DJ name: Steve KIW
Born: London
Age: 42
Show: Every Thursday 5-8, mostly solo but also as part of the Balearic Assassins Of Love on the first Thursday of every month.
When did your show start: April 2015 when we went live. I was the last of the first… we went live on a Friday so I had to wait for almost a week to go on air and was chomping at the bit. Went straight in with ‘Coming to you live’ by Charles Earland and I’ve never looked back!
THE GOOD
Most memorable gig:
There’s been a few but I’d have to say playing in front of 12,000 people in Norwich between two of my favourites bands – Soul II Soul and ABC – at sunset will probably be the moment I’ll remember longest. I’m lucky enough to have been invited to play a few decent festivals and parties over the years too. Usually I’d much prefer smaller intimate gigs, which is quite useful as I don’t often get to play at big ones!
Best club played:
I got to play the first couple of records on a night at The Hacienda when it was near to closing which was quite memorable. Over in Prague me and Ade were invited to play this spot called BeatsPM which probably held 60 people but was absolutely incredible. Actually, getting out of Beats alive was quite something in itself.
Previous radio stations:
Time FM, Push FM, Starpoint FM, SS Radio.
Favourite club crowd played to:
Beats PM, Prague. Absolute mayhem! Aside from that I’d say playing anywhere where they dig the music and the people (and staff) are friendly and up for dancing. I used to love playing at Da Doo Ron Ron at Komedia and Stone To The Bone at the Green Door Store down here… and the Go Bang parties were always wonderfully smiley. Nowadays, I’d say anywhere the Love Is The Message crew are involved.
Favourite song since April 2015:
If I could tell you, by Nev Cottee. On Aficionado Recordings.
Favourite album since April 2015:
Nonesuch Records reissued Gorecki’s ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs’ last year and that has been my favourite piece of music for as long as I can remember so nothing is going to top that.
Favourite label:
Aficionado has been the most consistent label for the past three or four years so I’ll stick with them for now, purely because they are constantly putting out essential NEW music.
Best live act seen in Brighton and where/when:
Gorillaz, Brighton Centre, 2010. I can’t abide the venue but this was one of the best gigs I’ve seen anywhere, ever. The Flaming Lips played a corker there too around the time of Yoshemi. Other top nights from the past few years that come to mind: Neneh Cherry playing the upstairs bar at The Prince Albert; Connan Mockasin at The Haunt; Spritualised at the Corn Exchange; Half Man Half Biscuit, GOAT and MF Doom (separately of course!) at the Concorde, … I go to far too many. The Great Escape is one of my vices.
Biggest influence on your DJing and why:
Gordon ‘Geeforce’ Gee – a London bar DJ who took me under his wing and helped show me the right way to do things. Norman Jay’s radio shows and Good Times/Shake n Fingerpop parties were like school for me and Sir Norm was kind enough to invite me to play for Good Times a couple of times. And there was a DJ on a London pirate station called CityFM named Mark Sterling who I’ve never been able to track down but who played a huge part in shaping my early record collection. And Ade P, of course: not only have we DJ’ed together for well over ten years but he’s constantly turning me on to new genres and labels and costing me a fortune.
Favourite pub in town:
The Fortune Of War, home to my BANGO night, is my favourite for a night out and Coopers Cask in Hove is my local.
Favourite other DJ (non1BFM):
Phil Mison. Great tune selector and a lovely bloke too.
Favourite club visited:
718 Sessions, New York. I’ve been lucky enough to visit 718 and Shelter in the past and had amazing nights at each. I used to think the Ministry of Sound was the centre of the world (this was the mid-90s in fairness) and used to spend entire weekends there topped off with after parties and a visit to The End on Sunday night.
THE BAD
Least favourite genre:
EDM is too easy to single out but how awful must it be that it is now above country and western in my least loved list? Actually, one thing that transcends all others is the use of a vocoder or auto-tune. I hate those equally and passionately.
Name a record that you regret playing:
I remember clearing a floor at an early UK Garage do with The Heartists’ ‘Belo Horizonte’ as my last song before handing over to the night’s big guest. That was awkward as I’d played to a packed crowd for 90minutes and it looked like deliberate sabotage. It wasn’t but it was a lesson learned, never warm up and end on a big record!
Worst gig, and why:
I had food/drink poisoning at a gig at 53 Feet East in London and my wife stepped in and rocked it. Good for her, bad for me! In terms of ones I’ve paid for? Well, here’s another vote for Shuggie Otis: Tragic in every sense of the word.
Name one thing you don’t like about DJing:
The old boys network. So many guys who’ve been around for a generation longer than me, who show no interest in doing anything new and coast along on their ‘reputation’ and being booked on their ‘name’ rather than actually being any good. That’s just one, I could add dozens more, but more often that not it’s a great hobby that enables me to travel a bit and meet loads of interesting people so it ain’t that bad really!