The maestro returns with a WMC anthem
Welcome back to DMCWORLD Seamus, on the back of a massive new Strictly tune ‘I Love The Music’ with Cevin Fisher – talk us through this soon to be WMC classic…
“I’ve known Cevin for many years now and I can remember being at Groovejet in Miami when Danny Tenaglia was dropping his ‘Freaks Come Out’ many years ago. Cevin was such a big name producer but also a really nice guy so we’ve kept in touch over the years and we’ve released a couple of tracks with him on Big Love that did really well. Cevin had an idea based on ‘Ai No Corrida’ made famous by Quincy Jones (the actual original was by Chas Jankel the former drummer in Ian Dury’s Blockheads). So I got involved and had some fun with it. It’s just a real, feel good track. It’s signed to Strictly Rhythm who are going to drop the full package of mixes at some point and it feels like this one could blow given the response we’ve had from DJs and the success on the Beatport Charts! We’ve even done some ‘I Love Miami’ versions which will go out to tastemaker DJs for Miami so it’s a good moment!”
You are a self confessed trainspotter who started your DJing life in illegal warehouses, influenced by the London sound systems and American guys like Tony Humphries and Grandmaster Flash. What were those early gigs like? What tunes, parties are still in your mind…?
“I was there when hip hop and electro first hit the UK and it had an amazing impact on me. It literally changed my life and got me into DJ’ing. Then there was the go-go craze and rare groove scene which was massive in London. If you were hungry for knowledge (like me) then it was perfect. DJs like Westwood or Norman Jay would show you where the original samples were taken from..even Judge Jules was playing soul, funk and hip hop back then. It was a time of soaking it all up and trying to buy as much music as I could. I remember having mix tapes of Tony Humphries mixing electro funk & soul on Kiss FM in New York and just being amazed at him mixing tracks like Jellybean’s version of “The Mexican” and Kreamcicle “No News Is Good News” for 2-3 minutes. The scene was really eclectic back then. Even when the warehouse parties kicked off you could play acid house track, New York garage, Detroit techno, Electro, old Skool rap, disco all mixed up. I can clearly remember playing at all dayers with all the top London sound systems in front 2-3000 people and others on the bill were Tim Westwood, Beat Freak (The MC was Rebel MC who went onto work with Double Trouble, TNT (whose mix DJ was DJ Ron who went onto become a Drum’N’Bass DJ, Funkadelic (one of Lenox Lewis’ brother ran it), Bobbi & Steve (Zoo Experience on Kiss FM) and I was only 16 at the time mixing & scratching records by Talk Talk “Life’s What You Make It”, Tears For Fears “Shout” in amongst current hip hop tracks like Doug E Fresh “The Show” & soul tracks like Joyce Sims “All In All”. It was just about good dance music..no barriers!”
Can you remember the first record you ever bought?
“I think it was Joe Jackson’s “Is She Really Going Out With Him”
If you hadn’t have become a DJ/producer – what other career could have been on the cards for you?
“I was pretty good at art in school so my parents encouraged me to use it in a commercial way so I was studying to go onto do graphic design but I was already DJ’ing with sound systems and working in a record shop par time so I quickly got distracted and drifted into working full time at Red Records in Soho around ’89. I guess I took a gamble and it paid off.”
After a few lucky breaks, you began working at Slip and Slide where you were A&R Manager before Defected’s Simon Dunmore headhunted you. What was the Defected operation like in the early days?
“Lol! Much smaller! That’s pretty much when it first started in 1999. There was a receptionist, myself and Simon & Janet Bell (my now wife). I had a lot of respect for Simon & Janet since they’d been at AM:PM together and before that I knew Simon when he was at Cooltempo and he had always been a fan & supporter of black dance music. Defected was a joint venture with Ministry Of sound back then so we used to outsource a lot of stuff like business affairs. I remember I had to put together the first ever UK club tour for our first comp Defcom1 and it was literally me or Simon rocking up to the club and putting up banners, DJ’ing and then taking all the production down again and bringing it back. It was also a time when being a new label it wasn’t always easy to exclusively license in potential hits as we were up against the majors and Defected had to prove itself which it did with early hits such as Powerhouse “What You Need”, India “To Be In Love”, Soulsearcher “Can’t Get Enough” which led to the Roger Sanchez number 1 “Another Chance” in 2001. By then our staff had increased to around 10 people so we were almost completely autonomous. They were good times and a great experience and education for me. This was before social networking and downloads. It was about selling physical copies and it was easier to build a buzz on a track as there wasn’t the risk of downloads being shared.”
You obviously have a deep love for house music – what other genres of music are you into?
“I like some current pop acts like The Ting Tings, Justice and Friendly Fires as there are references to things I grew up on like post-punk disco, 80’s boogie & soul. My record collection covers funk, disco, dub reggae, soul, jazz and fusion. I’m grew up buying black music but I find as I’m getting older I’m becoming more open minded so I can appreciate the likes of Coldplay, Mike Snow, Lana Del Ray, Gotye and then obviously Labrinth & Tiny Temper are at the top of the game so you can’t escape them.”
And what style of music do you always turn off?
“Anything too heavy like death metal. I hate that screamy/shouty noise they call singing!”
What are your thoughts on the UK record industry today? Are we in a healthy position?
