Tapesh chats to Dubzy about playing Ant’Ushuia and upcoming gigs. he also talks about his new label ‘Akulee’
So for people who know your name but don’t know too much about you, could you tell us a little bit about your background?
Well… I’ve been DJ’ing already for 20 years, I grown up in a club with/for my dad. I’ve actually done nothing else in my life than DJ’ing & producing; a real music “musician” man or “artist” man.
So you been doing this since you were a youngster?
Yeah… exactly, since I’ve been little; when I was a kid.
How would you describe your style and how it has progressed over the years?
Well actually… it’s all kinds of styles. I listen to all kinds of music back-in-the-day. I started with: Funk, Breakdance music, Acid, Chicago House or all kinds of hype music. Also in the 80’s, I listened to: Electro music, I was deep into it.
What made you choose house music as a style you wanted to roll with?
Like I said already, my dad had a club. Back-in-the-days, the DJ’s had to bring their own vinyl’s, they bought it and left it in the DJ booth. So I had the time to listen to the records (in the DJ Booth) in the afternoon you know? From time to time, I get to listen to all the records there and then suddenly, there was a record called “Pump Up The Volume” I think from “M.A.R.S.”? It was actually my first commercial house track I ever listened to.
This was the beginning. “Oh wow”, this tune was new for me! Then, “bump the bass”; “beat this” came up then “Cold Cut”. All those classic records you know? That was the first records I listen to and I said, “Wow, what was that?” But my background was always a little bit of electronic music. It was coming from my town, the group… they were like pioneers you know. Those sounds were always special for me. A lot of Hip-Hop or break-dancers, they sampled this group (you know). This was definably one of my first records, from my dad.
Thinking back on your career, can you think of one moment where you thought, “this is what I want to professionally now”?
Well… like I said, I did nothing else in my life because I had my own club for my dad. So when I was 10+, I always wanted to listen to music, I did nothing else. It was just: School, Music, School, and Music. Learning to play drums, synthesizers and others. I don’t look like it but I’m 44 years old… I’ve been long in the music business; I’ve been listening to music for a long, long time!
So, for any young artists listening those wants to get in the game and hopefully build a successful career. Could you give any advise?
I know so many new DJ’s, new talents, they want to play anywhere where I play and I’ve told them it’s easy to get students stuff for the computer. I think if you want to be in the game, you should produce! Keep working hard on it and believe on it.
What has been your standout memories playing at ‘Ants (Ushuaia, Ibiza)’?
It was always special for me. Especially when I play on the main stage? That’s something really what I like a lot because I like to play in front of a lot of people but I like to play also to a live crowd. From 3’oclock in afternoon ‘till 8’oclock in the evening, you play only from the front for a small crowd (1,000/2,000 people). Then later on in the main stage, you play in front of 10,000 people.
I think it’s one of the only open-aired places left in Ibiza right?
Yeah, that’s what I mean and that’s missing! In the past, that was special. In ‘Space Terrence (Ibiza)’, the open-air thing, no roof, people were partying on the sky, the aeroplane went/past by and the people were screaming “aaahh!!” that’s something special. That was my favourite thing, the Saturday thing.
How many days do you have left to play at ‘Ants’ this season?
I play this Saturday on the 27th August, and then the next one will be the 10th September, maybe some time in October (for the closing).
When you’re playing at ‘Ants’, how do you prepare your set?
I always freestyle! I download my email promos; I download what I bought by Beatport or Traxsource (or whatever). Then I just put it all in one folder, like the MP3’s. Then I… like how I feel… I don’t like programming, I don’t even use Rekordbox, I don’t like that!
Moving on from Ibiza, what else do you have going on in your hometown?
I’m focusing now on my new label since May, I’ve opened my first release in May. The AKULEE is the name! We have two releases on it already but I’m focusing now on my label because it’s always my dream; to own it, to produce music on it. I have a lot of friends on it from Germany like: ‘Kevin Over’ from Mobilee, ‘Emanuel Satie’, ‘Maxi million’… they’re going to release in the future on my label and some new talents from Germany.
AKULEE is the label. On May (this year), I had the first release called “Tight” and the second one was “Panus Fasciatus”.
Where is the best place for people to keep update of what’s going on the label?
You can go on @akulee.music on Facebook.
In your hometown, how is the music scene there? Do you have many events going on?
10 years ago, the scene was really big! The big 90’s, saw many clubs here and many festivals but since the last few years, the scene went really away. A lot of people and promoters went to Berlin and focusing more over there. Because the whole Europe is in Berlin you know? A place to be… for international artists, for the music scene, for a lot of students from around Europe or the world; and everyone speaks English in Berlin, not Germany anymore! But it’s okay! It’s like a music city; it’s a crazy, lovely city. A lot of people from Düsseldorf went/moved away from here and we have still some producers here…
So any more gigs that you have coming up? That you are looking forward to?
Yes, yes! I’m preparing for a South America Tour soon, then planning the next Asia Tour, then the United States, Australia, and in Europe always!
