Ron: You’re playing Ibiza, like first you, quoting your press release, you just did a few nights and now you’re there every week. What’s that been like doing the resident thing in Ibiza?
James: Yes, it’s been amazing. The first few times this summer it was weird, because the first gig Sasha didn’t make it to so it was kind of a weird atmosphere, everyone was expecting Sasha and he wasn’t there. Then the second week, I was playing all breakbeat and people, I don’t know, it’s not really a sound that’s synonymous with Ibiza, people were just not really into their breakbeat up in Ibiza. But after a few weeks they sort of got used to it, and by the last week, I remember I played a half hour of just continuous break beat it seemed to be working quite well.
Ron: You educated your crowd.
James: Well, I tried to, and I think I was sort of successful, so yes, but it was amazing. I liked so much being a resident there this summer.
Ron: What’s been the biggest gig you’ve played, like the biggest amount of people?
James: I don’t know, I really don’t know. Probably one of the festivals like Dance Valley or something like that, that’s where the most people are.
Ron: You’ll reach a really big crowd with your mixed CD. Its very different than most mixed compilations, I keep hearing that you recorded it live in one take. Did you do it the first time you sat down to do it or did it take a few attempts?
James: Oh no, it took a few, it certainly takes a few goes to get it right, especially the first CD.
Ron: How did you choose the songs for it?
James: I don’t know, I just went to my bedroom and spent a day in there just picking out my favorite records and what went together and that sort of thing.
Ron: In the writeups, you talk about your Pioneer CD players a lot – what about the Pioneer CD players do you like so much?
James: Just the fact that you can really manipulate the music with them. You can use it just like a record but you can chop and change and reverse and edit tracks live, and that’s what I really like about them.
Ron: It’s almost like you’re remixing records rather than mixing records when you spin. When I listened to the CD it just blew me away, and you’re not actually just playing songs like a normal DJ, you’re actually remixing live. How did you develop this unique style?
James: I don’t know, I was just sort of sitting down at home with one of the CD players one day and practicing and playing around. I love those CDJ 1000’s, they’re awesome.
Ron: Are you a paid spokesman for them yet?
James: No, maybe I will be after this interview.
Ron: Vinyl and CD have very different sound textures, what is your approach to balancing them so that they don’t sound so different in your live mixing?
James: I don’t know, it’s just about programming it and knowing your records really well. I think that’s sort of the key to being a good DJ is knowing the records, just doing the research.
Ron: As a DJ, do you prefer CD or vinyl or do you have to have both?
James: I have both.
Ron: OK. Do some songs sound better on CD rather than on vinyl or do you just…?
James: I think vinyl often sounds a lot better because it’s a warmer analogue sound. Sometimes a CD can be mixed down wrong or it’s been made in someone’s bedroom and it can often sound a bit too clinical and the top ends really, it’s a bit too bright in the club. But Allen Heath actually brought out a mixer recently with two CD channels which are valve channels to make CDs sound like records.
Ron: Wow.
James: Yes, it’s really amazing, it’s like £3,000 though.
Ron: Which mixer is this?
James: The V6.
Ron: Is that from Pioneer?
James: No, it’s from Allen and Heath.
Ron: Allen and Heath, OK. Maybe you should be a spokesperson for them.
James: Actually I’m not really into the mixer that much because it’s a rotary and there’s no EQs and yes, it’s like a crazy amount of money but the sound quality’s amazing.
Ron: Because I know some DJs like the classic Urei and the Rane rotary mixers, but then some of the new generation like the Pioneers with the sliders and the digital read outs.
James: Yes, I prefer them because it’s got more toys on them and you can do more with the music rather than just turn it up and down.
Ron: In your write up, you talk about how you bring in the mids and tops first and then the bottoms, is there a reason why you go in this order?
James: I don’t always do it like that, it depends on the record. But it’s often the case, just so the basslines and key drums don’t clash. You can ease a record in and one will overtake the other without sounding odd.
