We touch base with four stars that have come from music, TV and the cat-walk to get us moving on the dancefloor with their DJing skills…
First up, we speak to girls from the glamour world now wowing in clubland. DMC meet Kellie Acreman and Lauren Pope
Kellie Acreman… shot to stardom thanks to a magazine competition and is now wowing us all in clubworld and her DJing partner Lauren Pope – a glamour girl turned deck goddess, boys get ready…
So Kellie, From FHM High Street Honeys to high fives from clubbers on the dancefloor. What made you first enter the FHM Magazine competition?
“My boyfriend at the time thought I should enter. So he sent in a picture of me to the magazine. And things went well…”
You are now a DJ on the up and up travelling the world, how do DJs that have not crossed careers like you treat you… is there any bitchiness or malice in the DJ booth?
“I’ve had my fair of bitchiness from DJ’s in the past… mainly from male DJ’s who think there’s no way this girl’s going to be able to mix – so I get on the decks and show them my skills. They’re soon eating their words and being nice to me.”
What are the big tunes in your box at the moment?
Infinity 2008, Cafe Del Mar 2008, ‘I Believe’ – the Vandalism Mix, Tiny Dancer… come to my gigs as there’s new stuff all the time…”
So Torquay, The English Riviera…a place that people move to, to die?
“Ha ha. I love Torquay… but yeah, I’d say it’s a place you’d move back to once you’ve done everything in life and you want to retire to by the sea!”
You are on of the prettiest DJs on the circuit, do you think the modelling has helped you get where you are?
“Ahhh thanks. xxxx. I’m sure it’s made it a little easier for me to get booked, but I hope people book me because I’m a good DJ too, not just because of my looks.”
What DJs do you look up to? And what celebrity DJs do you rate?
“I think Erick Morillo’s an amazing DJ… definitely my favourite! I’d love to be as good as him one day but I doubt that would ever be possible! He’s a cool guy and great to party with.”
DJs are known for their late nights and partying. Most male DJs look like donkeys on acid… now that you are in disco world, would you ever consider plastic surgery to keep your looks that will accompany your turntable skills?
“Are you saying I’m gonna need it after all my late nights and partying you cheeky bugger? I have nothing against plastic surgery… if my face starts sagging in a ten years time after all my late nights, well I’ll be booking myself in for a little makeover!”
What music artists were on your hi-fi in your teens and what posters were on your bedroom wall.
“Myself and my best friend used to be obssessed with Snoop Dogg and Bobby Brown.. I used to love Hip Hop and R’n’B. Obviously I had a few a pics of Mark Owen and Robbie Williams on my wall…I used to kiss them goodnight!”
Your biggest ever fashion icon?
“I think Cat Deely has really good style and Nicole Richie.”
Who are bigger divas, DJs or models?
“Ha – fashion models”.
Best celebrity party you’ve been to?
“I don’t really go to many celeb parties. I’ve been to quite a few house parties in LA and Miami and I had a wicked night at MOS about 7 months ago, it was one of those nights you’ll never forget!! Celeb parties can be a bit boring…”
What has been the best club you’ve played at this year?
“I really enjoy playing at Boudoir in Dubai. Amazing actually.”
And can I have your phone number…?
“Ha ha, nice try xxx”
Lauren Pope, winning a Daily Star Page Three competition and then gracing the pages of The Sun, FHM, Maxim, Loaded, Mixmag, Nuts and also Playboy TV to then sending dancefloors wild across the world.
What made you want to change your career or is the modelling side of things something that you will always run parallel?
“I was never after a career change, it started as a little bit of fun but then I started to take it more seriously and – more importantly, I realised money could be made so I practised my ass off. I have been modelling for almost 6 years now, so it was time to get my teeth into something new before I got bored. I’m lucky that the two tie in together really well, along with my other business www.hairrehablondon.com . I just try and juggle them all and keep myself busy.”
You’ve DJ’d in some amazing country’s, where do you really enjoy?
“I love DJing in Dubai and Abu Dhabi because you get treated so well and get to stay in amazing hotels and order room service all day! Club wise I would have to say a night in Athens called ‘Bootycall’, I’ve been out there a few times for a big hip hop night they have so I’m in my element and can get away with playing tunes that may not go down as well in the usual kind of venues I play in.”
Is the way you look a problem when crossing a club to the decks, do you need minders?
“It’s always fun to have a minder just to make myself feel a little bit special, but I do chuckle to myself when they start pushing people out the way for me. It’s really not neccessary though as i don’t exactly get mobbed!”
Who is the biggest celeb you’ve wanted to punch in the face?
