Before ATFC embarked on his recent mammoth tour of Asia, he hooked up with Bali-based Beat Magazine to discuss how he broke into his career as a DJ, his expectations of the tour and what he misses the most when he goes travelling. This is the fruit of that carefully considered conversation…
    

What were your initial breaks as a producer? Did you find it a battle to gain a foothold in the industry?

Well apart from the odd bit of free studio time I don’t think I did get any breaks as a producer, rather the productions gave me breaks as a DJ. As a producer you make your own breaks by making good music, you’re a master of your own destiny in that respect and it’s totally different to being a DJ, where hardly anyone gets very far judged on their skills alone. It was a battle, and still is. You’re only as good as your last record and you have to be on your toes 100% of the time. A pivotal moment was of course hitting the UK Charts for the first time, and signing to Defected – that changed a lot of things!

You’ve now had a career spanning almost two decades; what have been some of your biggest changes in direction over that time and what would you attribute them to?

At first I was making jazzy, sample-led breakbeat with a lot of Hip Hop influences – it was all very nice and arty but I began to feel I wanted to make music with more immediate appeal. I honed my sound to a more straight up House feel and that did the trick. At that point I signed to Defected for the first time. When I eventually set up my label Onephatdeeva, I’d had 3 top 40 hits with Defected and I wanted to start experimenting again. This was great for a while but looking back I may have lost my way a little. A major change then happened when we moved to Spain in 2007. The pressure of living in the UK was lifted and the sun inspired me to have fun in the studio again. This was definitely the change in frame of mind that saw me on the crest of the wave that I’m on right now.

Did you have any other career paths that were left behind when you decided to push it all the way in the world of music?

I studied graphic design and then did a degree in Advertising & Marketing. There was a crucial decision to be made once I graduated; should I buy a suit and go for well-paid job interviews along with all my friends or should I get a job in a record shop in Soho? Fortunately a job came up at Uptown Records and the decision was made for me.

What was your first chance to play internationally and did it live up to your expectations?

I think my first international gig may have been in Poland. I was one of the first UK DJs to play in Warsaw and the atmosphere was electric. The crowd was wild and had a purer sense of partying than those in the UK who’d seen international DJs play for many years. I didn’t know what to expect but I know I came away determined to play in as many varied countries as possible



What have been some of your wildest experiences on the international scene to date?

I’m sure there’s been a few, but if I can remember them they weren’t truly ‘wild’.

What was your initial training when it comes to music production and creative writing? Self-taught or a closet classical nerd?

I learnt classical piano until I was about 13 but then decided girls and Hip-Hop were more my thing. Other than that I’m self-taught. I’m not the kind of producer who loves twiddling knobs, I like to get things done as quickly as possible. A lot of my music is created by happy accident and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Anyone who doesn’t have the patience to teach themselves should probably think about another career.

Three things you hate to leave when you tour?

Claire Hasirci, George Hasirci and Lily Hasirci.

Three things you can’t wait to get away from?

Strictly Come Dancing, X Factor and Telefonica.

What have been the best moments for you over the last year?

The release of ATFC In The House was a big milestone for me and my three gigs at Pacha Ibiza were pretty special. Being nominated for Best House Artist and Best House Single in the Beatport Awards was nice as well!

What’s been getting heavy rotation on your iPod of late?

Unfortunately I don’t listen to music as much as I should – I think I’m going to download the new Mark Ronson album to keep me company on this tour though.

Who would you consider a ground-breaker on the electronic scene today?

I don’t like his music, but you can’t deny that David Guetta is breaking new ground by conquering America. Even Paul Oakenfold didn’t smash it as much as he has. It’s very easy and fashionable for people within the House community to bash him but ultimately I think it can only be good for the rest of us. He can do the breaking of ground while we come in by stealth behind him and wave the flag of real House Music.

Have you been to Bali before? Expectations?

I have. I came to play at Karma Jimbaran for Boxing Day one year and brought my family for two weeks. It rained non stop for 14 days but we still had a great time, bought lots of furniture and generally lazed about. The Balinese people are so warm and welcoming I’m looking forward to spending four days there this time – shame I had to leave the family behind.

Plans for the rest of 2010 and beyond?

I’m touring America and Canada in November and in between that there’ll be a couple of remixes and a new ATFC single. Really it’s just more of the same and trying to keep the ball in the air. I’ll be 40 years old next year so getting fit is a big priority. I have 10 years of rock’n’roll sitting round my waist and that needs to go. Then I can start again!

Check out ATFC's latest promo mix, chart and all his upcoming gigs right here.