Worldwide Phenomenon
You grew up close to Clapham Common. How is it to be back playing London’s biggest dance festival there?
“Being back at the biggest dance festival in south London is quite exciting because it is my manor that I grew up in many years ago. Our family used to go on a Sunday afternoon to let the kids roam round and be free and I think the same thing applies actually to this festival. For me it’s always exciting because I don’t really get to play in London that much anymore due to my international traveling. So coming home is always very good for me.”
What do you think it means to the community area to have the event there?
“I think it’s very important because. There is not really a festival that happens near the middle of London, so for the community to have these kind of acts when they are right there on your doorstep is pretty amazing.”
Why do you think inner city events like South West Four or Ultra are becoming the event choice. Convenience can’t just be the main reason…
“I think one of the reasons for some of these festivals are being so popular now is value for money. People are now choosing events very carefully. I can see after all of these years how attractive these events are and still have such a big market. There is still huge support for the music especially with the new generation coming through looking to the future. It’s what people still want today.”
We spoke to Timo Maas and he said that it was nice to see so many nocturnal heads out during the day all dancing together…
“Having a dance crowd out in the day time is a very strange and wonderful thing because you get to see peoples faces instead of just heads. I think that’s one of the beauty’s of it and I think that’s what endearing about a day time festival where you actually get to see what people actually look like and you get to see what the emotions are like on their face, whether its glee, whether its euphoria, whether its just happy to be there – you get to see that directly.”
How did the idea of Carl Cox and friends really come about?
“The whole concept of Carl Cox and friends arena has really steamed from parties I did about 7 years ago. Where we decided that we would primarily target an audience just for what my vision is at any event in the world. I’ve been playing at South West 4 for the past 5 years doing a two hour set on the main stage. I think it was time for me to step it up a gear and to introduce the concept of what I do world wide to Clapham Common, to South West 4 and to the people. Basically I want people to walk into the event and then find the Carl Cox arena which is based on my vision for the event itself – that means booking the entertainment and making sure the line up and the music starts at one point and takes you on a journey to the point where I get to playing at the end. The sound is really important and of course today’s 21st century visual technology too. We have been able to tweak every single party to make sure that people get the very best of my vision is for the Carl Cox arena.”
Is it hard to select who plays these events?
“Yeah I do know a lot of talented acts and it’s very hard to even try and get them to come and play on the said date that you want them to be there. But I find that a lot of the people that I look to get kind of ‘down tours’ on whatever weekend the date is or shoe horn what they can do to be there They could be in Bulgaria or somewhere on Saturday then come to Clapham on Sunday where they would normally go home and put their feet up. I’m very excited because I managed to get the artists I wanted.”
With this year’s line up it seems that it is quite different to some of your other previous ‘Carl Cox and friends’ events. Is it a case of variety is the spice of life?
“Yeah I think variety is the spice of life. I do like to change it up a little bit, I think its really important for people not to see the same thing week in week out, month in month out or year in year out. For me I’m really excited about our line up this year having M.A.N.D.Y on board and Vitalic as well and also I’ve just played for Layo & Bushwacka at their event called ‘Shake It’ in London which was just phenomenal, so I had to get their sound in the arena as well. So it’s all really good exciting stuff and for me to be able to show support to those who have booked me under one roof is very cool too.”
You have some amazing acts playing your arena. Let’s go through them.
What’s the vibe on Vitalic?
“Vitalic is an artist from France and his kind of music is a live concept of music. He actually plays live not just from a laptop and going ‘okay I’m live’. He is very exciting in the point of electronic music and he is very French in his sound- so expect something je n’sais pas from him.”
Dubfire?
“Dubfire really is someone that has come out of the realms of commerciality when he was in a duo formally known as Deep Dish with DJ Sharam. His sound is really deep but powerful and funky, he has really defined today’s music and you will get to hear a lot of his own production when he comes to play for us.”
Adam Beyer?
