Interview: Jay C

Jay C has had a number of dance music hits in both the underground and more commercial arenas.

Being a prominent figure in the dance music scene with over 10 years experience playing many genres of house music from the funky, vocal balearic vibe through to the tougher, more electronic, progressive & tech house sounds - Jay C is renowned for getting any dance floor moving and he does so from London to Ibiza so we caught up with him for a chat…

How did you get into electronic music?

I had been on the other side of the decks for a years as a clubber, spending many lost hours at places like Miss Moneypennys, Love To Be, Hard Times, Hacienda etc when one day, while buying a car, I walked away with a set of decks that the guy didn't want. I just bought them to mess around on and maybe do the odd mixtape for my mates. I never actually set out to be a DJ but from friends I had made from travelling around as a clubber I managed to wangle the odd gig here and there, also handing out my mixes and before I knew it I was playing out most weekends.
You flip between more commercial and underground stuff how and why is that?

I actually started out playing the US soulful, funkier side of house music - all the Defected, Soulfuric, Z Records kind of sounds which is what earned me the warm-up residency for In Bed With Space at Space in Ibiza back in the summer of 2005. Jonathan Ulysess is a good friend of mine and asked me to warm up for him as my soulful sounds were perfect for the first sets of the morning. It was through this residency that I became their World Tour resident and, playing in so many different countries you're open to a much more varied selection of music and I was liking the tougher, more electronic sounds more and more. Tastes change and so you have to adjust your sound and accomodate the different crowds.

You also have many monikers - how do you know which work will go out with which name? Do you have specific mindsets for each?

These days it is very difficult to be able to play at a club where you can mix the different styles - people either want electro, OR funky, OR tech house... and I don't want to stick to one style constantly. Under Jay C I record/DJ mainly the electronic, tech house, bigroom sound, this is my main sound at the moment and try and keep it upfront. The Vertigo name is myself and James Reynolds, which we use to fulfil our passion for the funkier side of house. Think peaktime disco-esq, sing-a-long vocal house with all the regulation big piano and guitar riffs.

Where do your ideas for these productions come from? What influences them?

Ideas and influences for my productions come from absolutely anywhere and everywhere. As a DJ and producer you tend to be always working and find it impossible to switch off, wether in the car, watching TV, anywhere. For instance the Rock Steady Crew track I did (out on Virgin/EMI) came about while I was Christmas shopping and heard it in a shop. Sometimes ideas can come from adverts or something somebody has said or done, but mainly they'll come from other music. When I get chance I like to listen to local stations that play all kinds of random records from any era to draw inspiration and ideas. Everytime I make a track I always try to think from a clubbers perspective, with my main question.... "will this go off on the dancefloor?"

Who and/or what have been the biggest inspirations in the development of your sound?

I take inspiration from all over and right now I would say, musically, its the Swedish Mafia guys that are inspiring me most. I love their tough, bigroom sound that doesn't really take itself to seriously, everything they produce is a solid club bomb. They aren't afraid to keep it stripped right back, or add a funky, diva style vocal to what could actually be a minimal, tech house track. Also I admire David Guetta as, although some of his music isn't for me, he is showing that you can work on the underground, electronic side of house music, as well as crossing over, earning money and pop star status, yet still staying a credible house DJ and producer.

What do you think is your job as a DJ?

I know it's the old cliche but my job as a DJ is to entertain. People are paying good money to see me put on a show, hear me play good music as well as to open them up and hopefully educate them to new music. It is my job to make sure that everybody in the club is up dancing and enjoying themselves as much as I am. The DJ and the music he/she plays determines on how good a night somebody has.... and you are only as good as your last gig!

How much do you plan your sets, and how tailored are they to each crowd?

I pretty much wing it everytime, hah ha! No really, I never plan or rehearse a set as you never really know what the crowds are going to react to and want to hear. What works in one club or country won't necessarily work in another. But obviously from experience you get to know a good 'tune' and have some tried and tested cuts. I generally have a varied selection in my wallets so can move my sets around and change it if necessary. And I generally know what the promoter or brand is looking for and expecting when they book me. I always try to keep it fresh with mostly new and upfront tracks mixed with some of the big guaranteed killers of the moment, and every now again like to drop in the odd classic.

What music are you listening to and enjoying at the moment?

I have very varied tastes in music and outside of 'work' I don't really listen to house music, apart from the Aeroplane Balearic Disco mix from last years Mixmag, which I think is an absolute classic. I love the way they are incorperating all different sounds and styles from the 80's, to disco, to electronic, to deep - but always keeping the funk. But aside from this, blasting from my ipod right now you will find a mixed bag of Kings Of Leon, Florence & The Machine, Bob Marley, the Hotel Costes volumes and various chillout & Balearic albums/mixes, Jamiraquai and Queen. I also tend to like anything 70's and 80's. I think listening to these other eclectic tastes also helps with the inspiration in my music, taking ideas from other sources and incorperating them into house music, instead of just listening to house and duplicating the same as everybody else.

What interests you outside of music?

Music takes up pretty much all of my time at the moment, I could do with a longer day... 24 hours just ain't enough!! I think you have to be constantly on the ball and working at it if you want to succeed, there's no point in giving less than 100%. Music is my passion - not just a job! And I'm a bit of a workaholic, always having new ideas and inspirations so find it very hard to keep out of the studio. Even when I'm not in the studio or on the road DJing I'm in my office doing promotion of some kind, mailouts and getting my music out to DJs and labels. The only other interests I really have outside of music is snowboarding. I've never really been into football or any other sports like this, I prefer the more extreme sports. I tend to go to the snowdome on a weekly basis (as unfortunately there don't seem to be many mountains in Manchester). And i've just returned from a week boarding over in Andorra - luckily being able to combine it with a few gigs out there... ALWAYS WORKING, haha!

What are your plans for 2010?

More of the same! I've spent the winter locked in the studio, working on a lot of new material with various artists such as Jocelyn Brown, Shena, Peyton, Felix Baumgartner and many more so have a busy release schedule over the first half of the year of new productions, releases and remixes. The main release I am concentrating on at the moment is a collaboration with Felix, a track called 'Souk' which takes the same sample used by Djuma Soundsystem on their Les Djinns track. From a small promo mailout last month we have had (and are still getting on a daily basis) over a thousand DJs from all over the world playing/requesting it as well as a lot of label interest. Check it out at

http://soundcloud.com/jayc/jay-c-baumgartner-souk-mastered

Dj wise I will continue to tour as Jay C with gigs planned throughout the UK, France, Andorra, Germany, Turkey, Cyprus, Russia, Poland, Dubai and beyond. We are also in the process of putting together a Vertigo live show where we will be mixing DJing, live instruments/fx and sampling and incorporating live PAs with the singers/artists which we are working with.

For more on Jay C check out:-

http://www.myspace.com/deejay http://www.soundcloud.com/jaycmixes