Don Carlos, Italy - The Official Interview

Name: Don Carlos

Born:Italy

Age:....

Place where living now?: I LIVE ON THE LAKE MAGGIORE, IN THE PROVINCE OF VARESE(NORTH OF ITALY)

Occupation: DJ/Producer

1.For the not so clued up person in regards to the world of Soulful House and Garage music, could you tell us how you got started in this profession?

1.I STARTED DJING IN THE LATE 70S IN PARTIES AND CLUBS AROUND HOME

2. Who was the major influence for you within the World of House and Garage music and why???

2.AT THE TIME OF MY FIRST RECORDS MY BIGGEST INFLUENCE WAS FRANKIE KNUCKLES

2a. Did having a huge hit like "Alone", so early in your career, put to much pressure on you to come out with another monster hit...???

2A.AFTER 'ALONE' I DIDN'T FEEL PRESSURE AT ALL, INSTEAD, IT MADE ME THINK OF SERIOUSLY BECOMING A PRODUCER

3. A few people that I have talked to about Soulful House and Garage music have become disillusioned by the state of affairs within the World Of House and Garage music. This is strange because House and Garage music now can be mentioned in the same breath as Jungle, Techno and Acid House was years ago...Are you one of the disillusioned?

3.I'M DEFINITELY NOT ONE OF THE DISILLUSIONED ABOUT HOUSE MUSIC!

3b. Garage City and the Loft ( both situated in London) are often mentioned over here as places to go if you want to hear or see playing Soulful type House within the capital of England... Many people from aboard still have this image of London of being a place obsessed with Speed Garage/2-Step Garage and Break Beat tunes....Is this fair??? Have you ever visited England before? Have you noticed this on your travels if you have been?...

3B.DURING THE LAST YEAR I'VE ONLY BEEN PLAYING AT THE MINISTRY, WE DON'T HAVE SPEED GARAGE IN ITALY...IF I LOOK AT THE ENGLISH CHARTS 90% IS HOUSE MUSIC

4.I posed this question to DJ Cosmo (USA, now living in the UK) ( A couple of years back), and now I'm going to pose it to you. Have you ever been given the chance to play or being aired on those famous or infamous Pirate Radio Show's within London or Outside London in your career; any of them at all? Would you like to be featured on them at all?

Does Pirate Radio serve a purpose, or have they outstayed their welcome? What is the rules and the state of play in your own country governing Pirate Radio. Is it popular out there in Italy as it is in England?

4.I HEARD ABOUT THE PIRATE RADIO SHOW AND I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY! WE DON'T HAVE PIRATE RADIOS IN ITALY

5.Keeping on the radio subject...Have you ever had a spell as a DJ on Radio?

Could you see this being you in a couple of years time...doing radio work..?

5.YES, I WORKED MANY YEARS ON THE RADIO AND I MIGHT START SOMETHING AFTER THE SUMMER

6.Are you a Record Hoarder? Do you still do your stint of record shopping or hunting? Or do you leave it up to being supplied by promo's to keep you up to date. A lot of DJ's, Music artists nowadays survive by living of what given to them by Record labels of all shapes and sizes. What about you. Does this apply to you?.

6.I RECEIVE MANY PROMOS BUT EVERY WEEK I GO TO RECORD SHOPS AND BUY WHAT I LIKE

7.Being a DJ/Producer within the venue of Soulful House music, has the music of Soulful House and Garage reached such a saturation point that it has become stale....??? Is there too much vinyl being put out nowadays? What are your thoughts?

7. I THINK THERE ARE ONLY A FEW GOOD GOOD RECORDS!

8.Other countries within the world of Soulful House and Garage are following the music religiously... Notably Finland, Holland and Norway....Is this something that you are aware of...??

8.I DON'T KNOW MANY THINGS ABOUT THESE COUNTRIES

9 If you were given the chance as DJ/producer would you like to work with in the World of Soulful House and Garage music to produce a track? Who would you choose?

9.I WOULD LOVE PARTICULARLY TO WORK WITH 'SADE', IN THE HOUSE WORLD WITH ALL THE ARTISTS YOU MENTIONED, PARTICULARLY WITH BLAZE

10.Are you at peace with the press? Do you still constantly worry about being misquoted. Or do you have a good relationship with the press as a whole? Or do you sometimes have to muzzle yourself just in case you bring yourself down...???

10.I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE PRESS

11. The very mention of UK Underground House/Speed Garage or its latest label 2-Step Garage brings about mummerings of "Here we go again", or "More please". It has led to some hefty and heated conversations/exchanges on the "World famous Global House-mail forum in the past" for instances.

