Erol Alkan Interview
Bugged Out! chat to the inimitable Mr. Erol Alkan.
Since legendary London night Trash first arrived here in 2000, Erol has been an integral part of The End. The combination of his weekly Monday night residency and his much lauded Bugged Out! sets were crucial as he became one of the most exciting and talked about DJs on the planet. He then went on to carve out a reputation as a fantastically talented producer too, working on recent albums by the likes of Late Of The Pier and Mystery Jets. As the man with the Midas touch prepared to make a return to the main room DJ booth, Bugged Out! tracked him down for a catch up…
Bugged Out: It could be your last full set in The End’s main room this Saturday. How do you feel about The End closing?
Erol Alkan: I'm upset on two counts, firstly, it's a major loss for London's clubbing future, and secondly, it's a place which defined me hugely for both Trash and Bugged Out, and it'll soon be gone. It's on par with the house you grew up in getting bulldozed. But I'm not one for nostalgia so you’ve got to keep your chin up and move on.
Are you excited about playing with Popof and Tomboy who make their debuts at the club this Saturday?
For sure. Tomboy is a really great DJ. I've seen him a few times and he's always been good. Popof has gradually become one of the most prolific producers of the year.
Will you be popping into the lounge for a bit of disco action with the Riotous Rockers and Disco Bloodbath?
I'll be in there as well no doubt. The 'return' of disco has been most welcome.
Were you surprised at the reaction your Disco 3000 podcast received?
Yes and no. I find it alarming that some people view disco as some type of novelty: it's dance music in one of its purest forms. It’s the presence of west end clubs advocating the uniform of strap-on afros and flares which attach any naffness to the genre; so people who feel it's a bit wet need to get their head checked. The podcast was to illustrate my take on the different shades and feelings that the genre has, and how it can stand up against the dance music of now. It's easy to forget that the last couple of years could be year zero for many young people getting into dance music, and that podcast was just to flag up something else which could be of interest. The response has been great, but that’s because there’s something within that music which is a little lacking in much of contemporary dance music. But don’t worry, I'm not about to go all Roger Sanchez on anybody just yet...
Your forum is the most active in the world for electronic music, are you surprised that it has become so important and that kids even meet up with each other through it?
A little.
What are your favourite kind of topics discussed on the forum?
I wish I had more time to wade through it all.
How do you feel this year has been in dance music? What would you like to see changing in 2009?
It's been OK; nothing has really blown me away. I don’t think anybody is to blame for that, but we could just be around the corner from something special.
You produced three albums back to back in 2007/8 – how did that process feel? What did you learn?
It was tough physically, and mentally, but it was what I wanted to do creatively. I learnt so much that it would be impossible to explain even half of it. I just wanted to make pop music, it is music I've loved since I was born. I feel some of those songs will have a good life; I hope that 'Young Love' (Mystery Jets) gets played at weddings in 2020.
When can we expect some Erol Alkan music?
I ask myself that same question.
What has your highlight of the year been?
Making the Late Of The Pier album, there was never, ever a dull moment. And also playing at Durrr earlier this year was great fun, it felt really fresh.
Published: 16/10/2008
