London trance night Knowwhere has been bringing the very best in trance DJs to the capital for four years now. As many of you will already know, from the Friday 7 October, Knowwhere takes up residence at its new home Heaven moving to the first Friday of every month as its new regular slot. The move to Heaven gives the team the opportunity to widen their horizons into the hard dance genre. Headlining the hard dance room for their first appearance at Heaven is the legendary Lisa Pin Up. Knowwhere promoter Stevie had a chance to get together with Lisa recently and put a few questions to her for everyone at Harderfaster.
Hi Lisa, all of us here at Knowwhere are really looking forward to seeing you headline the hard dance room at Heaven for our 4th birthday party at our new home. Without harking back to the ‘good old days’ too much, your amazing performances alongside Billy Bunter in the ‘Freedom at Bagleys’ days were some of my favorite clubbing experiences. When you look back to those times how do you remember them?
It was the longest residency I have ever had, DJ’ing at the club for 5 years which was pretty amazing. I will always have fond memories of the club and even though it was over 4 years ago that I stopped playing there I still get to see loads of my clubbing friends that I made on dance floors across the country. I used to do the 5.30–7am slot every Saturday, which was hard, but I always got to do a right party set as it was the end of the night and had such a laugh. It was a shame it all had to end, but onward and upwards, with me still playing such fantastic London gigs as Knowwhere on October 7th!
As an East End girl, does London’s club scene hold a special place for you above the rest of the world?
My very first residency was for a club in London called ‘Pushca’ way back in 96. Since then every weekend takes me to a different part of the country so I have got to meet load of different wonderful clubbers. But because of Freedom I do have a strong tie to London, and then I produce most of my tracks for Nukleuz, which has strong connections to Frantic so have DJ’ed tons in London over the years. Because I do go to so many places around the country, sometimes when I play in London and a clubber speaks to me in a London voice, I think, “wow they really did a good impression of my cockney accent then” and then I realise I am in London and everyone does speak like me anyway, which is quiet amusing!
Do you think the balance has shifted enough on the DJ circuit with regard to the number of female DJs now on the scene, and is it tougher to make it for women in the dance world?
It has got to the stage now that I don’t even notice the line-up for an event to see if there are more or less girls then men as I think the balance between the sexes is very healthy at the moment. I had a reminder a few weeks back how when I started it was a lot more unusual to see a girl DJ. I did a back to back set with Cally Gage at Hardcore Heaven vs. Frantic and the crowd was made up half of hardcore ravers and half of hard house clubbers. After our set I got reports back that the hardcore clubbers loved us as with their style of music you just don’t see a girl behind the decks and thought we were both very good. As for it being tougher to make it in the dance world being a girl, I think it is equally tough out there for both boys and girls.
Many DJs don’t get past the stages of working the smaller end of the circuit, was there one factor that pushed you on to make it as a full time professional, and was there ever a point when you considered giving up?
When I got my first residency with Pushca in London I thought I had really made the big time, but even though it is hard enough to get a warm up slot at a big London club this was only the beginning. It then takes a long hard slog, first getting booked at smaller clubs on the circuit that usually only have a small budget, and then somehow standing out from other DJs that the clubbers that you play to love you enough for you to create a following, so finally a long way down the line a larger club will think you will benefit their club to book you. The only upset I had along the way was with Pushca at the end of our association. I fell out with them towards the end, every very small resident DJ has to put up with a lot of shit at the beginning, but I thought what the hell I am not going to be treated like this and would rather not do it and stopped playing for them, but it all worked out for the best as it gave me a kick up the arse and work harder on my career and I could have been stuck a Pushca a lot longer than I should have.
Some DJs seem to still have a battle with pre-gig nerves, even after many years in the business, have nerves ever been a problem for you, and if so, how do you deal with them?
I always used to get so nervous before a gig, but when you get on the decks you just go into auto drive and forget all about it. But after all these years I have only just realised that I actually get a buzz from being nervous from that feeling you get before you go on. Nerves and excitement are very hard to distinguish between, which one is which? And I have come to really like it, it makes you feel alive! A used to get that feeling when I was a clubber getting ready to go out to a club, your stomach really starts to churns inside. It’s worse when you don’t get that feeling, I think I have become an adrenaline addict!
Have you got any pre-set routines and habits that have become essential parts of your preparation?
Yes, to remind my husband as we get 100 yards from the door “have you remembered my records!” The silly sod has forgotten them in the past and we had to go back for them. Other then that it is all in the preparation; before I go I pack my record box just so. Each gig I work out what tunes to take that would suit that crowd best, pack a spare pair of needles, headphones, vodka as you can’t be kept short if the promoter does not offer you a drink and I like to take a torch with me to see my records in the dark, you would not believe how handy this comes in, it’s sort of become my trademark, I’ve been using one since I very started DJ’ing.
There’s often much talk of the hard house/trance clubbing scene losing ground in the UK to the more mainstream R&B and drum & bass scenes. Do you think this is going to continue unless hard house and trance find a more mainstream audience?
I thought hard house/dance and trance was winning the battle at the moment? I remember when Freedom in London was coming to an end and the flyer packs given to me outside were full of garage-like clubs, with the same DJs playing around 3 times in one night at these kind of clubs! There only used to be the odd hard house and trance night about then, but slowly the biggest nights around town are now our style of music. At the moment London are putting on more huge hard dance/trance events than any other city around the country.
