Hello Angelo. Nice to meet you. So what made you decide to become a DJ?I started up about nine years ago, when I was 16. I was influenced early on by the house DJs that were around - people like Jeremy Healy and Allister Whitehead. I was particularly interested in Jeremy Healy because even though he played house, he still used to do scratching - one of the few DJs to do that. I always wanted to be able to do it - I thought it sounded really cool. I was at school at the time and I didn't have much money to get decks. So I bought some turntable spares from Potts on Babington Lane, wired some mains on to them and built these really cheap decks. Then I got a second hand-mixer and started from there. I didn't really get lessons off anybody. I just taught myself, finding my own style. I started playing whatever the big name DJs were playing at the time - whatever was on the Essential Mix. I was playing house, trance, UK garage, dabbled in a bit of Drum 'n' Bass but then I thought 'why am I playing all this when I'm a scratch DJ? I should be playing Hip Hop!' So I stopped buying house stuff and started playing Hip Hop. That was about five years ago and I've never looked back. In a way I think I wasted quite a bit of time and money playing music that I didn't really feel. What happened next?I was influenced by the DMC DJs. They amazed me, the things they could do on the decks, creating new music from records in their collection. I started buying the videos and used their influence to start putting routines together. I entered my first competition in 2000 and won for the first time at the UK Gemini DJ Championships the following year down at Earl's Court in London. I won it again last year and I just enjoy battling. It scares the hell out of me but it's such a rush when the set goes well and the crowd reacts and they appreciate the creativity that's gone into your set. Is DJing a full-time job?No. I actually work full-time at Egg at the moment. I've thought about Djing full-time but I don't think it's got the long-term security - I don't think it's something you can do when you're 40. What are your all-time favourite tracks?At the moment I'm playing 'Simon Says' by Pharoahe Monch - an absolutely awesome Hip-Hop track. I like to play Old Skool stuff too - like NWA's 'Express Yourself'. I'm a big fan of Notorious BIG. He's probably my favourite artist. Kicking The Door is a great track. As for new stuff, LL Cool J - Headsprung is really doing damage in the clubs at the moment. Any tips for greatness?Yogi definitely. I've always thought he's got the style and production in his tunes. He's got a good commercial sound and I think he can do really well. It's got a US Hip Hop edge to it which does well in the charts so I think he'll do well. I'm a tour DJ for a Derby group called Deprogrammed too which is going pretty well. We've played around the UK and supported some good names. Where do you DJ?I've done Off the Hook at the Gatehouse and I play Revolution. There's a gig I'm looking forward to in December at Revolution. I'm battling a beat-boxer from Nottingham called Foz. It's a bit of a twist. I battled a beat-boxer earlier this year called Schlo-Mo from Leeds and the crowd just loved it. He got on the mic, did some amazing stuff and the crowd went nuts. Then they looked at me as if to say 'what's he going to do?' and then I had to try and better it. It's probably the best turn-out I've ever seen. People were standing on top of other peoples' shoulders to see it all. So that's going to be a really good night. I'm putting routines together for it. How do you put new routines together? Do you nick bits from other DJs?Well you can be influenced by other people but you should never copy them. There's always new tricks to do but I always try to use my own choice of tunes. Sometimes I'll be lying in bed trying to get to sleep and I'll just think of a US Hip-Hop track which would go really well in a set and think 'yeh, I could do that!' I'm always listening to lyrics in songs because being a battle DJ, it's all about lyrics. So I spend a lot of time thinking about what I want to say on the decks. Where would your dream gig be?I'd love to play Fabric in London. I've never been - not sure why - but apparently that's the best place to be if you're a turntablist. I'd also love to get to the finals of the DMC Championships. What was the first record you bought?Skee-Lo - I Wish. Everyone knows it. He never really followed it up with anything but it's great. I still play it now and it still goes off when I put it on. What was the last record you bought?I've just got the latest Roots Manuva CD - the one with Witness (One Hope) on it. I had to get it for this battle because Foz uses the beat from it so I thought I'd better get it in for battling. What music can't you stand?I can appreciate any type of music but I wouldn't really want to listen to much Hard House. I used to be a bit of a raver back in the day but I've chilled out now and I haven't really got the energy for it! What's the least enjoyable thing about DJ-ing?I don't really like playing in a bar where you're not in a booth - you're just out in the open. People seem to think the DJ is at their disposal - their control. When they've been drinking they think they can tell you what to do. I don't think some people appreciate that you're there trying to do a job and you're trying to please everybody. It can be a bit rude. Have you got any famous pals?Not really. I battled Schlo-Mo, who's just recorded an album with Bjork. I've played alongside people like Shola Ama, MC Neat, Freestylers, EZ Rollers. I also played at the Hip Hop Happening at Normanton Park earlier this year which had Jay Sean and Estelle. I've been on the bill wih some good names. What advice do you have for anyone just starting out as a DJ?Well people get seduced by the idea of being a DJ - that it's exciting and looks good and it's the cool thing to do - but they don't appreciate the cost of it all. It's ongoing. The equipment is one thing but you've also got to keep up with the records and if you're not playing then you're constantly losing money. It's a big commitment to be a DJ and some people don't realise. I started with four of my mates and I'm the only one still doing it. They just went through the phase and then sold their stuff. I could have bought a house with the money I've spent on records! Are DJs still popular with women?I honestly think that's a bit of a myth! The women nowadays tend to go for the breakdancers rather than the DJs - they're stealing the limelight! And why not. They're amazing to watch. It's their turn! Interview with Gavin Bevis | 
