"I consider myself a 'real' DJ": Steve Lawler talks to Skiddle

Electronica’s dark horse Steve Lawler talks to Skiddle about black holes, illegal motorway parties and why all DJs should have their own labels.

Your brand of dark house music is influeneced by vices and dark experiences. Where do you find these inspirations?

Over the years I’ve seen some pretty crazy things and put myself in some pretty strange headspaces. I really feel that art comes from emotion and you really need to feel heavy emotions to get creative. I think that creative process comes out of something that’s really sad that happens and you’re really down, or if I take my mind somewhere else… with other ‘sources’ I can find a really creative place. It’s not necessarily dark, just heavy experiences that really inspire me. My escape is to create something.

So you’re not inspired by other artists?

I specifically do not want to do anything like somebody else; I’ve really carved my own sound over the years. There are so many DJs that copy cat other people and I just think that’s really boring.

When you first started in the early 90s you were involved in pirate radio and staging illegal motorway parties. How do you keep that spirit of DIY alive in today’s technologically advanced musical era?

Yea. I just relaunched a night of mine that I ran for seven years called Harlem Nights and we’re doing that in warehouses. Sometimes the way forward is looking back. The whole industry over the last 10 years just became a ‘super club’ and then that sort of died down. I’m always looking for things that haven’t been done before. Whilst Fabric and Ministry of Sound are doing their thing it’s nicer for me to do something in a warehouse instead. That’s my choice. Technology has obviously made music more accessible and I think anything that breeds creativity is a good thing.

You currently run label Viva Music. What are the sorts of characteristic you look for in a potential signee?

I just look for good music. I get sent 500 demos a week and sometimes it will take me two to three weeks before I get around to looking at them, I don’t look at all of them, but I only need five seconds to know if it’s gonna be right. There is so much music out there now, that to grab my attention it needs to be a little different. It’s still a house or techno record but it’s gotta be underground, with Latin fuels or tribal fuels etc, something that has imagination.

You owned a label prior to Viva as well. Why do you feel it’s important for you to have your own label?

It’s a hobby. I honestly think that a real DJ should have a record label. A DJ’s job is to support and push new music. These ‘superstar’, commercial DJs that get on stage and play other people’s music while standing there with their arms in the air like an aeroplane are a load of crap. I feel really strongly about that. A lot of things in this industry are about fame and money but I don’t come from that school of thought. I come from old school thought where DJing was about collecting records, having a radio show, giving this new music to the world and playing in a club for seven hours. Ok, I don’t collect records anymore because the whole world is digital but I still think that is part of our job. We perform live, we share this beautiful music that we get a hold of and we put our stamp of approval on it! I consider myself a real DJ. When I DJ a lot of the music is stuff from my own label and a lot of re-edits, because it’s your job to try and be individual.

Are you currently working on an impending release?

I’ve made some new singles but I’m not sure what I’ll do with them. I’m working on my album but I keep changing my direction. I put a certain amount of pressure on myself and I end up doing my own head in.

You’re currently based in Ibiza. Is it possible to be focused there?

Yea. The highs and lows of being on this island for four months can be very inspiring. I live here all year round pretty much and this is one of the most beautiful places on planet earth. Its countryside is amazing, something that most people who visit won’t see. It’s a tranquil place and in the winter there’s a real sense of community from the people that live here all year round.

Viva Music is solely digitally based. What was the decision behind that and also playing live sets sans vinyl?

It was a gradual transition. I welcomed it ‘cause I lost so many boxes from traveling around the world and carting them around. The whole mixing process is still the same, what changed was again not having to carry all this vinyl around and also the creative process. You can use all these different things to make tracks sound different. When we started Viva Music as digital only we were the first to do that. Now 90 per cent of labels are digital only, so as a result some of our releases are vinyl only. (Laughs). It’s sometimes more interesting to do things differently.

At festivals the crowd is always divided between those who know you and those who don’t; do you ever feel pressured to prove yourself or to deliver?

If anything a festival is easier than a club where I’m meant to play for six hours. I have a love hate relationship with festivals. There are always so many problems with lighting and noise restrictions. They just complicate a thing that should be so easy. The sound limits are always a problem because as someone performing on stage, knowing that the sound isn’t as grand as it should be is really quite frustrating. My shows always affect me.

Interview: Jasmine Phull

Catch Steve Lawler at Kekahuma at Space Ibiza on September 15th. Tickets are availeble below. 

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