Dopeness personified from the man in form
David, welcome to DMC towers. Over at BUZZ Chart HQ, we are getting very excited about the news about some big remixes about to drop – tell us more…
“Thanks for the welcome, I’m excited too! I’m working on few new remixes for Spinnin, Juicy and Hed Kandi. I’m trying to focus my energy and time only on the remixes with which I can make a great piece of work and make the difference. This is because during the 2012 I will release more tracks; remixes and originals, most with videos, then I have a lot of long travels (Tokyo, Miami, Las Vegas etc) and so I’ve got less time for the studio. I will take a long break for the studio during this summer to prepare the winter period. During the WMC the remixes for Hed Kandi and Just Music (Ministry Of Sound SA) will be released. Some feedback quotes are; ROBBIE RIVERA: “shit this is hot!”, OLIVER TWIZT: “It’s HUGE! full support man!”. I’m sure that both are going to be massive in the clubs. The mix for Hed Kandi mixes the classic house elements into the sounds of 2012, making it more aggressive and progressive. The mix for Pascal & Pearce feat. Juliet Harding – Goodluck is different, I produced a pop break composing a great piano and violin line mixed with a great build up which ends with the classic groove of the house and an electro pumping bassline, don’t miss it.”
So how did this musical journey begin for you – what artists were you into as a kid?
“When I was young there was a great selection of music and few ways to listen to it. With no internet and worldwide magazines, the only way to listen music were radios, compilations and DJs in the clubs. So I grew up with more commercial music that I know very well. Michael Jackson is the biggest artist that I’ve ever seen; talented and a big professional person. About house music Robbie Rivera, Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers, Bob Sinclair and Roger Sanchez were my favourites. Then all the compilations made by Azuli, Ministry Of Sound and Hed Kandi were great and I didn’t put special attention into one artist in particular, I was focused on the quality and emotions of the good music.”
When did you decide you wanted to have a career in the music world?
“I really don’t know. I started when I was young, making melodies. Then when I was a teenager I decided to compose some tracks, I had only a keyboard and an mc recorder. Step by step my music increased in quality and one day my mum told me “Wow, this track sounds like the others in the radios”. So I decided to try to send out promos. After some months of this process I got my first Vinyl out, and in a year I got my first playlist in the radios. I remember that in the first weeks that my music was being played in the radios, I recorded all the radio programs!”
Can you remember the first record you bought?
“Not really, because I’ve never bought one record at time. I usually bought a lot of vinyls at once and also many compilations. Compilations, especially “import compilations” were my promo pool, really funny how the music and the scene have changed. When I was a kid I think Queen and Michael Jackson were among the first few albums I bought. I think my first cart was full of the artists that I loved, such as Robert Miles, Robbie Rivera, Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers, Bob Sinclair, Roger Sanchez and similar! I remember that I bought two copies of the same vinyl by Daft Punk, One to play, one to collect! A maniac!”
Who were your early DJ heroes?
“The first impact in my life was made by radio DJs like Pete Tong and his equivalents in Italy. As for artists, I think Daft Punk, because they were original with amazing music and sounds.”
When did you first hook up with Neuroxyde, your friend and future business partner in Starlight and Neurotraxx?
“He was a great producer in the dance scene; he had had several No.1’s in Italy and also in Japan with some collaborations with Warner. We met each other when a label with which Neuroxyde was the main artist signed one of my records. So the label asked him to remix the track, to give it a better chance in the market. I remember that I asked him directly to fix the remix in some parts. He definitely hated me!”
2009 was an amazing year for you – your reworks of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ and Eminem’s ‘Without Me’ setting dancefloors alight everywhere. What was that time like, did you know what you were about to unleash on us all?
