1. How do you describe what you do to someone who doesn’t know you?
I gave up trying a long time ago. People have their own perceptions of DJ / producers – and despite my claims that it involves much more than just a couple of hours work a week they’ll never truly listen anyway.For the record, I tick the boxes of DJ / Producer / Promoter / Booker / Label Owner / Rubbish MC!
I produce as Pete Jordan, Jordan & Santero and a couple of other names and have appeared on a variety of labels. I run the Spectrum club brand and have also have just launched the Weird Science record label with my good buddy Santero. I guess I like being busy!
2. When did you first discover your love for music?
From an early age, my Dad’s vinyl collection and his hi-fi system. Trying to scratch vinyl on a belt drive deck without slipmats isn’t something I would advise though!
3. Describe your sound in 3 words?
For The Dancefloor
4. What was your first track you bought?
I was buying music for years before I had decks, but I suppose the first record that really turned me onto my future sound was an early Fatboy Slim track called Big Beat Soufflé which was on the B-side to Punk to Funk. I think I heard it on a Chemical Brothers Essential Mix. Listening to it now, it really doesn’t stand the test of time, but the raw energy of the beats and unpolished produ
ction was just so different to anything else at the time.
5. Which 2 artists have influenced what you do, one past and one present?
It would be too hard to narrow into two acts… I’m too widely influenced by rock and indie, through to dance, electronica, old skool hip hop and funk. In fact good music is good music whatever it is pigeonholed into.
6. What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
As a DJ; it’s not what you play, it’s how you play it. As a producer; finish your tunes and move onto the next. And finally, in terms of everything; do it your own way, don’t follow others and don’t be afraid to be different. I try my hardest to follow all three!
7. Playing at a good venue in front of a good crowd is important, what has been your best gig?
Oh man, that’s almost impossible to say. Opening for The Prodigy on their stadium tour was amazing, doing main stages at festivals or playing with some of the world’s biggest acts have been great moments. But often it is the smaller more intimate gigs that have been the most rewarding in terms of crowd response. I’ve been blessed with playing a massive amount of amazing shows over the years, and hope that continues. The sheer exhilaration of playing well to an amazing is what will always make me a DJ first and foremost.
8. You’re from London, is the music scene taking off regarding the sound you portray?
I moved to London last year, as a DJ i’d been able to exist at the forefront of Spectrum without being there. But as a producer, you need to be immersed in the scene to really connect with the sound. I cover so many bases with my production, I wouldn’t say I am part of one particular scene, but it’s fair to say London is the musical hotbed with a lot of musical styles. It’s an inspirational place to live and work.
9. What is the best track you have ever made?
I haven’t made it yet, there’s so much more to come from the studio!
10. Regarding making music, what are you using at the moment and why?
I write in Ableton. It’s the speed in which you can form ideas that appeals to me. I’ll mix down the tracks in Logic or sometimes Pro-Tools depending on the style of track.
11. Any big gigs you are looking forward to in the near future?
Very much so. After a storming 2011, I have taken a little bit of time off with Spectrum events to focus on my Weird Science label and events with Santero. Our monthly label parties have been wicked too. I’m starting to get really busy with gigs all over again, a few festivals and tours are coming through now too.
12. Where and when?
Spectrum @ Great Suffolk St Warehouse, London – Saturday May 5th with Chase & Status, Sub Focus, Redlight, New York Transit Authority, Killsonik, Breach, Neosignal, Disclosure and loads more. www.facebook.com/spectrumpage
Weird Science @ 93 Feet East, Brick Lane, London – 3rd Sat of every month – Jordan & Santero with label acts : Coin Operated Boy, Citizen, Ursa Major etc… www.facebook.com/scienceweird
Pete Jordan: Live at Spectrum Warehouse Party :
Weird Science Movie Mix Series:
Free tunes to download:
Links:
www.facebook.com/petejordanpage
www.facebook.com/jordanandsantero
