Exclusive Interview with DJ Angelo
Burma-born, UK-raised, and driven by an inherent passion to entertain others, DJ Angelo’s humble beginnings on homemade turntables, gave him the grounding to strive to become the globally-acclaimed DJing sensation he is today. Not satisfied as being labelled as only a "scratch DJ", Angelo invested years into his craft, researching genres and the art of orchestrating emotions through music, all in aid of honing a unique style and brand of enertainment which he entitles “Feel Good Fusion”. With over 10 years experience, a string of industry awards, and the relentless determination to perfect his craft, Angelo deservedly holds a place as one of todays most respected and "complete DJs" - straddling the complex arenas of Club DJing, Turntablism, Exclusive Parties, remix/production, and much more. Indeed, his diverse DJing abilities and showmanship have seen him feature on BBC Radio broadcasts, and sharing stages alongside the likes of Pete Tong, DJ Craze, The Freestylers, DJ Yoda, Krafty Kuts, Jaguar Skills, Jay Sean, Estelle, A.Skillz, and The Scratch Perverts.
Siam2nite had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with DJ Angelo, shortly before his performance at VIE Hotel Bangkok on 23rd October.
You are born in Burma and raised in the UK. Besides being well adapted to the western culture, what aspects of your personality do you ascribe to the Burmese/Asian origin?
Although I grew up in England, I was still raised in a Burmese household with traditional Asian culture, values, and cuisine, and in some ways, England has never fully felt like home. Every time I come to Asia, I feel a sense of belonging and familiarity that I don't feel in England. Burmese people are known for being warm and friendly and I like to think I've carried on this tradition from my parents. I also keep in touch with my inner child (which I believe is very important for creativity), and love gadgets and technology like so many other Asian people!
You taught yourself how to DJ in the 1990s. By now you won national championship titles and are a core member of the world’s largest online DJ resource ‘DJ Tutor’ and you voluntarily share your wisdom in free video tutorials. What motivates you share your knowledge with others?
DJing is something I've devoted a huge portion of my life to, so I naturally feel compelled to contribute to keeping the artform that I love so dearly alive. I'm completely independent and have developed my skills and career single-handedly which I feel gives me a unique perspective and view on the DJ game. I guess I have things to say and wanted to communicate DJing the way I see it, and I especially want this culture to keep growing and be appreciated for generations to come, even though technology is replacing a lot of manual skill. Furthermore, I have a lot of experience in teaching DJing as I used to run youth DJ projects to make ends meet before I started to get regular bookings and endorsements.
You refer to your music as “Feel Good Fusion” – a mix of Hip Hop, Breakbeats, Electro, Moombahton, Dubstep, Drum&Bass and more. How would you describe your own distinctive sound?
It sounds so cliche to say it but every time I perform, I want my audience to feel like they are being taken on a journey - experiencing different emotions, energy, feelings, memories. All of this is possible through playing the right music. My DJ sets are never a straight line - I'll take my audience up and down, left and right, and I try to drop some timely surprises in the hope to challenge the boundaries of their usual musical tastes. I constantly dig for music of all genres that I find interesting and that I think my audiences will enjoy. On top of that, I try to execute turntablism skills as much as possible in the mix for added entertainment value and to heighten the fun because I believe that a DJ should be an entertainer and at the heart of every party.
What tracks, mixes or videos would you recommend as an introduction to someone that is not yet familiar with your music?
I'm a difficult DJ to pigeon-hole and have many facets to my art. Just think of me as the Bruce Lee of DJing! All disciplines combined. So I recommend everyone to check out all my videos on www.youtube.com/djangelouk and my mixes on www.soundcloud.com/djangelo There a real range of material there but I guess the underlying theme is turntablism and feel-good fusion music!
What are you currently working and focusing on? What’s on your agenda for the near future?
Right now, I'm halfway through my 2 month Asia tour. It's been a very ambitious and exciting trip so far and already I've performed in Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, and Korea, with Thailand, India and Burma to go. The travelling is tiring and it's challenging to always perform at your best on the road but I give my all every time because I don't want to disappoint my loyal fans. I'm having so many great experiences and it's really been a trip of a lifetime so far.
After the tour, I have to work on a new showcase video to film in December for my DJ sponsor Reloop and their highly-anticipated new turntable product. The whole DJ world seem to be waiting for this so the pressure is well and truly on me! I will also be launching some new merchandise under my "Turntablist On Tour" brand. Watch this space...
You travel a lot. What are the essential things you need to have with you at all times and what are the things you miss when you are on tour?
I never leave home without my earphones. Right now I'm using some awesome Munitio 9mm earphones, which are perfect for noise-cancellation, and working on music on the road. Some other essentials are travel plug adapters for each country, a neck pillow (I'm always grabbing sleep in chairs), and recently, I've been taking my iPhone fisheye lens for capturing shots in tight situations, and also my Beatspill speaker so I can set up a small studio in each of my hotel rooms. Of course what I miss most is my own bed, my Playstation, and my loved ones.
What was the best and the worst gig you ever played and what was the funniest thing ever occurred during any of your performances?
Over the years I've done every kind of gig you can possibly imagine. Large scale festivals, intimate underground parties, and everything in between. I have so many amazing experiences in this job so it's always hard for me to recall which ones are my best gigs. Just when I think I've had my best, another one happens! I've had some amazing shows on this tour alone. But I think one of the most embarrassing things that happened to me years ago is falling off the stage when drunk (I rarely drink now). And I've occasionally had girls flash at me whilst performing! It's a dirty job but someone's gotta do it!
You will perform in Bangkok on 23rd October at VIE Hotel Bangkok. Will it be your Bangkok Debut or have you played in Bangkok before?
This will be my first ever party in Thailand so I'm super excited! It's been long overdue!
What can Bangkok expect from your performance at VIE Hotel Bangkok on 23rd October?
You can expect an energetic performance with some great feel-good party music of many genres, some crazy turntable action, but most importantly, I hope to bring a real sense of fun and character that I feel a lot of parties are missing these days. Let me entertain you!
After you Bangkok performance you will perform in Rangoon. How is your relationship with your home country? Are you excited to play there?
I haven't been back to Burma since my family immigrated to England when I was only 8 months old. My only knowledge of my home country is through what I've heard from my parents and other family members but I've always been proud to say that I'm Burmese and I can't wait to finally explore my roots and learn more about my origins. I've wanted to visit my whole life and will be honored to perform for my people, so now it just feels like the time is right. I'm also really looking forward to catching up with family I haven't seen in years and some I have never met. I think it will be an emotional trip for me, which is why I saved it for the end of my Asia tour.