Your musical history: When did you start mixing, remixing and producing ?
LK: I had a love for music from a very early age it started out with me humming melody’s making my own words up for song etc… as early as 5-6. Then when i was 11-12 i started listening to acid house and piano driven house. My first experience of ‘Decks’ was when i was 15 in a friends party and you literally couldnt get me off them for hours and from then on things built from there. By 17 I had my own setup and my record collection was growing by the day and by 19, I landed my first professional residency.

After that I never looked back and over the past decade have DJ’d all over the UK in many bars clubs.

In 2004 i thought the natural progression of DJing was production so i started to mess around on sequencers ‘Acid pro/Reason’ from then moved onto Cubase in 2005 thats when things started to get more serious. I started writing tracks around 2004-05 and started remixing in 2006-07.

I’m also completely self taught (A friend ‘DJ Tugie’ helped me with the basics in cubase but i learnt the rest over the years).

Many pop stars such as Katy Perry, Rihanna, Pink, trust you when it comes to turn their tune into a club smash, what does it take to make a successful sound?
Its all about keeping the track as close to the original but with more energy, nice uplifting synths and a solid Beat/Percussion, so the listener can enjoy the original in the Club and in the Gym etc…

I especially love this one, tell us about the music you love: favourite song ever, singer and DJ ?
Ha… tough question i love all kinds of music from Motown/Soul RnB right through to House/Techno/Hardcore and everything in between. One of my favourite tracks ever has to be….. Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey – Together In Electric Dreams, favourite Vocalist Phill Collins, and favourite Band The Lighthouse Family Both inspiring/unique artists as for favourite DJ…it’s a flip between Frankie Knuckles and Paul Oakenfold.

You seem to be a “Synth” lover, so let’s talk about your secret weapons: What are your favourite DAW, plug-ins, and of course synths?
Here comes the classified information haha:

I use the trusted Virus Ti and a lot of softs like Nexus, Hypersonic 2 (old but gold) Mini Moog, Arp2600 i use quite a few. My DAW is Cubase.

If you were coming to play in Paris, which track would you choose to burn the dancefloor ?

If im booked for a big gig i always try to make a brand new remix for that particular gig so i suppose a remix of a cassius track or early Bob Sinclar track would work well.

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  Liam Keegan - Liam Keegan In The Mix October 2010

DR: So Mr Big Kid, what have been up to ever since our last interview?
BK: Mr Big Kid sounds like my dad..haha...just kidding. In a nutshell, since our last interview, I went to NYC for 3 months, played my first U.S. Gig in San Francisco, followed by a another gig in Los Angeles, and I've been back in SG since last November. I have a monthly residency with PLAY club, still doing the Asian club circuit, and focusing on putting out lots of mixes and remixes, including an original dance track out of Hong Kong label, Volume Up Records, which is due out in July, I think. I've also been privileged to be this year's PinkDot Ambassador, which is one of the highlights of my year. And now, I'm organising and spinning for my first club night, MUSE, which will be on 29 May. Â

So what's MUSE? and why MUSE?
MUSE is essentially a Big Kid Party! YEAH!!! It's a party series (every quarter) I'm creating as a platform for myself, where I can spin the kinda music that is closer to what I normally play overseas. In Singapore right now, we love our Top 40 and commercial remixes, which I love too, I've put out more than a few remixes of Top 40 stuff, but with MUSE, I wanna take that commercial sensibility to another level. The music's gonna be tribal, progressive and big room, always high energy and uplifting. There will be sing-a-long moments, but it's gonna be a much more balanced experience.

MUSE stands for MUSic and also stands for inspiration, or to inspire creativity. There's been a lot of talk lately that Singaporeans are lagging behind in the creativity department..I wonder why???!! ...so hopefully MUSE will debunk that theory! I would like MUSE to also showcase Asian DJ talent, so you gonna see some great Singapore/Asian talent at MUSE, starting with my friend, DJ JackT. We may not have reached the standards of the Tony Morans and Paulos yet, but we're getting there, we're getting into more and more music production work, and I also believe we are in the process of forging a sound identity for Asia. That's why we need the support of the community to push us into the stratosphere. Support Local/Asian talent! :) But having said that, I do also want to have my superstar DJ friends from the U.S. spin at MUSE parties, maybe for the special MUSE events. ;)

What is your MUSE? Nice underwear? Haha!
Haha..nice underwear, thats my lucky charm...I have yet to find my MUSE, but I'm hoping to find one on the 29th. ;)

How excited are you with your first ever PARTY?
VERY VERY!! I'm just itching to play at a “big party” again in Singapore. Some people in Singapore still think that the last big party I played at was when I opened for Tony Moran at Lah! Mardi Gras and at the Lai Liao party last March, or at least, that's where they last heard me spin at, even though I do spin a fun gig at PLAY once a month for a younger crowd. But it is true that I'm usually spinning outside of Singapore, that's when I'm in my element. I've come a long way since Lah! Mardi Gras, so I really hope that all the SG boys who don't usually go out to the clubs on normal weekends, will come out to MUSE this Vesak Day long weekend...I am already hearing that some regional boys from HK, KL and Tokyo will be in town that weekend for the party. So, it's not gonna be your usual club night, that's for sure!

