LOUK, THE 2009 INTERVIEW / Q&As
Louk, the man of the moment - bookings left right & centre across the uk and europe with many releases & remixes on labels & albums across the board.
One to watch for sure, and not long before his long awaited second appearance at Uprising on Oct 31st.
Where did it all start for you?
Producing was during my final year of GCSEs at school, I had mucked about with a few programs but got really into making tunes and was well into my trance back then and things started getting serious in 2004. DJing was at an illegal outdoor rave in Cornwall in 2004.
Where did the name come from?
A shortened version of my real name Loukas (but I hate it please don't ever call me that!!!).
What gave you the initial push?
Going to an outdoor rave on dartmoor in 2002 where M-Zone, Easygrove, Nick The Kid, Orpheus and Akira and many others played, that night blew my mind, and also having the Dance Academy (RIP) in Plymouth on my doorstep pretty much. 2002 was an amazing year, such an influx of fucking amazing hard trance and techno where at least two out of three tunes in piles in a record shop would make you dribble at the mouth.
Who would you say was putting on the best events at the moment?
Q-Dance, though I heard Getyrkix had a pretty good run this weekend with Southern Sound (!)
Which other countries have you played?
Germany and Holland and Ireland.
What was the first event you ever played?
The Illegal rave I mentioned above, it was awesome except for flies flying into my eye. I cant remember what I played except for the Derb Mix of Spacefrog Follow Me got a play.
What’s the best event you’ve ever played?
Q-Base in Germany, got to go back to back with Wragg + Log:One, got to play some vinyl and the setup was amazing. We were on early so crowd wasn't that big but the buzz was wicked!
What was your first record you bought?
Sosa - The Wave on Additive Records (bought it for the mix that is off a dreamscape tape, think it was mark eg dreamscape 29). Oh and I also bought a Bjork tune
Out of all the tunes you have, which one does the business every time?
At the moment it's the Ressurection mix of The Messiah by Tommy Pulse, Iain Cross - Sexy Beast is also sick!
What's your favourite tune of all time, the ultimate classic?
System F - Out Of The Blue, Liquid Child - Diving Faces and Roos Instant Moments (Marino S Mix) come in second and third place respectively!
And when all the partying is over, how do you like to relax?
Sleep like a demon! Always like waking up on a Sunday feeling fresh and if it's not the case then to the pub later in the evening. Erm I like watching TV, playing computer games, going to see mates, cooking and oddly am probably one of the few who enjoy washing up as it's a good chance to listen to CDs.
How is the scene in your eyes at the moment?
The ones who have been greedy all along are getting their comeuppance and the good guys who are in it for the right reasons are shining through, you only have to look at all the wealth of new talent playing some awesome bookings to realise this!!
How big is your vinyl collection? What is your opinion on CDJ's? (the pros & cons)
Used to have 1500 (when I was writing reviews on a regular basis I'd get a lot of tracks sent and would keep em), then one weekend on a buzz after a really messy weekend I decided to go through and just sell loads of them and only keep records I really like. Still buy a couple vinyls each week be it classics off discogs or new tunes and play them. Love CDJs too - have used them since October 2005 and love the fact I can play upfront material fresh out the studio, the bad side is all the illegal filesharing and they still don't sound that warm at times!
The funniest thing that ever happened at an event?
Stopping the wrong track, an MC asking 'hope this isnt being recorded, anyone got any pills' half way through one of my sets. Acquiring the nickname 'Pukey Louky' due to my unfortunated projectile vomiting and playing at a rave at six in the morning for a back to back just as the sun was coming up and my mate who forgot his tunes asking me what record to play next, I'd get the next record out my bag and he'd go 'Which side' and I just shrugged my shoulders. Don't know what It actually sounded like but in my world it was the best back to back ever! Non DJ wise, Myself and an ex travelled to to an event I played at in Bournemouth last year. I was interviewed for a TV show and underestimated how strong red bull and other things were. The interviewer asked me just one question and i didnt shut up for about 3 mins and just talked so fast. He made me repeat it and told me to slow way down and I did this and spoke so slow it sounded like i was on valium, the third take we got there in the end I think?! She was in the corner laughing for ages and I don't think he ever forgot that interview. He has gone on to since record many events and nights accross Europe (check out Jon Brown/Fusion TV on Youtube)
Other DJs you rate?
Obviously Nick the Kid, Mark EG, M-Zone, Wragg + Log One, Kutski, A.S.Y.S, Ribbz, Iain Cross, SL-DJ, Thilo + Evanti, Kamui, Mass In Orbit, DJ Thera, Petrae Foy, Chris Liebing, Busho, Major Tom ahh theres 100s!
Who is/are your biggest musical influences in the world of music & why?
Ferry Corsten, Jon Doe, Andreas Kraemer + Thomas Pogadl, Dex + Jonesey (making all their tunes on an Amiga), Pulsedriver, Sven Vath, CJ Bolland, Franky Jones, Carl Cox, Liam Howlett, Underworld and non dance wise Sex Pistols, Depeche Mode and more recently the likes of Babyshambles, Lily Allen and more. All for their melodies, their dark edge and intense percussion!
What are your feelings on the MC's?
Some are amazing and really hype the crowd and are well witty (check Si The Sigh and Sharkey and Ribbz oh and Cole-zy from Wales and Jay P from Plymouth for examples of this!) but I really really really dislike the ones who don't shut the fuck up and talk and even sing on top of tunes. I know they are big up your way so it must just be because I'm from down south haha!
What do you do outside of the dance music scene?
I've just graduated from Uni and am qualified in both Sound + Music Production and also Computer Science. I fix computers and do a lot of article and document writing and proof reading (see I'm a geek really!). Most of my life is music though I run my own music promotion and PR outfit and have promoted over 400 tunes to Radio Stations, DJs, Magazines and Licensees since September 2005. I write for some magazines like Core Magazine and Bass Instinct and have been writing for magazines since 2001.
What advice would you give to up and coming DJs/Mc's/Promoters?
Keep believeing in what you do. For DJ's I would say learn to produce as well because that gives you an edge as DJing is such an oversaturated market. MC's try to MC to the music you like and try out different styles, theres one guy in Plymouth who is quite intense with rhymes during hardcore sets but says hardly anything over trance/techno sets and that compliments the music well. Promoters try not to step on another nights toes unless you are involving people from that night as creating competition in an area equals smaller crowds and there isn't really a lot of point making enemies.
If you could stage an event anywhere, where would you choose?
It would have to be something outdoors, I'd like to do something legal as the last event I was involved with was an outdoor free party near Dartmoor. Theres loads of fields and a quarry near where I live in Plymouth and also a disused airstrip that would be an amazing site and every time we drive past I keep going 'F**k me that'd be an amazing place to hold a rave'.
How do you see the scene 5 years from now?
Well five years ago we had just suffered the unfortunate loss of Alphamagic and hard trance and techno was apparently on it's arse. Five years on theres a wealth of new talent so it's hard to say really!
If you had a time machine what year would you go back to and why?
I'd like to have been raving in 1993 to be fair - I hear stories of all my older mates of how it wasnt as good as back in the Day and would loved to have gone Plymouth Warehouse.
Any shouts you would like to make?
Of course! To yourself, Topgroove, Ribbz, Nick The Kid, Kenny Sharp, Skegster, Mark EG, M-Zone, Leon C (for being just as nocturnal as me!), Matt One, Jordan, MC Space, Halder, Liam, Josh Lumin, Sean Abbot, Everyone who is reading this from home and on other sites and everyone who has ever bought or enjoyed one of my tunes or liked one of my sets! Hope you like what you hear!
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