The legend behind 8Bit and Cecille launches his brand new Trust project
Interview : Dan Prince
Welcome to DMCWORLD Nick, where in the world are you right now?
“Hey Dan, I’m on a 10 days Panchakarma detox at the moment. Taken some time off to reload my batteries after my NYE gigs and the BPM festival. It feels like pressing a “reset button” and is a perfect way to start the New Year.”
Cool! Well there is nothing like starting a new year with a bang which is exactly what you have done with the launch of ‘Trust’, a series of mouth watering parties dotted all around the globe in 2014. It kicked off in Mexico at the insane BPM festival last week, how did that go?
“Yes ‘Trust’ is my new event project that I launched in Playa del Carmen during the BPM festival a few weeks ago. It went great, we (me and my agent David, who runs the project with me) are just planning the next events for Miami during WMC and Sonar in Barcelona.”
Everybody has come back from Playa del Carmen enthusing that BPM is well on it’s way to surpassing Miami WMC – what are your thoughts on that?
“For me it was my 5th year at the BPM Festival. For me it´s much better then the WMC conference, as I like the spot and the clubs more than in Miami. Also it´s just a few minutes walk to go from one to the other venue, not like in Miami where you have to choose between Miami Beach and Downtown. Anyway, I´m still looking forward to Miami and my Trust event at the Pickle on the 26th of March.”
Event link : http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?559050
So talk us through the idea of ‘Trust’, all we know is that Miami, Russia, London and Berlin and London are on the radar – what’s the idea behind the night and beyond…
“’Trust’ is in the very early days right now. I’m working together with David from Air London on the first parties and so far so good. We wanna bring together a good mix of our favourite acts and put on a good show and have some fun. Our visual designer Can from Istanbul just blows me away. I cannot wait to show people what he can do in a club environment. Next up for us is Miami at the Pickle and we have Kevin Saunderson, Ryan Crosson, Matt Tolfrey, jozif, Bloody Mary on the bill and we are gonna add more acts soon. Right now we’ve almost finished the team behind ‘Trust’ and then can announce some more parties.”
True or false : You were so nervous when you played your first ever DJ gig at Vibration in Karlsruhe you couldn’t put the needle on the record?
“That is 100% true. On that night I warmed up for one of my fav DJ these days. His name was DJ Cruze and he was a very good technical DJ.”
You worked in the car industry for a decade for Chrysler Daimler…going part time half way through to take some residencies at The Soho and Loft clubs. What did your work colleagues think of your extra curriculum activity?
“I did my training at the age of 18 at Daimler Chrysler for three and a half years. After that time I worked full time for 2 years, The Loft and Soho residency was once a month, that was easy to handle as both clubs were in the area I lived in. When I started producing music and launched 8Bit Records with my partner Gorge, it was also the time when I start getting the first international DJ bookings. Then I decided to work just part time, so that I could concentrate more on my music and studio productions. Luckily my boss and my colleagues where really cool and allowed me to do that, even they had no idea what I was really doing.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
1. Andre Butano, Demian Muller & Miguel Lobo – Triangles – 8Bit Records
2. Nick Curly – Piano In The Dark – Johnny D Remix – Defected
3. Reboot – Wunst – Cecille
4. Ray Okpara – Test The Cap – Mobilee
5. Gorge – You – 8Bit Records
6. Acumen – Between The Lines Matthias Meyer Remix – Time Has Changed Rec
7.Junior Gee – Muddy Water – Material
8. Bunte Bummler – Real To Real – King Street
9.Nick Curly – Hang Fire – Cecille
10. Jordan Peak – Feel – Bass Culture
Interesting thing you once said in an interview concerning Germany, “You can listen to really cool house, drum n bass shows on some of the biggest radio stations in the UK. I miss that in Germany.” Do you think that is just a German thing, or a European thing?
