Right in a few days, Luke Fair is releasing the third “Original Series” compilation. However we talked to him when this fact was kept secret. Later on the tape got damaged, so the text was nearly not posted at all. Fortunately Luke agreed to answer a few additional questions via e-mail and the whole story can be read below.
You were named as one of the faces to watch for in 2002, but in my opinion your breaking point was only last year. What happened that your career blew up only two years later?
I was focused on productions and then on the Yoshitoshi CD. That helped me a lot...
But this was 2003 and you were already the face to watch for 2002?
That's what they (media) say every year [laughs]
How come your remix of "Faakson" by Agent 001 turned into your own original production "Generations"?
Because I didn't really use any parts of the original. That's what happens when I do remixes. If I can't work around any of the parts, I basically make an original. And maybe after I make the track, find a little bit of the original and put it somewhere, just to color the remix. So the label, which was Opek, shut down. And then shortly after Precinct called and said they wanted to release it.
What about the Massive Attack remix? What was that track?
I started working on it, and then the label decided not to release any remixes, so I never finished it. The track comes from the latest album "One Hundred Windows", but I honestly forgot the name. If you said the name, I'd say “that's it”.
"Honestly Unknown" is what I like the most in your Kiss 100 tracklisting. And "Truly CD-R".
That's a good label!
I wonder how you and Hernan Cattaneo work on your tracks together?
I only did one track with him, but it's not the one that's called “Tokyo”. That is a track that I've never heard before. Someone mislabeled a track and put it out on the net. It's pretty funny
actually. Hernan came over to my place a few years ago and we worked on something, but we never finished.
There's another one which Can Costa played...
That was his edit. He took my track together with Laurent Garnier's "Man With The Red Face" and mashed them up.
Why does your productions differ so much from the stuff you play?
Everybody asks me that. It's because I'm not at the point yet, that I can make exactly what I wanna play. I've only made a few tracks. When I produce I don't think "ok, now I'm going to make a track that will sound like this". I just sit down and write what comes out from playing around with samples and synths. I've taken a long break from production and I'm more inspired than I ever have been, so hopefully this will all change.
Comparing your promo mixes, "Spring" to "Fall", one can notice that you have two natures. One is deep and subtle and the other is party.
Yes, that's because when I do a studio mix, I usually just play the best tracks that I have at that particular time. On the "Spring" promo, all the tracks that I had then sounded like that. I was very happy with it, and I think it's the best studio mix I've done so far.
I've read you edit tracks you play to make them sound good in a particular city. Is that true?
I basically edit everything I play, just to customize it. There's always something in a track that I don't like so I either cut it over or I extend a part that I like. I also think it's really important because with all the DJs out there now, exclusivity is the best way to get a leg up. Everyone is playing the same tracks and you need something to stand out, like your own exclusive stuff that no one else has. Re-edits give you that.
The “OS_0.3” tracklisting doesn't say you re-edited the tracks but that's hard to believe.
I edited most, but a lot of it was very minor. I did some heavy re-editing on “La Serenissima”, andz the closing track, “Waves” by Lifelike.
How did you gather the tracks? Did you have problems with licensing? Is there anything you couldn't use? How many exclusive tracks are there?
Luckily I didn't have any licensing problems. I was worried I would but thankfully there wasn't. There's a few exclusive tracks in there, but most of the stuff is already released.
You had a lot more time than Desyn and Jon – did you make good use of it? What do you think about OS_0.1 & OS_0.2?
I thought the first two were great and very unique. Desyn's was a wicked eclectic house mix and Lisle's was a crazy mind-expanding trip that sounded like it was mixed by a mad scientist. I had quite a bit of time but as usual, I left everything till the last minute. It's in my nature.
I see your different approach to the mixing. You have just joined most of the tracks together mostly doing cuts. Let's take the first three tracks: they simply don't suit one another. Why is so?
