Dennis Ferrer Interview
5: Do you like to go out to clubs still?
DENNIS: I go out to clubs every weekend. I play a lot on weekends so the times I do get to hang out, I mean I really enjoy it because it's just me. Not working.
5: Over the past few years I thought 2-step was blowing up over here and I wanted to know what your thoughts are about that style.
DENNIS: Good ole 2-step from the UK! That's been around since '94! To some people it's great. To me, I'm more of a vocal kind of guy. I like to hear a good song, something that I can remember.
5: Do you sing?
DENNIS: No. There are just some things that you're not supposed to do and I guess that's my thing!
5: Tell us a little more about your label Objectivity Records.
DENNIS: Objectivity started in December of this year. The principle is basically we do whatever we think is cutting edge. Just like you see the telepop music - that's pretty close to cutting edge for me. That's going on there. We have a new Ane Brun project which is very edgy. These are the kind of records that I think we need to showcase on my label.
5: Is there a roster of artists already set?
DENNIS: It's whoever I find at that moment in time.
5: You seem incredibly versatile in the sense that a lot of producers... They don't usually go from afrobeat/gospel to tech-house. Usually it's one disliking the other. What draws you to tech-house?
DENNIS: Tech-house was my past! It's just the love from your past that's going to come through eventually. Even when I did hiphop, that comes through in a lot of records, because a lot of my stuff is very drum oriented. Or let's say when I did the afro-house where I did a lot of the guitar stuff. That still influences me.
Learn from your influences, you can only use them. When they're needed. There's a time for everything. And my old history with tech came into play again recently and I was able to use it. I've already been down that road. It's like a piece of cake for me.
5: Do you still produce any kind of techno?
DENNIS: I just dig into wherever I need to dig and and then I flip it. I never want to get caught doing the same thing twice.
5: Are you working on another album right now?
DENNIS: I am working on another album. I think you're measured by the amount of albums you do and the quality of the albums you do.
5: How long did it take you to work on your last album?
DENNIS: Well, I don't think that that's really a fair question because a lot of stuff happened during that time. I had Lyme Disease so that put me out of commission for almost a whole year. A lot of people don't know that.
5: Wow. What was that like?
DENNIS: Bedridden, I was hospitalized, I couldn't think straight. It doesn't let you concentrate, it gives you OCD and you can't work. You just can't get anything done. So it took a little while to get over that. Finally, I'm okay.
5: What did you think of the Miami Winter Music Conference this year? I saw you at the Shelter party.
DENNIS: There were a few parties that were really great. The Shelter party was great, I heard Karizma's and Spinna's parties were great... Our party at Deep was just phenomenal. I was so happy for Marques [Wyatt].
5: I missed that one!
DENNIS: Oh you missed one of the best parties at the conference!
5: How many times did you play at the conference?
DENNIS: I played once, and the reason why I chose to play once is because I figured you either catch me one day or you don't. And if you don't - that's it! I just decided I wasn't going to whore myself. I just have a different outlook on that stuff. I look at it as, if you catch me once, it's an exclusive kind of thing.
5: You live here in New York - what do you like and dislike about the city?
DENNIS: I love the history. I love the inspiration it gives me. I don't like the cliques, and I don't like the way New York is perceived now.
5: Do you think that you had to really struggle to pay your dues especially in a city like New York? Or was it easy for you?
DENNIS: Ahh... it's overrated. Not to say that I haven't done it - I have. I think I've paid my dues. I mean I've been around for a minute trying to keep my quality consistent. But if you get a good break and you blow up, and you blow up higher than me cause you've had a good break, well... that's life! You have the haves and have-nots, the kings and the serfs. Not everybody can be a king.
5: Well, say you're an up and coming artist and you're trying to break in - isn't it kind of difficult because like you said it's very cliquey? Is it just a matter of hustling and making those contacts?
DENNIS: That's what it is - it's hustling. It's 100% hustling. It's hustling but the problem is you can hustle all you want, but if you're quality is sub-par, then you're never getting anywhere. So a combination of hustling and knowing that what you're peddling is of good quality.
5: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
DENNIS: The only thing that I could say is like I've always said - I feel blessed by everyone. And I think we need a lot of y'all support. It's becoming very difficult to make records and survive now, especially with the downloading age. There's not enough to survive. What you see here today with downloads won't be here in the next few months, let alone the next few years. So support you know? Do your thing. Buy some downloads.
You can find out more about Dennis Ferrer's new label at objektivity.com and the artist himself at myspace.com/dennisferrer.
Page 1 | 2
5 Magazine is supported in large part by the patronage of our readers. If you like what you see, consider subscribing to the 5 Magazine Digital Edition and receive the complete contents at the beginning of every month as well as access to members only stories for only $1.50 per month!