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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! |
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The Judge won't budge (or eat pie) - interview with Judge Jules
Reported by K8-e
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Submitted 15-03-06 19:44
Famed for his loud shirts and crazy catch phrases Judge Jules is certainly one of the most established DJs still working the circuit and broadcasting across the airwaves. Jules began playing in 1987, launching the career that has easily notched up hundreds of thousands of miles, millions of spins of the decks and countless gigs in far-flung destinations, as well as the odd warehouse thrown in for good measure. Regularly playing at the top clubs across the UK - Godskitchen, Gatecrasher, Slinky, Passion and Serious to name but a few, he also packs out fields at the UK’s best festivals and weekenders.
A familiar figure on the Radio 1 roster, Jules has been in place since 1997 and is currently broadcasting 7-9pm on a Saturday night, as well as promoting the recently launched Trance Awards. With so many strings to his bow there were so many questions to ask and so little time, but I gave it a good bash…
Thanks to Latex Zebra, Hard House Lady, mental-tessy, BoW and everyone else who inspired some of the questions below.
Jules, thanks for taking the time to talk to me today. How’s 2006 been for you so far?
Good thanks. I always try and do a selection of different sizes of events. I avoid pricing myself out of small clubs cos that’s where there’s a lot of fun to be had but I also do lot of bigger events where you get the en masse atmosphere. For me a good month in the clubs is about having a combination of different types of bookings.
To set the scene for the readers, how would you define the sound of Judge Jules today, what can people expect when they come and see you play?
Trancey with funky undertones. I do an hour of house and an hour of trance on my Radio 1 show, but my club sound is very much the latter of that with a helping of tech trance
Tunes like ‘Caned & Unable’ and ‘Pitchin’ were the soundtrack to my early clubbing career you will be pleased to know. Let’s talk about your production. What equipment do you use in the studio?
Logic and a Mac and Protools. And a combination of outboard synth modules and plug ins.
Do you have a favourite production that stands out?
Ultimately you always feel that your sound is moving on so there are thing I’ve really loved for the memory associations they have. Like I did a record called "Nappy Hardcore" which has my then baby son laughing on it. I love that from a sentimental point of view. But you always think you are moving on so I really don’t know to be honest!
Is there anything in the pipeline? I see you have been playing some “Judge Jules” tunes on your show recently (as opposed to releases under your Hi-Gate guise), is Hi-Gate no more?
Paul Masterson, who I did the Hi-Gate stuff with, is a very good friend and lives round the corner, literally about eight doors away, but he’s mainly been focusing on making discoey and funky stuff, whereas my sound has remained very much rooted to what I’ve always done and as such it made sense to do stuff under my own name which I’d never done before. So over the course of the last 18 months I’ve been working on various tracks. Ultimately you make a track for your own gigs. Every dj who makes records wants their own tunes which are exclusive to them so you are not playing exactly what every other dj is playing. In the course of making those tracks certain productions really stand out and stand the test of time over a number of months and I’ve just been assembling those tracks onto an album which is called ‘Proven Worldwide’, which sort of explains itself really.
When will that be out?
It’s out in May!
And the Richard and Judy theme tune — your crowning glory?
If you look on the titles at the end of the show you will see my proper name, Julius O’Riordan. We just did it for a challenge more than anything else to be honest. I’ve also done the premiership theme actually which is more dancey. If you enjoy making music it’s nice to do something different. I do spend an awful lot of time in the studio. When I’m at home and I’m not touring I’m in the studio every day mid-week and whilst I love jumping up and down and hitting my head on the low ceiling in the studio it’s nice to do stuff you can do sitting down as well.
With your Angelic project you created a star of Amanda for a time. How did it work with both of you in the limelight? Any plans for anything in the future together or is she concentrating on your family?