The mixing isn't any different to previous mixes I've done. I did long layered mixes as well as bassline cuts... I try and keep it similar to how I sound live, so that people know what to expect. I personally like it as colorful as possible, and to not sound like one long song. Not everyone's thing but that's cool.
Do you know who's next in line for Original Series?
Alec Empire.
Do you plan to set up a label?
I am in the process of doing that now... Details will follow.
You cannot even say the name? What kind of music you're going to release up there?
To be honest I haven't even picked a name. I'm so bad at naming things. I'll be releasing just the stuff that I like. I'm not going to use any particular guide.
Do you sometimes feel that you have to escape from dance music for a while to take a fresh breath?
Yes, it's very important. Otherwise you're never able to step back and look at the big picture.
Where do you go then?
I just stay in with my girlfriend and watch movies.
So you don't have a type of music that cures you?
Sometimes I do, but if I do it's not dance music. I use to like a lot of all industrial stuff. I went through a faze with every kind of music, though. My favorite type of music changes almost every week. I still listen to groups like Charlatans, Primal Scream... I think “Screamadelica” is one of the best albums ever. I always go back to it every now and then for inspiration.
Desyn Masiello says that when you're not home, your girlfriend searches the net for music for you. Is that true?
Ha, ha... Not exactly. I wish! There may have been one time a few years ago I asked her to check something out for me, but that's it.
Do you know Desyn?
No. I might have heard the name somewhere [laughs]. I know him very well. Two years ago I played with him every weekend for four months during the Yoshitoshi tour for our CD. Lots of crazy stories from that one.
You're using Cubase. Have you always been using that tool? Would you recommend it to beginners?
Yes, I have. And I'd definitely recommend Cubase . I think it's much easier than Logic to learn, or at least for me. It really doesn't matter what you use though. At the end of the day it's you writing the music, not the software.
Easier than Logic – yes, but comparing to Fruity Loops or Buzz?
I've never used Fruity Loops, so I don't know. But lots of people are making great stuff on Fruity Loops or Acid.
Do you need computer experience to learn a program like this?
No. I'm pretty dumb when it comes to everything else other than my music software. I know how to go into my programs and use them but I don't know how to like...
Play solitaire?
That one I know! Oh, and ESPN Basketball on PS2.
Do you consider dance music to be easier to make and also less complex than the bands you mentioned earlier do?
Yes, you can have one single person composing and mixing an entire song within hours. So it's definitely easier to make. Complex is a different story.
Do you think you're capable of doing tracks like e.g. Hybrid does? I mean more complex tracks, movie soundtracks and so on.
Not yet. But hopefully in the future. Soundtracks and scores is definitely something that interests me for my later years. I'm quite far away from that musically though. Because I don't want to be necessarily DJing in nightclubs when I'm 40 something. Some people can
but I don't think it'll be for me.
Nick Warren is 44.
Touche. I guess I won't rule anything out!
What do you like to read?
Basically I ready about history. I'm a nerd. I don't like fiction.
Did you finish any school above high school?
No, just high school. I started working in a nightclub when I was 19. I was just picking up bottles and stuff like that. My parents hated it but now they don't mind.
What about your website? Why don't you do something with it?
Well, I have someone working on it right now. It's probably going to be ready in about a month or two. A proper website...
It's strange because you're in the agency (Alliance Music Group) where no one else is involved.
It's not an agency anymore, just my manager's old site. It's just a temporary home while my new website is being finished.
Are you a fan of “Star Wars”? Is Luke Wan inspired by the movie?
Somewhat, not a huge fan though. That was Deep Dish who came up with that name, not me. They said, "You're going to be called Luke Wan". All right.
Have you seen the latest episode of Star Wars?
No. I won't really be in a big rush. Maybe when the crowds get smaller.
Any other plans you'd like to share with us?
Less carbs for 2005.
What are your expectations about Poland?
Andy Newland told me that here people drink vodka like water. I'm scared!
Links
Comments (0)
