Ferry Corsten Interview – Trance legend

I’ve posted up a few interviews that I’ve done recently with some of the big stars in dance music. Here’s another one I thought you might be interested in, Ferry Corsten. I interviewed him to help promote Slinky at the Opera House in March 2008.

Ferry Corsten Interview – Big on trance, big on Slinky, big on the Opera House

There are great DJ’s and there are great producers. Never standing still, Ferry Corsten is one of the rare breed that have always excelled as both. Slinky has recently returned to the Opera House and are flying the flag for trance, so who better than Ferry Corsten to headline the March 21st event.

1. Hi Ferry, thanks for giving us the time for the interview. We’re really excited about the forthcoming Opera House gig on March 21st – it should bring back a few flashbacks having you up on the main stage there! As you’ve played the venue quite a few times down the years, do you have any special memories of the place you could share?

What I always liked about the venue was the fact that it has always kept its old theatre look and feel. I really liked about playing there in the early days with that DJ booth so close to the crowd, as it gave some amazing interaction with the Slinky clubbers.

2. You’re well known for your production work, and actually started out as a producer before you became a DJ. What are you doing production-wise at the moment and is there anything due out of the Ferry Corsten studio soon that the Slinky crowd should know about?

At this moment I am working on my next artist album. I might actually test a few new tunes out on March the 21st, so keep your ears open for something unfamiliar!

3. I read in an interview five years ago where that you mentioned that new trance was lacking in innovation, that it all sounded the same and everyone was copying each other. Has that changed at all with the newer generation of trance producers like Askew, O’Callaghan, Ottaviani, Downey, Bronzwaer, Haslam and Kearney?

I certainly think it has changed for the better with a lot more exciting music and blends out there. I personally love it when people cross borders between genres, for example the mix of electro and trance.

4. Your production work has shown a variety, which given your background in the early days when you were given to producing all sorts of genres from techno and gabber to drum and bass, probably isn’t that surprising. With regards to your DJ’ing though, are there any other scenes you’d like to DJ in or are you firmly set in the trance arena?

Although I have experimented in the past with various music, I see myself firmly in the trance arena. Since I first broke into the scene with trance music it remains my first love.

5. How do you come up with ideas for a track? Is it quite a difficult process producing those concepts into something people will actually dance to?

Ideas usually come from everyday things. For example, the way I feel, where I am, what music I am listening to – but most of all they just come up when I am comfortably working in my studio. With every idea that I produce I keep in mind that it has to work on the dancefloor first. This helps me to put the right energy into the track.

6. You always rank very highly in the global DJ Mag awards as one of the top artists in the scene. What type of importance do you place on accolades such as this? When we recently spoke with Eddie Halliwell he believed it was quite influential, giving him opportunities to expose dance music to a wider audience. What’s your take on it?

I think it’s great that the DJ Mag poll is there. because it is a good indication of what’s going on in the scene. It’s also nice to be recognized by your fans for all your hard work.

7. You’re a globetrotting DJ and must rack up a lot of travel during a year to many different places around the world. Do you ever get a chance to party or take in the local attractions when you gig abroad, or do you just go in, play your records, and want to get straight back home again?

I usually put a few gigs together in the same region. That means I can normally fly in, play my gig and hang out for a couple of hours with the locals and the crowd before going back to the hotel and next destination. Every once in a while when I am on tour I will have a few days off in between gigs, and then I love to check out the local scenery.

8. What is there left for you to achieve in the dance music scene? Do you have any ambitions that are as of yet un-fulfilled?

Since I started as a producer, I will probably end as a producer as well. So with that in mind I would love to be the producer behind a band or artist at some point.

9. It’s widely documented that you take a lot of inspiration from lots of different styles. With that in mind what musicians, bands, producers, and DJs are you into yourself at the moment?

For my own productions I am heavily inspired by music from the eighties and lately the late nineties. As for listening to music while relaxing I am happy with artists like Norah Jones, Erikah Badu and chill out.

10. Thanks Ferry, Just finally, what should the Slinky clubbers expect from you on the 21st of March at the Opera House?

A lot of energy and hands in the air !

Slinky’s next date at the Opera House in Bournemouth is on Friday the 6th of June where Paul Van Dyk is headlining. Check out the Slinky website for more information.