Keeping The Rave Alive with Kutski

 INTERVIEW 

Kutski

1.   How are you doing and what have you being doing since your last visit to SA?

Pretty much the same thing I’ve been doing for for the past 10 years to be honest haha, making radio shows, producing music and playing this crazy form of dance music we call Hardstyle in clubs around the world :D

2.   As mentioned above you have visited our lovely country before, what’s the one thing that you love most about South Africa?

Obviously there are so many things that are amazing about the country in general, but the one thing that always stands out to me is the raw passion and enthusiasm the clubbers have for dance music out here! It’s second to non!

3.   We know who Kutski is, but our readers might not, can you tell us a little more about yourself on a non-musical front?  We sure you get asked this a lot, why the name Kutski?

There isn’t really too much to say about me aside from music, and is and always has been my whole life, so “John Walker” and “Kutski” really are the same thing lol! The name comes from my turntablist routes. A lot of DJ’s on the battle circuit had names like Mixmaster Mike, Gran Wizard Theodor etc... I used to go my the name Kutmaster J, J for John, Kut for my style of DJ’ing with a lot of cutting and scratching!

4.   Everyone grows up with ideas of what we want to be when we older, have you always wanted to be a DJ/ Producer and how did your journey in music start?

The same as everyone to be honest! I saved up for a pair of cheap turntables when I was still at school. When I left school, I got a boring day job to fund my vinyl addiction, with the dream of becoming a professional DJ, but the realism that it would just be a cool hobby in my free time. Over the years, my profile and popularity built to the point where I was so busy the music production and DJ’ing, I just didn’t have time to hold down a full time job as well so i made the leap to be be a professional DJ, and have been luck enough to make it work!!

5.   We are lucky enough to have you in our country again. What are you most looking forward to about your South African tour?

I’m really looking forward to playing the Jo’burg show, as this was the city I played my second ever international gig at (first outside of Europe), probably over a decade ago now, so I’m really excited to see the place from a tourist perspective with a more well travelled knowledge, and of course to see how the dance music scene has evolved.

6.   What can your fans expect from you sets in Cape Town and Johannesburg?

Anyone that follows what I do knows I have a very eclectic taste in music, and play a broad spectrum of styles in my sets. So you could probably expect to hear me start at the harder end of the EDM / house scale, through to the hardstyle I’m predominantly known for, maybe even ending with some hardcore depending on how wild things get haha!!

7.   What are your three favorite tracks at the moment?

Ok, I’ll mix up the styles a little bit here too...

1)  Audiofreq - Warcry (Hardstyle)

2)  Borgore & Skidope - Unicorn Zombie Apocalypse (House)

3)  LNY TNZ & Nyanda - I Love Sax (Freestyle)

8.   If you had to choose a quote (or a line) to describe what motivates you day to day, what would it be? 

It’s not so much a quote, but when I’m lying in my bed on a Monday morning, ruined from a long weekend with the alarm clock buzzing in the background, before I hit snooze, I remind my self how many people would kill to be in my position, and how many incredible talented producers and DJ’s are snapping at my heals waiting to take my place the second i take my foot of the gas! Aside from my obviously love of the music, this always a good reminder of why you need to make every day count in this game!

9.   Lastly, if we had to take you out on a date what would you love to do? :P

Eat sushi, then go and play arcade games... I’m a cheap date :P 

10.  Any Last messages for your fans?

It’s been 10 years since I last played out in Jo’burg, I hope to god it’s not so long until the next time, but you never know, so DO NOT miss this show!!!! No excuses :D

Thank you so much for doing this interview with us we hope to catch up with you properly when you down here :)

Layla and Yasmin..