“Adam Beyer, apart from being 7ft 5″ tall and has to reach really low down to get to his turntables, really is a figure of techno power and has been for many years. He has also done some unbelievable productions of which have become classics and he will be playing a lot of those on the night too.”
M.A.N.D.Y?
“M.A.N.D.Y are a great duo from Germany that have also set alight their very conceptual sound, it’s something you really get drawn into. A very unique sound.”
Old favourites Layo and Bushwacka?
“Layo and Bushwacka have been cenomanus with the techno and house scene for many years and together they are definitely a force to be reckoned with. They are also playing a lot of their own new music from their new album which is forthcoming too.”
And finally John Rundell?
“What can I say about John Rundell, apart from he is our super wonder kid that basically is the label manager of Intec Digital which he has put out quite a lot of his own music on. He will be playing a lot of his own remixes and music from the label to come and he will be representing the south London crew.|”
As far as highlights go I imagine playing in front of thousands of people on the main stage must be pretty high up there how does it feel to perform in front of so many people?
“Performing in front of so many people on a big stage like South West 4 is very endearing, enlightening, scary – especially when things go wrong. I remember the first time I played South West 4 and the crew were doing the change over for the DJ’s and I was playing after Eric Prydz. As the crew were taking the turntables away on my very last record they pulled the wires out of the main sound system so there was no music, there was all euphoria and hands in the air and people screaming and I’m on the mic thanking everyone – then nothing. So I kind of looked round looking what to do, I was a little bit displeased about that to say the least, I made my feelings known about it. But the crowd thought it was part of the show and they cheered so we got away with that one.”
We all remember your set a few years ago were it absolutely pissed down, the thing is, it sort of brought people together…
“One of my highlights for sure was that moment when it poured with rain. What was bizarre for me was that I was there all day long and the sun was shining with a blue sky. All the DJ’s had great sets and the girls were wearing bikinis, guy with their shirts off and everyone was having a good time hanging out, getting a sun tan and having a really good time. The lights go down and I go on and it threw it down with rain, so I thought okay, there is only one or two things that are going to happen here – everyone is going to bolt off and try to get 15,000 people under a bus shelter or the umbrellas go up. A I saw were the umbrellas going up and everyone just standing in the rain basically wanting me to play more, longer, faster and harder. It was just a moment of what can be created at South West 4 and was a positive note to what Brits can do even when your backs are against the wall with the weather. We kind of embrace it.”
Carl. Do you still get any nerves before you go on or are you used to it now?
“No I still get nervous before I go on, there’s still the butterflies. You are kind of entering into the unknown and there is the saying that you are only as good as your last set. So you have to make sure of that before you get to go and have do it again. Have a little bit of anticipation of what your first record is going to be, how they are going to react to you as the last DJ could have been absolutely phenomenal and also technically you have to 100% when you perform. So you have all these kind of nail biting moments but once you start and everyone is comfortable and happy for you to be there, you find after one record you kind of sit in the seat and go with it.”
What other festivals have provided career highlights in the past ? What makes them so good?
What makes a festival stand out is purely based on crowd response, crowd reaction, how people can come together in that one moment when you can have 50,000 people dancing to one record. You can be in a room with 20 people and have the same situation that everyone is united in a way they feel so passionate about the scene, the music and the sound and our culture. This happens all the time especially when I play somewhere like Dance Valley for example with 50,000 people in front of me and by the end of the night everyone is at the main stage with their hands in the air and they are kind of thanking me for the set, they are thanking themselves, they are thanking God, they are thanking the weather and the sound guy. You know this is brilliant these moments. If I have to mention a couple of stand out moments for me playing – 1.8 million people in Berlin’s ‘Love Parade’ – that will never happen again in our life time. I had the opportunity to be involved in that about three times which was awesome. Being able to do the Millennium in the year 2000 and perform at 12 o’clock in Sydney and play for 3 hours then fly off to Hawaii go back in time to 1999 then do the whole thing again was just unbelievable, to have crowds in both those areas enjoying the Millennium moments twice was just fantastic.”
