullshit, instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc. Maybe phone companies should throw raves cause I’m sure this is their target market. It seems like all people do is take fake ass pictures and post them to the world like they are having the time of their lives but in reality they’re either on their iPhones the whole time not even caring about the music they’ve paid to see, or they’re passed out in a k-hole. It can be a sad state. BUT on the flip side, you can still find those parties where people are getting down to the beautiful music and are there for the right reasons, these events exists but are a bit harder to find cause they don’t have the million dollar Ad campaigns, crazy seizure inducing light shows and fireworks, just simple parties where the vibe is thick, the spirit is high and the music is really what matters. All I can say is that I’m very happy these still exists cause there is nothing like a great party!”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning…
“That’s somewhere online Dan, I don’t plan what I’m going to play, I simply come loaded to handle business according to the crowd I encounter. Top tens are for websites that sell digital music. I’m spinning the best of House Music Past > Present and Future.”
Miami WMC has now been put to bed for another year. I remember sitting with you on the beach around 1995, I think it was your first time there. You had a big back of promo vinyl under your arm and were just heading up to your hotel room to listen to them. These days it’s all about “I’ll e-mail you the link”. Do you miss those great early days at WMC?
“I do miss it cause everything original is always better. WMC is where it’s at because they let it be taken over by the Bullshit of the industry. When it started it was about REAL Music, DJs and meeting people face to face to share and discuss things, share vinyl, share knowledge and inspire others to follow the right path. Now it’s all about plastic people, plastic titties, douche bags, EDM, bad drugs, bad vibes and really nothing to take back but a broke pocket cause you spent it on a bunch of overpriced disposable things.”
It’s well documented you love your food. You have a vegetable patch stuffed full of peppers, aubergine and zucchini – you are a master caster who loves catching pike and pickerel on your boat in Northern Canada. Surely a Sneak restaurant must be at the top of your ‘to do’ list?
“Not really, I love those things because they mean something to me, I love to host, share, feed and entertain…I don’t think I can do it all day everyday. It’s all about creating that amazing and unique experience when you get invited to my BBQs or even just a dinner over at my place, I keep it tight and exclusive to close friends. You hungry let’s eat!”
June 28th 2014, DJ Sneak at Glastonbury! Man there are some festivals that just gets the pulses racing; Coachella, Burning Man, Tomorrowland…and Glastonbury certainly falls into that bracket. You looking forward to this, what are you expecting?
“I’ve played all the festivals mentioned here and I’m very excited to experience Glastonbury, this is the mother of all festivals, the reach should be large. I expect mud, rain and some real party people ready for some Gangster beats.”
Who are some of the new up and coming producers we should be watching out for in 2014?
“Let’s say all who come with the right mind, a good head on their shoulders and the ones that have not been tainted by the epidemic (edm). These days I try not to put pressure on people by naming them in interviews, if you want to know who I support and support me, look at my record labels, Magnetic Recordings & I’m A House Gangster, this should give you a very good idea. Respect to the soldiers backing up the movement.”
What is the last song you heard today?
“HAHAHA! This is going to be funny! My little daughter loves the Beyonce XO track, she sings it every morning on the way to school, she’s only 3 years old.”
Away from dance music, who are some of the artists you are digging at the moment?
“I still got love for hip hop, I like artists like Kendric Lamar and his whole crew, Schoolboy Q, Tyler the Creator etc. Also I’m really digging Action Bronson > dude is ill. On the more laid back side, Nightmares on Wax, Pharrell Williams, J Timberlake > plus a ton of really classic funk soul mixes from all around sent to me on Soundcloud.”
Are you one of these producers who can work whilst on tour, or is simply a case of no place like the home studio?
“I can do both but I’m best in my own Lab. No place like home and my studio is here as well. I can often get inspired by the road but I just bottle it till I return to mine.”
Saw the post on your Facebook site this week about you having problems getting vinyl pressed. Did you find a plant in the end?
“All good, all set and on the way. You will be able to purchase the vinyl exclusively at imahousegangster.com. We are back in business with records, limited edition colour vinyl etc. Get your hands on them cause it’s been over 6 years since Magnetic Recordings was set in wax.”
You are a big believer in UFOs I hear, have you seen any yourself?
