Guestlist Issue 88 | Page 27

ISSUE 88 / 20016

HOUSE

27 where most of the stuff I play came from. I basically mix the old school with the new school. There is plenty of cross over now on radio 1 now so my job is to dig even further underground and pluck out some gems.

I saw that you posted on Facebook about the DJ Mag pioneers of dance music list and the follow up article by the editor about why there were no women on the list. Both the original list and the article were ridiculous, but what was it that compelled you to comment? I just think the whole situation is ridiculous. The fact that not one woman even made that“ list” is beyond me. I wouldn’ t be here if it wasn’ t for some of the female pioneers of dance music( as that’ s what the article was about) Pioneers. Ellen Allien, Miss Kitten, Magda, Honey Dijon ect. To be honest if we could just stop with all of these fucking lists our scene would be a hell of a lot nicer. These lists are the opinions of who? Why is there a need for them? We are all in it together. Doing the same thing. Trying to make people forget about their worries and with Cajmere. He is one of the greats. As a human, dj & producer. That man has kept it real for over 25 years and is still going strong. I don’ t think there is a Cajmere / Green Velvet track that I haven’ t liked or played since i started to dj. He is also extremely humble & so insanely funny that when we are together my eyes hurt from laughing so hard that I’ m constantly wiping tears from my eyes...... same goes for Derrick Carter. Those 2 men make my day / night a whole lot brighter when we’ re together.“ Salt of the earth” as we say in Canada. Humour plays a big part in who i surround myself with.
You have history with Phonica Records, so apart from that one, what / where is the best record store in the world? Oh geez. That’ s a tough one. Phonica is truly still one of the greats for underground music and I feel so proud it’ s still around when so many shops especially in London have closed. I’ m going to go against the grain here and say Rough Trade. I buy a lot of music that isn’ t electronic and Rough Trade
I grew up next to detroit. Usually when you say Detroit people always think motown and techno but they always played loads of 90’ s R & B and Hip Hop on the radio. I was big into Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, Wu Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, Dre, Missy Elliot, Mary J Blige, Notorious B. I. G. De La Soul, Queen Latifa, Monie Love, I mean i could go on forever and I’ m forgetting a million artists but I think you get the point. I just love that feel good bump and grind. If I want to perk myself up before a night out or a gig to give myself some energy I always go straight for Tribe Called Quest. They were my faves and always bring my mood up.
With busy touring schedule, record label, club nights and your BBC residency show, when does, and how does Heidi like to chill out? I don’ t really. hahahah. I’ m hyperactive. If I’ m not out doing something related to work or trying to meet up with friends or going to gigs........ I AM SLEEPING.
With cities like Amsterdam and Berlin

“ We are all one in the club. Men, Women, White, Black, Gay, Straight” getting better at setting it up for people who still only play records.

