John Digweed Interview: I love everything about Ibiza

The word legend is bandied round a fair bit in the world of electronic dance music but few deserve it as much as John Digweed. A genuine superstar, his mercurial talents have been a fixture of the global scene since the early nineties, whether making earth shattering records under his Bedrock guise, releasing records on the imprint of the same name or djing to thousands across the globe, he’s been a venerated institution for over twenty years.

With his latest mix ‘Live in Slovenia’ album due out on May 27^th, we caught up with John to discuss the concept behind the album, his brand new residency at Pacha Ibiza and playing Global Gathering and Tomorrowland as the pick of his upcoming festivals.

Hi John, thanks for taking the time to speak to us about your new album. Can you tell us a little about what the concept is behind it?

The “Live in” series is what it says on the tin. I pretty much record my sets at all my gigs so nothing is pre planned or worked out that this city or that city will be the next place that the series will come from. This also makes for a truly genuine album that really showcases and captures what I do around the globe.

How tough is it to create the framework for the album beforehand in terms of licensing. Do you have to have a clear idea of what you will play beforehand or can you run with the vibe of the night. And how does it compare to preparing for other DJ sets that aren't recorded in this manner?

As I said above nothing is pre-planned, this is me DJing as normal and I think this is why this way of working works so well. If you thought ‘right the next album will come from LA’ and you get to the gig you would be conscious during the whole set that the set was going to be released, and I think it would affect the way you play to some extent.

We have also been very lucky to have so many very co-operative labels that have helped us with the licensing process. Also I don`t tend to use any big label tracks which really helps.

Do you still see plenty of life in the format of the mix CD? And are you intrigued by the efforts of Dave Seaman and Selador who used crowd sourcing to fund their compilation?

The series has grown with each release, we live in a world where people are used to dj mixes for free on soundcloud and podcasts etc. For me being able to still release albums like this is good for the industry as it generates extra income for small labels through licensing etc. It`s great to see Dave`s kickstarter album do so well and shows if you do have a fan-base you can deliver something unique for those fans.

Moving on, congratulations about the weekly residency at Pacha. What can we expect from the residency and how will it compare to what you have done on the island before?

Firstly it`s great to be offered the opportunity to play so many gigs at such a legendary club. I have been lucky to have played at Pacha many times over the years so playing 12 weeks this year will allow me to break certain records over the summer.

How long have you been playing in Ibiza and have you a special relationship with the island?

I have been playing in Ibiza since 1994 and I love everything about the island from the great restaurants, beautiful beaches up to the crazy clubs. It really does have something for everyone.

We've noticed you're playing at Global Gathering in July, eleven years after you first appeared in 2002. What's your relationship with the festival like and are you looking forward to it?

I have been lucky to play at GG many times since 2002, also hosting my own Bedrock arena at most of those events. So I am very excited to be back there this year playing at one of the UK`s premier festivals.

Looking at your other festivals one that stands out is Tomorrowland in Belgium. How much of a fan are you of these festivals which place a great deal of emphasis on spectacle and production as well as the music?

They are creating a total experience from the moment you walk in, starting with the production to the all-star DJ line ups. With so many festivals out there to stand out you need to go the extra mile and judging by the rate that they sell out each time they are doing things right.

How is the record label doing at present, anything exciting you want to tell us about coming up?

The label’s doing really well at the moment with forthcoming album releases from Electric Rescue and The Japanese Popstars, plus some great single releases all over the summer. Also look out for an exciting project from Nick Muir and myself.

We will! Have you got any other productions or remixes that are forthcoming?

Yes Nick and myself have been pretty busy and all will be revealed over the summer.

And finally, dream situation time. You can go back to any period in clubland history, and play at any club. Who would you have playing alongside you and what tune would you drop that would define the evening? Or have you been lucky enough to have had this moment properly?

I think Twilo was as good as it gets and the 5 years I spent there were mind-blowing. It had the best sound system to this day that I have ever played on and a pre–EDM crowd that wanted to hear new and underground music every month. Add an atmosphere in the room that you could bottle; it was special.

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