He is acknowledged as a true pioneer & is an integral part of dance culture today. His name is synonymous with dance music. Seen as one of the most influential figures of the house scene, from a successful radio & producing career to a relentless schedule of DJ appearances across the globe, he is DJ Danny Rampling.

London born Danny is one of the founding fathers of house music & probably the most modest DJ you are ever likely to speak to. Part of the original group that went to Ibiza in the late 80’s, Danny was introduced to an intoxicating blend of Balearic vibes, a fusion of Italian Disco, American House, Garage, Soul and alternative dance. Over the decade, which followed, Danny was to help determine the popularisation of ‘house’ & the Ibiza scene in general, which for many remains at the heart of global, dance culture today. Indeed, there are a handful of individuals who are responsible for the house music movement – Danny Rampling is one of them.

I managed to catch up with Danny in-between his frantic schedule of DJing and Studio sessions to chat briefly about his career to-date and his plans for 2003. All respects & thanks to Mitch Clark at Sanctuary Music, for making this interview happen!

MC: So Danny, when did you first get into the scene? And how long have you been Djing?

DR: “The scene itself began in ’87 & around that time acid house was born. I have been Djing since 1982”.

MC: What have been your biggest inspirations?

DR: “Tony Humphries, Alfredo, Def-Mix, the island of Ibiza, and house music of course”.

MC: Can you remember your first piece of vinyl?

DR: “Credible vinyl? I guess it would be ‘Stoned Love – The Supremes [Motown]’ *laughs* but there was quite a few dodgy ones before that!”

MC: Going back to where it all started, can you tell us more about your first break into the industry?

DR: “Before house there were no breaks. I made that break at a time when a new musical form was emerging which I embraced with such passion, love, emotion and motivation.”

This was the point of progression as a DJ after several years of getting nowhere. Before house it was awful, If you wanted to be a DJ, it was just awful” 

MC: You are famed as being part of the original group that went to Ibiza in 1980’s and brought the Balearic vibe back to the UK, namely to the launch of one of the most important nights in the scenes history, “Shoom”. What do you think of Ibiza now and the commercialisation that has taken hold there since?

DR: “Ibiza is a very liberating place.

I will always continue to love Ibiza as an Island. The club scene is secondary to what I gain on a spiritual level from visiting one of the most peaceful, tolerant & understanding places on earth. The club scene is a small part of Ibiza within the bigger picture.

However, commercialisation has made the economy boom in Ibiza, the economy has just soared in recent years. It is probably the only place in Europe that can generate so much wealth to its club scene in those short few weeks of July and August. The locals & the islanders who are involved in the club business have made vast fortunes and generally have a lot of respect for the club scene. They known its their livelihood and so want to preserve it.”

MC: A very popular question, but one, which we know is on all of our reader’s minds. You have been very sadly missed since your departure from your show ‘The Love Groove Dance Party’ on BBC’s Radio 1. Do you have any future plans to return to the airwaves?

DR: “Well I can tell you that I am currently in negotiation with a station for a show which will air on a Sunday evening, a local radio show. I’m not at liberty to say anymore at the present time, as the details still aren’t finalised. However we have been working on negotiations for the last 8 weeks”

MC: Since your departure from Radio 1, there is view held by many that there is a lack of representation of soulful house music on National Radio. Would you agree with this perception – how does that make you feel?

DR: “I don’t think it is seen as a worthwhile commodity and that’s why it’s not represented. However, I don’t think we should worry about it, it’s taking it back to its routes before all of these people hi-jacked it.”

MC: Last year saw the release of the anthemic “That’s how good your love is” under the II Padrino’s moniker, a collaboration between yourself, Dave Lee & Jocelyn Brown. In the same year, we also saw the release of your own DJ Album “Turntable Symphony”. Both single & album were very well received by clubland. Is there any information you can give us on future productions for 2003?

DR: “I’m currently working on a bootleg that is very appropriate for summer, it’s from a well known band of the past. I can tell you that it’s going to be perfect for the space terrace in Ibiza! We’re aiming to release the track when the whole summer season starts, probably around late June”.

MC: We know that you have just returned from a tour of the South East & Asia to spend some time back home in the UK. Could you give us a quick update on your travels & the highlights?

DR: “My highlights of the tour had to be, without a doubt, playing to 4-5000 capacity ‘open air’ audiences in various cities throughout India. It was an incredible experience! The crowd had such an enthusiasm for dance music there.”

DR: “Well, I first became acquainted with Peter Rauhofer through his production of “let me be your underwear” which I bought in Ibiza many years ago, in the early 90’s. I then met him in Miami and had a lot of respect for his work. I gave him a lot of support as an up and coming producer through my radio shows.

Through those early plays of that first record “let me be your underwear”, it was signed to Frrr, which was Pete Tong’s label at that time. The track made it’s way into the top 20 of the national charts.

