The Grammy Award winning producer continues to do it his way…Lightbox London awaits…
Interview : Dan Prince
Sharam welcome back to DMCWORLD, where in the world are you right now?
“Hey Dan, I’ve been locked in the studio all week working on some cool and exciting stuff before heading to South America.”
Yes you are, you are about to embark on another mammoth winter tour kicking off in Paraguay this weekend before heading over to the UK for the fabulous launch of the brand new ‘Invite’ weekly at The Lightbox in London. Let’s kick off with London town, a city that has always loved you – where have some of your favourite capital clubs been for you over the years?
“London is always a lot of fun and it’s been over a year since I last played there when I played a really enjoyable 12 hour set at Egg. There are so many places that I love playing and the common denominator is usually anywhere with a proper sound system and clued up promoters which usually attracts a great crowd. I hear Lightbox/Fire is one of those, so I’m ready and excited.”
Your My Way Tour takes you right across the world homing in on cities such as New York, Barcelona and Lima – you’ve been at the top of your home for decades now, does this traveling get any easier?
“I love what I do, and just like any occupation there will be rough patches. Traveling, particularly the flying part, has actually become a good way for me to relax and think without getting distracted by calls, texts, emails, social media and all the other distractions that’s flooding our time line. I welcome being disconnected while on an airplane.”
I interviewed Steve Mac the other day, he said to me… “It was different when I started out back in the day, there was no glamour side of travelling around the world, getting paid fortunes for gigs, it was all about the music. I think people get into it for all the wrong reasons today.” Discuss…
“Actually fame and glamour has always been part of the music business. We all have our rock & roll dreams. People just don’t like to admit it in public forums. The music part doesn’t have to suffer just because there is success. The perks are just part of the package and its up to the individuals how they like to roll. As long as the focus and desire to do good work doesn’t suffer, you can have all the fun in the world, make all the money you can and help change the game the way you think it should be played.”
A great quote from you that we love at DMC…”Where are the DJs that could tell you a full story and not bore you to death?” – care to elaborate on that for our readers…
“Well, the art of DJing is about telling a story while entertaining and educating. Over the years it’s changed to ‘lets tell the same story that the Radio is telling us or the same story nine other DJs just told before me’. Everyone seems to be playing it safe regardless of genre. Its a plague hitting us from both ends. The cross over/EDM and the underground circuits alike. No one seems to want to take chances in fear of getting scorned on social media or by their peers. In other words, the industry has cut its own balls and we don’t even know it. This one track mindedness and the segregation we currently have in dance music where you either belong to this click or that click – but not both – is a disservice to the fans and the dance enthusiast. That’s why DJs like Seth Troxler are a rare breed. When you listen to him you know things are going to get interesting and he just doesn’t give a shit. His sole focus is good music as he feels it and his crowd feels it. We need more people like that.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
“Shit. OK. Let me see…in no particular order these are the records that are rocking my sets and tickling my soul…
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Artist |
Title |
Mix Name |
Label |
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Carl Cox |
Family Guy |
Sharam Crazi Remix |
Intec |
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Sharam & Anousheh |
On & On |
D.V.S* Remix |
Dirt Jugglerz |
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Dominik Eulberg, Gabriel Ananda |
The Space Between Us |
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Traum |
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Adrian Hour |
Transit |
Sisko Electrofantik Remix |
Yoshitoshi |
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Kardinal, Lowkey |
Bells Angels |
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Expression A1 |
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Loco & Jam |
Omaplata |
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Octopus records |
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Sinisa Tamamovic |
Orgasm |
Hollen Remix |
Shinichi |
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Sharam & Anousheh |
On & On |
(Cash Cash x Gazzo Remix) |
Dirt Jugglerz |
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Hellomonkey |
Birds |
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Yoshitoshi |
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Sharam Feat Honey Honey |
My Way |
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Yoshitoshi |
Going solo, you developed a distinct sound from your Deep Dish partner Ali Shirazinia, but do you ever miss that collaborative relationship in the studio?
“Yeah sure I’ve missed it, but I’m getting my fix again Dan!”
Was there any kind of house music scene in D.C. when you were growing up there? Or did you feel more like an ambassador for the genre?
“There was a good but small scene. We were finding our house music one way or another – sometimes by heading up to NY to get some flavor and bringing it back to DC. You had commercial jocks and you had the underground jocks. It’s funny all these years later, not much has changed has it?”
Who are your top musical influences? We saw the video of you busting out a bit of Pink Floyd at Green Valley so wonder if you have a taste for a bit of prog rock?