“Michael was the No.1 for me, so when he passed away I decided to do my “Tribute to the King” in which my Thriller mix was the main track. Thriller was an attempt to do a totally different style of mix from any other remixes and remakes of the song. I couldn’t believe that my mix had reached over 600 downloads in a day and the No.1 of the most sold house tracks ever on Beatport. It was amazing. It was a winner because it nailed several elements that other big artists subsequently began to use in their tracks. I decided to mix ‘Thriller’ because it was the title track of the best selling album ever produced. Then I thought that changing some elements and sounds would make it into a banger, and it did, It was and it is! During my sets I play also other 2-3 bootlegs from Michael and I also did ‘Ma Ma Se’ that was a best selling house track on beatport 2010.
As for Eminem’s mix, it started as a bootleg of ‘Thriller’, it worked well so I decided to branch it out and make a new track. It was really easy for the house market because this kind of idea never dies and everyone knows about it, but again, amazing to reach the highest positions and get so many DJs support.”
Who would you say are your musical influences?
“I think part of my life is dance and another part of my life is hip hop / rap. In the middle I like to listen some pop tracks. My influences are the many kinds of strong emotions that a piece of music can give me. For example, at the same time, I love Ingrid Michaelson, 50 Cent and Daft Punk. My big inspirations are people. I love to increase emotions, energy and feeling in the crowd.”
What is your current top 10 you are spinning?
“I normally change the top 10 every 3 weeks, to suggest some great beats to people. It’s something to listen to; it’s more a recommendation than something I play…
1 Patrick Hagenaar feat. AMPM – L.O.V.E. (You Give The) [David Jones Remix]
2 David Guetta, Afrojack – Lunar
3 David Jones & Robbie Rivera – Dopeness (Unrelease 2012 mix)
4 The Doors, Skrillex – Breakn’ A Sweat (Zedd Remix)
5 Yohann Mills – Satisfied (Feelin’ Now) Feat. Pierre H. (David Jones & 7Tales Remix)
6 Aqua Diva – What’s Love? (Total Sound & Blinders Remix)
7 Nicky Romero – Generation 303
8 David Jones – What’s That House
9 Btsound – Sunshine (Federico Scavo Remix)
10 Kris Menace, Lifelike – Discopolis (David Jones Remix)
Tell us about your massive Beatport nomination you have just been given…
“I can only say thanks to all the people that believed in my music and in me. First of all to my management, the first company who loved my music, then to all labels and artists that asked me to collaborate during this last year. It was amazing creating some best sellers for Hed Kandi, Azuli, Spinnin, Juicy, Tiger and see that my works for artist like Robbie Rivera, Fragma and Oliver Twizt worked a lot in the clubs, in the charts and radios. I’ve never thought about being nominated, it’s a big surprise. Hope to deserve this nomination during the 2012. New amazing remixes are coming!”
You have just put your skills mixing the new Azuli comp for Miami – 32 awesome tracks from the label – how much fun was putting that together?
“Lots of fun, but also hard because we put a few months of work into collecting all the ideas, the licenses and the names to do a great piece of work. You know, it was really like a gig. You start thinking about something but the events go against you and the sound needs to evolve into something different (maybe because some tracks weren’t available, you couldn’t get the license and these kind of problems). Initially, I was going to go more into the house sound, but as I’ve just said, commercial house is still evolving into something new; so more of an “electro tec” edge was requested. It’s my very first big project. I’ve selected other compilations but it was really much easier. For the Azuli Miami 2012 the marketing is totally different and the concept to do a great work was clear, we coordinated everything from posts on facebook to sharing on soundcloud, interviews…etc. Super! This experience was fantastic and I’m really enthusiastic to be part of it!”
What is it about the Azuli sound you love and what are your favourite 3 Azuli tracks of all time?
“Azuli is really close to Defected right now. I think that Azuli needs to be closer to the commercial house of the 90s and early 2000s. From that period I can mention Eclipse “Makes Me Love You” (Sunset Mix), Kamisshake “Dark Beat”, Z Factor “Make A Move On Me” to name but a few.”
What are your plans for Miami WMC this year – where can we catch you?
“At Juicy Beach with Robbie Rivera, Bob Sinclair and other big artists! Then I will play at the end of the WMC with Milk & Sugar for the Hed Kandi Party; both at Nikki Beach.”