The UK crowd can be one of the craziest, but also one of that demands more, both musically and technically. Does that help you stay on top of your game, as we keep you on your toes? Absolutely. Whether you are playing to crowds of 5000 or 500 you need to be on top of your game... everywhere. Not only in the uk. We’ re getting paid for a service and that is to make you dance until your shoes pop off( or your head) which ever comes first.
What artists / tracks do you think will really make their mark this year and claim their place in the Techno hall of fame? Hmmmm. Well. Considering I receive over 500 promos a week or more that is tough to say. My favourite tracks are usually old ones. haha. but if you listen to my radio show I choose each track carefully and those are the ones out of the millions that I love and adore. I’ m extremely picky. If there is one person who has been consistent this year with making incredible music and remixes that will be Roman Flugel. He’ s been around for over 20 years but he has made this huge resurgence with his music in the past couple years. I also love John Tejada’ s productions & Gerd from clone records in holland. But the man who will always be my favourite producer and someone who can remix the hell out of a record is Carl Craig but I’ m pretty sure he is already in the techno hall of fame & if he isn’ t someone needs to get their head chopped off. ha.
How long does it take you to do your hair?
problems in life. We’ re here to try and help them feel good about themselves. Letting go and feeling free by dancing and sweating out those weekly demons that creep up on us. We are all one in the club. Men, Women, White, Black, Gay, Straight....... whatever and whoever you are or want to be and that is what I have to say about that.
Annie Mac, Maya Jane Cole and Anja Schneider are just three of the DJs who have spoken about the stupid questions they get asked because they are female- is this still happening to you? And why are people so obsessed with the“ female DJ” thing? This doesn’ t happen to me anymore because I refuse to answer those dumb ass questions. People know not to ask it anymore because even if they try I won’ t feed into it. It’ s all bullshit. Annie Mac’ s article she wrote for Thump magazine sums it up perfectly. I usually copy and paste the link to that as my answer. She nailed it. It was funny because she told me after that she had me in mind when she wrote it. I thought it was brilliantly written, extremely intelligent & funny and completely on point. That’ s my girl.
If you could play b2b with any other artist, past or present, who would you choose and why? Well my wish came true last year in ibiza. I played a 3 hour back to back session
has been my go to for rock & indie for many years. Dance music came second in my life. I will always be a rock n roll girl until the day i die.
Where are your favourite places in London? Well considering I don’ t get that much time to spend here because i’ m away a lot i guess restaurants are some of my faves. I get to meet up with friends that i don’ t get to see very much. After 16 years of living in London and after plenty of blood, sweat, tears and bouts of insanity I managed to buy my own flat in Clapton & I’ m just discovering this neighbourhood. It has plenty of character. There is this cute little wine bar called P Franco’ s on lower clapton road that serves only natural & organic wines & some yummy nibbles. The guy who runs it is from Australia. He also has great taste in music because he plays stuff that I grew up listening to. Bit of nostalgia for me. I also love riding a bike around Victoria Park when the weather is nice. I’ ve lived on and off in Hackney for over 7 years and the Pavilion cafe there on the little lake is great to sit at and have a coffee and read a book. Mega chilled vibes. They also do a killer breakfast. There are too many places to name but those are a couple close to home for me.
We heard that you like your old school Hip Hop, what is it about that era of hip hop you like so much and which artists / crews were you most fond of?
embracing nightlife culture, what could London do to play their part? I think London has a great nightlife scene. On any given night you can go and catch a concert, a club night, a warehouse party, an art opening, a house party. This city has always been at the forefront of music related events. The laws and rules may not be the same in european cities but England sure knows how to party like no other country.
We understand that you huge and varied record collection thanks to your Dads love of collecting Rock records. What would you say is the most treasured record in your collection and why? I DID have a huge collection but due to an extremely tragic event I no longer have any of my vinyl. It’ s a touchy subject to say the least. I had many treasured records. It would be hard to pick one. They are like your children. It’ s impossible to favour one over the other. Each one makes you feel different and you can relate certain memories or moments of your life to a song or even seeing a certain record sleeve can trigger something inside you. Damn i miss them. At least i learned how to dj with actual records. That in itself is a true art form. Way sexier than turning up with a usb stick. I feel like a fraud some times when i roll up to the club with a tote bag but i had to change with the times. Who knows. Maybe one day i’ ll go back to playing vinyl. It seems clubs are
Too long. I have to blow dry this fro and it takes way longer than need be. I swear i’ ve lost years off my life under the hair dryer.
What one song or piece of music changed your life? The beautiful ones by Prince.
What’ s been the proudest moment of your career? Playing the first ever DEMF / Movement festival in Detroit in 2007. I was djing on a stage and looking at my hometown of Windsor in Canada across the river. It was an epic moment in my life.
And our annoying last question is … If you could fill a swimming pool with anything, what would it be? Champagne sweety dahhhhhling.
Heidi performs at Creamfields UK on Saturday 27th August Bank Holiday, for tickets & info go to www. creamfields. com. Heidi’ s next Jackathon release will be from Sishi Rösch. Out this July.
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