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Dance legend - Matt Darey reveals his secrets
Reported by Agnes Klos
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Submitted 31-08-10 19:55
Matt Darey has been one of the pioneers of today’s dance scene. Being respected as a leading DJ who brings a truly international and multi-genre flavour to his sets, Matt is often described as a chameleon of sound. Throughout his 18-year career he has produced everything from breaks to house to trance and progressive. Till today Matt has sold well over 2 million albums and singles with numerous top 10 and top 20 chart hits. Matt Darey started his musical career back in 1992 when he released his own independent record and soon after signed his first major album deal with Warner Bro’s and Sire Records in NYC. Matt’s productions have been a major influence on many of today’s world class DJs like Oakenfold, Tiesto, Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk, Above & Beyond and many more. Agnes Klos spoke to Matt after his massive set at The White House on 30th July 2010.
Hi Matt, thank you for finding time to answer some questions for HarderFaster readers. How are you after your big night at The White House on 30th July. Was it your first time playing there and what were your impressions of the club and the crowd?
It was great to actually play in my home town, which I do not get to do much, spening most of my time outside the UK.We had a lot of fun, good vibes all round. 
How long have you been DJing and could you tell us more about your background please? What was your first contact with music and how did you end up being a DJ?
Seriously since 2004. I was a late starter. I had already been making music for a year before, starting in a real band, then making drum & bass, house, breaks and trance.
Could you describe your musical style to those who have never heard you play before?
It is a real mix of genres, dirty electro, techno, house, trance . . . My Sets are more varied than most. As for the music I make right now, it falls somewhere between progressive house and trance.
How do you think your sound has evolved over the years and what has driven the process?
I am always in a need of trying something different like the band project Urban Astronauts, I have pretty much had a go at all the different styles of electronic dance music over the years.
Do you usually plan your sets ahead or do you choose tracks on the spot?
Half and half. I make sure I know all my tracks well and work out some mixes, a few tracks that go well together. You have to really wait till you get there and see how the crowd reacts, go with the flow of the audience and sometimes push the envelope and do the unexpected.
Every DJ has a defining moment in their career. So far, what has been yours and why?
I guess it was my first show if any, KL on NYE 2001. At that point I still only DJed for fun. I was in at the deep end, never played live before and only had a few weeks to learn how to spin. I had a great time and from then on I was hooked.. but still didn't wanna be a DJ as a career for a few years after that.
Your Nocturnal radio show is now one of the worlds biggest specialist dance shows broadcast on 130 FM stations worldwide every week. Could you tell us how your adventure with the radio started?
We're on 150 now and counting, it started simply as a bit of fun. A friend at Ministry of Sound asked me to do a show and it gave me an outlet for my diverse musical tastes. After a few months I started to get requests from other radio stations and it grew from there.
Can you remember the first club that you have ever been to and how did that experience influence your life?
Totally changed it. It was a big rave, way back, Carl Cox spinning crazy breaks. Needless to say I partied all night into the next day and had the time of my life. After that I left my band and was making drum and bass the week after.
How did you get involved with producing? When you are in the studio what inspires you and where do you take your ideas from?
I try and get most inspiration from outside of the electronic dance music, that way the music sounds fresher. Also, I know what works in the clubs so I always have that in the back of my mind. I will often write about the experiences in my life and usually a song starts on the piano with a guitar, when it is stripped down that much you are not relying on trockery and production to prop up the sing, it is raw and you know it is good if you remember it the next day.
What is your favourite piece of equipment at the studio and what are your studio habits like?
I just have a Mac, all the instruments apart from guitar and vocals are virtual. it is so easy to make music nowadays, you do not need loads of cash to start out, just a good imagination and technical skills.
Which of your tracks are you the most proud of?
My Urban Astronauts album is my favourite piece of work because it is timeless. A lot of the electronic dance music I produced at the time was rocking but after the years pass you move on and never look back.
Can you remember the biggest crowd that you played for and where it was?