What other acts are you excited about seeing at this year’s event?
“I am really excited to see Paul Oakenfold play, I haven’t really seen him play that much in London and I know he has been here a couple of times to South West 4 to play. He is playing in an arena this time, which is more contained so he can really define his music a lot more. Boys Noize for sure, they are just going to rip that place apart with their sound I love their energy and their music is just outstanding and of course Fatboy Slim always gets the party rocking and it being his only show, I’m sure he will put 110% into making sure that party is just absolutely
So you are playing Ibiza again this Summer, still find it special?
“I think what keeps Ibiza really special is that it is a really small island. Clubbing is one aspect of the island. There are amazing beaches, restaurants, the people are really nice – especially the locals who do make you feel welcome when you arrive to the island and I think that is what’s endearing about Ibiza. But if you’re into clubbing, 99.9% of the world’s DJs are there. It will always feel like a spiritual home for me. I’ve been going to Ibiza every year since 1984 and I still enjoy it every single time I touch down in Ibiza with a big smile on my face knowing I’m going to enjoy myself and have a good time. So you can really jack it up if you want and party for 24 hours (or 48 depending on how young you are) or you can go to a drum circle at the north side of the island and watch the sun go down – it’s completely up to you and I think that’s what is really nice about Ibiza.”
What have you got planned in Ibiza this year?
“We are continuing the revolution from last year at Space, every Tuesday. What we have decided to do this year is to introduce 3 more residents. I have been a resident now for 9 years and been the focal point of the whole thing and now it’s time to hand the reins over to another DJ. So we decided that Umek is going to get 4 extra dates as a resident. Also Nic Fanciulli is again one of these DJ’s who I feel will have a lot of sound and is able to really define music from a UK point of view. And Yousef is our 3rd resident and he is bringing his Circus night feel to the island through us in Ibiza. He will be bouncing around between doing the sunset terrace and also the inside terrace area and also playing for us inside as well so he is going to be a very busy boy for us in Ibiza this year.”
Have you got a favourite Ibiza moment?
“Oh my god, there are so many Ibiza moments. I suppose if I have to choose one, it was the first time we did the open air terrace and we are going back to 1996 now to when the terrace wasn’t a dance area, it was more of a chill out area. It was a Radio 1 weekender and they wanted me to DJ and create something on the terrace for Radio 1 stuff, nothing more then that. I don’t know where a 1000 people came from, I’m sure it was a lot of staff and friends. Basically that is how the terrace started and I played from 2 o’clock in the afternoon and played all the way round till 8. Playing complete house classics and just good soulful house music and that kind of summer sound and people just absolutely loved it. We were just like ‘why don’t we do this every week? That is how it started.”
You have had a long and exciting career, is there something that keeps it fresh and special for you or do you ever feel like giving it a break?
I am really still excited and I am still very happy to be in a position that I am as a DJ and someone that entertains generation after generation. Of course somewhere along the line I will pull the reins back and stop, but right now there is still and a lot of new music coming out. When I started, I was playing funk, soul, disco, hip-hop and house and nothing has really changed apart from the technology that is allowing us to be able to create all sorts of sounds. Obviously I used to play on turntables and now I play off my computer, but by playing off the computer I am able to remix and create my own Carl Cox sound. That is really exciting for me, the boundaries of music are still being pushed forward.”
What advice would you give to a DJ who is trying to break into the industry ?
“The advice I would probably give to the next upcoming DJ’s or anyone who is considering to become a DJ is to basically play music in what you believe in, it doesn’t matter what it is whether it be funk, soul, hip-hop, rap, drum and bass or dub-step – as long as you believe in what you are playing. If you start to follow fashion and follow someone that has been successful, you are never going to make it, if you do it will be very short lived. “
Moving onto the label, you have re-launched Intec digital, how has that gone and what are the future plans?