“The dance scene in the UK is bigger I think and more people are into electronic music, or open for new styles of music, because of the radio stations they have in the UK. Germany’s radio is really boring. A drum and bass show on one of the main radio stations like Radio One in the UK, would never work in Germany. I really like to listen to radio and get surprised with new, hopefully good, music. But to be honest, in Germany they only follow the current charts, some of the stations I listen to play 80’s or music from back in the day.”
You are a firm favourite on the Ibiza map, I have been lost in music on the dancefloor at Kehakuma on many a Space night. You weren’t there last summer though…?
“I used to play for Kehakuma for like 3 years, right from the beginning. Last year I decided to leave Space and Kehakuma, as they changed the day and the concept from the ground idea. I stopped playing exclusive for Space and did gigs with, Pacha, Luciano, Sasha and Defected.”
Away from the clubs, where can we find you relaxing in Ibiza?
“Oh Ibiza has many great spots to relax. Specially when you go further north, it´s getting more quiet on the beach and you will find less tourists. I really like Cala Vadella. I used to live there for a whole season a couple of years ago together with some friends and we had a great time, maybe that´s why this place is special for me. It´s also close to Es Vedra, the magical rock in the sea…”
There are not too many dance figures in the world in the position you are in where you can put aside one very successful label and concentrate fully on another, which is just what you have done with Cecille and 8bit. What are the next release plans…?
“My next release plans are the ‘In The House’ compilation that I’ve mixed for Defected, and then I have a track done for the final Cecille compilation. I need to go back in the studio in 2 weeks, as my head is full of new ideas and I hope I can say more in 2 months about upcoming releases. I´m pretty sure I will get some good tracks done.”
So we come back to your house after the club, what are some of the Back To Mine mellower tunes you spin us to chill the mood…you still into Pharrell, Dre and Sade?
“Yes, I still like to listen to Dre and Sade. Depends on the time of the day. I also like to listen to classic music and in my car I really like 80’s sometimes. I´m a big Bill Withers fan.”
Running two labels and being one of the most in demand DJs in the world sees you receive hundreds of new tunes a week. What advice can you give to the up and coming producers out there wanting to break through?
“The only advice I can give at the moment is that it´s time for something new. Do not send demos which sounds similar to tracks we have already heard a thousand times To make sure that young artists have success, they need to come with something new. Be courageous and try it, you can only win.”
What was the last great studio present you bought yourself?
“The last studio tool we bought was a controller. Myself? I bought a new effect machine which I´m gonna use in the studio and for my gigs.”
What is the 1 date in your diary in 2014 that you are REALLY FUCKING looking forward to?
“I started the year with great gigs in London, Amsterdam, Berlin and New York. But the gig I was most looking forward was my BPM gig as it was the launch of my ‘Trust’ events.”
Dance music seems to be in the best state it has ever been. Stick a pin in any country in the world you’ll find a dance beat…where are some of the ‘new territories’ you have discovered these past 12 months?
“The big surprises for me last year where Russia and China. I played a lot in 2013 in Russia, and also for the first time in clubs outside of Moscow. All of the gigs have been great, really. Also my stop in China has been great. I didn´t expect that much when I got there, but the club and the crowd were just great.”
What is the last great album you heard?
“I do really like the new Moderat Album. Just bought it 2 weeks ago. Perfect to listen on my headphones while I´m traveling.”
And what about closer to home, who is a local producer we should be keeping our eye on in 2014?
“The good news for me is that my friend and fav producer Johnny D is back in the game. He just did a great remix for my ‘Piano In The Dark’ track and we are working also on a new EP for 8Bit. Also I´ve just signed a guy called Junior Gee, which I really like music wise.”
And finally, you were once asked what your favourite summer drink was, you replied “shandy”. Now in Britain we look down our noses at shandy drinkers, tell us you’ve now progressed to something a bit stronger?
“Ha. I’ve changed to a Mojito…!”
Nick Curly release his new Compilation on Defected this week. You can also download a FREE track from Nick Curly to celebrate the launch of his new Trust parties here…
