Page 15 - Zone Magazine Issue 006

" The love of music drives and motivates me on a daily basis and I feel honoured to be able to say I’m in a job after all these years and never thought about or wanted to do anything else. "
Lisa, as one of the greatest pioneering female DJ / Producers in history, you have earned an enviable successful international reputation, can you tell us looking back, what initially attracted and influenced you onto the decks, and into production?
I started going out clubbing every weekend with my friends in Birmingham (UK) when I was working at Marks & Spencer. I would stand and watch the DJ that was performing for hours and thinking I would love to be able to do that for a living, as I just loved music. I even thought of a career as a long distance lorry driver so I could listen to music all day long, thankfully my very good friend Paul King bought his Technics to my house as he wasn’t allowed to play them at home as he was far too noisy so I turned my dining room into a music room for him.
I didn’t go on the decks at first in case I broke the sacred needle but after watching the boys mess around for hours, I thought, I want a go so I’d sneak home lunchtime when no one was home, turn the decks on and play with vinyl I’d bought from a charity shop for 99p. I was caught red handed, in my M&S uniform beat matching 2 of the same records Suzi Carr – All Over Me – by my best friend still to this day JP. She told the boys who didn’t believe her so I had to endure hours on the decks with vinyl thrown at me from hip-hop to D&B to breaks, which I mixed thankfully without missing a beat.
After being asked to bring some tunes to a birthday party to have a play I caught the promoter’s eye that was looking for resident DJ’s at the first Sunday Super club called Sundissential. My career was fast tracked when I found myself playing weekly alongside guests such as Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold and Judge Jules all within a matter of months of me turning on the decks.
After securing an agent Victoria who I’m proud to say I still work with to this day, the next step was production so when the record label Tidy Trax approached me, I signed up immediately and that’s when the DJ / Producer Lisa Lashes was born!
Can you walk us through the creation process from the initial arrangement / ideas that led to you to command one of the biggest selling Euphoria albums of all time?
From the moment Sony / BMG offered me the chance to be involved in the Euphoria brand, I got in touch with my fellow DJ’s / producers as I needed all tracks to be unreleased until the album
came out. After a few weeks work on this and DJ’s going into the studio to send me dedicated tunes for the album, I had over 100 possible tracks. The hardest process was cutting the track list down to just 35 of my favourite tunes at that time. I managed it with a few hiccups along the way like forgetting to put the advert track in the mix but hey, we live and learn!
As well as being a successful DJ, you have been quite prolific in writing and producing a vast number of tracks, which one stands out the most and why?
The track I did called ‘The Bends’ which the incredible Argentinean duo ‘Heatbeat’ remixed was a big change in musical direction and was welcomed with open arms when it went to No1 in the Beatport charts and stayed there for over 5 weeks. This was a crossover track for me and cemented my thoughts to not be afraid of crossing boundaries, experimenting which has led me to the music I make today in the Techno scene which Carl Cox is fully supporting so I must be doing something right....
Back in the day Lisa, a DJ really had to put in some seriously long hours and dedication to learn the beautiful art and skills of using their ears to beat match and mix vinyl. Now with the advent of digital decks and beat matching software, are today’s electronic DJ’s at an advantage or disadvantage?
DJ’s are at a massive advantage these days with the digital software created, as the art of mixing and building your own original sets has been taken away, which I feel is very sad. This was what separated the men from the boys, excuse the analogy, and now anyone that presses the start button on a DJ platform, besides vinyl, calls himself or herself a DJ.
You have gained a huge following over the last 18 years, why do you think this is, what’s your secret?
It’s no secret but hard work and dedication to the music I believe in, listening to my followers and reinventing myself musically which I’ve done over the years.
If you ended up trapped on a god forsaken island with only your decks, a crate of spirits and your vinyl fly case to your name, what would be the top 10 essential cuts that you must have to survive and why?
- Lionrock – Packet of Peace
I could listen to the track but more importantly the words over and over again as it’s basically saying ‘when all the madness ends, I still have my friends who are my sole mates forever’
- Goldie – Inner City Life
Classic Drum and Bass track you cant help but shake your bootie to which I’ve done at many a party.
- Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance
pinnacle track for me growing up but I bet I can’t do the running man like I used too.
- Massive Attack – Unfinished Symphony
Goosebumps track made even more special when I met the boys from Bristol on tour in Brazil and they were genuine lovely guys.
- Salt and Pepper – Push it
memories of my school days with my best friend’s after school dancing in front of the mirror with our hairbrushes as microphones.
- Snap – I got the power
tune went into the charts while I was in Corfu on my first girly holiday! I was 17 on an 18 / 30 package deal, say no more!
- Prodigy – Breath
Such a massive fan of The Prodigy, from dancing outside in a field, to Milton Keynes Bowl to fantastic memories of Lashed in Ibiza with my resident DJ the amazing Leeroy Thornhill – Just watching his superfast dancing legs brings such fond memories.
- Booka Shade – Body Language
Doesn’t matter where I am, this track just makes me feel completely chilled whilst giving me that feel good factor.
- Michael Jackson – Off the Wall album
Cant pick a track as I love them all so don’t try and stop me else you’ll have a fight on your hands!
- Union Jack – Two Full Moons and a Trout
Still to this day I play the original track as it sums up everything I like about music from the rolling Techno beats to the quirky noises, the ongoing layered build to the final crescendo which is what personifies for me how music should be.
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