A Moment With Doorly
09 01 2011
Last week we were fortunate enough to get a minute with Doorly, who is up there on the list of busiest people in dance music. From running his record label, Pigeonhole This!, to holding residencies at Ibiza Rocks and Mallorca Rocks to touring with Rusko (early 2011), the Identity Festival (currently) and Fat Boy Slim (late 2011), I think it’s a fair argument.
Dig into our interview, get up to speed on his whereabouts and tune up after the jump.
Bizzies: Lets start out by talking about your new release EP3 that just came out on your label; Pigeonhole This! Like previous PHT! releases, it’s pretty down the middle as far as styles go. Although it’s evident the main influence is Dubstep, you sort of teeter between a heavier and laid back sound. Is this an effort to keep from being pinned to one groove or are you just going where your ear takes you?
Doorly: A bit of both really, the name of the label says it all! I never want to be restricted to one vibe as either a producer or as a DJ that way i can stay fresh and focussed on the future.
B: On that note, is that how you plan to carry PHT? By going a more organic route as opposed to sticking strictly to one style? Is that one of the reasons you started your own label?
D: Yep for sure, I’m being sent music from so many great unsigned people at the moment right across the board musically and this label gives me the opportunity to be the one that introduces them to a wider audience alongside a great stable of artists that wouldn’t usually be able to be label mates. I want the label to really focus on the future not, rely on just whats happening now.
B: From your last big North American Tour with Rusko to your new Identity Festival tour, you definitely spend a fair share of time on the road. Have you adopted any tricks for producing in such conditions? You’d think one would have to make adjustments for not being in the comfort zone of their own studio.
D: Yeah my MacBook pretty much runs my life on the road, I don’t even have a computer at home anymore, just a docking station to dock my MacBook and continue working on my studio set up. It was hard at first but now working in confined spaces on a laptop IS my comfort zone! Maybe I should buy a couple of economy airplane seats and tray tables for the studio at home!
B: Looping back to Rusko for a second, I’ve heard he’s the nicest guy in the world. Can you vouch for that?
D: I can confirm that he is, yep. Just not for the first half an hour after waking up, I think waking up confuses him!
B: On the other side of the spectrum, it’s safe to say that when you’re on the road as much as you, you probably meet a lot of interesting people. The obvious question would be “what’s the craziest thing to happen on tour”, but in an effort to keep it PG (or not), can you divulge the oddest item you’ve seen on a rider?
D: The best rider is Mr. Scruffs, on there he has things that are impossible to get unless you go to some extra ordinary effort! IE: Rocking Horse Shit, A Chocolate Fireguard, etc. All I have on mine is a bottle of tequila and a local postcard!
B: Very nice! And when you’re not traveling, producing on the fly or running your label, you also hold residencies at Ibiza Rocks and Mallorca Rocks. Can you speak to those a bit?
D: I’ve been resident there for 4 years and Ibiza is my home in the Summer every year between June & October. They are always some of my favourite shows becuase I operate as the host introducing the bands on stage and also DJ the main support slot before the headliner. We’ve had everyone on that stage: The Prodigy, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Pendulum, Florence & The Machine, LCD Soundsystem, Fatboy Slim – right accross the board and right up my street!
B: Assuming a tour stop is much like a festival in that people expect you to go big and a residency is a place where you might be able to get away with playing different, more obscure tracks, what do you to accommodate the two settings?
D: I like both equally depending on the crowd, it always completely depends on the venue and the line up around me. I like to think of myself as a bit of a chameleon of a DJ that can play on ANY line up and I really enjoy the challenge, I’ve just moved over to USB and Pioneer’s RekordBox software so I no longer have to cart round 9 CD wallets [to be sure] that I have the perfect track for any situation!
B: I read in a different interview that you’re currently vibing Art Department, Joy O and Skream. Taking it several steps further, can you think of your favorite song? Of all time.
D: That is a tough question, my sure fire winner on a big stage at a festival is Len Faki’s Podium remix of “Stranger To Stability” by Dustin Zahn, but the tune I wish I’d made is Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs “Garden“, it’s perfect!
B: Lastly, what are some things you’re into that don’t involve music, or on your down time?
D: If I get the chance to be boring, do absolutely nothing and just switch off then thats my treat, but basically everything I do is basically a hobby anyway, looking for new music, making tracks and DJing so any spare time I get I’m usually still doing one of those things anyway!
B: Thanks so much, Doorly, and good luck with the rest of your 2011.
D: Thank you!
Doorly on tour:
Sep 04 – ID Fest Tour (Los Angeles, CA)
Sep 05 – ID Fest Tour (Las Vegas, NV)
Sep 10 – Bestival (Isle Of Wight, UK)
Sep 24 – Pigeonhole This! Launch Party (London, UK)
Sep 30 – Lemon Grove (Exeter, UK)
Oct 01 – Junction (Cambridge, UK)
Oct 08 – The Plug (Sheffield, UK)
Oct 14 – Smack (Leamington, UK)
Dec 01 – Fatboy Slim Tour (Brighton, UK)
Dec 02 – Fatboy Slim Tour (Southend, UK)
Dec 03 – Fatboy Slim Tour (Swindon, UK)
Dec 09 – Fatboy Slim Tour (Bridlington, UK)
Dec 10 – Fatboy Slim Tour (Blackpool, UK)
Jan 06 – HARD Cruise (Orlando, FL)
See all dates
Calvin Harris – Not Alone (Doorly Remix)
Mr. Scruff – Get A Move On (Doorlys Pigeonhole This! Bootleg)
