SKRUFFF NEWS
Pathaan- (Still) chillout’s angriest man
19/07/2006
"Determining the definitive DJ for any one style of electronic music is no easy task, given both to a plethora of choices or perhaps foolhardiness for even bothering to try. Techno: Atkins, Hawtin, Mills? House: Levan, Farina, Carter? Drum and Bass: Fabio, Andy C, Dieselboy? However, in the realm of 'electronic world beat', Pathaan is arguably the singular choice. Truly the ambassador of international sounds, his Stoned Asia Music series and sound is solid" - BPM Culture.
Logging onto the homepage of UK chillout king DJ Pathaan, it’s impossible to miss US dance magazine BPM Magazine euphoric endorsement plus a fetching picture of him looking distinctly guru like and chilled. And inside the site, there’s positive news news of his new BBC radio show, hook up with psy-trance label Dragonfly plus access to all his many chill-out compilations including new one City Hippy, though ask him if he’s happy being called a hippy and he roars.
“You’re having a laugh asking this question, surely?” he splutters with indignation, “Obviously the term can be interpreted in many different ways and I interpret it the way I want, so there. To me a hippy is a bohemian and I suppose I am one but I also thought it ‘City Hippy’ was a great title for a CD series, the first of which has just been released recently.”
Even more inexplicably he takes offence at being asked ‘can hippies ever really be trusted’, sniffing ‘hmm, another one of your questions; yes hippies can be trusted, and besides who gives a toss?” though admits he’s most put out by one main thing: “Dull and stupid questions.”
Fighting talk aside, though, Pathaan in reality remains one of the friendliest, clued up, easiest going of all dance culture players, some 10 years after landing his first residency at Talvin Singh’s Anokha at the Blue Note. Still firmly in the underground, he’s carved his own mini-empire, that’s both self sufficient and strong.
“The English press aren’t going to help me because they’re too concerned with promoting major league DJ’s; they’re not into backing the likes of myself and other people who are pushing the left-field/world electronica sound. They really don’t understand it, and that’s the sad irony of the situation,” he says on his site.
“But I can’t let that bother me; I have a personal mission to get the hair at the back of people’s necks to stand-up when they listen to my sound.”
His latest sound can be heard on the afore-mentioned City Hippy compilation which is out now on his own brand new label Globetronica, itself a major addition to his day to day life.
Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): Starting with the label: why have you decided to start the label now particularly?
Pathaan: “It just feels like the right time and the beginning of a new chapter in my musical life. Globetronica is all about a sound that pushes producers from around the world producing electronic world influenced music.. It’s a growing and Balearic sound as far as I concerned. In this world of ours' where there is war, crime, famine, racism and other human right atrocities the aim of Globetronica will be to magnify just how small this world of ours' is, through music; by highlighting the talent that is out there whilst bridging the gap between world folk and electronica. Get me.”
Skrufff: Most artists and DJs d seem to run labels as vanity projects/ labours of love: how much is that the case with Globetronica?
Pathaan: “No doubt it’s always been a labour of love since I entered the world of music since the early Stoned Asia Music days but it’s allowed me to travel the world, meet lots of like minded souls and forge my own musical language. But, apart from Globetronica, I’m also currently managing Liquid Sound and Dragonfly Records, for the infamous producer/friend Youth, so music is my life and cannot be so simplified.”
Skrufff: The press release says your attitude to track selection is is ‘if it tickles Pathaan it gets played’: what are your guiltiest of guilty pleasures: do you ever find yourself liking Tiesto style accessible trance, for example?
Pathaan: “In short I believe music is a means to strengthen and revitalize the spirit no matter where it’s comes from, so I try not to turn my nose up at anything I don’t like but yes it can be hard at times. Besides, because of my girlfriend I’ve have been known to bust a move to Country & Western Dolly Parton style music on occasion but who gives a mini cooper? And over the years I’ve learnt each to their own.”
Skrufff: What makes you angry these days?
Pathaan: “Dull and stupid questions and people who want to be added as friends on Myspace not knowing anything about you who then post comments regularly; that really pisses me off. Oh, and press people who have an agenda and only support music that benefits their individual or corporate future.”
Skrufff: On your website biog it talks of you ‘planning his bid for DJ stardom in the evenings’; what did that planning actually entail?, how much did your plans actually help- what were your key strategies?
Pathaan: “Good question Jonty, done your research then? Thinking about it, not much planning was done, everything has evolved organically including where my heads at, musically with lots of hard work getting minimal support from the press but soldiering on and having a lot of self belief !! Must be the Leo/ Leo rising in me.”
Skrufff: how has the reality of DJ stardom match your expectations?
Pathaan: “I don’t believe I’ve attained the level of stardom you are talking about but so far it’s been a fun ride and keeps getting better.”
Skrufff: On your site, it says ‘in the realm of 'electronic world beat', Pathaan is arguably the singular choice’ (BPM Magazine); what’s the world of 'electronic world beat', a happy utopia where everybody collaborates or a fiercely competitive environment where only the strong survive?
Pathaan: “Both I suppose, as it is with the rest of the music industry.”
Skrufff: How much is the chill out scene more chilled than say psy-trance?
Pathaan: “You’re having a laugh, surely? It’s blatantly chilled, of course.”
Skrufff: You’ve recently left Ministry of Sound Radio for the BBC and DJ mag for IDJ: how much do you still align yourself with club culture?
Pathaan: “Very much so; in fact I recently covered for a poorly Nitin Sawhney at Fabric. You’ll have to come and hear me play out some time. As regards the BBC, I’m so excited with my show, ‘Pathaan’s Musical Rickshaw’ on the BBC Asian Network every Saturday night at Midnight till 2am Sunday morning, allowing me to ask my listeners to show a bit of imagination and join me on a musical journey allowing me to introduce sounds from around the world and hopefully taking the listeners I’ve left behind at Ministry Of Sound Radio with me and gaining many more listeners as it can be listened to via a growing number of digital radio listeners, SKY and over the internet. But I will take this opportunity to thanks every one at Ministry of Sound radio especially Robert Sharp for everything and the team at DJ Mag who unfortunately had to let me go due to down-sizing the ‘leftfield /downtempo’ section, but the team at iDJ have been very welcoming.”
Skrufff: What’s with the white gear you’re wearing on the site: how much do you consider your role to have aspects of being a teacher, guru, leader?
Pathaan: “Surely you get it? The white gear as you put it, echoes my roots- ie it’s traditional dress- and the simplicity of my approach to loving music. I only consider myself as having my own musical language. I’m not a teacher, guru or leader just someone who loves music and shares that love with anyone who cares to listen.”
http://www.pathaan.comhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/pathaansmusicalrickshaw