What are we going to expect on that night?
HOT, THUMPING, HAPPENING MUSic from Jack & myself, at the super GORGEOUS F1 Pit Building. Jack was recently back from Shanghai, where he was resident of Club Detour, and he hasn't played in Singapore since, so he is really excited to make his return to the DJ booth and he tells me has some exciting new music for MUSE. About the F1 Pit Building, the venue hall has floor to ceiling window views of the F1 track, the Singapore River as well as the Marina Barrage. I mean..it really doesn't get any better than this! I strongly believe in partying in style! The hall itself is gorgeous, with an entryway into the space to die for. I assure you, you will get butterflies in your stomach, as you walk down the long and dark hallway into the hall...the anticipation and the booming bass as you approach will get your heart skipping a beat or two!

Expect also HOT Go Go and Shooter boys as well as a special late night performance that will take your breath away! I'm also bringing in a ton of sound and light equipment to give you a multi-sensory experience!

How has the PinkDot ambassador experience been for you?
It's been one wild ride! Just kidding..I mean, it's been a very humbling experience, especially watching all those Youtube videos of real Singaporean families and their loved ones coming out to them. I thought I had it bad (poor me, right?) but really, the Jamie story in particular really got me. It just puts everything into perspective, especially after the George Rekers scandal broke. Here you have Jamie struggling all her life to be true to herself and her parents, and then you have Rekers dedicating his entire life and career to promoting a lie and destroying lives. Who do you want to be and whose life would you want for yourself?

This year, we don't have the Aware saga or the S377A drama like we did in previous years to pull the community together in a 2,500 strong showing at Hong Lim Park. But, S377A is still in our Penal Code and Singaporeans still face discrimination more so than ever from all quarters, so the struggle for acceptance is far from over. This is a long term thing, and we must have the stamina to see it through, so I hope the whole community and our straight allies will come out in full force at Hong Lim Park on 15 May, like they did last year.

Let's play a lil game..
We give you 2 words and say which one you prefer

Single or Attached?
Attached (This is what I PREFER right??? BUT for the record, I'm S.I.N.G.L.E. Hint!)
Hot or Cold?
Cold
Face or Body?
This is tough, but I'd have to say Face.
Right or Left?
Left. Left. Left. Lefties RULE!
Cleean or Dirrty?
Dirrty of course! :) BTW, Dirrty Remixes RAWKS!!!!!


Any last words?
2 Dates To Remember for the Month of MAY:

PINKDOT 2010 - Saturday, 15 May @ 4.30pm, Hong Lim Park  (FREE. All Are Welcome!)

MUSE Party - Saturday, 29 May from 9pm till late, F1 Pit Building (Get your pre-sale tickets from FRIDAE Shop. All Are Also Welcome!)

And in the words of my friend Chuckz: “Live! Love! Dance!”

If you’re addicted to the dancefloor, you really have to know New York City remixer, producer and DJ Mike Rizzo.

He has been Djing for over 20 years all around the world, and has been remixing superstars such as Britney Spears, Akon, Usher, Justin Timberlake and lately Beyonce with « Video phone » her duet with Lady Gaga.

Time to know more about this multi-talented man, with an interview and a Mixshow he made especially for us !

Tell us a little about you, when did you start spinning and remixing ?

M.R : I started spinning at the age of 16, local house parties & teen clubs. I broke into the NY scene at 21. I started remixing around the age of 25, I hooked up with freestyle producer Mickey Garcia and started learning the remix game…I also learned a lot from watching Erick Morillo., we grew up 5 mins from each other.

Your remix of « Video phone » from Beyonce, is amazing, how do you proceed when you’re commissioned to  »re-construct » a song?

M.R : Remixers will receive a vocal session or an entire package of files for a particular song from the record label. I will listen to the original version of the song to get my ideas on which direction to take the mix. I like to change my sound from time to time, I never want to pigeonholed myself to one genre of sound.

Mike Rizzo remixing Lady Gaga, possible in a near future ?

M.R : Well Beyonce is ft Lady Gaga in Videophone, but I’d like to work on a Gaga single in the future.

Now, let’s talk about your tastes ! I know it’s hard to answer but, what are your favorite:

Song ?

M.R : My favorite all time song is Bobby Caldwell “What you won’t do for love”.

Remixer ?

M.R : Kaskade, I’m really digging his vibe, I find myself playing everything he touches.

Sport ?

M.R : My favorite sport is hockey, I played from the age of 10 till 21, I follow the national hockey league closely, The NJ Devils are my favorite team.

and of course…Wine ?

M.R : Now with wine, being one of me and my wife’s favorite thing to collect and drink “Opus One” is by far our fav….

You are involved in several american Dance radio shows this year, does it mean Dance and House music are « at last » becoming popular in the US ?  Does it help as a remixer ?

