Roger Sanchez is not only the DJ's DJ but the producer's producer. Constructing his entire new CD Come With Me from scratch, with outside assistance, he proves his skills as engineer, producer, programmer, and songwriter. Inspired by the dance Mecca island of Ibiza, the CD has already spawned several club anthems, with many more to come. To experience him as a DJ, check out his recently released mixed compilation Release Yourself 5, his frequent podcasts and radio shows, or live, as he spins all over the globe.
DJ Ron Slomowicz: How are you doing today?
Roger Sanchez: Very good, I'm just over here soaking up a little bit of sun in Ibiza.
RS: Oh wow, lucky you. It seems like Ibiza has been a big inspiration for your new album.
Roger Sanchez: Definitely, a good portion of it anyway. I think all of the emotional and the sexy parts of it definitely emanate from this island.
RS: What about that island has made it such a mecca for dance music?
Roger Sanchez: It's pretty much the only place in the world where you have all the nightlife that this island has and can still be able to get up and go to a paradise. Its a very ideal setting right by the beach and the ocean, getting the best of both worlds.
RS: What inspired you to start working on the album here?
Roger Sanchez: I was spending a lot of time on the island and there was a really good vibe that I felt here, so I set up a studio in Ibiza and I started working on my album.
RS: You did everything on this album yourself from scratch, pretty much unlike most DJs these days who work with engineers and producers. When working on music, what's your songwriting process?
Roger Sanchez: Well, every song has its different process, and one of the reasons I keep trying to do that is to challenge myself musically and take things in a different direction. I find that if I start from the same point, I reach the same conclusions a lot of times. So some songs are written with the drums first, some tracks are written with a melodic hook. I had a lyrical idea for one song, you know... I try to start from different points, each song, and that's one of the reasons why they all sound a little bit different- but they do have common lyrics running through them.
RS: With Turn On The Music, where did the idea for the track come from?
Roger Sanchez: Well, that was very much inspired by the dance floor; it was like my nights playing at Pacha and some of the other clubs I play at around the world, like Crobar in New York. And I wanted a track that was very much a big record for the dancefloor, very much about the party and turning on the music and just having a great time. And I think it's a great way to begin the album, because from that point because it really sets the party off.
RS: And then you just mentioned Lost, where did that song start off as?
Roger Sanchez: Well, Lost is a very emotional song. A lot of the tracks on the album are written based on experience, what other people go through or I've gone through myself. Lost is definitely a song about having someone having lost a relationship and all the emotions that that brings.
RS: When you're working on a song, do you have a singer in mind or does the singer come later?
Roger Sanchez: It depends. There are some songs I have written for specific singers, but usually I just write a song just to write a song- I don't have anybody in mind right at the very beginning. And as the song is taking shape, then I start to think of who might be right for it.
RS: I also read in here that you actually sang on the album also.
Roger Sanchez: Yes, I've done some spoken parts, and I do a lot of background vocals for the male parts.
