Interviews Interview: Luke Fair (CAN) | Interview: Luke Fair (CAN) |
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| Tuesday, 29 May 2007 | |
 At the forefront of Canada`s growing dance scene is Luke Fair . He`s performed at some of the most prestigious venues and events in the world, offering club goers a taste of his funky - techy eclectic house sound each and every weekend. His sets include everything from groovy house and techno to funky progressive and electro.
Where does the music come from for you and how did you get inspired to be in this business? The constant search for new music probably keeps me inspired the most. There's so much coming out these days. I also can't think of a better feeling than finding a rare track and know that you're going to introduce it to a lot of people. What DJs/bands/music most influenced and inspired you in the early years? John Digweed, Primal Scream, Tom Middleton, Danny Howells...the list goes on! At present who impresses you within the world of electronic music? Please give your reasons why? Probably John Digweed. He's the most consistent DJ there is and works so hard. He's been doing weekly radio shows for years, has one of the busiest schedules and still finds time to discover and help new artists. Who or what was your big break into djing? John Digweed and Deep Dish listening to the first tune I made. I sent it to those guys and both got back to me within a couple months. I then went on to sign with Bedrock, and Deep Dish's Bullitt Bookings agency. Is there anything that you hate about your job, what about the constatnt traveling? The travelling is probably the only downside. But even that is great sometimes. Getting to see new places and different cultures. But when it's only for one night per city, it's pretty tiring. Is there a country that particularly goes off just that little bit more than the others? Without a doubt it would be Argentina. That's easily my favorite country to play in. The people there are amazing, and I feel I can play whatever I want. There's no better feeling than walking into a club there, the resident DJ is playing deep house and the crowd is going crazy. My kind of place! The attitudes of the people/Clubbers to this music, does it differ to the Canada? Are the Djs of Europe of the the same quality as they are in the Canada; or are they even better? I know it's a cliche answer but it doesn't really matter where you come from. It all depends on your ear for music, uniqueness and dedication. I've heard amazing DJs in so many crazy places. Hawaii, Bahrain, China. It's a lot easier now, as almost everyone has access to the same music with digital stores. How does the Canadian dance scene compare with scenes in other European strongholds? The scene in Canada is different throughout, as it's a massive country. The scene in Toronto is definately world class. There is a massive scene for almost every genre; drum and bass, house, trance, techno. The crowds are very open minded there and educated. Do you have any tips for us, what artist will make it...who has the potential but is not entirely there yet? My favorite DJ right now is Lucas Abadi in Argentina. He has an amazing ear for music and is constantly searching. His mixes are top notch, and he really has his own sound. Definately someone to watch out for. What advice would you give to an aspiring DJ starting out now? Be as unique as you can, and stay true to yourself. You won't get anywhere just playing what other DJs are playing. You have to find your own music that's special to you, and try and create something different. There are so many DJs now that the only way to get noticed is by being different. Producing helps also, or even just editing tracks is a good start. Apart from fame and money, how does djing now compare to djing back then? Do you still get the same buzz from it? It still gives an identical feeling. As long as the inspiration is there to keep searching for new and exciting music, the buzz stays the same. What would you consider yourself as a DJ or producer at heart? Definately a DJ. I'm a long way from being where I want to be with production. What makes you special as a DJ and what can we expect when we come and see you? I try really hard to find music no one else is playing. For me, when I go out to a club I love hearing new stuff. Music that I've never heard before. Some people like going out and hearing familiar music, but I'm the opposite. How did you get to work on Balance series? They approached me last Miami WMC, and of course I said yes! I definately felt honoured to be working on such a respected series. Tell us more about compilation… I wanted to make a mix that would represent a club night from open to close, if I was allowed to play whatever I want. From the warmup stuff to the end-of-the-night type music. Is that compilation representing your usually DJ set or you made it in different direction? Pretty much. Obviously I don't get to play a lot of the deep house when I'm DJing, because I'm playing later in the night and the music has to be harder. The second CD is very reflective of my live sets though. Which countries will include your promotional tour for new Balance series? Almost all of them! What music are you making now? I've just finished a couple originals. It's my first production in a few years. I want to get a few more done to have a four track EP that will hopefully be finished in September. What are the records you can always rely on, that you'll always love, that define your sound? Manuel Tur and Roman Salzger's "You Won't Change" is a song I've played for almost 2 years straight. It's such a special record and sounds so unique. I actually started my label just so I could release it! Who has continually impressed you over the last 5 years in the realms of this music and why? Danny Howells and John Digweed are probably two of my favorites. They play some of the most mindblowing music out there and still have the drive to push new sounds, even with all the success they've had. Many DJs fall into the trap of playing the anthems when fame hits, but they've kept it real all these years. Do you think the whole electronic scene can evolve any further than it has in the last, lets say 15 years, and whats your opinion on the whole digital revolution and is it going to change the way dj's and musicians perform? And what's your attitude to all of that? I think it's good and bad. The bad part is there's so much more bad music out there. Anyone can release their music, without going through the quality control of a record label's A and R department. On the other hand though, technology like Ableton live is slowly changing the ways DJs perform. I think it's great if people are using it to create something new, but I don't agree with it being used just to replace the mixing of two tracks. Are you glad you started before this whole digital music revolution? Very glad, as it's given me a sense of where the industry has been. It helps when looking forward too. It's pretty amazing to think that there's a whole new generation of DJs who have never mixed a record in their lives. Could you tell me a bit where your passions lie, not just in music but also outside of music? Basketball is probably my biggest passion. I'm a terrible player but I watch it religiously! I gotta ask you this, what's your most cherished record and what's your secret shame record? I have so many. My favorites change from time to time, but I love some of my old Yoshitoshi records from the late 90's. That was such a special time for house music in my mind. My secret shame record? The Neverending Story soundtrack on vinyl. |
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