Exclusive Hostage Interview and Beatport Mix

I was lucky enough to get an email from Alan Hostage an awesome house producer who is set up for a busy few months, starting with a US tour with the OH SNAP!! peeps. I mentioned Hostage in my top 8 artists for 08' and expect him to grow in popularity throughout 09', to kick things off we have an exclusive interview with the man himself and some shameless self-plugging of his recent Beatport top 10 mix.

Lets kick this shizzle off!

Hi Alan thanks for taking some take out for this interview, How are you?

I'm pretty damn good today, it's Friday afterall and there's partying to be done. A tad cold at the bodily extremities but nothing a bit of Friday won't sort out!


For those that dont know your music - how would you describe your sound?

If it was a recipe for a nice dancefloor-cake you'd do the following:
Ingredients:
500g of Electro and mixed with 250g of House music
125g of Techno
A dash of Old-Skool Hardcore
A tablespoon of Fidget (If you don't have any fidget a wee bit of Wonk will do)
A knob of Bassline
Blend them all together into a nice wobbly dough.
Bake at Gasmark 128bpm for 1 hour and 20 Minutes.
Sprinkle with UK Rave Stabs circa 1992


How did you get into the music scene? Any tips for readers interested in getting into the industry?

I've been releasing records for 10 years, starting by the usual route - sending tapes to record labels, DJing locally and slipping my own tracks into the mixes - I've just been doing this for many years and now the sound which I favour has a stanglehold on the dancefloors and the Blogosphere which has meant many releases, remixes and gigs all over Europe - Just work hard at it and do what you like.


So your based in sunny Edinburgh.... whats the music scene like there?

It's hmmm...ok...the clubs keep burning down in Edinburgh. All musical sub-genres are represented in the Athens of the North, just on a very small scale!

What sort of people do you think would go to your gigs?

Ravers, Sweaties, Goths, Ghosts, Hipsters, Fanboys and Fangirls, Hedonistis, Trainspotters, Those with an uncontrolable desire to wave their arms and legs about whilst intoxicated.


Are you involved in any sort of promoting or are you pureley a DJ / Producer?

I've dabbled a bit in the past but it's real hard work so I empathise when I meet promoters when they have their 1 hour of mega-stress 1 hour before the doors open - but now pure production and gigs.


Whats your favourite track so far this year?

Bird Peterson - The Essence


What do you think to Crookers potentially going 'mainstream'? Will this affect your production style at all?

It wont affect my production style at all but It's kinda nice that the sounds which I like are being accepted in a mainstream way.

I heard the Crookers remix of Kid Cudi's Day and Night on TMF at 9:15am on Monday morning this week - which made me think - AWWGAWWWD, but then I thought, no, wait, that's damn cool, I bloody love that bassline, Ok, i've heard it in every set in every club all year, but damn, that's good that it's so popular.

Who should we look out for in 09'?

Volatile.


You have your Shake it EP out now on Beatport, aswell as a Top Ten Chart. Any other big projects / remixes of yours to look out for?

I have forthcoming remixes coming out for Eskimo Twins and aUtOdiDakT. My Remix of Bill Cosby Sweater is out this month on the Australian 'Sweat it Out' Records.
I'm starting my US Tour on 23rd January in El Paso, TX and will bring the uk rave-house sound to NYC, DC and various other american backwaters ;)


Who would you most like to DJ alongside?

Jimmy Saville


Do you have any messages for our readers?

Have a most splendid weekend and an even more splendid 2009.


I think you'll agree that was awesome. Be sure to check our Hostage on Beatport, for now, sample his Beatport top ten mixed in wonk-tastic fashion:


(click the image)

And the You Send It Version: Hostage - January Beatport Mix

bonus:

Hostage - Stab Up / (Y.S.I)