Five Things with Josh Butler

My dad plays the guitar and he used to have little multi-track tape decks that he would record on. Both my mum and dad are big Pink Floyd fans, so I was introduced to some outstanding music from a young age. My mum was always into dance stuff as well as rock, so I would steal her Faithless and Prodigy CDs whenever I could.

2.Inspirations

I listen to a wide variety of music, so it’s hard to choose a favourite. It all depends on the mood that I’m in. I find myself drawing inspiration from King Tubby, New Order, Moby, Fatboy Slim and many more. I try to combine elements of what I like about each artist. Of course, house guys like Kerri Chandler, Marshall Jefferson, Ron Trent and MAW are also all a huge inspiration.

3.Your Crew

Recently I have been working with Sante, Darius Syrossian, Hauswerks and Pawsa. I also have a very exciting collaboration project with some of my house heroes, but I’m not going to say too much yet.

4.The Music You Make And Play

No two sets of mine are ever the same. The idea of playing the same tracklist every night bores me to death. It’s about tailoring a set for each crowd, venue and mood. In the grand scheme of things it’s all house music. Usually I start a little deeper and softer and then build the vibe for a while until I can gradually shift towards the harder side of my sound.

5. Music, Right Here, Right Now

Nicole Moudaber played some of the best sets I saw last year! She destroyed Circoloco at DC10. Northern England is my local scene. Manchester is world renowned for producing some of the best dance music. The Haçienda may have been a little before my time, but that raw creative energy is still strong in the North. Past and present are both important to me. Know the history, respect the roots and push forward.