Dancefloors get ready. ‘Next’ is on it’s way
The summer of 2007 was the wettest in history for nearly one hundred years. In Holland however the sun shone wherever Bobby Burns appeared thanks to one of the biggest anthems of the year in ‘From Holland’ putting him firmly on the map. Afrojack came knocking and soon ‘Ghettoblaster’ was booming out, a collaboration made in heaven with more huge releases and tours together soon following. Bobby Burns is now one of the biggest DJs on the planet spinning at every major club and festival in the world. DMC checks in with one of the most exciting producers out there…
Words: Dan Prince
Bobby, welcome to DMCWORLD. We know you started DJing in 1996 and soon had Holland jumping with your ‘From Holland’ anthem, how did you get into music in the first place?
“I was caught up by music at the age of four buying my first cassette ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson and at that time my father gave me a turntable with +/- 4% pitchcontrol. So I started making mixtapes mixing vinylrecords with cassettes.”
What is the earliest record you can remember hearing?
“It was a 7″ inch single ‘Pa’ from a Dutch ska band called ‘Doe Maar’.”
What made you want to become a DJ?
“I got hold of some mixtapes from guys like FunkMasterFlex and Dutch grandmix master Ben Liebrand. And I became hooked on combining different tracks and acapellas. I was a music junkie, listening 24/7 to new music.”
Was there any other careers you had in mind?
“I’ve always loved drawing pictures/designing houses and wanted to become an architect or industrial designer of super cars.”
What did your parents think of your choice of how to earn your money?
“I’ve managed to finish my university between all my gigs, during my internship I discovered it wasn’t my cup of tea getting suit up everyday between 9 and 5. Music was my life and my parents said I had to follow my heart. So they always supported me even in times it got ruff.”
You have said that Roger Sanchez inspired you start listening to proper house music back in the day – what dance music if any, were you into before The S Man help to convert you?
“I was a hip hop fanatic, but soon combined it with R&B in my DJ sets. Then there was a time I got bored of getting the crowd moving with hits and songrequests. I got caught up by drum n’0 bass and UK Garage. UK Garage had all the ingredients I needed at that period. It was on 4/4 or breakbeat but on housemusic tempo and had influences / mashups with R&B and hiphop flavours, but was still new to the crowd I was playing for. When UK Garage faded away here in Holland, I knew it was time to make my own housetracks and Roger dropped at that time ‘Another Chance’ and his ‘Release Yourself’ compilations were dark and deep but still accessible for everyday househeads. That got me inspired.”
An absolute monster of a tune you’ve brought to the dancefloor in ‘Next’, talk us through the tune…
“While I’ve been touring around the world with Afrojack, doing a lot of his warmup sessions or closing after him. I needed records that can build up an evening or keep the crowd moving without extracting too much energy from the crowd, and the kind of record that people get heated up wondering what’s coming NEXT. It’s a typical record that keeps the women on the dancefloor and the men craving for more. I tried to combine latin style house beats with typical ducth electro climaxes and breakdowns in my mind. And I think I found the right samples to create it.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
1. Afrojack & Shermanology – Can’t stop
2. Ansol & Dyro – Top of the world
3. Bobby Burns – Next
4. Otto Knows – Million Voices
5. AnggerDimas & Bassjackers – RIA
6. Apster feat. Eva Simons – I need more
7. Far East Movement – Jello (Quintino remix)
8. DubVision – All by myself
9. Fedde Le Grand & Nicky Romero – Freak
10. Ivan Gough, Feenixpawl – In my Mind (Axwell mix)
“Last night at the Beats by Dre party in Barcelona when Afrojack dropped one of his new albumtracks.”
Your style has kinda changed production wise over the years – how would you describe you style today?
“I really don’t know. I like to drop House,Techno, Electro and Progressive. It’s basically my interpretation of music, good music. If you really wanna find out come to one of my shows or ask Afrojack he has a nice description for my style.”
You have toured the world seeing some great countries – we saw you three years ago in Australia with Afrojack who was on his first tour – which country do you love returning to?
“Australia – it has been a while, but will be there playing 30th of March for the opening of Marquee Sydney with Afrojack. Brasil has a warm place in my heart and USA has the love for my music.”
Where was the last country that you jetted off to that really blew you away?
“Last year, my three USA tours blew me away.”
What is the biggest crowd you have ever played to?
“Around 30.000 for Insomniac Events USA.”
What is the finest record you have ever played to a dancefloor?
“The biggest goosebump moment in the past has been me playing the last record of an 10 hour set, Bookashade ‘White Rooms’ in Natal, Brasil for a crowd who was craving for more and some people were actually crying tears of happiness, so was I.”
What work from producers from around the world are you giving high fives to at the moment, your friend Sidney Samson is flying…
“Afrojack, Sidney Samson, R3hab, Apster, Calvin Harris, Dada life,Tommy Trash, Nicky Romero, Felguk and Axwell.”
So we come back to your house after the club, what is the Bobby Burns Back To Mine 10 you spin us to carry on an eclectic groove…
1. George Morel pres. Morel’s Groove pt. 4
2. Aphex Twins – Windowlicker
3. Bookashade – Body language
4. Sef – De Leven
5. Flinke namen – Wolken
6. Ame – Rej
7. Volta Bureau – Alley Cat
8. The Hours – See the light (Calvin Harris remix)
9. Daftpunk and Justice stuff
10. Michael Jackson – Thriller (album)
What is your favourite Ibiza memory?
“The first time ever in Pacha, 2001.”
What has the rest of 2012 got in store for us studio wise from Bobby Burns?
“New tracks for Wall Recordings and a follow up on Stealth.
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