“I am really open-minded in terms of music. When I’m working on a production and I don’t know what the end result will be, I just go with my mood, I go with what I feel." - Jamie Lewis

Jamie Lewis may not have always been a denizen behind the decks, but he’s had the sensibilities of a DJ ever since he was a child, making mix tapes for his school friends and turning people on to the newest musical sounds. He even sold these tapes for pocket money to buy new records. This was even before he became a record store owner and his Deejay Service record shop became Switzerland’s premiere source for House music, thanks to Jamie’s tireless work importing the hottest tunes from America and all over the world. A staunch supporter and builder of the House scene in his native Switzerland, Lewis has found success in the production/remix world, in addition to his highly acclaimed Purple Music record label. Here’s Jamie, in his own words, on his life-long love affair with music and how he has managed to keep his hands in so many different worlds without getting tangled.

On being drawn in by the “pied-piper” role of the DJ:

“By the time I was fifteen, I had gone to my first club in Italy. At that time I looked older than a lot of my friends and a good friend of mine brought me to a club. I hung out behind the DJ booth the whole night and watched the DJ, how he was playing. I was shocked at how one man could move all these people in the club.”

In 1987, after completing his schooling in machinery utilized by the fashion industry, Lewis made a deal to buy a record store from a friend was no longer able to run it. Already a steady customer of the store, this was the beginning of Lewis’ Deejay Service record store.

“I started carrying Italian import records which were very popular here at the time, but I was always looking to bring American records over to Europe,” Lewis explains. “At the time, one US dollar was more than 2 Swiss Francs, so things were very expensive. I was finally able to find a distributor and was able to import records after about 2 or 3 years of running the store. I ended up with so many DJs buying from me because at that time there were not a lot of places to buy records. People always seemed to come to my store, which gave me the chance to get experience and buy more records and carry different kinds of music.”

Inevitably, the music selector ended up behind the decks, wasting no time building a regular crowd and crafting his sound at weekly residencies in Eastern Switzerland. 1994 saw Lewis open his own club, Antaris

“This was the first Swiss club to play strictly House music,” Lewis remembers. “We had guests like Roger Sanchez, Frankie Knuckles, performers like Barbara Tucker, Ultra Nate; people who are big Djs or singers. I look back at some of the old videos and am amazed that it has been ten years already. It’s nice to see what I have built up.”

His musical philosophy:

“I am really open-minded in terms of music. When I’m working on a production and I don’t know what the end result will be, I just go with my mood, I go with what I feel. The result could be more track-y, or more soulful or deep and tribally. I like all styles and directions.

Behind the decks, Lewis is similarly adventurous:

“When I work in the studio I have a style that people recognize, but at the same time it’s always a bit different. When I play in clubs, it’s always different depending on the club. I always try to be myself. When people come to the club, they are ready to go with me on a journey. I really like to play in the same club because you can build your music and your crowd.”

On beginnings and endings, and the growth that comes with each:

In 1997 I had been spending more time producing, but I still wasn’t seeing any money from those productions. I didn’t’ want to give my ideas away, so that was when I started Purple Music. So at this time, I had my feet in 4 different worlds. I was DJing more and more at great events and great clubs. I was becoming a big name here in Switzerland and I was playing every weekend out.

I sold the record store this year after 17 years. That was really hard for me to decide to close one book and open another one. I decided that it was something I had to do, even though I felt bad at first. It was strange to go to my record store and it wasn’t really my record store anymore. It [the record store] was a beautiful time, but I wanted to take care of producing and working on the label.

Purple Music is continuing to grow, but at the record store there wasn’t anything more to accomplish. All I could do was order the records and sell them to people. But looking at the label, I saw a lot more that I could still do. So because I had these ideas, and because I am a person who likes to take risks, I decided to sell the store so that I could spend more time in the studio on remixes and productions. I was getting lots of remix requests and productions requests and only had two days in the studio a week. This was telling me to take that risk. I can give more to the label now and we are able to do more events for the label in other countries, like the Purple Music nights that we do here. They’ve become somewhat legendary and people really come for the music, which is a beautiful thing when people are there for the music.

Reflecting on the growth of House in Switzerland and Europe:

I remember when I was importing records, the orginal disco sound was always American. This music started in America, Chicago, Detroit, new york. Europe was always crazy for American records. There was something special about it. I remember a club called Flamingo. That club played only Western records, nothing European. People liked that because they didn’t hear that ion any other clubs.

After many years Europeans began to do their own style of House, and the European record industry has grown and it’s not only US House. In Europe there are so many different countries and different mentalities everywhere you go. In Spain there is a different kind of House music. If you go to Italy or Germany, you hear slight differences. I think it’s all good. You have great potential to produce great music. In the Balkans, Ukraine, other countries, they are like Swiss was ten years ago. They are ready to go to the club, hear the music and have fun. In Germany, people have everything… cars, phones and they’re not thankful for what they have. Ten years ago people here were more thankful regarding the music.

On the future and vitality of House music:

If I look back, House music is almost 20 years old and it’s still here. It’s changed and there are new sounds, but it’s still from one situation. I think that some types of music will never die. I don’t think that House is a passing fashion that will not be here in 5 years. House music will still live on, perhaps in other capacities, perhaps back to the roots, or a slower tempo, but the elements will always be the same. If you listen to traditional jazz and modern jazz, it’s the same essence, despite the differences. In the end it is always about the roots; The beats are here, they won’t be changed. Perhaps they might be broken a bit, but it’s always really 4/4, and that’s it. The elements are always the same; the heart is always the same.

Still in high gear for 2005:

I just finished a Shaun Christopher remix for Soulfuric (“You Can Make It”). I’m also working on a track with a Swiss singer name Tanja Dankner which will be released in February (“Will I Ever”). It’s a very classic song, kind of a sweet love song. I also did a dub mix which is very different, more of a peak track. I’ve also recorded a follow-up to “The Light” with Michelle Weeks.

I’m working on some more tracks under the Delicious Inc moniker with Nick Morris who is one of my studio partners. I travel to southern Italy several times a year to work with him. I’ve also got something in the pipeline with Cerrone. Oddly enough, I wasn’t expecting “Hooked On You” to be such a success, even though it was Cerrone and Jocelyn Brown. It was very deep and it wasn’t very peak time. Cerrone was very happy with it and he wants to do more work with me. He has such a big back catalog, so I have to pace myself. Even though all of his songs would be great remixes, I can’t do a Cerrone remix every month.

Learning experiences:

First and foremost is to believe in what you are doing, that has always been my belief. I have always just done what I’ve loved and was never influenced by what my other friends in the industry were doing. I have always simply done what I enjoy and what I believe.

I’ve always had a community of people behind me, supporting me and believing in me, and helping me forward step by step. If you are just alone in your world, that can be difficult. It’s very important to have support in your life. Sometimes you have a bit more, sometimes it’s less, but you have to have it.

Interview conducted by Alex Mayer for JJazProject.com. We would like to thank Jamie and Manuela for taking the time to make this interview happen.