“Over the last 3 or 4 years things have changed dramatically from the buying perspective. You used to get anyone who liked the track go in and buy the record and take it home and play it, no one does that anymore which is a shame. So we had to change the way how to obtain music, but what I did was I took a 3 year sabbatical in a way, I just wanted to see how that land was lying in a sense of how people bought music and now you will find 85-90 percent of people download music straight onto their Iphone or they want to record it onto CD so they can play it off their CD they are a DJ or a producer, that sort of thing. So we set up the website intecdigital.com and if you like what we did 9 years ago, you will now find that music via the back catalogue on the website. Plus there’s the new music that we have signed for the whole of the year featuring all of the new artists that I have played and believe in and will get behind and support. Basically, Intec is based on new music I want people to listen to.”
You mentioned downloading there. It’s a big issue especially for the newer acts coming through. There is a need for the artists to get their music out there for fans to enjoy and listen to, but obviously fans are getting it for free. What do you think is a practical solution to the issues around downloading?
“I think the only practical solution really to downloading music is to go back to recording vinyl, make it un-accessible for people to buy it, because you spend so much money on creating music and then touring. Finding new artists has really changed a lot and it’s changed on one side for the good and on the other side for bad. Say for instance an individual spends maybe £60,000 on creating an amazing album and then puts it out digitally for people to download it, only for some guy next door telling you he got it for free. So there’s no money coming back, no one wants to invest in making music as there is no money coming bac. So you have to do a promotional tour which costs money. So by people like me supporting the new artists, one way or another people will get to hear it and download it and share it with their friends and eventually get their money out and go and see them live. That’s the good side of it, you are creating the demand for that artist.”
What do you think of the free streaming websites. There was a big article on it in the Sunday Times and it said Lady Gaga has over 3 million plays of that ‘Poker Face’ song, she got paid £108 from it. What do you think about that?
“The whole situation with the whole Lady Gaga download thing is again a promotional tool, I mean she is making a lot more money out of touring, selling her jewellery, clothes and the way she looks. She will get sponsored by Lorel or something and hair products all down the line. In one way as an individual the ‘Poker Face’ situation can be upsetting but on the other side, free downloading is amazing. It is something we have to live with now and try and work out how we stop piracy, we can never stop sharing but at least give the opportunity for the artist once the music comes out to make some money. If you are clever enough you will be able to utilize the downloads and turn them into something you can basically benefit from.”
Have you been in the studio recently?
“Yeah, I have been working in the studio and everything at the moment is being done in Australia – a) because I kind of live there and December through January, February and March I was creating the next Carl Cox album. I am going to be going back in the next couple of weeks to finish it off. It’s taken me quite a while actually because it being in Australia and me being over her in the summer, the weather is really good and I don’t like being in the studio when the weather is nice. You know everyone else is on the beach or fishing or on dirt bikes or whatever and I’m stuck in the studio, so I had to be really disciplined this time and I said right, ‘get your head down and get on with this album and get it finished’. And that’s what I did. I am really looking forward to a lot of people to hear some of the new music coming out on the Carl Cox album, the music that I have made is some dub-step, drum and bass, Latin house and just some really good Carl Cox pumping techno. So we are putting it all together as we speak and I am really proud on what I have done on this album, more so than the other albums that I have done, it being so 21st century.”
Plans for 2010 gig wise?
The summer season starts in Ibiza from July for my Tuesday nights all the way through ’till the end of September. I am doing tour dates all over Europe and beyond. Doing about 4 dates in France, 7 dates in Germany and Italy, I am absolutely everywhere until the end of the year – it’s a massive circle of life.”
If you could pick one all time festival closing track what would it be?
“I like Underworld’s ‘Long Train’ . It is a very heartfelt track which they made about 8 years ago which closed the Trainspotting film. I still play this track today, it has been remixed and I find I close a lot of festivals with this track. For me it kind of rounds off my set.”