Meeting John Digweed…

Meeting John Digweed…

10 September, 2007 | 7.00AM

• Written by: Industry Boy
• Filed under: Music News:

John Digweed is the unlikely superstar. Whilst his DJ partner and lifelong friend Sasha is the rock star who rolls with an entourage, Digweed is unassuming and comes by himself.

Sasha has that fame quality – built of equal parts infectious charisma and intimidating power.

John Digweed on the other hand, sitting with Industry Boy in this club, is simply a nice guy.

“You know he’s just had a baby,” Digweed says, referring to his studio partner Nick Muir.

Despite having only just met him, John chats like we’re old friends.

The conversation only last a few minutes, but in that brief interlude before his set, Industry Boy discovers some of the man behind the John Digweed brand.

His handshake is mindful and he speaks quietly and slowly.

He doesn’t drink or smoke.

His words are idiosyncratically British, his accent is slightly cockney, but not.

It’s a curious accent that many English DJs have, perhaps the result of years spent on the road.

Your nationality always becomes more defined and enhanced when you’re abroad, and maybe cockney is the safe space accent for British DJs – it is strongly British, but also street, and shows that you’re not part of the establishment.

Electronic music, especially in Britain, has always been anti-establishment.

The riots and opposition to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act of 1994, which was the beginning of the end of the rave scene, was based on the idea that the draconian legislation was aimed at suppressing alternative culture.

Therefore rejecting it was in fact a rejection of the establishment, and since then ravers have always supported that idea of ‘them’ and ‘us’ – the cockney accent shows which side you’re on.

A posh Rupert accent just wouldn’t fit the bill.

In the DJ booth, Digweed begins his set with a deep and darkly hypnotic tune which crescendos into a white noise breakdown.

He turns down the booth monitors and says, “This is Nick Muir’s and my new track.”

“What, the 27 minute track?” Industry Boy asks.

John Digweed’s new ‘Transitions 3’ mix CD (out in September) features the special epic Bedrock tune as a bonus.

“Yeah that’s the one, although this is the 10 minute version,” he says with a smile.

“We made that when we were going through our Pink Floyd stage.”

“But you’re still in your Pink Floyd stage judging by your haircut,” Industry Boy says with a wink.

He laughs and turns back to his CDJs.

Below on the dancefloor eager faces stare up at the man they all came to see.

It’s a wall of faces, some are smiling, some are closing their eyes, some are shouting praises.

The majority of the people on the dancefloor are men, as Digweed’s deep house and techno has never had the sexiness required to move women.

Digweed’s popularity grew from his infamous mixing ability – no one is better at blending two records together.

And tonight in the booth, Industry Boy is shocked to discover the ease with which Digweed produces intricately programmed mixes.

He barely adjusts the pitch control of the CDJs – it’s almost as if the tracks are mixing themselves.

He slowly raises the volume fader of the mixer but it’s not purposeful, it’s natural.

There is no struggling with headphones, he hardly uses them at all.

After 30 years behind the decks (John started DJing when he was 13), Digweed it seems has gained control of the music.

The records don’t play the man, the man plays the records.

Whilst the crowd below scream, shout and whistle, Digweed barely acknowledges the atmosphere, a mirror he isn’t.

The crowd long for some sort of response, a wave, a smile, a blow kiss, but it doesn’t come.

It looks like arrogance, but it is shyness.

For John Digweed is a man who simply loves good music.

Superstar he may be, but self-absorbed he isn’t.

As the lights come up, a microphone is handed to Digweed.

It’s customary in these parts to thank the crowd for coming and rouse their spirits for one last record, but Digweed doesn’t want to do it – he shuns the limelight.

He hands the microphone to Industry Boy (who is a bit of a megalomaniac) to do the honours.

“I can see a future for you as a Bingo announcer,” says Digweed with a chuckle, after Industry Boy milks the moment for all it’s worth.

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