Funkagenda

We speak to DJ Mag Best of British breakthrough act, Funkagenda, ahead of his huge gig at Pacha on NYE...

Playing alongside Kim Fai and Miss Divine for Liaison at the ever decadent Pacha, UK star Funkagenda is on course to smash the dance floor with a mixture of his own killer, bouncing house productions and a selection of big room sounds from the best of the rest.

He's made such waves this year that he was voted 'Best Breakthrough Act' against tough competition in this year's much respected DJ Mag Best of British Award so well done for that!

Let's hear more from the man who will be everywhere in 2010....

What's been your highlight of this year?

There have been SO many highlights I really don't think I could call it. Miami was a buzz, all of my tours have been fantastic and Ibiza was amazing... Maybe my debut at We Love Sundays @ Space... That was AWESOME!

Tell us a bit about your recent Toolroom mix... how was it recorded and what was your thinking behind it?

Well I tried to put together 2 very different mixes. One that was more of a journey that you could kinda get lost in, and the other disk was more of a straight up clubby affair.

The kind of thing you would catch me playing at a guest slot maybe in a club in the UK or Europe. I used my custom Live setup to record all the mixes down using my APC40 and then I added the extensions and FX later. The idea was to just get a really flowing mix and make the mixes as fluid as possible.

There are lots of styles on there... how hard was the mix to programme?

It was pretty hard. Even now there are bits that I am unsure of, but to be honest I am my own worst critic. The people who have bought it seemed to really like it and thats what is important!

Will you do any more remixes of classics like 'Man with the red face'?

I am trying to avoid it to be honest. We never intended to start this whole trend off and its getting very tired now... I am looking at my own solo stuff now for next year. That said "Nobody Listens To Techno" the track I have done with MC Flipside does pay homage to an old Size DDD bootleg. However we have re-recorded the vocals they pinched and added new ones and the music is 100% my own.

That's the last thing I did and it still hasn't surfaced yet so that has to come out before I can keep my "No More Classics" promise!

Do you know if Laurent Garnier heard the remix? What did he think?

Firstly can we NOT call it a remix... It wasn't. It was a cover version - There is a MASSIVE difference. And of course he did... How on earth do you think we would be able to put it out???? You have to clear every note that you use otherwise you can get into a lot of trouble... a fact that I think will shock a lot of young producers when the lawyers come knocking on their doors... Laurent actually suggested we put it out... When we sent it to him he finished his sets with it for the whole summer... Its the best seal of approval a cover can get.



In a recent interview you said "Maybe we have lost the appreciation for a good breakdown?" can you explain what you mean by that?

Nowadays in clubs people have no patience. I don't know if its the drugs or the booze that have gradually morphed the crowds but now people want quick fire hit after hit after hit... When I went clubbing you went to hear songs you didn't know, and to put your hands in the air as the euphoria took over you. Breakdowns could be 2/3mins long and people were on tenterhooks... Now if you drop the beats for more than about 30secs in most clubs you could lose the floor. Its not the clubbers fault really though. Its the whole scene. Its just become a bit more "Jukeboxy" and people have forgotten about the journey... DJs have always played big tracks... But 5 years ago the fun was all about seeing how they would get there...

I see you use twitter... what do you make of the service? And of Apps like Hawtin's Twitter app?

I think I do ENOUGH twittering without letting people know every single tune I am playing!!! Its a great idea (the app) but not for me. I consider Twitter to be a very personal thing. Its somewhere for me and my fans!

What record would you reach for if the dance floor was empty and you needed to fill it up?

Haha I wouldn't have let the floor get to that stage! lol

What can people expect from you on NYE?

Well I never give less than 100% for a gig so let say as its NYE I will give 200% :-)

:::::Main room::::::
Funkagenda
KIM FAI
Miss Divine (Defected)
Lewifive 0
Leroy Roberts (New Liaison Resident)
Michael Green

::::::Global room:::::
ROOM 2 / HOSTED BY PANORAMA!
http://www.panoramaunderground.com
FEZ - LEE WALLS - FRASER TODD - GARETH WOOD
LOST BOIZ - SEB RUMORE - THE SMITH BROTHERS
PETER NICHOLLS + BENJAMIN BEARMAN
+ GUESTS

Tickets: www.ticketweb.co.uk
Price: £40 Earlybird / £55 Standard / Special Champagne reception £55 / £60 on the door
Door times: 10:00pm - 05:00am
VIP Tables: available by calling 0845 371 4489