We’ve continued to stay in touch over the years. He was a DJ I always wanted to incorporate onto the bill for Metrogroove. Finally, he’s now appearing here in London. My opinion of him really is one of the upmost respect, he’s a cross between Danny Tenaglia & Junior Vasquez. He sits somewhere between those two DJ’s.

I also think its about time that New York produced a DJ that is as widely acclaimed as Tenagia & Vasquez – Peter is certainly next in line for those accolades.

Peter has great energy as a DJ, great technical ability & I would say that his record label and the productions, which they release, really have an enormous amount of positive energy, which is not widespread these days. He will certainly rock the room at Turnmills!

You can read more about Peter Rauhofers sensational UK debut by visiting:
http://www.turnmills.co.uk/
turnmills/clubs/djs/peterrauhofer.html

DR: Hmm, how has it changed? I must say that I have loved the last 10 years – there hasn’t been much I haven’t liked. It’s been one hell of a ride, just brilliant! However, a lot of good people have come and gone

I do feel that crowds have changed. ‘Management’ has really changed the face of dance music; DJ management, Artist Management & the music press really have had a massive impact on the scene.

However, some of the changes have been good; but some of those changes haven’t been for the better. The whole thing goes through peaks and valleys. There is such a lot of good music that is still filtering through.

It’s a case of rallying together; people do need to think more deeply about why they were attracted to the scene in the first place. I think this is one aspect that is missing at present. This is part of the reason why the scene has gone through some hard times; people have become too greedy, too egotistical and in some cases, too selfish. In some places they have taken their finger of the pulse. It has got clique in certain quarters; and when all of this is combined with some of the pessimistic journalism we have seen, it has contributed to the dip in the U.K club scene in the last few months.

However, in saying that, you can go to a lot of places overseas such as Barcelona & Paris, and there still such a great enthusiasm & positive approach to clubbing.

But we do take things very seriously here in the U.K, and as a result, the club scene here the leading figure in the world. When things start to get down – people take stock, look inwards & look closely at what’s going on.

People need to think about the goodness that the whole scene has given to them. It’s given a lot of people a very good life, & in a lot of cases, a very good lifestyle. People need to realise what got them into the scene in the first place. Instead of helping themselves all the time, perhaps they need to share that with others before the whole thing collapses.

I don’t think it can be denied that throughout the last 10 years, drug use & drug habits have played a part on the scene. It has affected people’s mood & their outlooks.

In looking inwards, people who have taken drugs need to think about what it gave them in the first place. It gave them a kind of ‘openness’, which contributed to that ‘consciousness’ between a lot of people. It’s realising what that gave you on a psychological level and continuing that – with or without it.”

MC: Can you speculate as to where you think the scene may be in the next three years?

DR: “I think it has, and will, continue to progress into different interesting musical forms & genres, as it has done for the last 3 years. It’s not possible to continue ‘down the same road’ and that’s definitely not a characteristic of this type of music.”

MC: ‘House’ music as a label incorporates a number of different musical genres, many of which are regarded as ‘underground’. Do you see that mainstreaming at all in the next few years?

DR: “I don’t think house is mainstream at all. In fact I think it’s evident that it’s returning to where it began. I don’t think we really see ‘house’ music being played regularly in the National Top 40 charts. Tim Deluxe [It just won’t do] was probably the last house record that received mainstream attention, but those types of records are by no means mainstream. What is perceived, as mainstream, is certainly not house music.

The different genres are all under one roof. It may be deep, funky, soulful, tough, or tribal but they are all part of the same musical form. It’s certainly not mainstream. Mainstream is ‘Underground Garage’ & ‘Trance’.

However, the industry itself, the producers, artists & labels, could do with more support on a mainstream level, to keep dollars & pounds coming in. This would certainly help with the cost of putting out records & developing artists. This is sadly what is lacking currently. It can be a no win situation at times. 

As I said, it’s just going back to where it started, there should be no panic there. That’s always been the best part of it anyway. I do feel that artists that are being supported by ‘underground’ labels may need a hit from time to time just to try and keep the operation ticking over financially. This is something we are not seeing on a large scale at the present time.

I think those people that have seen it in the mainstream, that have profited from it, enjoyed it and made themselves a career out it, are probably those people that are in a state of panic. However this shouldn’t be the reason why you make a record in the first place. That’s why a lot of people are making trance records because they know they are probably going to benefit from high sales. I think it’s often a case of ‘let’s make this music, this is popular, let’s get in there’. There were a lot of productions teams that came in and capitalised from it and now they’ve moved onto the next thing.

The whole thing is downsizing, perhaps those who can’t adjust to that, will have to do something else.”

MC: In your career so far, what has been your best experience as a DJ?