She’s done one track off my current album. The problem really is the vocal trance thing is a difficult thing to make work. You really have to have the right song to make vocal trance sound right and quite cool and avoid going down the Ian Van Dahl type route. Its not as easy to make vocal trance work like it used to. I personally don’t find myself playing much of it although there are a couple of vocal trance tracks on the album, but they are quite mellow and almost progressivey type trance and its difficult to orientate your missus into making a style of music you aren’t going to play yourself and that’s the problem really.
From a dj’ing perspective are you looking forward technology wise? Do things like Ableton Live, Traktor and Final Scratch interest you?
The jury is out, if you pardon the judge-style analogy! I do lots and lot of back homework on the tracks I play. I do my own personal edit of every single record I play. Some things require complete re-shaping, some things made longer, some things shortened, some bits where you are just taking one particular good bit that’s kind of marooned in an otherwise average track and repeating it, but it’s all done at home with the benefit of foresight. What people are doing, generally speaking, with those bits of software you mentioned is the same thing but in front of an audience. What I’ve witnessed with other djs doing it I haven’t been wholly convinced by.
To me looking at the crowd and the dj in question, and I’m not mentioning any names, sometimes it looks over self indulgent and like it hasn’t worked properly. Whereas if you sit at home in the cold light of day and try and make these things, where you aren’t basking in the glory of the crowd in front of you, you can be a bit more objective about what going to work and what’s not.
Technical skills vs quality of music? Which in your opinion is most important for a dj?
There’s more things to the equation than that. Technical skill, quality of music, the way the music is put together (order set is played in) and the persona/stage presence of the dj behind the decks. I think all those four are the contributory factors to what makes a good dj and I think they are probably important in equal measures. I think if you were to score each at 25, a very good dj has to be a 75 or above out of 100.
Tell me about Kasbah in Ibiza, owning a restaurant in Ibiza sounds pretty cool!
It’s a successful restaurant, we bought into a successful business. As the assortment of docu-soaps with reality chefs have shown, it’s not without its headaches. It’s such a lovely location, it looks bang out onto the Ibiza sunset which is one of the legendary sunsets of the world and its great to have your own place, somewhere you can socialise with your mates, a kind of nerve centre for all of us in the summer. And hopefully people like the food!
Also Judgement Sundays seems to go from strength to strength each year… what have you got in store for 2006?
We’ve got pretty much the same nucleus of djs, Eddie, Lashes, the Trophy Twins and breaks in the back room with the Plump Djs, Stanton Warriors and Krafty Kuts. It’s hard because when you hit a new year you kind of want to come all guns blazing with something new that generates loads of column inches but ultimately if it not broken don’t fix it! It works well, we’re going to up the entertainment a little bit more so there’s a bit more of a crazy atmosphere, with entertainers all over the place, but ultimately it’s very difficult to look at ways to change it to make it better as it does have a very good atmosphere and it is one of the busiest nights in Ibiza.
I’d love for Harderfaster readers to make suggestions! To be honest, we’re a bit hard pushed to work out where we can tweak it to make ourselves happier with it.
It’s always going to be a British up for it crowd whereas if you go to somewhere like Pacha it’s got this cool European crowd, but you can often hear a pin drop as far as the atmosphere is concerned. We haven’t got that cool European crowd but my word can you f*cking hear everyone going for it! And I know which of the two I’d rather be in.
Speaking of Ibiza and your many international gigs, you must have got through a fair few numbers of passports since you have been dj’ing? Any idea how many?
You are actually allowed to own two passports. I suppose I could qualify for an Irish passport with my ancestry but I have two British ones. Basically for very frequent travellers you might have one passport in some embassy or other getting a visa sorted out and the other one to travel on. I’ve got two on the go. One of them has one page left and the other one is about half full and they are both less than 2 years old.
Pete Tong gave me a good answer for this when I interviewed him recently but I’m hoping you can top it… what’s the most outrageous rider you have ever seen or heard of? You don’t have to tell me whose it was!
