INTERVIEW

Erick Morillo - Von DJ zu DJ

Aktuelles Album: Various - Be Bad-Subliminal Sessions Summer 2009 Mixed by Erick Morillo (Subliminal Records/Warner)

Erick Morillo

Erick Morillo - Von DJ zu DJ

Aktuelles Album: Various - Be Bad-Subliminal Sessions Summer 2009 Mixed by Erick Morillo (Subliminal Records/Warner)

“Subliminal Records ist ein Label von DJs für DJs”, sagt Erick Morillo, der erst kürzlich das „More“ aus seinem Namen verbannte, und der sicher einer der populärsten und erfolgreichsten House-DJs des Planeten ist, zugleich Macher des mittlerweile legendären House- und Techno-Labels Subliminal Records.

Das Label hat seit seiner Gründung 1997 runde 200 Platten herausgebracht und erfindet sich gerade einmal mehr neu: Erick Morillo hat eine ganze Riege neuer Stars im Roster des Subliminal-Stalls, die er uns auch auf seiner neuesten eigenen Kompilation, der Tech-House getriebenen “Be Bad-Subliminal Sessions Summer 2009 Mixed by Erick Morillo“-Doppel-CD (Subliminal Records/Warner) nicht vorenthalten will.

Am Start sind dabei unter anderem Acts wie Mark Brown & Juan Kidd, Andrea Carnell, Blacktron, Wippenberg, Deadmaus, Stephan Luke, Da Mongoloids oder Jose Nunez, um nur einige wenige der Doppel-CD mit seinen insgesamt 26 gemixten Tracks zu erwähnen.

Erstmalig im SOUL TRAIN, wie bereits auf unserer “PHILOSOPHIE“-Seite angekündigt, verbleibt das eigentliche Interview, dass Toni Tambourine für den SOUL TRAIN führte, komplett in Englisch, was der Thematik des Beitrages, House, nur zuspielt. Wir bitten um zahlreiche Zuschriften zu diesem Thema an die Redaktion (soul(at)(nospam)michaelarens.de).

Also Vorhang auf für Über-DJ Erick Morillo - unserem ersten englischsprachigen Beitrag…

Toni Tambourine (TT): “What is the philosophy behind Subliminal, what are the essential factors for a record to be on the label?”

Erick Morillo (EM): “For me this has always been a label by DJs for DJs. The criteria for  what makes a good record for subliminal is all about signing records that I would play, from the producers that I work with. People like Harry Romero and Jose Nunez. I have made a lot of producer relationships over the years, and for me it’s about a record that works on the dancefloor. When we started it had to be a particular style of record, although when we first started we did have a particular signature sound. Nowadays my taste have grown as a DJ, I will go from a very deep vocal record to something that is really peak time, ‘balls to the wall’ kind of vibe. But it has to be of the best quality and has to work on the dancefloor.”

TT: “How are you signing these records? Is it producers that you are already working with or is it fresh talent coming through?”

EM: “It is a combination of both. There are not many labels out there that have the ears of the world. There are a few labels that are recognised world wide as a place to be able to promote music for people and I think we are one of the fortunate dance labels that have that. I get calls from people all the time saying, 'Check out this track' and it’s generally like that. Also when I get sent records that I really like, I see if I can license them. I also get a lot of calls from people who would like me to put out their records. I can't tell you that we have a huge A&R (Artist & Repertoire - die “Talentschmiede” der Plattenfirmen, Anm. D. Red.) department, because we don't. I am the A&R.”

TT: “Do you agree that this is a completely new chapter for Subliminal because you have a new organisation working for it?”

EM: “I definitely think that this is a new era for Subliminal, we have embraced a lot of new sounds and we are working with a lot of different people, now there is not one sound that I would not release on Subliminal. We have recently formed a partnership with Strictly Rhythm and Defected and now the label has gone onto a whole new level. Working with such great organisations, Strictly Rhythm being what it has been over the last 20 years and having the reputation that it does, and Defected having seeing what they have accomplished. It is now known as one of the best dance brands in the world. To be able to join that organisation for me is just phenomenal. Now we are going to be focussed a lot more on releasing quality dance music, but also doing a lot more compilations. Focusing more on the digital world realm, it’s the future of music and not just dance music in general. So we are going to be a lot more proactive now. I am really excited to see the direction that subliminal is going in. And I am excited to see what the next 5 or 10 years brings.”

