www.planetnotion.com


Tony from Above & Beyond
09/08/2007
Tony from Above & Beyond
What are you most looking forward to about this year’s Creamfields?
 
Some sunshine!! I think I’ll put it on our rider.
 
Out of all of your accolades over the last few years, what has made you the proudest?
 
Probably the review of our artist album “Tri-State” in DJ Mag. It isn’t a magazine known for liking trance-orientated artists but they gave the album five stars and said “A blend of sleek electronic rhythms, lush filmic textures and old fashioned song writing. Tri-state is the fulfillment of any dance act’s ultimate album aspiration: a padding-free, skilled diverse long player. In a word, ‘brilliant’. “ Its quite easy to see how that might make you proud.
 
Have you ever had an epiphany during your careers?
 
Every time I write a song it feels like it comes from somewhere else. e.g. “Slipping sideways, silver stars collide” took as long to write as it does to sing, but I have no idea where I got the idea. Or what it means!
 
Do you have any pre-performance warm up?
 
God, yes. Imagine you’re in a darkened hotel room, you’ve just had your first 2 hours sleep in 24 hours, your body is just starting to close down, pleasant dreams are starting to wash over you and the alarm goes off. You wake with a start. Gradually it dawns on you where you are. The car will be picking you up in 25 minutes and you’re on stage in 45. Know what you need? Vodka and orange.
 
Will you be requesting anything at this year’s festival?
 
Three half naked Philippino women and a packet of crisps please.
 
Which DJ’s do you most admire?
 
Tiesto for raising the bar for all of us, Jules for being such a selfless beacon of loveliness, Peace Division for making me dance for three hours without going to the toilet, Ferry Corsten for constantly re-drawing his map and for letting us all use his old one, Armin for working so hard on his own, Sasha for making Involver and Seb Fontaine for inventing Malibu Stacey, the place where I came in.
 
In the studio do you find it easy to make a tune, or does it take days to come up with the beats?
 
It is really easy to start a track and really hard to finish one!
 
What is the difference between playing clubs and festivals?
 
Club gigs are full of your fans, people who know all the words, are aware of what you played last time and are hoping for something new. Festivals are full of casual observers who aren’t quite so sure who you are and need entertaining, enlightening and a good bath.
 
What was the first record vinyl that you bought?
Max Graham “Bar None” on a white label in Plastic Fantastic in Covent Garden.
 
Do you still own it?
 
Oh yes. I caress it often.
 
When Pete Tong described you as ‘UK’s new dance superstars’ how did you feel?
Flattered. Pete’s a legend, of course, and it’s always nice to have him wax lyrical about us, especially in that nice radio voice he has.
 
Will you make time to check out other DJ’d playing at this years Creamfields or are you on a tight time schedule?
My intention is always to try and see as many people as I can, but the reality is that we seldom have the time to see any.
 
Do you still enjoy socializing in the club scene or do you find you want to do the opposite and get away from it to have a break?
I like nothing better than losing myself on the dance floor. The thing is these days people keep coming and finding me. I thought I’d got away with it last year in Pacha in Ibiza (I always try and glue a few days off to one of our dates over there) and then, at about 7 in the morning one of the new friends I’d made that night said “you know you look exactly like Tony McGuinness from Above & Beyond” and then the cameras came out. And I put my sunglasses on.
 
What are your earliest memories of Creamfields?
Running up the ramp to the stage two years ago straight into a tubular metal bar. I had a circular bruise on my forehead for days.
 
Do you still think you will be spinning the decks when your 80?
Oh yes. I think by that time the decks will spin them selves and I’ll be able to dance instead!
 
If you were to make a Creamfields compilation CD from over the years what would be your choice of tracks?
When I think of Cream I always think of Paul Oakenfold in the courtyard, so it would have lots of that era stuff on it, Y-Traxx Mystery Land, Chakra Home, Salt Tank, that kind of stuff, plus a few of ours to help pay the bills, maybe Razorfish and Far From In Love and then some surprises like Disco Citizens Footprint and Airwave When Things Go Wrong.
 
What will make you buzz when performing at this year’s festival?
As always, hearing people sing one of our songs gives me untold joy.
 
How did it feel when you opened DJ Mag and you were number 9 in their top 100 DJ’s?
I giggled for hours. We’ve gone from 39 to 19 to 9, so this year we should be 4.5.
 
What tune would you recommend for everyone to chill out to on their way back from this year's Creamfields?
Well it has to be William Orbit’s classical album “Pieces in a Modern Style”. I played it every night I got back from clubbing for about five years, so I know it works.