Well you only really hear about these things by virtue of legend. My rider’s pathetic compared to other people’s, it’s a bottle of vodka and some cranberry juice and a light so I can see my records. I’ve heard of djs wanting escort girls, sandwiches with the corners cut off, two hotel suites. The worst riders generally speaking come from those djs who’ve got management who are more schooled in managing bands than djs. My management are a dj management agency so they haven’t taken a rock and roll contract and bolted a djs name onto it. There are a handful of djs that do have that sort of management and they generally have the more outrageous requests.
What’s your involvement with the upcoming Trance Awards?
Giving some prizes and publicising the event. I need to see it to work out if its necessary, I’m in two minds about awards. Sometimes one can slice that great big pie of dance music into smaller and smaller chunks and you wonder where it stops. But I do think a trance awards is justified in the same way the hard dance awards and a house awards are, but you don’t want it to get any more minority interest than that.
How do you feel about Serious moving from its home at The Cross? Is there a more permanent home on the horizon?
I think it’s a pity. This weekend though they are doing the Scala in Kings Cross though. People assume I am more instrumental in Serious as a company than I am. My brother is one of the directors but they handle my affairs without my involvement in the company. I’m not entirely sure why they’ve moved but I’m sure ultimately they will settle into a new venue as they have a loyal crowd.
You are one of the most popular djs in the land, but with popularity comes criticism (it’s the British way to bash our celebrities). Do you read negative press about yourself and if so how do you deal with it?
Yes some of it. You’ve just got to believe in what you do. There’s extremely few djs who are both radio and club entities, I’m both. Even Tong really doesn’t go out and dj in the UK very often, whereas I’m out hundreds of times of year. And it’s difficult because if you hear me dj in a club and you heard what I play on the radio there’s quite a distinct difference. But I’m a firm believer you couldn’t do what I do in a club on the radio at the time I’m on and make it work, particularly following on from an R’n’B dj and preceding a hip hop dj. Sometimes people are too ready to judge you based on one persona. I’m always getting emails from people who are quite surprised when they hear me in a club at how different it is from what they expected.
Given all you’ve achieved one would think it would be easy to sit back and rest on your laurels… what motivates you these days?
I still love it at the end of the day. I don’t think you can fool anybody, if the buzz wears off then people are going to be able to spot it straight away. It’s that Friday feeling! On Thursday and Friday it’s always been the case, even in the era of downloaded tunes and mp3’s weblinks and file sharing (god help us), that Thursdays and Fridays are the big days for dance releases every week and it’s on those days you work out what you are going to play for the weekend. And come 6’o clock on a Friday night it’s that Friday feeling of having somewhere between 5 and 25 new records, that you’ve got over the course of those two days according to whether it’s a good week or a mediocre week. Just that buzz and that sense of anticipation of going out and playing them wherever you are going to be playing that weekend.
I’ve had that for the best part of 20 years and that really hasn’t worn off at all. That buzz and excitement and never knowing quite what to expect next! One can do gigs that you have no expectation of that turn out to be unbelievable and things that you consider would be a banker and great, can occasionally let you down.
This Friday you will be playing at Out of Order @ Stryx in Andover for the first time. What can the good people of Andover expect?
My attitude has always been to try and play in different places. Like I was saying earlier, it’s really important to play big festivals — my last gig on Saturday night I was finishing a gig of 5,000 people, but its also important to do small local things. I’m constantly surprised with the atmosphere that one encounters at smaller local gigs, which is why I try and get round the country. Andover might not be a place I do loads and loads but I’m still excited by it because it’s not a region I’ve been to before.
What’s in your box for, er, to play — oh no that came out all wrong!
<pause followed with laughter or maybe bewilderment..>
Er it’s a bit early in the week to say specific tunes. There’s an up and coming producer called Fabio Stein from Brazil who just seems to be delivering tune after tune, it’s unbelievable, in a sort of tech trancey zone. It’s surprising as you sort of associate Brazil with carnival and samba and all things groovy and not all things banging but he’s certainly delivering the goods. Quite a few of his tunes will be the nucleus of my set for Friday.