And also many heated arguments in Us and UK magazines as well. Many have see UK Underground House fans (* Speed Garage ) see it as a breath of fresh air by getting rid of the old and tired record promoters, producers, who go by the same old routine of producing and promoting the same sounds...Others who's views are just as strong with their detrimental views towards UK Underground House claim it to be a pile of "Do Doo"... What are you thought's about it?... Have you heard much of it on your travels?

12.I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING HAPPENING MAINLY IN ENGLAND

14.Changing the subject again..Are you signed to any label of anykind? And if so, who else have they signed along side of you? Any important Releases that we should keep a look out for from the label? Many people within the music world will always place you with Irma and Calypso, but you aren't with them any more. What happened?

13.I DON'T HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE WITH ANY LABEL, I WORK A LOT WITH GUIDANCE(AQUANAUTS) AND IRMA

14.It seems as if USA via its records labels are hitting back of late which have definitely caught the eye of the Soulful Head buyers in England and Europe..

Already Spiritual Life, Guidance, Ibadan, !Records, YellowOrange and Naked Music are starting to become cult status over here...

Is it a case of "The Empire Strikes Back!!!"Or have you seen this all before with Strictly, Bottomline, Nervous, Easy Street, Area 10, Nu-Groove, during the early 1990's...??? Is there any Top House and Garage Labels to lookout for from Italy???

14.IN ITALY...LOOKOUT FOR IRMA , PASTABOYS AND OCEAN TRACKS

15. It was great to see that the country of France with their growing roster of stars within House music are adding their influence to House and Garage music; also together with their disco influenced House and Garage sounds now being taken much more seriously. What do you think of the influence that Disco music is making in regards to House and Garage Music. What did you think of DISCO when it first came around?

15.AT THE BEGINNING I LIKED DISCO INFLUENCED TRACKS, NOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH

16. Can you see a day when we might be receiving imports from India, China and Russia in regards to House and Garage music. Or am I really being too optimistic?

16.YES, EASTERN COUNTRIES ARE DOING VERY INTERESTING THINGS

17. The Body and Soul club on a Sunday in New York City is often talked about as New York's finest Deep House and Garage club. Have you been? Or is it a case of not having the time. Would you go if you had the time?

17.IF I HAD THE TIME, ONCE IN A WHILE I WOULD LOVE TO GO TO THE BODY AND SOUL

18. Clubbing in England seems to be the thing to do for people from Thursday to Sunday...Surely the popularity of clubbing can't go on forever..? Many people are talking of preclub bars as taking over fully fledge night clubs to hear the most happening sounds on the dance music scene. Is this the case of what's happening in your area of the world??

18. YES, DISCO BARS FIRST OPENED IN IBIZA, IN THE LAST 5 YEARS IT HAPPENED ALSO IN ITALY...THERE ARE ALWAYS LESS CLUBS

19. As labels go..Have you a favourite One that you always stop by as you flick through the piles of Records in your specialist record shop?

20.I LIKE IBADAN, GUIDANCE, MANTIS

21.YES, DEEP HOUSE IS STILL MY PREFERRED STYLE

21.Larry Heard, Ron Trent and Glen Underground often in the news due to their Deep House efforts with regards to House and Garage music. Is Deep House still your preferred Style of Soulful House and Garage music.

22.NO PREFERENCES

23. It appears that you have joined up with Guidance Records from Chicago, USA. How did that come about? Are you happy working with the label?

23.YES, I'M VERY HAPPY TO WORK WITH GUIDANCE, THEY CALLED ME TO WORK WITH THEM ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO

24.Has House music gained in new popularity in the Italy? For during the early 1990's Italian House was all the rage.Do you think that this could ever happen again in your country

24.IT'S QUITE A GOOD MOMENT FOR HOUSE IN ITALY

25.Talking about putting one's foot up. When you do get the chance to do so. Do you ever read the Dance Magazines? And if so which one and why this particular one? Or is it a case of using you spare time to get away from music all together?

25.DJ MAGAZINE, UPDATE, MINISTRY, DISCOID,ETC.

26.Any DJ/producer to watch out for in the future from your area in the world?

26.FROM ITALY WATCH OUT HARLEY AND MUSCLE, PASTA BOYS, MAS COLLECTIVE

(This Interview is of the responsibility of Don Carlos, Italy) and Carl Brown, Ipswich, England).Any part of this Interview that you Would like to use then you will have to gain the permission of these 2 parties to do so. This is copyrighted!!