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Tim Deluxe Interview

After the DanceStar UK Music Awards performance and his latest release "It Just Won’t Do" set for success after it’s Miami 02 praise, Clubbing UK catch up with the man behind this summer’s latest Ibiza anthem and Double 99’s massiiiive "RiP Groove" - meet the man that is Tim Deluxe...
Tim Deluxe image
We discuss how it all started, working with Darren Emerson, remixing Kylie and the oober fit Sam Obernik. Enjoy.

Where did really start for you and when was your first big break?
"Got in to stuff back in 95, set up a label with me, Omar (Amidora) and Andy Lysandrou (in True Steppers) done Ice Cream Records, then in 97 we done RiP Groove (under the Double 99’ alias), just put that out and it went off. We done some mixes and other bits and pieces and recorded the Double 99’ album in ’98 released end of 2000, 2001 me and Omar split up… last year we done the ‘Sirens’/‘We All Love Sax’ records on Underwater and some mixes of Kylie Minougue, Bel Amour, Lo Fi All Stars just surfacing now and on to this year, ‘It Just Won’t Do’ and Layo & Bushwakka, just done the Basement Jaxx ‘Do Your Thing’ record as well… released imminently in a Basement Jaxx & Tim Deluxe mixes in a double pack."

You filled in for C J Mackintosh @ Ministry Of Sound whilst still under 18, how was that experience?
"I think I was 15/16, I used to work at a record shop up in Islington called Time Is Right Records (Right place at the Right Time!), C J used to come in there and loads of people, Lynn Cosgrove (who used to work @ Ministry Of Sound’s Saturday night promotion) - C J was meant to be there one night but he had a gig up north so it was literally last minute and they called us up after giving her mix tapes and she said "well I’ve got you a gig now, standing in for CJ , warming up for Todd Terry" went down there and played and it was pretty amazing - it was fucking rocking that night, it was around the time of ‘The Fogg’ ‘Bin A Long Time’, when it was first sort of bubbling, it hadn’t even been signed, it was still an import and I remember playing that and the whole place was just going bonkers and I was shitting myself, it was mad!"

How did you hook up with Darren Emerson?
"Through his girlfriend really," (like that is it?) "I’ve known Amy for years and I approached her and it just so happened when we were having a meeting Darren was round the corner, he came along. We’ve known each other cause he’d been very supporting the ‘Double 99’ stuff and supported my stuff on Cross Section, done this track called ‘I Know’ and he was well in to that and in to the label and talked about doing some stuff together after he’d left Underworld, like that, done some tracks in the studio and while that was happening I played him ‘Sirens’ he was like "can I have it for the label?" took it for the label and off it went."

What’s he like to work with?
"He’s cool, he’s just a lunatic. We’re both pretty silly and sometimes we don’t get much work done, it’s good. There’s no pressure, it’s easy-going, it’s easy flowing and all that kind of business."

Perhaps, more importantly how did you meet up with Sam Obernik?
"Here at Round House, cause she’s here recording her album, I was listening to her album and really liked what she was doing and stuff, she’s signed to East/West Records now - it’s good. Done the track, got my friend Ben Onono to co-write it with us, we finished it and were looking for a vocalist and just asked Sam and she was like ‘Yeah cool’ come and done it and robbed it and off we went."

Who wrote the lyrics for ‘It Just Won’t Do’?
"Ben Onono, it started out, I got the groove up, the track up and stuff and I could hear I song on it and I wanted to look to co-write it with someone so I called Ben and I said ‘look I’ve got this idea, come in check it out’ played it to him, he was like ‘right what do you want, What you hearing?’ and I said ‘Well I wanna keep it based around the der der da (Tim hums the main chord)… maybe go off and get some other hooks, it’s got to be real simple, boy meets girl type vibe, he went away and came back a few weeks later and pretty much it was there we changed a few words and a couple of bits as we were going along and that was it."

How did you get to remix Kylie’s ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’
"They just called us up - they’re A&R guy just called up and said ‘we really like your record ‘Sirens’ and we want you to do a remix."

Did you get to meet the woman herself?
"No, there was an opportunity to. Darren knows her on-off boyfriend James Gooding quite well, I’ve met him a few times maybe I’m sure we might bump in to each other at some point."

Your latest mix album with Darren Emerson Touchés on various different genres, what style of music to do you really like to shake it to?
"I’m in to everything that’s the thing, so is Darren, I like the funky stuff, the more soulful stuff, anything, as long as it hits me in certain way then I’m in to it and I’ll play it, even some of the harder techy stuff, I’ll play right across board and especially if I’m playing a longer set I go through the whole motion, in general it’s good solid house music, good funky house music."

Who do you rate most highly, musically?
"I think Harry Choo Choo’s a really talented producer, really in to Daft Punk (Thomas Bangalter) he’s just the don, DJ wise there’s lots of DJ I like for different reasons. I like Erick & Darren obviously cause they’re good at what they’re doing and their vibe is close to what I’m doing. Dave Clarke, I love Dave Clarke I think he’s fucking fierce! I’m in to everything, people like Masters At Work (Louie Vega) he’s amazing, and I still play some of their stuff - right across the board, Jon Carter, he’s the rock and roll of house music!"

What has been the pinnacle of your career so far?
"I suppose I’ve been quite lucky I’m still only 24, not bad going… Properly things like RIP Groove cause that was the first taste of success, and ‘It Just Won’t Do’ because it’s a solo thing after leaving the band, and splitting up from the label, it’s cool that I bounce back - I’ve been plugging away for a while so it’s all good."

Where can we find you this summer?
"Ibiza (Pacha). Miknos in Greece. Berlin Love Parade. ShinDig and The End. Not doing Creamfields (had the opportunity), was up at Glastonbury it was a PA, it was good, went out on BBC Choice with Sam and we done it acoustic and that was pretty rocking, we done Jo Whiley as well on Monday just gone acoustic, DJ'ing all over the shot."

If you haven’t heard this man’s name or haven’t heard his music, where have you been? If you get the opportunity to check him out - don’t let it pass you by!

Check out our review of the debut artist album Tim Deluxe "The Little Ginger Club Kid" alternatively check the recent write up on Emerson & Deluxe "Underwater Episode 1". Also just added our newer interview can be found @ Tim Deluxe 2003, or indeed to read on about how Tim recently stacked a push bike in front of a load of clubbers? Deluxe Bike Crash!.