Roger Sanchez is the New York-born superstar DJ that whips all of Europe into a storm each time he plays on our fair continent.
With a residency in Ibiza every summer since 2000, a UK number one single and a Grammy award to his credit, this man is a walking powerhouse of musical excellence.
How are you looking forward to your UK gig?
I am touring pretty much constantly but I try to see where I am playing, if I have a sense of the crowd and if I played there before. I like to make sure that I’m always prepared.
How do you stay connected to the night-club scene?
Rather than focusing on the scene I focus on the music and the effect it has on people. I’m always looking forward to what’s next but at the same time keeping my roots very entrenched so it keeps me motivated, young minded and forward thinking!
Why is it Latin Americans are so good at creating dance music?
I was born in New York but my parents are from the Dominican Republic. I think the rhythm is just in our blood – part of our DNA! I’ve grown up around music all my life especially in New York. I’ve gone from Hip-Hop to Latin to Salsa – it just becomes ingrained!
Tell us some of your earliest DJ memories?
I started off in the early era of Hip-Hop so there were a lot of block parties, very small clubs, radio was taken over by Hip-Hop. It was just coming out of early disco. That period was a big heyday! It developed into House Music from Chicago – grew over the years and a couple of breakthrough times – now it’s just the biggest it’s ever been!
I personally LOVED Underground Solutions awesome “Luv Dancing” – is it any surprise to you that those early sounds are so big again now?
It’s bigger now than I can remember – it’s just huge! I think everything is cyclical. It’s a bit of a backlash against the over saturation of the commercialised sound – the whole electro thing. I’m frankly not concerned about what’s commercial. The records that have broken through for me like ‘Another Chance’ and ‘Luv Dancing’, weren’t intended to be ‘Radio’ – they just broke through and found their way there. There’s a new generation that’s gone back to that sound and rediscovered it.
Tell us about the Release Yourself brand and why it has lasted so long?
I’ve always wanted to find ‘soul’ in everything I do. I’ve been able to do everything from very underground to having big crossover records. I’ve really gone back to my roots and doing an album now called Roots with my sound but updated to very current thinking.
Where do you see Stealth Records in 5 years time?
I’m already taking Stealth back to the ‘underground’. We’re developing Mike Farley, Prok and Fitch and a bunch of new artists and producers – that House and Underground sound – guys like Rene Amez. We are focusing artists who start off with singles, move to EPs and then ultimately albums.
Which three big tunes will you be spinning at As One In The Park?
My new single ‘Trouble Man’, a track by an underground artist called Breach called Jack and I think the new single from Duskee!
What classic Roger S tracks can we expect to hear in the park?
My song ‘Lost’ – there are various remixes and reincarnations of it as well as my song ‘Another Chance’. I can’t ever seem to pull these out from my box because everybody is always requesting them! Recently I had a remix of my track Lost that was sent to me by David Puentez and it just absolutely kills every time I drop it. It’s not going to get an official release but I’ve given it away on my Soundcloud link.
I will be playing the same event as Done & Dusted with my mate DJ Louis Lennon – please come and hear us play!
I’m very much looking forward to it!
Roger Sanchez interview By Alan X
Photo: Tom Keller
