DJ@War

Huge new tune from the ex US Air Force and DMC Battle producer wizzard

After spending years living a successful existence as an established and much sought after turntablist and VIP DJ, something was still bugging the mind of DJ@War. No one would consider that enjoying life in some of the most prestigious venues around the world is a bad career choice, but it takes a true passion for music to walk away from that lifestyle in order to pursue what really makes a DJ happy – playing the music that they love. There was never any doubting his talents both in the DJ booth and in the studio as the line of major labels queuing up for his remix work was as lengthy as it was impressive. But the love for dance music in its raw forms is often what carries dedicated DJs and there’s no better example of this than DJ@War. With a brand new radio show creating a stir online and a bag of releases and huge DJ shows lined up, the path ahead is glowing bright for one of the most exciting prospects in forward thinking dance music.

DJ@War – that’s an interesting name. Where did it come from?

“That really came from my early days competing in DJ battles.  I always made sure I practiced harder than my competition and one day a friend of mine said to me, “damn, you’re like a DJ at war!” and it stuck ever since.  If you’re trying to get somewhere in life but you aren’t there yet, you’re “at war” too!  Everyone is “at war” with something.”

To anyone who’s not heard your releases, how would you describe them?

“Three words – energetic, epic, and aggressive!”

And what about your DJ sets?

“Well, I was and always will be a DJ first, so I’ve always approached DJing with the mind-set that no matter who it is, or where it is, I’m going to rock it!  For me it’s all about keeping the energy high and keeping things moving.   I love big drops and my sets are very “no holds barred!”  I favour electro and house because that’s what I produce, but I can play all types of music- Electro, progressive, tech, dubstep, d&b, rock, trap, hip-hop….all of it at once?  It doesn’t matter!  Anything can happen…”

You’ve got a brand new track ‘HAHA’ with Tom Piper.  Tell us more about the idea behind the track and working with Tom?

“Tom is a super talented dude!  We met a few months back through my publisher and hit it off right away.  We wanted something different and fun and that’s how ‘HAHA’ happened. Ministry of Sound Australia loved it and it’s coming out soon on their Downright label.”

So you’re originally from Pennsylvania and had spells in Florida and California growing up before arriving in the UK. How did the move occur? Was it a tough decision for you?

“I’d joined the US Air Force straight out of high school, and after being stationed in Texas they sent me out here to the UK!   It wasn’t really a decision at the time but it was a great move for me to experience life outside of the US.  When I got out of the Air Force, I turned down a great job offer to stay here in England but it was worth it.”

You had a really hot run in the DMC DJ Championships, making it all the way to the US final. Do you feel that this era of your life still has an influence on your music outputs today?

“Definitely!  Competing in the DMC’s is one of the most unnerving and demanding things in DJing and that’s where I developed the idea of DJing as a performance, rather than simply playing records.  I think it’s a lot harder to compete in DMC in front of a few hundred than it is to rock a festival of thousands!”

The new ‘Electric Kingdom’ show is picking up some great momentum. What is the ethos of the show and what can we expect from it in the future?

“The idea behind Electric Kingdom is that I was spending way too much time in the studio making music and wanted an avenue to showcase the music that I liked.  On the show you’ll hear the best in dance and also my picks on up and comers that you may not have heard yet.  I also intend to push the show for syndication, especially in developing markets.  We’ve established our first syndication for Monster Radio in Kenya and I’m looking forward to expanding it even further!”

Can upcoming producers send their new tracks to you for the show?

“I’d love to hear new tracks!  Send any new promos to www.soundcloud.com/djatwar/dropbox  or promos@djatwar.com.“

Tell us more about what you have lined up for the rest of 2012. You’re playing at Bestival, recently voted the UK’s number one festival!

“I’ve got some great stuff coming up!  First and foremost is that I have 7 new tracks coming out on the Jaguar Skills & His Amazing Friends Album on Ministry of Sound coming out August 26th.  Jaguar Skills is my ninja brother and I want people to know that this transition wouldn’t have been possible without him!  Also, Jag and I are hitting the road for a 2 month UK tour this October and November, and of course the big one at Bestival- I can’t wait!!!”

What advice would you give to up-comers about making those first moves towards becoming a full time DJ/Producer in the dance music world?

“I’d say the most important thing is work your ass off!  So many people say they want it but don’t follow through.   For producers- learn some piano and learn how to mix your own music.  Don’t waste time depending on others- learn to do it yourself.”

What’s the best record in the world right now?

“Hard to pick one!  I’m going to go with one of my own tracks that’s not out yet- Prodigal Son, which is a track I made with Pivotal featuring some of the guys from Murkage- Amat Amas Amo, Gaika, and Murkage Dave.  It’s different from any other track I’ve made- it’s almost like a rock track!  But I put a lot of elbow grease into it and am really proud of it!  Maybe I’ll preview it soon…”

One producer we are always likely to hear in you sets?

“Definitely Tommy Trash or Dada Life!  Both of them make some dance floor killers and I love almost everything they put out.  Loving Dyro’s stuff lately as well!  Oh and Greg Salto’s too!  Damn too many to name!”

Record label of the year?

“I love almost everything Dim Mak and Plasmapool put out.”

Think back over your music career and tell us the first thing that comes into your head that made you laugh?

“First thing that comes to mind is the first time I did a stage dive!  Don’t think I need to say what happened next…thankfully didn’t hurt too much!”

And lastly – any breaking news from you or announcements we can look forward to!

“I’ve got a lot of new music coming out over the next month, so be sure   to keep up with me on Twitter or Facebook!  Also looking forward to an Asian tour coming this winter too so if you’re in Asia I’ll be seeing you soon!”  

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