John Askew is without doubt one of the hottest tech/trance producer/djs in the world. Over the last decade his productions and remixes have seen massive support from Eddie Halliwell, Tiesto, Armin van Buuren and Paul van Dyk who has employed John’s remix skills repeatedly on his highly respected Vandit label. He will be starring at Dinky Slinky on July the 4th. This is what he had to say:

1. Hi John and thanks for agreeing to the quick interview. Could you briefly tell us who you are, where you are, and what’s playing on your stereo?

I’m John Askew, I’m in the office and I’m listening to the radio.

2. You’ve achieved a huge amount in your DJ’ing career so do you have any ambitions left in the music scene?

Lots. I don’t think I’ve achieved have of what I want to do. For a start - there are a few countries I haven’t played that I still want to visit and there is also a shit load more music I want to make. There are several producers I would like to collaborate with. Still lots to do.

3. I notice that as well as DJ’ing you’re also in an band called Drum Cult. Could you tell us a bit more about it, what’s behind that and what and who is involved?

Drum Cult is a group with another friend of mine Zak Frost who makes music for labels like Turbo. We have done a few releases together and remixes but at the moment it is on hold as we are both busy with our own stuff.

I hope we will get back to the project before too long as I really enjoyed making that style of slower stuff that feeds off both of different ends of the electronic scene. Right now though if I have any spare studio time it goes to making harder banging stuff – which isn’t a bad thing.

4. If you could put one person into Noel Edmond’s Gunge Tank, who would it be and why?

I’ve no idea what you’ve just asked me but on the subject of Edmonds I will tell you this – a mate of mine was having a few pints on his way home from work one night a few years ago when he decided he needed a piss and went to the Pub toilets top relieve himself.

He’s still in his suit and tie and while he’s standing there having a piss – guess who fronts up to the next door urinal? Noel Edmonds. And this is no word of a lie – Noel Edmunds looks at my mate’s rather colourful tie and says “Nice Tie” – to which my mate turns to him and says “nice come back”. Genius.

5. Given that the Slinky date is the 4th of July we’d like to know who your favourite American is and why?

Jack Nicholson. He’s led the life every red bloodied man would want and despite being about 70 he’s still single and working it like a pimp.

6. There seems to be many types of awards now available to DJs and producers. Do you personally place any value on accolades such as the DJ Mag Awards and is it important to you to receive that type of recognition?

They are bloody important and huge contributors to a dj’s fees but while I would be really pleased to be in the top 100 I’ve never been able to directly ask people to vote for me. It doesn’t feel right. Do you know what I mean?

7. You travel extensively as a DJ, other than the UK where’s your favourite place to gig and why?

Lebanon is my favourite place to play and then closely second is probably Argentina which is just incredible right now.

8. On your travels have you seen any evidence of the global credit crisis having any effect on clubland and dance music?

The UK has been hit hard but in a few other parts of the world, and this may sound odd, it’s had a positive effect as far as numbers in clubs go. I think it’s because there’s so much doom and gloom in the press that people want to go twice as nuts when they go out. They want to party twice as hard – to blot out all the negativity surrounding us - just for one night.

9. We've been asking DJs recently what they would do if they were PM for the day, given the current economical and political climate we’ve just discussed. If there was a Prime Minister Askew, what would he be doing right now?

I don’t know anything about politics so I would just do what I felt this country needed - increase the speed limits on the motorways, remove the congestion charge in London, make every 2nd Monday a public holiday, fill the Thames with Crocodiles, make all men over 60 wear string vests by law (including royalty), move my house form 10 Downing Street to Cornwall or maybe the South of France and obviously I’d be expected to rinse the shit out of my expenses every day - to make sure I fit in with the rest of those clowns.

10. If the economy isn’t scary enough, I’d like to know what your scariest ever moments have been when DJ’ing, or failing that, the weirdest?

I played at a heavy metal bikers bar. It was a mistake. I played one record which caused such a hostile reaction that I had to get the resident rock dj to shield me as I ducked out the fire escape behind the booth and ran. Quite remarkable that people go to those places by choice.

11. So what can the Slinky clubbers expect from you on the 4th of July?

Hammers.

12. Thanks for the interview, we’re looking forward to having you at Dinky Slinky so without further ado I will you have the last word:

Thankyou.