“Mmm, I’ve never felt the need to punch anyone in the face, but certain celebs do get on my nerves… usually the ones that think they are gods gift and are just plain rude.”
So we’ve hear your grooves and seen you play, a mix of hip hop and R&B, what artists did you listen to when growing up?
“I’ve always been an R&B girl listening to Maria Carey, 112, Mase, old Diddy stuff with Biggie, Dr Dre, Brandy, Jagged Edge, LL Cool J – god the list could go on forever, but i do have to admit to having the biggest obsession with Take That as well – but I was 11 at the time!”
What is your tune of 2008?
“It’s been a good year. A few would be T.I – ‘Whatever You Like’, Tinchy Stryder ‘Stryderman’ and Jim Jones ‘We Fly High’.”
So you are at the Miami Conference, which DJ would you snog?
“I’m more likely to be getting pissed with my mates then chasing after DJ’s to snog”
Your mentor and manager Lisa Unique is a successful DJ in her own right after a great modelling career (how with those knees I will never know, how important has she been to you?
“I think it works perfectly with Lisa as she’s been there and done it all before in a similar way, so she now knows what works… and what doesn’t.”
What has been the best premiere /A List/ Celeb party you’ve been to… ever?
“Probably the premiere for Bad Boys 2 just because I’m obsessed with Will Smith and he didn’t disappoint, he was gorgeous and hilariously funny. I want to marry him but he’s already taken unfortunately!”
What DJs do you look up to? And what celebrity DJs do you rate?
“I really admire DJ Kid Capri and Masterstepz is my favourite UK DJ along with Vernon James. Stepz just knows how to get the crowd going and get everyone really hyped, he’s just full of confidence and I love watching him to pick up little tricks and skills!”
Who are bigger divas, DJs or models?
“By far it’s got to be male DJ’s, I think they get pissed off with all the new legion of celeb/model DJ’s out there now which is understandable, but there’s no need to get moody about it is there? The best revenge is to do a really good set to shut them up!”
Kenzie– The Blazin Squad main man steps up next, welcome back to our world…
Okay, The Blazin Squad’ so one of the biggest cross over pop/street/rap/MC led UK bands that has ever hit Britain, DMC understands you are reforming which we will come to later, but how did the band come about in the first place?
“Well we were ten kids who were all at Highams School in East London, we were all into our music and wanted to start doing parties. So we approached Youth Clubs and Village Halls and started to put on events. We found two producers who lived down the tube line in Walthamstow two stops from us who wanted two hundred quid to make our track. We were 13 years old so it needed something like ten of us to bung in £20 each, that was a lot of money for us, you know. Next thing we knew Warner Bros were putting half a million pounds on the table to sign us…
A ten piece group, there must have been SO MANY different musical influences that you all had, R&B, Funk, Hip Hop, Soul, House… how did it all work?
“Well garage and R&B was so important to us back then. We actually signed a Garage tune in Africa but the label didn’t like it and told us they wanted us to do the ‘Crossroads’ tune… it was a case of going back to school or going with the flow.”
“You had six consecutive Top Ten UK chart hits… I know some were covers, but for the others, who wrote the lyrics and what are you most proud of?
“We co-wrote it all, it was pretty annoying to be honest as people thought other people were involved – they weren’t.”
Who took the most girls to their hotel rooms after gigs?
“Ha ha… well we were all cool… we all had our individual appeal, some had girlfriends and remained faithful some of us could have put turnstiles on our hotel rooms – I did pretty well, we were young boys on the crest of a wave”
So reforming, how did this come about? We hear the new format is a five piece set up and other members are long gone?
“We are still great friends but some had to get proper jobs, this time around it’s myself, James, Platinum, Sir Walter and Mus. Our hearts stayed in the music. This is where we belong.”
There has been a huge resurgence of 90s bands succesfully reforming, Take That, Spice Girls, New Kids On The Block and Boyzone for instance… Take That’s stadium tour 2009 which sold out in one hour beating the Robbie Williams record, did you reform for the music, the money and did all these bands getting together again influence the decision to get back together…
“All three. We need to make money, performing is what it’s all about for us really, I’m not gonna lie though, money is important in today’s music world. We are are in an industry where we have a short shelf life. Just like footballers…”
What have been your biggest tunes of the summer?
“I think I am one of maybe two people in the world who have this piece of plastic… Steve Angelo & Laidback Luke’s ‘Show Me Love’ remix called ‘Show Me Harder Love’.”
So, you have appeared on quite a few Reality Shows alongside some very funny and strange celebrities… who was the funniest celeb?
“Jackie Stallone. Hands down. Look at it this way, great money, exposure and an interesting life experience.”
I know you are a Girls Aloud fan, which one would get the nod out of all five after a few drinks on the dancefloor?