M.R : I always thought house was very popular in the US, now with a lot more radio stations and internet shows it gives us a great opportunity to expand our listenership. My remix top 30 show with Hollywood Hamilton is the most popular because it broadcasts in major markets including New York and Philadelphia, with that said this platform definitely helps remixers like me to produce and remix the most elite artists.

Tell us about your studio, what’s your favourite DAW’s, plug ins, drum machines, synths, monitors ?

M.R : I work with 2 of the best producer/remixers in the game, Steve Mr Mig Migliore and Josh Harris.

Some of the goodies we use are : Logic 9, Ableton Live & Native Instruments Maschine for most of the drums.

Time Stretching is almost always done using Digidesign’s X-Form plug-in for Pro Tools. Once in a while I’ll use Melodyne.

Synth sounds come from a variety of places: Studio Electronics SE-1X, Virus Desktop TI, Nexus, Vanguard, and Rob Papen’s Predator.

As a Dj, do you often play your own remixes ? They are sometimes called » Funk Generation remix », does it mean you’re a funky lover ?

M.R : I play some of my new mixes. I don’t like to over saturate my sets with my own stuff. Funk Generation is an alias I came up with four years ago- I like to think my team has lots of funk in the stuff we do…

What are your future projects ? I heard you started your own label, NY2LONDON Entertainment…

M.R : I’ve taken a hiatus from the label right now as I’m focusing on me & Mr Migs new studio in Cherry Hill NJ. We’re super excited about it …

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  Mike Rizzo – Mike Rizzo DJ Mix April 2010

Super-producer and 2010 Grammy nominated remixer Dave Audé, is our guest this week.

If you already heard about him, maybe it’s because he is behind loads of high-quality club remixes, for superstars such as Janet, Lady Gaga, U2, The Pussycat Dolls, Madonna or Beyoncé. Dave Audé is a man that the Industry turn to when they want amazing music.

Dave's chameleon-like skills allow him to succeed within any genre of music whether it’s about remixing, producing, DJing or writing new tunes.

It’s time to know him more, with an interview and a mix selection he’s offering us.

You just have been nominated at the 52d Grammy award as "Best Remixed Recording" for "I Want You", although you did not win, what does that nomination means to you ?
Dave Aude: I’m told its bad luck to win your 1st nomination………lol. I know its cliché, but I’m just really happy to be nominated. It means somebody out there in the business noticed what I’m doing and that’s really all I could ask for. Winning would just make my head bigger anyways...

From Lady Gaga to Gorillaz, from The Pussycat Dolls to U2, you always seem to please everyone; artists, labels, people.. What’s your secret ?
Dave Aude: I try to deliver mixes that appeal to everyone. I also try and keep the song and vocal in tact. So many guys try and do the “ultra cool/underground” type of mix which is great, but at the end of the day I’m trying to reach as many people as possible with my remix.

With 24 official remixes produced in 2009, you’re one of the most sought dance producers in the world. How do you proceed about creation ? In what order do you work ?
Dave Aude: Is that all? 24? Thought I did more. Um, I really couldn’t tell you there’s an exact science or checklist to what I do. I’ve done so many mixes over the years, I just sit down and do it. Really, just whatever happens, happens. Having said that, I suppose I do put some thought into tempo, but that’s about it. The rest just “happens”.

Is there an artist you would like to be commissioned to remix ?
Dave Aude: Steve Perry the original singer from Journey.

What has been your decisive track so far ? (the one that brought all eyes on you)
Dave Aude: Not sure. There’s probably more than one. “I Hate This Part”, “Halo”, “Pokerface”, and “Pyramid” are a few recent big ones.

As a DJ, where is your favorite place in the world to play ?
Dave Aude: Anywhere there is 1.) good sound, 2.) packed club, and 3.) a lighting guy that knows what’s up. In the past its been: 1997 – 2002 Velvet, St Louis. 2003 – 2006 On Broadway, San Diego. 2007 – 2009 anything Triad Dragons did in Denver. Present: Voyeur – San Diego, Playhouse – Los Angeles, and Lizard Lounge – Dallas.

What are you working on at the moment ?
Dave Aude: Plumb, Kelis, Pussycat Dolls??, Havana Brown, Zayra, Erika Jayne, and Dave Audé bombs. This is the year of Dave Audé singles I’ve decided…

Tell us more about your studio : What’s the equipment you use ?
This is secret info, but here’s a few: Pro Tools, refx Nexus 2, Spectrasonics Trillian, Nord Lead, Nord Rack, Studio Electronics SE-1. Roland V Synth XT, Roland Juno 106, Roland MKS 30, TR909, Linn Drum, 808, 727, Roland 5080, and all things McDSP and Waves.

Have you ever been to France ? What do you think of the French nightlife ?
Just had dinner at the Eiffel Tower in October but I didn’t hit any clubs so I really can’t say. I’m hoping my next trip will include some packed clubs with screaming half naked women, a pumpin’ sound system and a lighting guy who knows what’s up !

Thanks Dave !

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  Dave Aude - Dave Aude DJ Mix February 2010