Full Interview Transcript, Not Aired on Radio!

This time, we conducted an interview with DJ and producer DJ Harvey, a leading figure in the nu-house, Balearic, and disco-dub scenes, who has been active since the 1980s with a diverse musical background. He spoke about various topics, including the release of his first mix CD since '96, the music that influenced him, and last year's earthquake. OPENERS presents the translated interview responses that were not broadcast. Experience his raw soul, his love for music, life, and people.



REVIEW｜TRACK LIST

01. Billy Paul / East -Re Adjustment by Diesel & DJ Harvey (Moton)
02. Disco Dub Band / For the Love of Money -Hard Left Mix By Harvey (disorient)
03. Locussolus / I Want It (P-Vine)
04. Locussolus / Throwdown (International Feel)
05. Idjut Boys / Implant (P-Vine)
06. Hawkwind / Space Is Deep (UA)
07. United Future Organization / Picaresque Eye -Latin Tempo Version (Nippon Phonogram)
08. Silver Apples / Lovefingers (Kapp)
09. Donna Summer / I Feel Love - Patrick Cowley remix (Casablanca)

“I wanted to make the tour happen no matter what, right after 3.11.”

──You're currently on tour. How has the audience reaction been in each city?

I've visited four cities: Enoshima, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Okayama. The reactions have been different in each place, but all of them were great successes and very lively. This experience makes me want to come back to Japan on a regular basis.



──You held your tour less than a month after the earthquake. Amidst a wave of cancellations from artists and DJs scheduled to visit Japan, what were your thoughts on proceeding with the tour, and even holding a performance in Tohoku?

I believe I was the first international guest after the earthquake, and people in every city were very welcoming. I really wanted to make that tour happen, so I'm glad it was possible. Japan was in shock from the major event, and many foreigners living in Japan probably returned to their home countries out of fear. So, I wanted to come here and do what I could to support them. I experienced an earthquake while staying in Sendai, but the party was wonderful. People called it survival, but I felt like we were celebrating life and the fact of being alive together through the party.

The First New Album in 16 Years is a Modern, Independent Production

──You released your first official mix CD in over a decade in April. There was a long gap. Why now?



──What has the audience reaction been?

I'm the type of person who doesn't usually read reviews of my own work (laughs). I just hope they're saying good things. However, since this release is mainly for the Japanese market, there might not be many English reviews that I can read.

──You described your musical style as "wide-ranging." When you play eclectically, crossing genres and eras, what do you keep in mind?

I don't consciously try to play eclectically; I select music entirely for the audience. Some people call me a "teacher" or "Guru," but I see myself as a musical entertainer. It's like a game: I observe the floor, read what people are thinking, and create unexpected developments. I enjoy listening to a wide variety of music, and I believe the audience does too, but I don't consciously try to mix all genres. I'm a dance DJ, so my focus is solely on delivering a good groove and elevating the audience's energy level.

Music: A Powerful Electromagnetic Wave That Affects Human Emotions

──Actually, there's something I've always wanted to ask you. In the late 90s, when I was part of U.F.O., you did a remix for us. I was very surprised to hear the Latin jazz arrangement. Why Latin jazz back then?

I can't recall the exact reason clearly (laughs). I was listening to a lot of Latin jazz myself around that time, and Gilles Peterson often played it on his radio show. So, I think there was a connection in my mind where "U.F.O. equals Latin jazz." Back then, I was in a jazz trio with keyboardist Pete Zee and bassist Frank (who was active under the name Robin Clayton at the time), and I played drums. I was a drummer before I became a DJ. Our music creation as a trio was done in live takes, with percussion overdubbed, and we'd jam for long periods while editing vocals. Over time, those sessions became classics.

──That solves a long-standing mystery for me (laughs). Changing the subject, when you're DJing or producing music, do you draw creative inspiration from things outside of music?

Life itself is inspiration. For example, seeing a sexy girl on the street, going surfing, or looking at the sky and clouds from an airplane window. Falling in love, feeling sad... experiencing various events and emotions in daily life serves as inspiration.





The late 70s were musically the richest. While listening to punk, I also listened to the Bee Gees, went to disco clubs, and experienced the Saturday Night Fever phenomenon. Listening to Kraftwerk and Fela Kuti at the time also continues to inspire my creativity today.

──There's a question I always ask my guests on this show: If you could have listeners hear one song that has profoundly influenced your life, "the song that changed your life," what would it be? And in one word, what is music to you?

A song that changed my life... that's very difficult (laughs). Even the same song can give me a different impression each day. If I had to choose one recently, it might be Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby." She had a huge influence on the disco era, and she passed away recently... it's a great loss. I often play the 15-minute "I Feel Love - Patrick Cowley remix" on the dance floor as a tribute. It made me realize again how short life is, and it also made me reflect on the past, the future, and my own life. In one word, music is... "a very powerful electromagnetic wave." I think it's a peculiar thing, an electromagnetic wave that influences people's emotions.

──Thank you very much.