“Cheryl or Kimberley would get the room key passed over the table…”
Tell us about the new music…
“Well I am producing two new house tracks at the moment, looking forward to my residency in Ibiza next year again at Eden, the Blazin Squad stuff which will be amazing and who knows, every day brings another opportunity…”
Mikey – Big Brother… One of the nicest guys playing records for us that hit the front pages in one of the most famous houses in the world…
Liverpool has always been one of the finest clubbing cities in the UK, Quadrant Park where you couldn’t look at your watch in the toilets as it would be ripped off your wrist, the John Kelly legend days when he famously got thrown out of his own club’s front window by gangsters, Cream’s James Barton arriving at work on a Monday morning to find a letter of resignation from best friend and business partner Darren Hughes who was off to London to open Home – quite a city, what have been your best clubs you’ve hit the dancefloor at?
“Well the Chibuku and Circus nights are just amazing, great DJs, great promoters and nice people. I also love Sankeys in Manchester.”
What tunes are on your ipod at the moment?
“Because of my DJing style which is dirty Electro, when I am on my own or chilling, I need either Old Skool tunes to take me back to the day or one of the Cafe Del Mar compilations. It let’s my ear’s have a rest!”
You are from Merseyside and thankfully support Everton (as I do) – who have been your Toffee heroes over the years?
“Well you are a bit older than me Dan, but my Grandad used to take me to the footy every week rain or shine and the Gladys Street End always used to get behind the players that really loved the club and weren’t there for the wages… Tony Cottee and Graeme Sharp stood out for me. I have also been lucky enough to play in some of the Celebrity Soccer Six TV shows, crunching into the likes of Dennis Wise wasn’t fun.”
If you could remix any classic record from days gone by, what what it be?
“What a difficult question. But I’d take a pop at Candy Staton’s ‘You Got The Love’.
What do you think got you into the Big Brother House in the first place… what swayed the judes to pluck you from the thousands?
“Mate, I was DJing and doing studio stuff for three years before I walked into Big Brother, but I was earning nothing. I was doing IT work too, going out three or four times a week getting wrecked. It was basically a throw of the dice. Saw an opportunity and went for it. How did I get in? Well, to be perfectly honest, I played them at their own game. I went down their on my own, gave it the big one and decided not to try and charm my way in. I did the male chauvinist character to them and it worked.”
Tell us something about Big Brother that the public doesn’t know…
Well it’s not something people have not heard about before, but being kept in a hotel room in Belgium with no TV, no magazines, no newspapers, no mobile phone, no contact with ANYBODY except a minder sitting in your room was a very strange experience.”
What music were you listening to as a kid growing up?
“Hardcore rave music.”
What was the best and worst thing about being on a Reality Show?
“Good question. The worst, having no sex. I promised myself two things before I went in, not having a shag or a wank that perhaps my mum would see on telly. The last week was awful, I was so frustrated down below. The best? Basically a new world opened up for me. The Reaction walking out of those doors, getting my music career back on track, the friendliness I received from everyone…it changed my life and I am level headed enough to recognise the good guys out there from the bad ones.”
Who do you think is going to win X-Factor – Diana, Eoughan or Alexandra?
“I hope Diana, she is very very quirky and different… but the public have been weird this year?
We hear you are back in the studio doing a new track, what’s all that about?
“Yeah doing some stuff under the guises of The Money Shot and also Dub Rocks… electro sounds which Groove Digital will be putting out around January – all good. And I’m working with Jason Herd and Jon Fitz too which is great”.
So then, some quick fires…
Jay Z or P Diddy
“Jay all day long.”
The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
“Mate, I’m from Liverpool, who do you think?”
Joy Division or The Happy Mondays?
“The Mondays, cool as fuck”
Elvis or Sinatra?
“The King”
Sasha or Morillo?
“DJing is being an entertainer. You have to put a show on. Get the crowd going. Give them their value for money. Morillo does that.”
Beyonce of Rihanna?
“Beyonce. Are you kidding?”
Blondes or Brunettes?
“Blonde”.
Tits or Arse?
“Arse”
What clubs have you enjoyed playing at this year?
“My residency at Eden in Ibiza at Kool Waters rocked – can’t wait to go back and my manager Sasha at Ideal DJs does just such a good job for me.”
What celebrity dead or alive if stuck on a desert island would you choose, what one album would you take with a record player.
“Survival expert Ray Mears, I mean the last thing I want to do on a desert island is just talk all day, I need to be able to live! As for the album, hmmm, one of Donel Jones’s. A lot of mate’s frown on hip hop and don’t get it – they don’t understand what a whole culture it brings to the world…”
