Self-confessed “music whore” LTJ Bukem (aka Daniel Williamson) is rolling into town for the seventh time and appears at Luxy tonight with MC Conrad (aka Conrad Thompson). The Vinyl Word invited Taiwan-based promoters and DJs to submit questions to Bukem on any topic they wished. The “What is your favorite porn site?” contribution from 3b didn’t quite make the final cut.
You only play vinyl ... any chance of that changing? Matty D
LTJ Bukem: For my drum ’n’ bass I would want to remain cutting dubs for as long as possible as this, and vinyl, for total sound you can’t compete with. But I really want to get into a digital format and record all my house, hip-hop, soul and jazz. Basically anything non-d ’n’ b as the attraction of being able to go anywhere to do a DJ set is so appealing.
When was the last time you had a good dance yourself? Do you ever? Toby Garrod, aka Doi Moi
LTJB: Last time maybe was my 40th birthday, an amazing party shared with a close friend, also 40. A couple hundred people, amazing music, a lot of drink and the rest you can guess I’m sure, but shook a leg for a few hours. I do like a jig generally behind the decks when I’m playing as I’m into the music so much.
You’ve traveled the world. What is the strangest thing you have attempted to eat? Liam Briggs, aka Anti Hero
LTJB: Oh that’s easy, Japan about 10 years ago, eating a fish that’s still alive but with it’s insides taken out and just gills left for breathing. So basically you read it it’s last rights and tuck in. Weird.
What’s the worst gig you ever did and why? Miss Represent
LTJB: I guess there have been a few, but all for the same reasons ... sound. It is not always about the amount of people that attend a gig making it good or bad as I have had some fantastic experiences in the last two and a half decades where a promoter has not had the numbers expected but had an amazing gig with those that did attend. The bad ones have always been where monitors and house sound have been so poor you can’t get your musical message across, well, you can’t even mix, and that does my head in.
What’s the funniest thing you and Conrad have argued about on tour? Shawn Kidd, aka vDub
LTJB: We argue about all kinds of things. Being around someone for the best part of 20 years, you kind of get to know everything about them, so I wouldn’t say any argument has been funny. We are two totally different people, worlds apart in fact so we disagree about so many things. The main thing we argue about is the fact he can’t get out of bed in the morning and is always late and making us both rush about to not miss flights So years ago it was funny, but can’t say that now for the last 10 years ... he can explain I’m sure.
If you were not LTJ Bukem, who or what would you be? Marco Lapka, Luxy
LTJB: That’s a hard one, but maybe not. I am a sports fanatic, especially footy, cricket, tennis, so to achieve anything within these sports would be up there if the last 20 years hadn’t have happened.
Why do you use a tiny earpiece? Sunrise Soup
LTJB: I think the thing that started me off with the ear piece thing was the amount of glasses I used to damage and bend as a result of wearing headphones ... also you very often see deejays pressing headphones against their ears to hear clearly ... so with wearing an earpiece molded to your ear this totally stops as you can’t hear anything as clear as this.
What’s the strangest request you’ve ever gotten while deejaying? Beth Cox, Aphrobet Productions
LTJB: Well first off, I hate anyone talking to me whilst deejaying. I like to concentrate on what I’m doing and entertain ... so all these phones stuffed under your nose whilst you’re playing has got to stop. I mean let’s turn this around for a second. You are working at your desk, it’s 10am and you’re on the phone to a client, and I burst into your office on two Es and a bottle of vodka and ask you the dumbest question you have ever heard, via text on my phone shoved under your nose ... Getting the picture? Last week in Auckland, some guy does this and the text reads, “you wouldn’t play like this if you were in London.” He does this a few times ... It’s obvious he knows nothing about me and has little or no brain. Why did he pay to come see me ... fool ... so I got him thrown out. Lovely.
LTJ Bukem and MC Conrad tonight at Luxy, 5F, 201, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓). Entrance is NT$700 with one drink before 11pm, or NT$900 after 11pm, also with one drink. Call (02) 2772-1000 or 0955-904-600 for reservations (English service available). On the Net: www.luxy-taipei.com
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