Deejay News by Miss Ess Jay: Exclusive interview with Laidback Luke

This is an exciting day in Deejay News' life! The inspiration behind me starting this blog came from a chance meeting back in March 2011, at my favourite club in the world, Cream Liverpool. I had been told of the amazing talent of this Dutch DJ by my good friend Diego Levatto, and upon researching his music instantly fell in love with his dynamic style! Meeting Luke was such a massive impact on me that my love of music evolved and grew into this outlet for me to share outstanding talent like this, with the rest of the world...

Lucas Cornelis van Scheppingen, born 22 October 1976 is a Dutch Electro House/House/Dance DJ/Producer better known to the world as Laidback Luke.
Since his first single release back in 1998, Luke has exploded onto the dance scene with smash hits such as Turbulence, Timebomb, Natural Disaster and my fave Rockin with the best.
Luke has also performed under the name of Nouveau Yorican with fellow DJ, and now wife...the beautiful Gina Turner, producing tracks with a super sexy Latino vibe, such as Chiuso and Boriqua.
With his own record label, Mixmash Records and his signature club nights, Super You & Me, Luke is a (Super) force to be reckoned with!

First of all Luke, I just want to thank you for taking time to do this for me, and also thank you for inspiring me to start this blog up after I met you in Cream in 2011. Who has been your biggest inspiration through your life?

LBL: My pleasure, I'm glad I can be of help and thanks so much for your support throughout the years! Inspiration always comes in different ways and through various people. Anyone can be an inspiration to me as long as the passion radiates through and triggers something in me. At one point for instance, I saw the baker at the market selling his bread as if he invented making bread. Such passion and love for what he does, it was like me being in the crowd and watching him perform.
It's those moments I realize how precious that is. Throughout the years I've been musically inspired by people like Chocolate Puma, Stonebridge, Carl Craig, DJ Pierre, DJ Sneak, Daft Punk, Swedish House Mafia, Timbaland and NERD. DJ-wise I'm a big big fan of Gaslamp Killer and a lot of my DJ inspiration comes from people like Jeff Mills, Bad Boy Bill, Frankie Bones, DJ AM and Dave Clarke.

I love that you take time to communicate with your fans via social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. How much do these sites mean to you both musically and personally? And do you think they help spread music from artist to fan and vice-versa?

LBL: I've always been about being in touch with the people that support me. That's one of the reasons my forum became such a breeding ground for talent. Coming up and bumping into big and ugly DJ egos, I made a promise to myself to always be approachable. No matter how big I would become. I still live by that, although it moved away a bit from my forum more onto Twitter and Facebook. I just think it's really important to be in touch with the people that make me do what I do, and that pay my rent! It surprises me every day that fellow artists take their 'fans' (I hate that word, it sounds very degrading to me) for granted. We are the lucky ones being appreciated so much for doing what we love.

Your music always seems to evolve with the ever changing genres, incorporating new styles such as Dubstep. How important as an artist is it for you to do this, and do you think it brings with it a whole new following of fans?

LBL: If you know anything about marketing some people would even suggest to stay safe and just keep on doing the same for years and years. As an artist, I really can't pigeonhole myself like that. I've always been about growing and discovering new things and challenges. I'll always try to be that. The moment I'm bored, I'll be unhappy with what I do. My passion will stay alive by constantly evolving and coming across new challenges. And yes, in every 2 or 3 years that means I gain a new following. While the old following complains they miss my old sound. It has happened multiple times and it's something I can't worry about. My own happiness is my number 1 concern. For me, no happiness means no music, I've been there before and it's a horrible experience to not be able to make any music anymore.This is what Techno did to me when I started out. I started putting out records in 1995 and hadto break with doing techno in 1999. As it wasn't making me happy and put me in sucha writer's block that I wanted to quit producing and DJing altogether!The moment I chose for my own happiness, the creativity started flowing again!

Super You & Me has been a great success for you, and a fun way for people to dress up as their favourite Superhero. One of my favourite films this year was Avengers Assemble ( lol'd so much at Hulk & Loki scene!) If you could have one Super power what would it be and why?

LBL: I very much feel like a superhero whenever I'm behind the decks. My dad sometimes calls me a conductor, by the way I work the crowd and take them with me in the energy of a night. With Super You & Me I want people to feel that epic feeling with me but very much in a fun way. As I think the fun gels people together and brings good times to all of us. My favorite superheroes all time are Spiderman and Wolverine.I always imagined me being a crossbreed of them if I would want to have superpowers.

You have played numerous times at my hometown club Cream, in Liverpool. I spent my youth there being influenced by DJ legends such as Paul Oakenfold and Carl Cox. To me it will always be my favourite club. What is it about the club and the crowd that make you keep coming back for more?

LBL: I feel Liverpool adopted me as a Scouser. Somehow what I do, pushes all the rightbuttons to Scousers. Whenever I play anywhere in the neighborhood, or not even, I have busloads of people from Liverpool traveling down to see me play. I'm very honored about this, I do connect well with people from Liverpool. Obviously Cream is the epicenter of where I need to be. I know that it's going to be absolutely mental already. And in a club with such a rich history, it's very easy for me to tap into that energy and pick up the amazing vibe that has resonated there for decades. I'm back at Boxing Night and I'm absolutely buzzing!

Describe in 3 words how music makes you feel:-

LBL: Alive, Energized and Invincible.

On your days off away from music, what is your favourite thing to do to relax?

LBL: My other big passions in life are Kung Fu and Cooking. I have a dream of opening a Kung Fu school later in life. I've been practicing it for 11 years now and I'm at that level I could be an instructor. This year I've competed in the British Kung Fu Championships and won a few medals. And I've been invited to compete at the World Championships in Hong Kong coming year! Kung Fu helps me to keep grounded and energized in this crazy DJ life I lead. Cooking helps me with that too. It's a similar type of mixing I do, but not having the pressure of the whole world watching me when I do so. Plus the food is amazing!

What can we expect to hear from LBL in 2013?

LBL: I have loads of new tracks on the way. We're about ready to go with collaborations withHardwell, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and Shermanology for instance. I have a big new track coming with Majestic on the vocal too which is named 'Pogo'. A very fun new track!

And finally what best advice would you give to a newcomer to guide them in the right direction?

LBL: It depends on what they want. I will always tell beginning DJs to start producing tracksas it will be the quickest and easiest way to get your name globally known. Then again, I always recommend people that want to get into DJing to try the cheeky PC program called 'Virtual DJ' first. Just to see if you like mixing and playing your music at all.Advice always comes in different stages, and I've been through it all in my 20 years of producer experience and 15 years of DJing. So I often direct people in various ways.Anyone can always ask me for advice and I'll do my best to answer!

Editors note: As always a pleasure when it involves you, such a genuine guy. Thank goodness you gave up Techno and are still around giving pleasure to our ears years later, and years to come. As for coming to Liverpool, you are an honorary Scouser and are welcome anytime....we love you!!
Best of luck in everything you do, whether it be making music, cooking or kicking butt...I for one will be there every step of the way =)

**Big thanks to Tom Oudshoorn