Page 30 - Zone Magazine Issue 011

__________________________________________________________________________________
"So a lot more production and just keep doing what I’m doing. I can’t do FM104 forever, I’m 40 like do I want to be here playing club music when I’m 50"?
I don’t know, but we’ll see, we’ll see what happens, you know you don’t want to be the aul lad at the party!
Explain the Hall of Fame?
So we were doing these oldskool gigs, started them in Tripod, Bank Holiday Sunday, they were a huge success, the crowds were really nice, we were really happy with them. We kept them going for a while, but we probably kept them going for a little bit too long and then we had competitors, they were doing the oldskool thing as well, but we were trying to do it with a little bit of class, the competitors were just happy to put on any old shite so we felt we were in competition with these people that didn’t have the love for the music like we had, so we stopped. Last year, we had done something at Halloween, an oldskool, dress up thing and that was huge.
There were 900 tickets sold in a week or something so I went do you know what, there’s still life in this, let’s see if we can come up with a way to present it with a bit of class and I suppose passion. So we sat down and we said ok let’s just ask people who’s their favourite oldskool producer ofalltimeand seeifwecanputsomesortofa list together and that’s how it started. We let that run on air for two months, people sent in their votes and we compiled a list of about 30, and then I went ok so number one - who would we be able to get and number two – who I would like to hear. Mauro Picotto was the first one because he was just so popular in Dublin so that’s kind of how it started and we’re going to do some more, I can’t say who but we’re going to try and do two a year and no more than that.
I always ask known music figures such as yourself for their pick of a ‘One to Watch’. It can be anyone, in your opinion who you feel is about to blow up and inject the scene with loveable and addictive music, someone deserving of course.
I have to say Moderat, I think he’s just been announced for the Metropolis festival in November. I’ve been playing some of his tracks, my friends have been talking about him for a year, year and a half. I started listening to his stuff back in March, got 4 of his tracks and they are mind-blowing, so good and so different. Sometimes a new artist comes along and it’s the new cool thing but when you listen to the music it’s absolute shite! It’s because somebody somewhere thought it was cool and a lot of people roll in behind them without actually having their own opinion.
I’m always cautious of that when people say this is the thing, listen to this. I’ll listen with an open mind and make my own opinion about it – at least I like to think I do!
What sole piece of advice would you give to someone looking to pursue a career in radio hosting/presenting?
Don’t do it (laughs!) only joking! It’s a tough industry, it’s very, very tough to get a start and people ask me all the time, ‘What will I do?’ ‘Give me some advice’. The truth of it is, this is the advice – just don’t give up! If you don’t give up, you’ll eventually get there, or close enough to it so just don’t give up. If it’s what you love, don’t give up.
There were plenty of times when I started, when I was a kid, when I was only just starting and you’re getting notions about becoming this DJ, but Irish people will absolutely slate you for that, if you just kind of get through that, then just stick with it, you’ll get there.
Can you offer a few words about your peers; the guys that have supported you along your journey, your buddies in the scene.
Robbie Butler, who works for a guy called John Reynolds – he used to own Tripod. He is basically Forbidden Fruit and Metropolis Festival – that’s who he is! He’s the main guy, he books the acts and runs the site but we’ve been friends long before he had that job. We used to DJ together in the Pod. He’s been a huge part of everything I’ve
done really. He’s always been supportive. I’ve always tried to help him; he’s always tried to help me.
John Reynolds of course, Brian S from MCD, they’ve always been supportive and really in this business, you need people like that to believe in you, you need them to book you for gigs, give you that platform. Like I have a platform with the radio, but I don’t have a platform where I can have 50 festivals I can play a year so you need people like that in your life. They’ve always been very good to me and I’d like to think that I’ve been good back.
What’s been your greatest achievement to date?
I’m going to be really cheesy and say my kids. I’ve two girls. They came along when I was pretty young. I had Alannah when I was 22. So yeah absolutely my kids!
Define music in your own words...
I would just say that music is an expression of your soul. That’s a very deep answer but it’s the truth. It’s not something you can explain – Why do I like a particular sound? Why do I like a particular thing? It’s in you and it just comes out of you. It’s your soul; it’s something spiritual. Music is spiritual.
Be sure to tune into Freaks on Friday, every
Friday with Al on FM104 from 7pm to keep up to date with upcoming gigs, festivals and weekly competitions to win free passes.
Connect:
https://www.facebook.com/freaksonfriday
Words By Emma Harper
Pics By Emma Harper, Redbull & Darren Farrell
__________________________________________________________________________________
30 ZONE-MAGAZINE.IE