Outside of hard house what are your musical tastes?
When I am not DJ’ing I don’t listen to music, I need to give my little ears a rest! I don’t buy chart music and I don’t know who is in the album charts. I only like my music hard, or the rest of the time I am a T.V. junkie. When I am driving to gigs I like to listen to talk radio, all the nutters ringing up late at night, I am even rang in myself a few times!
What’s been playing in your car CD player over the last few weeks?
As said nothing!
Do you have any hidden ‘non-DJ’ talents?
Not really, I’m quiet boring outside of the club scene… I’m very good at getting drunk, does that count?
A few quick fire ‘personal’ questions…
Tea or coffee? A nice cup of tea.
Chinese or Indian? Indian, but not too spicy.
Milk chocolate or Plain? Any!
A person from history you’d most like to have dinner with? Queen Elizabeth 1st.
Something you couldn’t live without? My husband & vodka.
Sporting hero? Don’t really care about sport.
Favorite movie star? Ben Stiller.
Finally, where do you want to be in ten years time? What the heck, still behind those decks!
Thanks Lisa! You can of course catch Lisa Pin Up, alongside Billy ‘Daniel’ Bunter, Ed Real and The *Ting* at Knowwhere’s first ever hard dance room on the 7th of October at Heaven!
Photos courtesy of John Banks, Dexta and M8. Not to be reproduced without permission.
www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.heaven-london.com
clubtickets:0870 2462050
Midlands: tickets & Coach bookings, call Vince on 07835 626226
For guest list places, or membership sign-up or renewal, email tracey@clubknowwhere.co.uk
NB: Membership priced entry will ONLY be available to those who have up to date membership cards with them at the October party.
Knowwhere is pleased and proud to announce that from Friday 7th October 2005, Knowwhere will be taking up residence at its new home in the legendary venue, Heaven!
For nearly four years, London Trance night Knowwhere has been synonymous with the very best music around. This coupled with its friendly atmosphere gives Knowwhere its trademark ‘private party’ ambience in a big club environment.
By moving to Heaven – with two large rooms and a third top room - it provides Knowwhere with the opportunity to expand its appeal into other genres; reaching a whole new crowd of happy, up for it clubbers. For the opening night, Knowwhere will be bringing you the very best Trance in London, the very best in Funky sounds, and also the very best Hard Dance DJs the country has to offer! Combine this with the venue’s location in the very heart of the greatest clubbing city and it’s sure to be an un-missable experience every month!
As well as residents Matt Darey, Anthony Dean, Adam White, & Funk-A-Tronic, we are also welcoming some of Trance and Hard Dance’s most well known names to Knowwhere. Joining us in the Trance room we have Dave Pearce, Paul Kershaw and AJ Gibson, and of course for the opening night, our founding father Pablo!
A big hit recently in our Funky room, we welcome back Semi alongside Funky residents Funk-A-Tronic, while in the Hard Dance room, we bring you the awesome line-up, Lisa Pin Up, Billy Daniel Bunter, Ed Real and The Ting!
So make sure you book early and...
Get A Bit Of Trance (& Hard Dance) In Your Life!
From: Princess Pezon 15th Sep 2005 09:50.28 Nice one Stevie! Good interview. I'm looking forward to catching Lisa's set at Knowwhere on the 7th
From: Miss BPMon 15th Sep 2005 11:09.55 Hi Lisa, another great interview babes! xx
From: pabloon 15th Sep 2005 11:50.44 Hi Lisa, you played a great set in Blackpool last month. I am realy looking forward to hearing you play at knowwhere
From: pabloon 15th Sep 2005 11:51.30 Great job Stevie
From: miss marieon 15th Sep 2005 13:12.03 Hey Lisa!!!
It gives me tingles hearing you talking about your last set of the night at Bagleys!! We used to go loads and your sets were always wicked, you indeed helped the kicking trance on the London scene when Garage started to take over (nooooo!).
See you at Tidy - Birthday girl!
Miss Marie x
From: minimooon 15th Sep 2005 18:06.10 Hi Lisa Looking forward to seeing you again on the 7th
Good read Stevie
From: Ed Realon 16th Sep 2005 18:32.48 wot a leg-end - really looking forward to this event - bring it on!
From: ALIMITCHon 16th Sep 2005 23:11.37 Lisa don't ever stop dj'ing. lets all grow old together!
From: Mariaon 16th Sep 2005 23:30.06 I used to go to Freedom at Bagleys to see Lisa in 2000-2001...good memories!!! Nice interview Stevie.
From: Mike Harrison 17th Sep 2005 20:17.58 great interview, looking forward to this!!
She's very good looking!
From: Beckaon 17th Sep 2005 20:48.58 Great interview. Looking foward to her set now
From: Steve Gillenon 19th Sep 2005 12:59.58 Great interview Lisa
From: Adam Whiteon 20th Sep 2005 14:38.14 Cheers for a great interview Lisa.
Look out for an exclusive guest mix from Lisa Pin Up on my 'Knowwhere launch party show' on Ministry Radio on October 6th between 4pm and 6pm.
Look forward to seeing you at KNOWWHERE
From: jonnymainon 21st Sep 2005 12:52.50 I also remember your Bagleys sets Lisa - seems like a veeeeeeery long time ago! Can't wait to hear you play at Knowwhere!
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Hi Lisa, another great interview babes! xx