“From when there are rumours about certain top DJ producers thinking of selling their music direct to millions of fans via Facebook it makes you wonder doesn’t it? I think record companies are still relevant it’s just that the deals have changed as the sales are so low it’s about getting a cut of the publishing & performance. It’s interesting how the authorities in America have only just started clamping down on illegal download sites since more people can now download big files due to the globalisation of broadband and hence accessing loads of movies and having a big impact on the movie industry. This music industry has suffered for years as mp3s are relatively small and nothing has been done about it but now Hollywood is affected it’s a problem!”
Why is the UK club scene crap at the moment compared to the rest of the world?
“We’ve led the way. We kick started it all back in the late ’80’s with the Acid House explosion so it’s almost 25 years ago. House music is something the younger generation’s parents were into so they want something different. Then around 7-8 years ago some bright spark had the idea of pubs having late licenses so that we’d have a more mediterranean approach to drinking..which failed as people just drank more and because most pubs have music or a DJ playing Hed Kandi CDs people just thought why pay to go to a club when I can dance here for free. That led to the death of most of the super clubs who got involved in festivals as it’s more about a big special one day a year rather than trying to pack a club every week.
You have remixed some mighty artists over the years – the likes of Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Moby, Calvin Harris, Jamiroquai, Axwell and Jessie J – what do you think has been your most special reworking?
“Tweet “Boogie 2Nite” which led to me re-working Bootluv’s “Boogie 2 Nite” which went to number 2 in the UK National Charts and then my re-make of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” which went top 15.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
1. Seamus Haji & Cevin Fisher – I Love The Music – Strictly Rhythm
2. Seamus Haji & Nelski – Hey Boy Hey Girl – Rising Music
3. Romain Curtis – Nandaya (Big Love)
4. Norman Doray – Leo (White)
5. EDX & Seamus Haji – Love Express (Sirup Music)
6. Scissor Sisters – Shady Love (Seamus Haji Dub) – Polydor
7. Todd Terry – Bounce To The Beat (Prok & Ftich Remix) – Toolroom
8. Tom Wax & Strobe – Crushed (Supernova Remix) Get Physical
9. ATFC – This Is Not A Test (Defected)
10. Nicky Romero – Toulouse – Spinnin
Who are the big producers around the world you love?
“Labrinth, N.E.R.D, Mark Ronson, Stuart Price.”
Not many people know this, but Seamus Haji is really good at…
“Making meals out of leftovers.”
Love that answer! Tell us about the Big Love radio show…
“I started my radio show on Juice in Brighton a few months ago. It goes out 8-10pm Saturdays and I use it to play a lot of stuff I wouldn’t normally get to play out like deeper house cuts. It keeps me on the case with my promos as well as buying new music. Apart from obvious features like This Week’s Big Tune and The Big Mix at the end of the show I also have The Original Cut where I play something that’s covered or sampled something old then I play the original so I get to flex my train-spotting skills and then there’s the Eclectic Selection where I play Nu-disco cuts and more downtempo, deeper tracks. I’ve just stated to syndicate the show around the world and it’s getting great reactions.”
What is the finest record you have ever played to a dancefloor?
“That’s a hard one! Probably back in the early 90’s it would have been Sounds Of Blackness ‘Optimistic’. It’s just one of those songs that touches everyone in a special way and brings back many happy memories.”
You DJ all over the world, which clubs are rocking it right now?
“I did Mardi Gras in Sydney last year as well Pride in Brighton which aren’t clubs as such but amazing festivals playing to 10,000 people and the energy was off the scale! Some of my favourites have been Cielo in New York, Mass in Seoul, The Ivy in Sydney, Yalta in Bulgaria and Arena in Kiev.”
So we head back to yours after the cub, what is the Seamus Haji Back To Mine 10 you spin us?
“It’s gonna be a deep house and Nu-disco session with some oldies thrown in…
James Brown – Don’t Tell It – Polydor
The Clash – Magnificent Seven
Roxy Music – Love Is The Drug (Todd Terje Remix) – Virgin
1gnition – Secret Sunday Lover (Greg Wilson Edit) – Love Is War Music
Romanthony – Bring You Up (Deetron Edit) Balance
Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime
MD-Xpress – God Made Me Funky
Lovebirds – Want You In My Soul
Storm Queen – Look Right Through (Original) – Defected
D Train – Keep On – Prelude
What events are you looking forward to this summer?
“MAD Club in Laussane, Javea Soul Weekender and a South American tour.”
It’s your birthday – what 3 DJs do you invite to play?
Jazzy Jeff, Greg Wlson and Joey Negro
Which classic tune is always in your bag?
“Jaydee ‘Plastic Dreams’.”
What is your guilty pleasure record?
“Ha! There are too many. Barry Manilow ‘Could It Be Magic’ springs to mind!”
And finally, you have a busy few months ahead…what is coming next from the Haji studio?
“Singles…
Seamus Haji & Nelsi “Hey Boy Hey Girl” on Rising Music
EDX & Seamus Haji “Love Express” on Big Love
Seamus Haji presents Big Bang Theory “Gods Child” (Seamus Haji Remix) Big Love
Remixes…
X-Press 2 feat Alison Limerick “In The Blood” (Skint)
Rita Ora Dedut single “RIP” (Sony)
The Ghosts “Ghosts” (Poacket)
Scissor Sisters “Shady Love”
And I’m also producing a track for the Scissors Sisters album.”
