DJ Yoda Interview

11th Feb 2010

Look What The Kat Dragged In... gave the DJ Yoda fans the opportunity to question the man himself in the run up to his slot at the Look What The Kat Dragged In... night on March 5th @ Rumes in Preston, Lancs.

How does DJ yoda feel about the technological shift from tape to vinyl to CD to MP3? Also, going forward does realtime VJ mixing compose a real threat in the club scene, to the deck technicians of old?
(Carl Deery)

To me, coming from a hip-hop DJ background, the most important thing is being able to rock a club with just vinyl records and a mixer. I think all the new and different technology is cool if it helps you do something
creative or interesting, but that ability to understand mixing vinyl is the most important backbone to it all. So I don't think video mixing will particularly "threaten" more traditional DJs, more that it's just an interesting new spin on how DJs do things.

Hiphop has come a long way in the last 30 years. Where do you see it going in the next ten years?
(Deejay Matter)

I hope that it will return to the true essence of the artform. That skilful MCs, DJs, dancers and artist return to the forefront of the scene, and that it moves away from pop music, money and commercials. That's what I hope!

You share a famous name which is included in Star Wars. How have you managed to escape the clutches of George Lucas' "Darkside" when it comes to copyright? While other names such as the Liverpudlian Club name Alderaan was forced to change its name.
(Andrew Billington)

When I first had a CD released, the record company looked into that matter, and the name Yoda is a traditional Japanese name that can't be copyrighted. So I'm good!

Given that you have been a prominent figure in the dance scene for many years and are a little up on these things, how do you see dance music and the role of dj's/turntablists evolving and changing over the course of this new decade within the UK?
(Pete Clayton)

I think all these small, new sub-genres of dance music - like dubstep, grime, drum & bass, funky, etc - require different and new skills from DJs, so it's interesting to see what happens when you get a DJ that plays
different formations of all this stuff. Like I come from a scratching and hip-hop background, so when I play dubstep it's different to a DJ that comes from a garage background.

What factors do you feel makes an excellent venue?
(Natalie Williams)

Good question! I like venues that have some character. Sometimes that just comes with age, but I think you can pick up the energy of a building from the things that have happened there in the past. Some places have
inexplicable good or bad vibes.

If you could fly to any place in the universe in your spaceship, where would you go?
(Mark Abbott)

Anywhere where the sun was shining, the food was amazing and the music was good. Oh, so Jamaica basically.

What's your favourite cheese?
(Emily Doyle)

Burrata.

Where is the best gig you have ever played?
(Gemma Rea)

The premiere for the last Star Wars movie at the Grand Prix in Monte Carlo - all the cast of the film where there and they had massive spaceships.

There has been rumours that in Star Wars someone had to have there hand up your bottom for you to work ..... will this be the case when you DJ here in Preston ...if so I am available to lend a hand anytime you like!
(Adam Kozwalski)

I am so scared right now that I don't feel equipped to answer that question.

Godfather or Sopranos?
(James Wilson)

Godfather.

Will you be making another Unthugged album with Dan Greenpeace?
(Martin Sundholm)

Hopefully one day. I'm in North London, Dan moved to South London which basically means we see each other in places like Newcastle or Dubai more often than we do in London these days.

Which is better, Star Wars or Star Trek?
(Tim Cook)

Is that a serious question for DJ YODA?!

Can you name the song you loved the most in each decade of your life, regardless of whether you like it now?
(Cath Schwarz)

1970s - The theme tune to Play Skool.
1980s - The theme tune to the A Team
1990s - The theme tune to Twin Peaks
2000s - The theme tune to Six Feet Under
2010s - The theme tune to, erm...dunno.

Can you also choose your favourite question as they will be given VIP tickets to the Look What The Kat Dragged In...DJ Yoda night in March.

The one about the venues!

Date: Friday 5th March 2010
Event: Look What The Kat Dragged In.....DJ Yoda at Rumes
Venue: Rumes
Artists: DJ Yoda

(Congratulations to Natalie Williams! You and a friend will be on the VIP guestlist for the night. Please remember to take I.D.)

Thanks DJ Yoda for taking part! If you want to catch him in action then he will be playing in Preston on Friday 5th March. Tickets on sale with Skiddle!

Look What The Kat Dragged In...DJ Yoda

Fri 5th March @ Rumes, Preston

Support: Beats of Rage DJs / Heroic Lunge / DJ Matt3r

Tickets are no longer available for this event