What are the big tunes you are taking there?
“I will bring fresh new tunes! I’m finalizing five new tracks, some remixes and 2-3 new bootlegs. I think that you will hear ‘Dafty’ and ‘Darky’ a lot in the future, these two titles are two of my own favourite tracks. Are you ready to listen the previews during my show?”
Not many people know this, but David Jones is really good at…
“Graphic design, drawing, swimming, sports, cooking and playstation. Then I’m really good at sleeping, I enjoy all the flights with long sleeps.”
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
“That you can’t cry every time something doesn’t work out because you think that God decides that you can’t do things. You can always do your best. There’s no such thing as luck. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. “Try and re-try again until you win” as Nick Vujicic said; a big example for everyone.”
What has been the best clubs you have rocked over the last 12 months?
“You want to stop my career here? The others won’t call me again – hehehe! The best club is always the next one.”
Strangest place you have ever DJ’d at?
“The strangest place I’ve played was a party in the northern Europe, years ago, in which there wasn’t a console. They prepared a console 10 minutes before playing, by banging together some shelves. Then, the bathroom was close to the console and the dancefloor and on the door of the toilet there was the poster of the event. OMG, I can’t think about it.”
You have remixed the likes of Fragma, Robbie Rivera and Akon – what rework are you most proudest of?
“Every remix is a different experience, as every remixer has his story and his sound. The remixes of which I am the most proud are all for 2012. Pascal & Pearce feat. Juliet Harding (Goodluck) – Disco Sun (David Jones Remix) Fragma – Toca’s Miracle 2012 (David Jones & Alex Martello Remix) Robbie Rivera – Bang 2012 (David Jones Remix). The fact is that the first 2 remixes I wrote have new harmonies, new sounds and they aren’t dub mixes. So they are new productions, really well done remixes and not just re-edits / re-works. I think that when you add something with a remix, you’re doing well.. In all my remixes you can find the following elements: ideas, energy and sounds, but sometimes it’s hard to make something totally different from the original, because sometimes you can’t change elements (for example when the track is a sample). Anyway I’m working on some new amazing remixes.”
What is the finest record you have ever played to a dancefloor?
“Daft Punk ‘Around The World’. Absolutely!!!“
What is the proudest moment of your career to date?
“As independent producer; when I got the silver disk in France and made the Top 15 European Billboard. As for David Jones, DJ/producer, the NEXT moment of course! Every day I’m moving forward, so everyday is much better than the day before, and that’s a good reason to be proud of what I’m doing and of my career.
How would you describe your style?
“DJ STYLE of course! My style is a mix of music, emotions and energy. My arrangement are focused to be fresh, dynamic and need to be played loud. I try always to be original and I try to mix elements that work in every genre, like using the build up more in “Axwell” style with the groove more “Robbie Rivera” and maybe some electro elements by Daft Punk. That’s my way to be.”
What festivals are you looking forward to this summer DJ wise?
“I love this word! SUMMER! Even if it looks so distant right now. After WMC I will be in Miami again twice, then Vancouver, Las Vegas, Germany, Scotland, and a TBA tour in Australia and Brazil, plus some big festivals with Mastiksoul in Portugal. I feel alive playing and doing music, so I hope to only meet the right audience to share a great set.”
What is your guilty pleasure record?
“Chemical Brothers – Hey Girl, Hey Boys …Superstar DJ…!!! My bootleg is always on fire!”
And finally, what is coming next from the David Jones studio?
“That’s a great question, because normally if people think “Heya” is working well right now, this is the sound to produce at present. But while you have something that’s working out right now, it means that in 3 months you have to prepare something different and fresh- an evolution. There are few DJ/producers that can try to evolve a genre. I think house needs to move on to 80s from 70s. So from funky to disco music. I’m working on making beats like the last track with some more power elements and then try to add in some electro sound. It’s my future, let’s see if the new sound will work. We will see in the next interview here on DMC.”
