Interview: Paul van Dyk

Interview: Paul van Dyk

19 July, 2008 | 3.38AM

• Section: Music News Topics: Beatport Blog
• Written by: Ellie

With the release of his Cream Ibiza mix album at the end of last month and his residency at Cream Ibiza this summer, it’s a busy time for Paul van Dyk.

We caught up with the world class DJ and producer to talk clubs, fame and DJs who don’t produce.

You grew up in East Berlin before the fall of the Berlin Wall, so you had to listen to electronic music in secret. Because information about the artist wasn’t accessible to you, it was all about the music and nothing else. Do you still feel the same way now?

Absolutely. It’s the music not the face that counts. I never choose to meet my favourite artists, I just want to listen to their music otherwise I might be influenced by the person more than the music.

Your touring often takes you back to Berlin, but what’s it like for you to play in a city that’s all about the techno? Do you find yourself adapting your sets to the places you play?

I always have a clear idea of the music I’m going to play depending on where I am. It’s all about interaction with the crowd, so if they’re more into techno, for example, then I’ll play a harder set.

Where are you most looking forward to playing this summer?

It’s difficult to say, but probably Cream Amnesia. Playing at Cream in Ibiza is a unique experience because people go there from all over the world, so you’re playing to a very international crowd. The ultimate thing about electronic music is that it unites people from all different nations, and that’s something you can really experience over there.

Cream is renowned for being one of the best clubs in the world, but what’s your personal favourite?

Cream is absolutely amazing during the Ibiza season, but it isn’t just a great club – events like Creamfields and Cream Ibiza make it one of the best promoters as well.

Space in Miami is obviously another good choice and Zouk in Singapore is a fantastic place too.

The Ibiza season is now well under way and your new Cream Ibiza CD is really getting us in the mood, but it’s the first mix CD you’ve done for more than two years – why is this?

The thing with mix CDs is that it’s not just about mixing one track into another; you’re creating a journey, so you have to merge and mash up the music, which as you can imagine is quite an intense process.

Because of the amount of work that’s involved, I wouldn’t have time to do one a month!

Also, I am first and foremost a musician, so to concentrate on making my own music is very important to me.

You’re quite vocal about how you don’t like being pigeon-holed as a trance DJ. Would you say the new Cream Ibiza album has a varied sound?

When you put anthems together to make a Cream Ibiza album you have a responsibility to represent the sound of Cream in Ibiza.

I’d say that CD1, with its chunky, funky, electro vibes, comes more from Amnesia’s Terrace than the main room.

It’s music to play in the afternoon while you’re in your villa getting ready to go out, whereas CD2 is music more suited to a 4 AM DJ set when you’re dancing in the club with your hands in the air.

What did you think of last year’s Cream Ibiza album, mixed by Eddie Halliwell?

Well there are a lot of tracks on it that are on my label, so obviously I’m going to say it’s a fantastic album!

Seriously though, Eddie really is one of the most talented DJs out there, he’s great at what he does.

Eddie is renowned for not producing his own music. Is this something he (and other DJs) need to start doing if they’re to survive in today’s electronic music industry?

People used to say that if you can’t produce then you won’t make it in the music industry, but Eddie is a fucking wizard on a CD player.

That’s his skill and no one does it as well as he does.

He doesn’t need to produce and there would be no reason for him to copy other sounds. I think that as long as you’re doing your own thing and bringing something new to music it doesn’t matter whether you produce or not.

And who do you think is going to be the next big thing?

Jon O’Bir has a lot going on at the moment. He’s got the groundwork to be something big. Giuseppe Ottaviani is another name to look out for because things are starting to kick off for him too.

You can catch Jon O’Bir and Giuseppe Ottaviani playing alongside PvD at Cream Amnesia in Ibiza on 21st August.

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Check out the winners for Beatportal’s recent remix competition of PVD’s ‘Far Away’ here!

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