Will you be indulging in a spot of bowling while you are there, are you any good? (Stryx has its own bowling alley and pool tables)
In the same venue? I didn’t know that, I’m going to set off early, definitely coming to do some bowling, you have to tell them to reserve me a lane!
And finally, what’s your favourite pie?
I never eat pies. I’m a really ardent football fan and season ticket holder at Arsenal and my biggest bug bear is catering. Of course pies are a traditional football half-time fodder and I just f*cking hate them! Anything that’s got unidentifiable food items in are well worth avoiding. I don’t eat sausages and I don’t eat pies because it’s scrotums and eyelids — if you are lucky.
Mmmmm. And on that delightful note it’s time to thank Mr Jules for his time and scrub pie from the dinner plan. Whether you are a fan or a critic you can’t deny Jules has achieved an awful lot and is indeed living the dream. Fair play really!
Photos courtesy and copyright Chris Davison. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Catch Jules playing this weekend at Out of Order:
Win a set warming up for Jules at Serious in conjunction with the 2006 Trance Awards. Click here for more info
Out of Order presents Judge Jules
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On:
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Friday 17th March 2006
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At:
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Stryx [map]
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From:
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21:00 - 02:00
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Cost:
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£10 MOTD
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Website:
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www.outoforderuk.com
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Ticket Info:
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Tickets available from:
Fat Boys Vinyl (Andover)
Stand Out Records (Salisbury)
Stryx. (Andover)
The Out Of Order Hotline: 07796998169
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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Out Of Order return to their new home for more Hard Dance mayhem!!!
This time we have a very special guest in the form of one of the worlds biggest DJ's.
His International Saturday night Radio 1 show sets the pace for the clubbing generations weekend.
He has DJ'ed at every corner of the globe and at every event worth mentioning.
His own night, 'Judgement Sundays' is one of the main attractions for many holiday makers to the White Isle of Ibiza.
Yes you guessed it, please be upstanding for the one and only.... JUDGE JULES.
Strictly OVER 18's. I.D may be required.
Dress to impress. No Hats No Hoodies. Trainers OK.
Stryx Niteclub (Formally Breakers)
Bridge Street, Andover.
Free parking. 5 mins walk from Train Station. Taxi Rank opposite.
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Other Features By K8-e:
The One and Only Eddie Halliwell
PunchFunk & Geushky Presents "Let's Make Rave" with Ian Void & Chris Vaux
Cream @ Amnesia - Ibiza 2010 - Reviewed
Pure Gold: Interview with Will Gold
Turning the Corner - Interview with IAMX
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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Comments:
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From: Princess Lee on 15th Mar 2006 21:22.34
Wicked interview, and nice selection of photos too. 
From: Disco Diva on 15th Mar 2006 21:23.54
Fantastic read hon & thanks for asking my question, im gonna give him a game 
From: AlienPsyTing on 15th Mar 2006 21:44.46
Key Clash anyone??????
From: Tom Foy on 15th Mar 2006 21:59.33
Excellent interview! Looking forward to seeing 'Julius O’Riordan' at Serious on saturday 
From: Project Bosh on 15th Mar 2006 22:07.44
Great Interview... Altho you should never trust a man that doesn't like pie! Ever!
From: onthebass on 15th Mar 2006 22:22.43
Wow! You got some comprehensive responses to that interview mate! Well done 
From: ~deleted9531 on 15th Mar 2006 23:03.38
You didn't ask if he enjoyed lunch with Twink and I @ Silk n Spice 
From: ben (bs2) on 15th Mar 2006 23:08.55
Whatever is said about Jules, the man is a legend. He always gives an honest answer to every question asked of him.
Some of the so called "superstar" djs i have seen interviewed here should have a good read.
Nice one Judge!
From: Darz on 15th Mar 2006 23:11.12
Legend.