DR: “I have had thousands of unforgettable experiences in clubs across the world. There has been many ‘best experiences’; one every week or two for the last 15 years! In terms of progression, it has to be going from an underground radio station, a pirate radio station, to the heart of the establishment.

Also, It has been a great experience playing a major role in shaping the dance music scene in the U.K in the early stages. The way Norman jay did with the Rare Groove scene before me; the whole Soul Weekender thing with Geoff Young and Chris & before that the punk scene.”

MC: …. And the worst?

DR: “Worst experience as a DJ? There just haven’t been many of them! Perhaps being threatened by a deranged clubber who wanted to kill me outside a club in Birmingham a year or so ago, that could be my worst experience as a DJ.”

MC: Typically, how much of your set consists of unreleased material?

DR: “Not as much as during the days of Radio 1, that’s for sure! I still play a quite a lot of unreleased stuff, I’m on the phone to America a lot of the time. In the last few months, there hasn’t been a consistent run of music, whereas you would probably get around 10 or 15 tracks within a week or two on unreleased CDR’s. You have search a lot harder and put a lot more effort into making the calls to people now.”

MC: Where do you find most of your music?

DR: City-Sounds, Vinyl Junkies, Black Market and Massive.

MC: And how long do you normally take to prepare your set?

DR: “During the week, I usually listen to music for about 4 hours each day. I then structure the opening section of my set on a Saturday. I probably structure an opening first hour or 45 minutes and from there on I piece records together & sequence those in no particular order.

It’s essential to build & plan a set for the first hour. Or even a whole set for that matter. There’s no shame in it – as long as it’s exciting, it’s well thought out, the coordination flo

ws – there’s no problem with that. When DJ’s claim that they don’t plan their sets; they don’t plan an opening record, it’s complete nonsense!

Probably 90% of DJ’s will build a set; perhaps they won’t if they don’t have the time. However if you do have time, it’s part of your job as a DJ. Like any craft or profession, you will need a certain strategy & a level of planning; a direction as to where you are going. It is impossible to open your bag & play ‘blind’ these days.

At 2am with 2000 people in front of you – it’s incredibly difficult to open your bag and play ‘blind’ from the start.”

MC: The Winter Music Conference, did you attend this year?

DR: “I’ve attended for the last 8 years but I didn’t go this year. I’ve been away touring, a lot, in the last 6 months and I really wanted to be at home in the UK for a few months before the summer begins. I also didn’t enjoy it last year at the conference.

I will be attending the Italian Music Conference this year, which I am really looking forward to! In any case, Miami should be renamed as the ‘Winter Music Party’ … it’s just one whole week of partying! Which is brilliant! *laughs* I’ll probably go back next year.”

MC: Who are your favourite producers / DJ’s at the moment?

“Joe Clausell, Peter Rauhofer, David Morales, Seamus Haji, Miguel Migs, DJ’s MYNC, Paul Warren, Miss Jules, Francesco Farfa, Ricky Montinari .. the list is just too long!”

MC: Can you tell us about your forthcoming dates in the UK?

DR: “Next week I will play at a party in Ibiza, ahead of that I will be at Turnmills. From now until June I will play regular dates across the UK. Quite frankly, I love playing the UK. Nothing compares to it … Italy maybe, Paris … there are only a few places that come close to energy generated in the UK. You can find all of my forthcoming dates at my website.”

MC: Are there any websites out there that you regularly visit?

DR: “Yeah, 8th Street Latinas! *laughs*

I also visit Scruff, Burn-it-blue, The Hunger Site … I visit that quite often … and Friends of the earth.”

I shall also be re-launching my own site within the next week, you can check it for all the latest info at:

http://www.dannyrampling.co.uk

MC: Finally, you are well known for the work you do with a number of different charities including the Terrence Higgins Trust. Can you tell us a bit more about this?

DR: “I’m a patron of the Terrence Higgins trust and have been for several years. I became involved with the Trust through losing many friends in the early 90’s through aids related illnesses. 

During this past week, I played at a ‘Free Tibet’ evening, which took place at Cargo. The proceeds will help heighten the awareness of the situation in Tibet. We managed to raise £1500 for the charity that night. I’ve been a supporter for a long time.

The next charity event will be in May at the ‘White House’ in Clapham, London. This is for a charity that is very close to my heart - The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. All of the proceeds will go to the charity and there should be an auction on the day.

I’m also playing on the “Faith” Boat Party on the River Thames during the May Bank holiday. Not all of the proceeds will go to charity, however I have suggested that my fee is given to charity for that event.

MC: Danny, it’s been a pleasure talking with you! Many thanks for taking the time out of your schedule to talk to the Jjazproject. Best wishes to you in the future!

You can catch Danny in London at his monthly residency at The Metrogroove Party @ Turnmills. The next event is on 5^th April.  Like the man & his music, it’s guaranteed to be a scorcher! Don’t miss out!