After I had a string of chat hits I went on tour round the football stadiums of the UK with a load of big pop acts, the crowds were soooo big it was unreal... No idea how many. Also, I remember spinning beautiful, a hit from 2000 at Love Parade and there were peeps as far as you could see up the horizon. But I tell you what, some of my favourite gigs are the intimate ones where peeps are right in your face and you get to party with them afterwards.. So much more fun.
What has been the greatest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your music career?
Taking three years vacation from 2001 until 2004 and coming back to a completely different industry that just got fucked in the ass with the MP3 revolution (laughing loud)... That was hard, had to start again from scratch pretty much.
What do you think makes an ordinary DJ great?
I think you have to make good music yourself rather than just play other people's music. People love you playing own music and feeling the experience with them. Apart from that, just play good music and have a good time with the people you are playing for.
Could you describe a typical day in a life of Matt Darey?
I have life on tour and the rest of my life. These two are quite different. On tour it is all a bit rock n roll, then in my time out I love getting out of the city, boarding, skiing, mountain biking.. stuff that gives me a natural buzz.
What are your top 5 tracks of all times that you always carry with you?
Well, my top 5 tracks of all times aren't ones I would play in a club setting and I never play any classics really, I prefer to move on.
Where in the world do you like playing the most? Do you have a favourite venue to which you like coming back?
Nowhere in particular though it does help if it is somewhere I haven't explored before... It makes the trip more interesting. I find the party people all over the world are pretty much the same. They wanna have a good time with you and that's what makes a mark in my mind.
Have you already achieved everything in your career that you planned? Or maybe you still have some burning ambitions to be fulfilled?
I am not really thinking about where I'm heading, to be honest. Believe it or not I am not ambitious.. I just love what I'm doing right now and wanna experience as much out of life as I can. No dreams of being anything else than what I am right now, especially if it means sacrificing my personal life, that always comes first.
If you were not DJing what would you do for a living?
I would love to do something that allowed me to live up on the slopes or out on the beaches, maybe a boarding instructor or surfer.. or just a beach bum LOL selling pineapple juice in Barbados.
Could you share some words of wisdom with all new budding DJs?
Yeh, get making some tunes, keep them original as possible. Try something different and do not worry about following the crowd. If you stick with what you believe is right and do not believe the Hye, you will eventually get to do what you love doing the most... Everything will lead from there.
If you could play back to back with any one DJ who would it be?
Maybe Josh Gabriel. He is a cool guy and I love the music he makes.
Over the years, what is the strangest request you have ever received while DJing? And what strange things have you witnessed out and about while travelling?
Haha, I would rather keep that to myself LOL.
Finally, what are your plans for the summer and the rest of 2010? Will we be seeing lots more of you?
I got USA and Asia tours all hooked up. I hope I get back to the UK soon.
Some of the upcoming dates:
20th August - Nocturnal @ Mink Ultra Club - San Antonio, Texas, USA;
21st August 2010 (Sat) - Love Fest @ LA Sports Arena - Los Angeles, CA, USA;
26th August 2010 (Thu) - BETA Nightclub, Denver, CO, USA;
27th August 2010 (Fri) - Spy Bar - Chicago, USA;
28th August 2010 (Sat) - Nocturnal @ Ruby Sky - San Francisco, USA;
29th August 2010 (Sun) - Intervention Sundays @ Hard Rock Hotel - San Diego, USA;
Thank you for your time, Matt. It was a great pleasure to hear you play in London. Hope to see you back very soon.
Photos courtesy of Matt Darey. Not to be reproduced without permission.
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Other Features By Agnes Klos:
Back2Basics - 10 Years of Party Productions & Tomorrowland Stage Hosts
Atmosphere Records - The opening of IBIZA 1936
Entering the world of Waldfrieden in Germany with DJoanna
Piracy is not a crime – sail away with Feestgedruis!
Progressive flavours with DJ R'Deem ahead of Neelix party
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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