From: Alan-Banks on 15th Mar 2006 23:14.11
Awesome interview
From: Toxic on 15th Mar 2006 23:18.46
Legend indeed! Long live the Judge.
From: Tom Foy on 16th Mar 2006 00:12.05
Excellent interview! Looking forward to seeing 'Julius O’Riordan' at Serious on saturday
From: Dubster on 16th Mar 2006 08:12.57
Top stuff. Cracking photos. Great Dj. Great interview.
From: Reece Elliot on 16th Mar 2006 10:23.03
Total legend!
From: Paul Divine on 16th Mar 2006 12:42.32
Richard and Judy..? That's so cool! Wicked interview!
From: Andy Dunford on 16th Mar 2006 13:47.51
He's hit the nail on the head with the "Technical Skills vs Quality of Music" question. There really is so much that makes a good dj in my opinion.
From: *cheeky chick* on 16th Mar 2006 14:10.06
nice interview hun
From: Lee Osborne on 16th Mar 2006 14:59.03
The Judge wont Budge!
From: dave_irvine on 16th Mar 2006 14:59.35
wicked interview with wicked answers!
From: Norris123 on 16th Mar 2006 18:38.26
Excellent work.
From: ~deleted1390 on 16th Mar 2006 21:47.23
Love him or loathe him you can't deny he played a massive part in making Dance music as popular as it is.
He's also partly responsible for me getting decks so another reason to hate him.
From: little gem on 16th Mar 2006 22:45.05
Big thumbs up from me!
From: K8-e on 16th Mar 2006 22:57.07
It was a pleasure to interview him and thanks for all the positive comments 
From: maliksta on 17th Mar 2006 08:55.02
Wkd Interview.. Good to see Harderfaster approaching artists like Jules and letting him speak for himself rather than all of the urban legends folks hear.. I have seen jules play everywhere and he gets everyone rocking.. And he also helps paves the way for up and coming dj's as well.
Ali Wilsons tune has been jules tried and tested and he was banging Todd Tobias Tune Summerdaze from the beginning
Big Up to Jules!
From: Yojo - Cyberkitten on 17th Mar 2006 15:23.10
Class interview babe  xx
From: spencer on 17th Mar 2006 17:05.19
Haven't liked him as a DJ much whenever I've seen him play out, but comes across as a good bloke.
From: Gustavo FRICKEN on 17th Mar 2006 19:30.03
Fabio Stein! Fair play!
From: jimbarkanoodle on 17th Mar 2006 20:46.24
typical jules- NEVER misses an oppurtunity to talk about himself, which most of the time no one gives a damn about
From: Mike Harris on 18th Mar 2006 00:58.37
Great interview!
I think Jules is wiked, everythime ive seen him play ive really enjoyed it, excellent mixing, interesting tune selections and hes always full of 'beans' behind the decks!
Legend!
From: Stakker on 18th Mar 2006 01:10.28
He is still an arrogant chief, as anyone who worked at polygram can attest, but he rocked the mic in 1998. fair fucks.
From: Neats on 20th Mar 2006 11:58.24
Fair play to K8-e, wicked to see you on the line-up.... nice work chic!!!
From: Daniel K on 20th Mar 2006 15:49.48
The mans a legend! Introduced my to Dance music so for that I am eternally gratefull.
From: ben (bs2) on 23rd Mar 2006 13:23.05
"typical jules- NEVER misses an oppurtunity to talk about himself"
Well when someone interviews you i guess it seems logical to talk about yourself at some point?
From: K8-e on 23rd Mar 2006 14:54.36
From: Holly-Anna on 23rd Mar 2006 20:17.11
Quality DJ.. Heard him play Ali Wilsons tune on Radio 1.. Was totally excellent..
jimbarkanoodle - i dont really think that comment was fair.. ben(bs2) your totally right.. he's doing an interview.. who's he gona talk about 
Excellent interview!
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