Have you already started to feel like a star?
No, not yet. And you know what? For me, the bigger you get the quality of the club you get to play is better. And that’s what I enjoy. Cause like tonight - you get to play in a club that’s underground and it’s packed. For me it’s not about the fame. I still enjoy playing at the old clubs, smaller clubs with a shit sound system (laughs).
In an interview you said that 4 words describing you are: shy, humorous, musical and chancer. I don’t know many shy people who are chancers.
Chancer is a word that me and my friend use altogether. If something good happens, like luck – you say you’re chancer. It’s like when you score a goal in football and you’re saying it was a fluke. It’s wasn’t a fluke but you’re saying that because you’re taking the piss. That’s how we’re using the word chancer. We’re having a lot of fun. Me and my old flat mate, a guy called Justin, we used to say that word every time and I just had to make a record including chancer. But I am shy. Especially when I’m in new places. I’m not one of those loud people that get drunk and lean over your shoulder (laughs).
How did you feel about the Pioneer Breakthrough DJ award?
Awards are good. There’s always a fuzz like “he shouldn’t have won, he should have won” but I think dance music shouldn’t really have awards. It’s not pop music. I mean - how can you say that I’m the best newcomer? There’s so many kids out there.
And there’s no way we could hear them all.
Exactly! It’s nice to have the awards but I’m traveling all around the world seeing so many young DJs who can’t break out from their countries to play.
Yeah, I know few Polish DJs that are better than loads of foreign “stars” that have come here to play.
I played at some clubs where the resident was 10 times better than me. Cause they know the crowd!
Yes, but sometimes it can be a disadvantage. When they know the crowd to well and play in that club too often they can get bored and lazy.
True, but when the vibe and atmosphere is right they can truly rock.
OK, you’re not feeling like a star but you’re gonna be on the Essential Mix third time, second year in a row!
Yeah, it’s great. And this one is going to be special as it’s from our night.
Club Class’ 8th birthday.
Yeah, I can’t wait. We’ve been waiting for it for so long.
What’s the venue like?
It’s very similar to this club, very small. 600 people.
And what’s it like in Kent?
Kent is the countryside. It’s not a lot there. There’s a few big towns.
I’m not sure if I know anyone from Kent...
Digweed and Danny Howells started DJing at Maidstone. John lives in Brighton, Hastings which is very close. But Maidstone is cool. It has a very good dance scene with people like Mark Knight and George Andrews. There’s some really talented producers coming out from there.
And who is Mark Fanciulli? I saw his name on the line-up for Class’ birthday.
He’s my younger brother. Just turned 18. For the last two years he’s been doing the under 18 DMCs and even got to the semi-finals. But under 18s in England are not like the adult ones. You can play anything. My brother plays breakbeat. He plays Lee Coombs’ stuff but also finds really obscure tracks. He’s really clever.
For how long?
He’s been DJing since he was 13.
Apart from the DMCs. Is he still a bedroom DJ?
He’s played out a couple of times. The thing is I didn’t influence anyone at the club to book him for downstairs but he’s the only breaks DJ really at Maidstone.
It is rumoured you’re gonna have your own show on BBC Radio 1.
No.
You’re not gonna have it?
I don’t know.
You don’t know?
At the moment I’m just doing few things with them. I think my production and DJing are most important for me. They are brilliant people, they’re really nice but I have to focus on my music.
Tell me more about Andy Chatterley?
I first met Andy 6 or 7 years ago and we started working together for about 3 years doing a lot of the early Portent stuff and then we had a break for about a year. We did our own different projects and stuff and then we got back together 2 years ago and the first thing we did was the remix of “Dancing In The Dark”. Since then it’s been going really, really well. And for me personally, it has taken me to this point to make music I have really been into - like The Buick Project.
And why the name “Buick”?
Skylark came from the bar in San Francisco when I went to see Halo and Hipp-E play. And you know the cars?
Sure. Do you own a Buick?
No but it came from that.
What do you do when performing live as Skylark?
We do that occasionally. Keys, laptop, CDJs. Making it as live and interactive as possible. We’ve only done it twice but next time we want to do it all on Ableton with the 909 and 303 (Roland) to make it really analogey. We’re gonna take all our equipment out and just start tapping.
You have remixed “Flashdance”, which in my opinion is one of the worst tunes of 2004. Did you like the original?
This record is made by my really good friends – Ali and Sharam (Deep Dish). First time I heard it at Pacha and the crowd went nuts. It’s a good record. I don’t think I’d play it now but they asked us to do our interpretation of it.
I just couldn’t believe this tune got so high.
It’s mad. It was number 3 in England!
Alright, but I say it’s too simple! Nothing happens there. It could last for 5 minutes and no-one would even notice that half of the track is missing.
Yeah, yeah.
About a year ago if I listened to house it had to be progressive or tech. Now I’m almost in love with music you, Luke Fair and Desyn Masiello play. The question is – did I change, did I develop or did house got more ambitious?
No, you’re exactly like me. I used to listen to tech and progressive. I was a big Sasha fan but people want dancing and what Desyn and Luke and Demi and Paolo Mojo and people like myself achieved – we’ve found that balance in the middle to still be cool and still make people move. And we’re not the only ones... Digweed is playing house, Sasha is playing house. It’s great! It needed to kick up the arse. You couldn’t tell the difference between some progressive records, did you?
Word! I’m quite fed up with it.
I go threw my old records and everything sounds the same.
You started your Saved recordings. Is the difference between Portent and Saved like between Skylark and The Buick Project? Set up to be more underground?
No. Portent is a label that I started with two of my friends. Owen has gone to Toolroom, which is Mark Knight’s label and Matt’s carrying on doing what he’s doing but that label was about the three of us. We put all our input into it. He could put a record in that I wasn’t sure about but if he loved it he would release it. Saved is just what I want (laughs). I want to put out producers like Zoo Brasil. Alex Smoke from Soma is doing a remix for me. Sander Kleinenberg is doing the same for us under a different name.
You are no longer a newbie...
Yeah, I’ve got rid of that name (laughs).
(laughs) so you can tell us about some upcoming talents we should look out for.
James Talk – fantastic.
I’ve spotted him first! (laughs)
I signed him! (laughs)
You win.
Demi, Paolo Mojo – I’m a big fan of his. Desyn I love, Luke Fair, Mark Knight...
Martijn Ten Velden?
Oh, he’s good. He’s really cool.
I love “Revolution Sureshot”.
Sasha... I’m joking (laughs). DJ T, Mandy, Steve Bug. For me, these are the people that are really doing it now.
Any particular plans for the WMC?
No. I’m not sure if I’m going. I played in Miami on New Year’s Day and I love that city but around the conference it’s just a bit too hectic. But if I go I’m gonna do a party at Space with Deep Dish, Danny Howells...
No Saved parties?
We might do it but the thing is we haven’t got anything planned. We might incorporate it into the party at Space. Sander asked me to do the same for him and Oskar G as well so we’ll see.
Many thanks to Import! management for making this interview possible
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