Page 23 - Zone Magazine Issue 010

You've been at the forefront of the underground scene in Rotterdam for a while now, tell us a bit of how you started dj'ing and where?
Well that was such a long time ago, mid 90’s that I bought my first turntables. No technics of course because I couldn’t afford that. It was then that i start buying rave and hardcore records. Playing those records at school parties etc.
A few years later I was having my designer company. So I was out for 6 years. Until Aziz & Ted Langenbach asked me to play next to Lady Gaga at club Watt and the same week with Mister Oizo. Then I got immediately addicted to playing for crowds again.
Can you describe your sound please, from what I've heard, there's a mixture of new and old music that really sets the dancefloor alight.
That’s basically true. For me it’s important to play the best records, produced until now. So I use the timespan between everything from 1980 until now. And it is true I like to surprise my crowds with a spontaneous classic for example.
You recently had to close your club Bahn, you must have been sad to see the doors close for the last time?
Not at all! The closing of one chapter can be the start of even an greater story again. So we started building something even better. So during the closing nights of Bahn were emotional but in a good way, my mind was already at our next adventure.
What makes clubbing in Rotterdam so special?
Nothing at the moment honestly. I think a lot will change in Rotterdam the
coming years. But I really miss the true club experience in the city.
You made a visit to the UK for Krafted earlier this year, how do you think the UK compares to Rotterdam clubbing?
I didn’t do enough events yet in the UK to tell you. But a club such as The Winchester in Bournemouth felt a bit like Bahn although there was not so much drugs as in Rotterdam, haha. And no after parties! But I’m really looking forward to play at the Ministry of Sound, that’s really an institute.
We've seen some posts on social media about your new venture 'Trash', tell us what that's all about and who you are working with?
With TRASH we provide Rotterdam with club nights on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. This time we have focused more than ever on the full club experience, with dancers and a beautiful stage where the deejay is in the middle of the crowd. We have a great group of resident deejays such as Taras van de Voorde (Defected, NOIR), Lucien Foort, Jan van Kampen (Dekmantel Soundsystem) and others.
What's your favourite place in the world to DJ and why?
It must have been my own good’ol Bahn. That was the best so far. Creating friendships and introducing the rave experience for the younger crowd, amazing.
Who have been major influences during your career as a dj and how have they affected what you play?
Gabber era Rotterdam. And club X at the end of the 90’s, french electro
(edbanger). And that grew in to a more sophisticated sound later.
What can we expect from Pop On Acid in the future, what's on the horizon ?
Fully focused on the new venue TRASH. And I’m playing in Rotterdam exclusively at TRASH. I want to explore more other countries and venues, so that’s my focus for the coming club season.
Do you expect to take your concept to other countries in the future, we heard a rumour of Ibiza, Barcelona and Amsterdam?
At the moment we’re still fighting for a night at Ibiza. Barcelona is the POPSHOP adventure, we’re looking at the possibilities at the moment to open the club there. But thats a plan for the longer term, first thing first!
What about production, can we expect to hear any releases from you soon?
At Krafted i will bring out some new work soon! And there are a lot of new releases planned for my own record label Pastel Recordings.
Finally, what do you love to do in your spare time?
What’s spare time?
Connect:
https://www.facebook.com/
poponacid
Words By Paul Sawyer
Pics By Wiebe Kuipers
ESSENTIALDANCEMUSIC 23