What for you are the key cornerstones of a great DJ set?
Know your music, be confident in your selection and, of course, actually enjoy it and move! If you're not vibing then how can you expect anyone else to?
What 3 records are impossible for you to leave out of any DJ set?
This is tricky as it depends on the gig, but in most cases... Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime, Robyn - Dancing On My Own, and New Order - Blue Monday.
Do you think DJing a wedding differs in any way from a regular DJ set - and if so, how? - or do the core principles remain the same?
The core principles that I go by are still the same - however at a wedding you need to cover so much more ground. It's probably the only environment where you could realistically play Frankie Valli and Fred Again in the same set.
What 10 albums would be your Desert Island Discs?
In no particular order...
- Talking Heads - Remain in Light
- Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
- Oasis - Definitely Maybe
- A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
- Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
- The Clash - London Calling
- The Streets - Original Pirate Material
- Blondie - Parallel Lines
- Motown - Greatest Hits (Probably cheating, but hey I'm having it)
- The Chemical Brothers - No Geography
Do you have any big DJing no-no's?
Don't make it all about you - you're ultimately there to facilitate a vibe. Letting a great chorus play out is way more important than your crazy word play mash up.
Fundamentally, what can a couple expect from you as their wedding DJ?
I try to make the set as personal as I can. That means I want to get to know you both; what music you loved growing up and how that's shaped your taste today. We go on such a journey with music in life and songs can be intrinsically linked to key moments, sometimes without us even realising.
I ask every couple I work with for a playlist of around 20 of their favourite, most important songs. That gives me the perfect starting point to build their mix. Music can tell your story in the same way a great speech can, so I always approach it with that level of love and care.
And bangers, of course.