FEATURE 05

INTERVIEW WITH DEGO

The last bassinstinct party of 2003's was on 27th of December. PEACE had a interview with DEGO, a guest of the party. Although he had a cold, and wasn't in a good condition, he answered to our questions honestly, and tried to talk about many things carefully. " I don't usually go to clubs. What do I useually do? Play football, whatch football, or play football, whatch football, play....." As he said, you can see his simple and normal way to think, or to live from the interview.( the editor: Nao)

N: Is this the first time for you to come to Hiroshima?
D: Yes, first time in Hiroshima, yeah.

N: So what did you think?
D: It's a great place.

N: How was the audience last night?
D: Quite hyped, really. Sometimes in Japan when I play, the crowd, they said they enjyed it but they're quite quiet. Those people last night were leary, as we English said, you know, a bit more animated. So that was nicer to see.

N: Thank you.
This time you came to Japan alone, as a DJ, but I belive that you've toured with other airtists,or you've worked with other people to make albums or to make music. Is there any difference between you DJing or being in a band, or play with other people?
D: I prefer to DJ with other people. Because they're someone to vibe with, when I'm with friends. You know what I mean, the DJs can bounce off each other, and people are more spontaneous with thier records' selections. So I prefer that to doing it on my own to tell you the truth. If I'm on my own I'd rather just be in the studio producing.

N: I see. I want to ask you about the music you play, or the music you creat. Some people say you're a drum'n'bass DJ, but sometimes I don't think so.
D: No, I'm not a drum'n'bass DJ.

N: Someone says you play so many different kind of music, what gives you inspiration to make music, or a certain kind of music?
D: First inspiration is from things in the past, 60's and 70's jazz, dub, things like that. There are some good things from contemporary music around. Many different things inspire me to make music. I don't stick to one thing. I like to do manu different things, like down temp and Hip Hop style.

N: I saw it last night.
D: Yeah, but that's me. Cause I like everything. I like the mixture. I was recognized through drum'n'bass, but the problem I had with it, it had me handcuffed. I couldn't just do one thing.
It seemed like I wasn't allowed to roam and be adventurous and experiment and so on.
It seemed like you just had to stay in one place. So I had to move away from that. For my own self, to be able to do other things, to get out my head and into music, you know. I just remember everything that I've listened to and why I liked it. Just carry on drawing influence from that experience. Now my cavas in blank, I can draw out anything now.

N: Interesting.
D: I haven't been given guidelines that's why I'm free to do anything I want.

N: You've been playing music for like 15 years or more?
D: About 15 years now.

N: Yeah.
D: Oh my god.

N: Hahaha. That's amazing.
D: It's time to stop, that's what it means.

N: So. How are you?
D: I'm 34. 34.

N: 24?
D: 34. Hahaha.

N: You look younger! That means you started playing music when you were... when did you start making music?
D: I started a long time ago at school discos and things like that. High school you know. I was the one that everybody asked to play music and stuff so I started collecting records....

N: When did you decide to be a DJ?
D: That didn't happen. I was doing my college and part-time job and stuff like that, living normally and... but I always... A friend of mine new Mark and he had a pirate radio station and my friend asked me "Why don't you go on that pirate station, you know?" So I went on. I was doing that show...

N: So I was going to ask you, you know, about the scene and the people in it? So do you think the scene's changed a lot since you started playing music. Or have the people changed a lot.
D: Err. Yeah a lot of things happened, oh god, I don't remember how things were to begin with.

N: 'Cause last night for example there were so many young people. And there was so much energy and they danced all night. When I was really young, say I was like 18 or 20 years old, I could do that, I could just dance to the music all night for just no reason. So sometimes I think the scene hasn't changed a bit.
D: It's a generation thing. Normally, when I DJ normally in Europe, the people ain't that young. I'd say the average is like 28 or so. It would span from about 23 to like 40. So the atmosphere is different from the last night. Yeah, when people are young, when they're 18, they just have energy for fun. And then over the time, the taste has changed a bit. I remenber when I was first making music, I played as an amateur. You know. Now, I can do many things. So it sometimes take a while since you first listen to the music, to appreciate it. That happen to the people. Some are quicker than the others. But it's really important to know the difference. In London, we have a lot of pirate radio, and you hear all the stuff, the baddest stuff. You get to know the great standards. I belive the things in popular music do all transend down. And the constant, same, silly nonsense that they keep doing does filter down after a while. If you don't know the difference, then you don't know what's rubbish. That's all you've ever heard, you know. So, that's the problem now.

N: I've never been to England, but when I went to the U.S, I realized that there were so many radio station and people can choose one to listen to. But in Japan, we don't have so much variety of... music radio. And I think the scene is controled by some kind of people. What do you think?
D: It just amazes me. Its a false spark. Whereas they used to invest in an artist, to give him a contract to do 5 albums or whatever and they were hoping by the 3rd album they'll really do well then. Where as now they expect the first album-hit. No hit, next. That's why you get the same 5 piece boy groups all the time, coming and going, coming and going. Because they just want a hit and stick with that one. When you talk about the music industry it's purely controlled core by accountants than any creativity. There's that bad standard.

N: I think you've been doing really good to put out so many albums. And I have some of them.But still you're always trying to do something else, I mean, something new or something interesting.
D: A lot of that has to do with the fact that I didn't go to music school. So, I'm learning as I go along. It's only last few years, the last 3 or 4 years, that I'm a bit more comfortable and I'm able to fully interpret my ideas. Where as before it was a lot of hit and miss I think. I think that is the reason why it kind of seems that I'm going all over the place. I was trying to find my place. But, having said that, I like to give everything a go. I can't just do the one thing. I get bored quickly.

N: I'm going to ask the same question to everybody, it's about the word "PEACE", the name of the magazine. What does "PEACE" mean to you?
D: OK, PEACE means a calmness and happiness with myself. It's not feeling any angst or anxieties or anything like that. It's more like a pure happiness and contentment with everything in life, like my family, or friends. When I think of PEACE I don't really think about it in the global sense. And for that to happen everyone would have to have that same calmness about them and be happy with themselves. Then it can be sprung out from there. Its just me being happy with myself and knowing that I haven't hurt someone, you know. That's a great feeling. I feel that's what PEACE really means.

N: This is the last question. What is your favorite type of girl?
D: Hmmm, alright. For me there's got to be a certain... I like WOMEN. I like a woman who's got a certain edge to her, meaning self-confident. Not cocky, but confident. Someone who will put you in your place. Do you understand. When she needs to, she'll tell you off and say 'what are you doing?' Strong minded. And physically speaking, I don't like skinny women.

N: Really? Many of the Japanese girls will be happy about it. Cause they always go on a diet!
D: Yeah. So, she's got an edge to her. And funny. Someone who can laugh at herself. That's all good.

Thank you very much for the interview!
D: Thank you.