It Was Acceptable At The Time: No More Live Shows For This DJ
Scottish singer-songwriter, DJ and producer Calvin Harris, aka Adam Richard Wiles, is responsible for an onslaught of dancing madness around the world. His gold selling debut album I Created Disco released in 2007 caught the attention of just about everyone. The quirky party tune Acceptable In The 80s from the record became a smash hit and saw an explosion of disco loving kids jump on board the Calvin Harris cult.
Calvin Harris is in his studio in London when 100% chat to him. He’s working on some new tunes which he’ll be bringing down under very shortly. These tunes will be played live but not in the format of the familiar band arrangement that Harris usually presents. Instead, Harris will be bringing a DJ set – no band members, no keyboards, drums or guitars – just him and his DJ equipment. Admittedly, it’s no surprise that Harris has started doing DJ sets at festivals. Like various other musicians across most genres, the ‘DJ set’ provides an alternative avenue for musicians to showcase their various talents. With the likes of Kele Okereke, the frontman of British indie rock band Bloc Party, Dan and Tim of dance-pop band Cut Copy and even the boys dance-punk band !!! (Chk Chk Chk) hopping on board the DJ set train, it’s a trend set to continue.
What is perhaps surprising is Harris’ decision to put an indefinite hold on his live band shows and concentrate solely on DJing. It’s a decision he remains confident and adamant about. There’s only so far you can take the live thing,” Harris says. “I’m going to be taking the DJ show up a level with a big production, and I can play for longer that way too.” It’s a shame for fans of Harris’ live show but it’s also refreshing, a development which will no doubt attract new fans and challenge old fans sonically.
Harris has come a long way since his earliest professional production working alongside Kylie Minogue on her 2007 record X which he has said to have described as “fun, but surreal”, his second studio album Ready For The Weekend smashed the U.K charts. The first single from the album I’m Not Alone debuted at #1 on the U.K Singles Chart and Ready For The Weekend went to #3. The dance music producer has collaborated with U.K rapper Dizzee Rascal on Rascal’s famous party tune Dance Wiv Me and excerpts from I’m Not Alone were used in Madonna’s remixed version of the famous Frozen. So it is no surprise that Harris is now set to accompany world pop sensation Rihanna on her Last Girl On Earth tour later this month. “Our managers got together and worked something out,” Harris says of the opportunity. “It should be a good fit.” He isn’t giving anything away but does hint at what is in store for fans going to the shows. “I’ll be playing a similar set to Stereosonic but with some more of my own new tracks,” he says.
And judging by the colourful and varied set Harris delivered at Stereosonic 2010, fans should be prepared. “Stereosonic was a massive thing for me last year,” Harris comments. “[It was] the biggest shows I have played as a DJ, such an amazing atmosphere, and great to do them all in the sun!.” Not only is Harris hitting up our dry, sunburnt country for the Rihanna arena tour, he’s got national club dates lined up to showcase and celebrate the release of One Love’s Sonic Boom Box – One Love’s new compilation mixed by Harris himself along with wild child Andy Murphy and cutting edge digital lover Acid Jacks. Given the tyranny of distance between all three artists, one would presume the compilation may have been a little difficult to put together but, Harris says this was not the case. “Not at all, I did my thing, they did there’s,” he says. And in terms of music taste or fighting over who remixed what track (often the case when it comes to compilations) – well that just simply didn’t happen. “I don’t think there were any clashes at all,” Harris recalls. He did have a favourite track though and had the privilege of mixing it for the compilation. “I’m very much in to Mr Blink – Gecko, amazing tune,” he reveals.
Harris says fans can expect “huge party tunes and loads of bass” when he hits the decks for One Love’s Sonic Boom Box national tour and no doubt a similar delivery will take place when he gets his groove on during the Mardi Gras party. “[It’s the] first time I’ll be doing this one, really looking forward to it,” he says. “I’ll be putting in the hours for the preparation for this one as it’s a big deal for me.” Besides DJing when he hits down under, Harris has a few other plans. “Working on new music as much as I can on the road,” he reveals. And as for other plans for 2011, Harris sums them up generically – “I will be releasing lots of new music and playing a load of DJ shows with a big production.”
Calvin Harris [SCO] plays a sold out show at Superdisco on Saturday February 26. For those that missed out, never fear, he plays a second Superdisco show at The Prince on Sunday March 13.
