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Greg Wilson Interview
House | Wednesday 14th December 2011 | Osh
He's a promoter’s worst nightmare. 'So what do you need for your set Greg?'
'Oh just a plug for my laptop, a mixer and a reel-to-reel.' Riggggghhhhhht. One of the in the most on the level guys we've had chat with Greg Wilson talks us through the transition between then and now.
You’ve been in the industry for a while now. When you first started out were there any major differences in the industry then than there are now?
To make a decent living you had to work maybe 5 – 6 nights a week. There wasn’t an emphasis on the sound equipment, basic set ups with tinny, nasty sound systems. Things have changed but, some things have stayed the same, the principles and what it’s all about. Entertaining an audience.
There was a point when you took a break from dj’ing, and you were producing for a while, then you came back. Was there a specific event that drew you to mix again?
It was lucky what was happening over the Internet, and the documentaries that were being made. They were coving the history of the dance culture and enough time had passed that people were looking back on it. What I thought they were missing out on, was that how influential the underground scene was, this wasn’t really mentioned. So I thought I still have all my old archived records from the early 80s, so I set up a website. Before I knew it I was back in clubs dj’ing, all over the country, eventually Europe, then the world.
How important do you think it is that people understand and know the roots of music?
I think it’s hugely importantly. If you have a distorted vision of what happened in the past then the future will be distorted. That for me is a key aspect. It goes back to the 60s when it was the real underground dance culture, going back to the rhythm and blues.
How would you describe what you play now?
Basically I just draw from a really wide palette, primarily I’m looking back into the period when I used to dj, from the late 70s and the early 80s. There’s so many re-edits being done, that kinda puts a contemporary spin on it, and stops it from falling into a nostalgic type thing. There are a lot of tracks being made by contemporary artists, who again draw their influences from that period. Really I’m taking from all these, trying to look to find a balance between past and present. To try and stop it taking that nostalgic feeling, as I was very aware of this situation when I came back I didn’t want it to become like that, as I would’ve only got about 6 months out of it, and it wouldn’t have lasted, it would have become a novelty.
Can you draw out any contemporary artists that would fit the bill for you?
There’s people like Crazy P, in the states you got Forty Theives, in San Francisco, Escort in New York, Social Disco Club in Portugal. Scattered all over the place there’s like minded people. That’s another big thing that’s going on now, is that it’s global. Almost like a global underground. I travel all over the world now and you link people, who have an interest in this side of things.
When you go out now and play I’m sure sometimes your playing to crowds that you were probably playing to back then and remember it all. Yet sometimes you’re playing to a whole new generation. Do you prefer playing to either one of them?
Well to be honest, I generally play to a mixed audience, or more of the youngsters. I don’t really like those events where you are playing to those people who are trying to relive their youth, that’s almost bordering on sad. I think where it works best for me is, where it’s a mixture of a young crowd and some of the old heads. Its like seeing it from my level, I mean I’m 50 now, and I feed off of a younger crowd. I think if I was playing to all old generation it would be a bit of a nightmare for me.
Have you ever been out there playing something and you put a tune on and you thought “oh no what am I doing here?”
I’m playing from such a wide spectrum of music, that I have huge choice, but a dj might sometimes walk into a venue with a box of records, look at the crowd and think, “shit! This is totally the wrong crowd”. But with what music I’ve got, and what with holding it all on a laptop, you can tailor your set pretty well generally to the type of people that are in there. Its always a risk, and I remember in the old days that if you played the wrong record, everybody walked off the dance floor, and so it was as clear as day that people didn’t like it.
Maybe they’re a bit more open-minded nowadays who knows…
I just think the culture of dance has changed. Going back to when I started, eventually I was specialist working on the black scene, in clubs where it was predominantly black kids, and so people went out to dance, dancing was the culture. Whereas in the very first clubs I started in where it was mostly white kids, the girls danced and the only way the guys came on the dancefloor really was when they wanted to move in on the girls.
You’ve been doing this for a while, which you could say is an understatement, what is the best thing about this stage of your career?
The connection with the younger generation of people that have that passion for music, that’s something that I really enjoy.
Do you have a high point this year? Something your looking forward to?
I did a tour of Japan, I did Australia, and I did the States which is really eye opening. I have to go back over to Japan and the States again later in the year, which I’m looking forward to doing, and obviously got all the festivals coming up.
We’re all about parties here, and fun. So is there one place in the world you could say would be the best place to catch Greg Wilson?
Haha! Its funny actually, I think its more about the people not the place. It might be that you have 2 cities the same, same size, same history, and same appeal, but at one it’s just not happening there. Yet at the other it’s really going off. Which is all down to the promoters.
You could say it’d be on the beaches of Rio, and to romanticise the whole situation, but its more likely to be in one of the unlikeliest of places though because of the types of people that have been drawn together.
I think I’ll be catching up with you at the Croation Garden Party…
Croatia is fantastic! A few years ago when I first did that, this is my 4th year coming up. Croatia has a real communal feel about it, and a beautiful location. It just has such a special thing about it since it has started, so it’s a great place for me to go back to.
Am I right in thinking the sun will be shining out there?
I will be very shocked if the sun wasn’t shining! Have you not been out there yourself?
Nope this will be my first time!
Ah its a beautiful spot over there, owned by 2 English guys who have now moved over there and are totally into their music, realised the potential and put this festival together. So everything is coming from the right place, from the heart. They have resisted temptation to allow it to grow, to cash in on it as such, so its kept at a real manageable size. Which I think people appreciate, you meet people there and make lifelong friendships.
I’m thinking being out there in the Croatian sunshine will be a good place to hear Greg Wilson’s set…
I’m doing three separate things over there, hopefully I’ll be living up to your expectations, haha!
Well I’m like you, I’ll go somewhere with low expectations just so I can get pleasantly surprised. Thank you for your time Greg and I’ll be sure to catch up with you in Croatia!
