This cat has been cool since kindergarten
We know that the WMC is more about profile and the party rather than business deals, is it the most important date on the dance calendar still?
“I think as large as dance music has become in the USA, WMC/MMW/ULTRA or whatever you wana call it lol, it’s a very important week or 2 weeks of the year, where else are you gonna get literally every DJ in the world in a 40 some odd block radius. It’s up there with ibiza season and ADE, without question…”
As thousands of next generation clubbers descend on the big events, do you feel the spirit of house music is being lost to a crowd looking for that instant anthem hit?
“You know that’s a funny question..it’s lost for those who don’t have the same vigour as someone that’s experiencing it for the first time. People who are experience it now this is there for them – Louie Vega, Barbara Tucker, Blaze etc. How many times did our parents or older sibling say that what we were listening to in our teens and twenty’s isn’t proper music at all and that what they experienced in the 60’s ,70’s 80’s etc. was more valid than what was happening to us now, It’s all a matter of opinion..in some ways yes the past is amazing, but we can’t go around shitting on what’s happening now because the music is different to what we had. That’s very ignorant to say., I believe kids will be kids and as they grow so do there tastes and they learn about different forms of house music at there pace. You can’t forcefeed kids music because we say it was better before…”
Have you had to change your musical direction in the last year?
“No, I’ve come from a school or a time where I always played what I liked and found a way to manage to fire things into my sets. I used to play super funky house recordsn mixing in tribal, vocals, disco – back in the day we didn’t even think about it. We’d be listening to any Daft Punk, Sneak, Armand, Cassius and if you check out any of our DJ sets from back then you can tell we played everything because we all knew house music wasn’t only deep house or all about Gene Perez playing the bass. We knew it was about that kid in the Chicago basement making jacked up house or a kid in Detroit making techno or Nick Holder rocking up the deep house in Canada. House music was/is everything, not just one particular style – that’s what I was brought up to believe. Not being a purist because if you’re a purist you’re going to miss the beauty of the music.”
Is Miami losing it’s trademark cool and sexy house music vibe?
“For who? I can still see sex and sexy people everywhere! Again, it depends on who you talk to. If you ask a 40 year old then yes maybe because that person’s idea of sexy back isn’t Ultra’s tweaked out ravers, but you can still go to Electric Pickle and hear some great underground music and feel true underground sexyness. Or you can glam it up at Liv and be a big spender on the sexy steez lolol…sexy it always will be.”
What are your thoughts on the Dennis Ferrer ‘Mansion’ Miami club story – he was basically kicked off the decks for not playing commercial enough…
“I had a similar experience at Mansion but I had to adapt the best way I could. I can speak for myself when my agent tells me a certain club wants me to play. I always ask who played there the few weeks prior and I tell my agent to ask the promoter how his party has been doing etc. With that said though, a promoter should know who they are booking, I mean if you’re booking for a top 40 club that sells bottle service and you know your clientele, why would you book a DJ knowing that it’s not in the club’s best interest? I think Dennis is an amazing producer and DJ and he did what he knows best – playing great quality house music. And I’m sure as a great DJ he did try to salvage the evening. But club owners/promoters should educate themselves on the DJ before booking them if they have no idea or are on the fence about who they are booking.”
With clubs and charts being dominated by dance music worldwide, shouldn’t we be rejoicing it’s success rather than being bitter with crossover?
“I think we should instead of hating on the success of people like David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, Afrojack etc. We should be glad the doors are open to a genre that never got the credit it deserved. I mean house music practically saved urban, R&B and hip hop music over the past two years. Watch how the Art Depertment, the Jamie Jones and the Luciano’s (of who’s music I love and dig and play some of it) will all blow up soon and that scene will be as big. WIll they turn down the $ and keep it real? No. Everything runs its course and what people like to call cheesy – it’s part of the culture. The underground becomes the overground and another underground takes it’s place, the cycle continues. Always has, always will…”
The party you looking forward to the most in Miami week?
“I’m gonna try to go to every party I can. Big room, small room, Nu room, Nu-disco, old house, Crosstown Rebels, Nu ebels etc. I love dipdivin and seeing what’s popin. I got nothing to prove on the cool scale, I’ve been cool since kindergarden lol. But as always, I’m lookinfg foward to our annual xmix party with Armand, Sneak, Todd Terry, Harry Choo Choo and the entire xmix crew – that’s a pretty diverse line up. Also the Size Matters party with Steve and the crew, that will be crazy no doubt and I’m launching my Brobot label this year with an Official Ultra carry-on party at the Mia Lounge with myself, Swanky Tunes, Congorock, Felix Cartal, Tristan Garner, Alexander Technique and the Brobot crew. You know I’m looking foward to some amazing Mojitos!!”
What are your Buzz tracks for WMC 2012?
“Wow I’m sure there will be tonz of trax! But I know one I can speak of!! It’s called ‘Live My Life Without You’ feat. Ce Ce Peniston. LOOK OUT 4 I!”
Have you noticed a big dip in industry folk not attending these last couple of years?
“I’m not aware really, I think so. But for every one person who misses it, I’m sure there a new person, taking there place!”
What are your thoughts on the IMS in Ibiza? Will you be attending?
“I think anything to expose and expand our scene is amazing and I would love to attend and participate in anyway.”