TT: “Let’s move onto some of your key artists. What do you actually admire about them?”

EM: “For me my two workhorses are and the two guys that helped me create this label, Harry (Choo Choo) Romero and Jose Nunez. Harry, who is like my brother and someone that I admire very much as I feel he is one of the most talented producers out there. Also because he has his own label called Bambossa Records. But also he is an incredible family man who is focussed. And then there is Mr. Jose Nunez, a guy that I love like a brother too and has been with me from the beginning. He is another guy that is very talented and is doing it right now. He has a new record about to drop called “Visitors”, he is on the ball and very meticulous about his productions. Other artists that we are pushing are people who we are excited about like Richard Grey, who released a cover of Daft Punk’s “One More Time” recently and not too long ago we put out some Remixes a records that I did with him called “Life Goes On”. He is very young, French, lives in Ibiza, and is hungry. We will be releasing a compilation with him in late July. A digital compilation as well, if you look at his Remixes; he is definitely one of the busiest guys in this industry.”

TT: “What are the big records that are coming up that you can give us a heads up on?”

EM: “We have a new Ministers De La Funk record, featuring Duane Harden – “I Feel Love”. My new record featuring Deborah Cooper, the vocalist on the original C&C Music Factory “Pride”, a record called “I Get Lifted”, a record by Huggy 747, which is a tougher, more dark record that switches into an upbeat track. I played it out this weekend and everybody was going absolutely mental. We have another record that is going to incredible this summer by Jason Heard and Mark Brown called “Burning”. It is actually the lead track on this very compilation. Over the last 2 years I have been restructuring the label and the releases have slowed down a lot, just trying to get everything ready for what we are doing now. And I am really excited to see the direction that we are going in and the intensity that we are going at.”

TT: “You’re big in Ibiza every year, I'd like to ask you what you concept behind Subliminal Sessions parties at Pacha this year?”

EM: “The concept for this year is something that I am no stranger to! Which is 'Be Bad!'. Be bad at Subliminal Sessions on Wednesdays at Pacha Ibiza! At the end of the day when you go to a club, you go to loose yourself, you go to be bad. You go to escape, it’s about letting go of your normal life, your 9 - 5, letting go of your stresses, being bad on the dancefloor, being bad if you can take a girl into the bath room and be bad, be bad!

TT: “Your concepts are always quite sexy, is it important that there is a sexy image for the club?”

EM: “I think so. In fact, for me everything I do in life is about being Sexy, not so much about myself and being sexy, but when I play records and when I play in clubs I usually play for girls. Wherever there are girls there is going to be guys. So for me it’s really important as a DJ and an events organiser, for my parties to be sexy. For them to have beautiful girls, to attract girls and it’s always going to be sexy. Life without sexiness is a life that I am not interested in!”

TT: “So “Subliminal Sessions Summer 09”… Tell me about the two mixes and how they are different.”

EM: “If anybody knows what I am about they know that I am about energy, I am a peak time DJ, that why I get the big bucks. This CD is that. CD1 starts out with what I consider to be deep, and very sexy, with vocals, and it takes you for that ride. It is very pumped up throughout the whole way. The second CD has different influences of minimal, progressiveness, its throbbing but still keeping that sexy vibe. It has very deep baselines but definitely tougher and darker. This is the continuation of my recent Strictly - Erick Morillo compilation, but without the homage to the old classic tracks. This album is a good example how all the different genres of house have come together. You have a little bit of minimal, with deep vocals on top of it. I think that no one will be disappointed with this mix.”

Interview © Toni Tambourine

Intro/Teil-Übersetzung © Jürgen Paulendorf

Erick Morillo

Erick Morillo

Aktuelles Album:

Various -

Be Bad-

Subliminal Sessions

Summer 2009

Mixed by Erick Morillo

(Subliminal Records/

Warner)

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