“I’ve seen things in the sky since I was little, not just airplanes or the regular things that fly but def some UFOs. I know I’ll be in contact soon, I’m sure they’ll enjoy my vibe and music. Ha!
And finally what will be the next release from the mighty Sneak stable?
“All I can say is that I got plenty more coming, European labels really dig my music so I will have many more coming from that side of things. From our end, stay connected and stay in touch online cause we’re always dropping the phat beats > I got em you want em dripping like water!
DMC – big love to all for the support I’ve gotten through the years, I really appreciate your constant support especially throughout the past 7 – 8 years of horrific music. I’ve dedicated my life to this DJ/ Production thing and cannot part ways with it cause I love it to much. All I hope is that I can inspire and motivate others not by my words but my actions.
And finally, big love to Frankie Knuckles, he was a stellar person with all, truly someone to look up to. He was real, truthful and a great mentor to us all in House Music. God Bless his soul…
DJ Sneak ‘Moody Warehouse Music Vol. 1’ will be released digitally on June 16th and available on and vinyl form June 30th 2014 on Magnetic Recordings.
https://www.facebook.com/sneakthedj
http://www.youtube.com/user/housedunny
DJ SNEAK TOUR / FESTIVAL DATES
As ever, DJ Sneak’s gig diary is jam packed this Summer! This season he’ll be playing at some massive festivals including Glastonbury, Tomorrowland, Found Festival, Movement, Sonar and many more! He will also be playing a series of dates in Ibiza, including Tribal Sessions at Sankeys, Insane at Pacha, along with some special dates including Pete Tong at Ushuaia with Snoop Dogg and the closing party with Carl Cox at Space. Please find below full details of where you can catch him this season, more updates soon!
Sun May 25: Movement, Detroit, USA
Fri May 30: Coda, Toronto, Canada
Sat Jun 7: Amsterdam Open Air, Amsterdam, Holland
Sun Jun 8: Ruis Festival, Venlo, Holland
Wed Jun 11: Exploited Off Sonar, Barcelona, Spain Thu Jun 12: I’m A House Gangster Off Sonar, Barcelona, Spain
Fri Jun 13: Insane at Pacha, Ibiza, Spain
Sat Jun 14: Found Festival, London, UK
Sat Jun 14: Found After Party at Coronet Theatre, London, UK
Sun Jun 15: Angels of Love at Panorama Beach Park, Naples, Italy
Wed Jun 25: Tribal Sessions at Sankeys, Ibiza, Spain
Sat Jun 28: Play Summer Festival, Palma De Mallorca, Spain
Sat Jun 28: Glastonbury Festival, Pilton, UK
Sun Jun 29: Digital Dreams, Toronto, Canada
Fri Jul 11: Insane at Pacha, Ibiza, Spain
Sat Jul 12: Hund at Corte Giustignani, Vicenza, Italy
Sun Jul 20: [b2b Mark Farina] Tomorrowland, Boom, Belgium
Wed Jul 23: Tribal Sessions at Sankeys, Ibiza, Spain
Sun Jul 27: Gringos at Marrakesh, Rabat, Malta
Thu Jul 31: Desigual at Coconuts, Rimini, Italy
Sat Aug 2: Heinz Gaul, Cologne, Germany
Fri Aug 8: Insane at Pacha, Ibiza, Spain
Sat Aug 9: Summer In The City, London, UK
Sun Aug 10: Ibiza Club Socia, Palma De Mallorca, Spain
Fri Aug 15: [w Snoop Dogg] Pete Tong @ Ushuaia, Ibiza, Spain
Sat Aug 16: Sunwaves Festival, Mamaia, Romania
Wed Aug 20: Tribal Sessions at Sankeys, Ibiza, Spain
Tue Aug 26: Creche at Gatecrasher, Ibiza, Spain
Wed Sept 3: Tribal Sessions at Sankeys, Ibiza, Spain
Sat Sept 6: Monokultur, Bern, Switzerland
Fri Sept 12: Insane at Pacha, Ibiza, Spain
Tue Sept 23: [Closing Party] Carl Cox The Revolution at Space, Ibiza, Spain
Sat Oct 4: Sankeys, Manchester, UK
