| The best bits are in the trash: Erol Alkan |
|
| |
|
| "'Fools Gold' is a really danceable record - and is much more valid as a piece of dance music in its original form than if some DJ sticks a hissy beat in the background" |
 |
Well, here's a lesson in how to launch your DJ career. "I was at this London club in the very early nineties. It was the same as every other London club - playing the same American music. So I went up to the guy who ran it and told him: 'your club is exactly the same as every other club, you need a DJ who will play great new British music, and that DJ is me'". And so the young (and technically speaking too young, certainly to be in a London club) Erol Alkan got his first DJ gig. It was a warm up slot, admittedly, but it gave him the chance to play out music from the then vibrant British underground rock scene - the early incarnations of what became Madchester, Brit Pop or just plain indie. And as the crowd (initially predominantly made up of Alkan's similarly underage mates) lapped it up the club's promoter realised that Erol was onto something with his ear for great new British bands, and so slowly promoted the young DJ up the bill.
And as the music genre that Erol was so keen to play started to grow in popularity and dominance, Alkan was able to expand his DJ career, soon becoming regarded as one of London's best at the decks. Exercising those entrepreneurial skills that got him that first DJ gig, Erol set about establishing his own club night - London's Trash. Launched in early 1997, Trash epitomises Erol's musical passion - born out of the more innovative corners of what is clumsily labelled 'indie', but in reality much more eclectic and diverse. It's a great position to be in, because Erol isn't tied to whatever genre is in vogue at any one time, somehow the kind of music he champions has a continuous flow, taking in genres of the moment only when it wants to.
The global reputation Trash quickly gained, coupled with its eclectic music approach, soon ensured worldwide demand for Erol's DJing skills, and a diverse range of bookings. "Trash has brought me to this point", Erol admits, "and means that I am playing dance clubs as much as rock or indie nights. Which is great".
That said, while a reputation for eclecticism aided Erol's rise as a DJ, the word 'eclectic' isn't something he necessarily enjoys. "I was probably a lot more eclectic as a DJ a few years ago. I'm less like that now because the idea got very laboured. People expected you to be eclectic - which takes away the impact. When I DJ I want my set to be a bit different, to surprise people. If they expect you to play an eclectic mix of music, and you do, there's nothing different or surprising in that. And when you're eclectic for the sake of it you're in danger of becoming a novelty act. So I don't DJ with eclecticism in mind - I just like finding and playing music that gets me excited, and then presenting it in an interesting way".
Erol is equally uncomfortable with the whole 'dance-rock crossover' label that has been frequently assigned to the kind of music Alkan plays and remixes. "I'm never sure what that means," he says. "I mean, you can dance to most rock music, so when does it become crossover? It really alarms me sometimes when someone takes a rock song that is really danceable and then sticks a drum machine on the back of it and calls it a house mix. Take a song like Stone Roses' 'Fools Gold'. It's a really danceable record - and is much more valid as a piece of dance music in its original form than if some DJ sticks a hissy beat in the background".
Which brings us on to another area where Erol has gained something of a reputation as one of the best - the remix. Given his strong feelings on the dangers of messing with other people's records, how does he go about picking tracks to remix himself, and ensuring he isn't guilty of the same violation of the original. "It's got to be a record you have a real affinity with. I don't feel comfortable just being commissioned to remix something. I've got to feel I can bring something to the track, a new sparkle. Then once you have decided to do the remix, you have to treat each track in its own way. There are certain techniques you might use - strip off the guitars, listen to the drums and bass, which can be really sexual, so irresistible, focus on the bits you are really feeling, then drop the guitars back in. But there is no one formula - it sounds a bit pretentious, but it is a bit like when Bob Dylan said he didn't write songs, they found him - in the same way when you listen to a track you are remixing normally it is just telling you what to do?.
If the printed word can't communicate Erol's musical passion and approach, then I suggest some background listening. Firstly buy yourself the single release of Chemical Brothers' 'Believe', which includes an Erol Alkan remix. More Chemical that the Chemical's original, here is an example of how a remixer really can add new sparkle to an already fantastic song. Then get yourself 'A Bugged Out Mix With Erol Alkan', his fantastic new double-CD mix album, which will give you a real taste of what Erol is about. "Have you got a copy of the Bugged Out album?" Erol asks. When I confirm I have, ever the entrepreneur he continues, "and are you going to buy another?" I promise I'll persuade ten of my friends to buy a copy, though if ten of you reading this go out and get one I guess that means I've filled my obligations. But don't get a copy for that reason, get a copy because - and Erol probably won't like me calling it this, but I mean it in a very good way - it's an awesome example of well programmed eclecticism - my very favourite thing.
Some Erol Alkan plugging:
Erol Alkan's 'A Bugged Out Mix' was released on 25 Apr 2005 on Resist.
chris@unlimitedmedia.co.uk - published may 2005
