Nozstock 2013: Interview w/ DJ Yoda

DJ Yoda will be playing at Nozstock: The Hidden Valley Festival this year, which runs from 26-28 July 2013. He’ll be playing alongside Andy C with his RAM Records DJs, The Dub Pistols, Mr Scruff, The Strypes and The Wytches in the beautiful rolling countryside of Herefordshire. See www.nozstock.com for more info.

So in the run up to Nozstock: The Hidden Valley Festival we caught up with DJ Yoda for a quick discussion – As follows:

1.    The MixUp: Is this your first time playing at Nozstock festival?

DJ Yoda: Yessir!

2.     TMU: What do you think of the green initiative around Nozstock? – And how green are you?

DJ Yoda: I’m trying so hard not to make an obvious Yoda joke right now! Haha! Yes, the fact that Nozstock is environmentally aware is really positive and important – I’m impressed!

3.     TMU: What would you say the key differences are playing at a festival than playing in say a night club/DJ Yoda gig and which experience do you prefer?

DJ Yoda: I love the fact that I get a good balance of both – they are different things. I tend to go for the bigger anthems at festivals outside, and pick more underground stuff for clubs. 

4.     TMU: Nozstock has been running now for well over a decade – You yourself have also had a good career – what would you say is the secret to longevity?

DJ Yoda: Staying true to yourself and not trying to do something because that’s what you hope everyone else wants from you. It takes courage. 

5.     TMU: What Advice would you give to aspiring DJs

DJ Yoda: Pretty much the same as my last answer! I see so many DJs just trying to hop on a bandwagon of whatever is trendy, it makes for no longevity.

6.     TMU: Some DJs we speak to have mentioned DJ Yoda as one of the DJs that influenced them  – Who musically influences DJ Yoda.

DJ Yoda: So many people that I would have trouble listing them all. Because I try and keep up on as many types of music as possible, so it seems to be different people within each style of music. But I’m also just as inspired by movies, TV, food, people – anything!

7.     TMU: And what would you say are your biggest influences outside of music?

DJ Yoda: Just to limit it to movies – some of my favourites are The Coen Brothers, The Marx Brothers and David Lynch.

8.     TMU: Describe your show visually and musically?

DJ Yoda: Every time I try and do that I fail! It’s so much easier to watch 30 seconds of my AV show on YouTube than it is for me to try and put it in words! The simplest way to put it is that I DJ with video – and you should expect the unexpected.

9.    TMU: What’s your outlook on the music industry at the moment, particularly from a DJs standpoint?

DJ Yoda: I see a lot of generic stuff that depresses me, and a luckily, a small amount of stuff that I find inspiring too. I find a lot of DJs to be very unskilled compared to the golden era of hip-hop DJing. The ones that show skills inspire some hope!

10.  TMU: Do you have any pet peeves in the music industry today or about playing anywhere?

 DJ Yoda: I’m lucky that I often DJ to open-minded crowds – I think I would only feel frustrated like that if I was playing to people that needed to hear Pitbull and David Guetta every weekend. 

11.  TMU: How would you describe DJ Yoda and what DJ Yoda does?

DJ Yoda: I’m a hip-hop DJ in terms of style, but I play anything that I like in terms of content. And I think the most important thing of all is that my shows are FUN. 

12.  TMU: You’ll be Playing at Nozstock which is regarded by many as the finest festival of its size in the UK – Where else will we be able to catch you over the summer?