“Always. I embrace all kinds of music and I also like to have fun when I play. Like a plant that needs water, I need to listen to all kinds of music to grow and get inspired. Of course rock has always had a big place in my music collection and inspirational channels – from Led Zeppelin and Yes to White Stripes, etc. Right now I’m loving Mumford & Sons. I also like The Weekend. That Lorde song ‘Royals’ is super amazing. I love the sinister and cutting edge vibe of Tyler The Creator. On the house tip I love anything ANDHIM does. Genius producers and DJs. Love the fact that MK who’s one of my heroes whom to date influences me has come back strong. I love innovative and memorable music.”
Where have been some of the stand out shows for you this summer?
South America, particularly Brazil is always amazing. I had a great show recently in Budapest. The crowds in Bulgaria and eastern Europe always bring their A game, and of course US is on fire these days. I’m looking forward to going back to some of the places I haven’t been for a while with the My Way tour. I’m counting the days to play Output in NY and to my return to Space Miami after 5 years.”
Anthem of 2013?
“My Way.” I love how it immediately resonate with the crowds specially the girls who sing along to it on first listen. ‘I Got A Feeling’ Bontan/Pleasurecraft remix is huge, also anything by Hollen, Veerus & Maxie Devine and Dominik Eulberg.”
Another great from yourself…”The music industry doesn’t do a good job of recognising who the players are. They jump on a bandwagon of the whole “techno legends” and that’s it. Nobody ever talks about other people who contributed over the years.” Who are some of the guys you don’t think are getting the recognition they deserve in 2013?
“I can write a book on this subject. I don’t have anything against techno. I play it, I make it and I love and respect all the players present and past. It’s been a huge influence for me from the early 90s and I probably play more techno in my sets than people think – so I’ve done my homework and know what I’m talking about. But they are not the only game in town. The problem is the media. Have you ever seen a top 100 House legends of all time and their musical contributions? Top 100 Deep House records of all time? specially now since deep house is en vogue again. Top 100 trance players if you like. I don’t know much about trance other than the big records I’ve heard but I’m sure they want their voices heard properly too in the contexts of ‘legends of dance music’. How about a top 100 Producers of all time issue? In fact I think they should completely do away with the Top 100 DJ format because it’s become irrelevant. Why not have a top 100 producers, top 100 remixers, top 100 DJs voted by the people AND the peers/industry folks (the way the Grammys do it). The aggregated votes/results will give you a true representation of what’s going on in Dance/Electronic music as a whole and not something that spits out results solely based on the cross over flavor of the year acts and Dutch DJs. You can still call it Top 100 DJs so you don’t lose the brand value, but that way at least you get a true representation of what’s truly popular, important, and relevant and weed out majority of the irrelevant results. That could be something that everyone can get excited about look up to and respect. Then take those records/artist and blasts them on Radio 1 and Sirius Radio and all the other major radio stations around the world. Now we have a true representation of dance music and people can get excited about it and hear it on the airwaves. I mean half the DJs on that DJ 100 list make the other half scratch their heads as in ‘who are these people?’.”
You are one of our most loved producers who pursues what inspires you in music. Tell us more about what exactly inspires you…
“Music, stories and challenges. I like to challenge myself. I like to combine things, like how I made a three-way house record with Kid Cudi and Patsy Cline’s voice. That to me is interesting. Making the same record over and over is not. Repeating a record I already had success with is not, specially if it becomes popular where everyone wants another one just like it. I have probably left millions on the table by not playing it safe as a producer and as a DJ and doing what label heads and promoters think or expect me to do. And sometimes I wonder about that, but if I did that, I might as well take my soul and kill its voice. I’d be miserable. The true believers will always support me and my music. This is where the artistic side of me takes over. You have to let your inner voice come out and do its thing. Make the record you want to make and play and don’t worry about where it goes and what people say. One of my favorite quotes is by Johnny Depp “Just keep moving forward and don’t give a shit about what anybody thinks. Do what you have to do for you”.”
What is the 1 song you wish you’d have made?
“I think I’ve made all the records I’ve wanted to make up to now and there is more to come. But sometimes I do wish I made some of them differently in terms of mixdown and arrangements. A good record that is not mixed right is like a great racecar that’s not tuned up right – it won’t go as fast.”
And finally, loving the remixes of ‘On & On’ – what is coming out next from you studio wise?
‘I’m loving the remixes too. I picked three completely different and diverse producers for the remixes and they all blew my mind. Cross pollination at it’s best courtesy of Cash Cash & Gazzo, D.V.S* and Manila Killa. All names you should watch out for.”
INVITE PRESENTS…SHARAM ‘MY WAY TOUR’ + Residents: DZNB.
@Lightbox, London on Thursday 21st Nov / 11pm – 6am
Watch out for Alexi Delano on Thursday 28th Nov.
This event is produced by DC7 London in association with Fire.
www.lightboxlondon.net
