What brings you to London?

There are a couple of ugly rumours going around. One is that I got some poor girl pregnant in Oz and had to do a runner… Or that I left some poor guy bleeding on the dance floor and had to scoot before the cops came… The boring and sedate truth is that most of the labels I’ve released on, are in the UK and Europe.

Where does the DJ name Ralphski come from?

When we used to hoop (that’s play basketball in oz) all the ex American navy/marine crop players would call me ski cause I was polish born… then it became “pass me the ball ralph, ski”. And so the two joined…

What was it like warming up for James Brown infront of 40,000 people at Good Vibations (Australia - Perth)?

To be honest when we were on, only a few thousand people had made it into the grounds by that stage, but there was still a great buzz going around. We didn’t want to be seen as background music so Kristie decided to make her own grand entrance to our set by throwing rose petals as she waltzed out on stage holding a sun umbrella before breaking out into her vocals…



After our set I got a tad drunk/smashed/retarded at the VIP tent. So I tried to go and say hello to James Brown himself backstage… by the time I got there I couldn’t comprehend security telling me that back stage was now closed to everyone except the James Brown band. I must admit that they must have been some of the most patient security people ever, as I was really, really, really insistent on meeting the Godfather of soul, despite their explanations. One even chuckled at my state of frustration when I couldn’t get my beer open and got a bottle opener for me. Nicest bouncers ever.

Was it your best gig ever?

No, cause Kristie got the entire spotlight. Bitch…

You do a lot of work with Kristie your vocalist, how did you two meet?

This is a true story, at least how I remember it anyway. A DJ at the local radio station who did the house show, brought her over to my studio, as a potential vocalist. She had purple hair at the time (she refutes this part of the story), sat down like she owned the place, listened to a song that she didn’t know just got signed, and proceeded to tell me that the song was ‘good’ but nowhere near ‘finished yet’. She wouldn’t leave the studio and I couldn’t kick her out… luckily for her, she has an amazing singing voice, I and others reckon her voice is up there with Jill Scott and Roisin Murphy.

Describe you sound?

Not sure exactly but it’s definitely got groove. We stay away from the faster and harder is better philosophy, that some cheesy and cheap hard house people like. Music isn’t a competition, you know, you can relax and enjoy the journey. You can enjoy dancing more and get lost in a track that’s slower and has a good groove/swing combination, rather than one that’s fast, hard, mechanical and full of predictable samples.

Downloads or vinyl?

12s all the way as far as my DJ sets go. Though the ability to download a track in an instant is damn convenient.

What have you got coming up in the future? / What can we expect from you at Fiasco?

Our current release is on Mutated Music with remixes from the stereo mutants and DJ Meme, traxsource.com

The next release on Detroit’s Kolour recordings, it’s the ‘don’t you know EP’ under the “smart kid” moniker. Aside from that, now I’ve set up my studio here in London & I’ve a bunch of remixes for other people, that should have been finished a few months ago… and I’m also hiring out my studio to other producers working on tracks or just looking to dabble.

At Fiasco, we’ll bring a good time… Kristie will sing live some of the tracks we’ve released on black vinyl, greenhouse, Mutated Music, hear no Evil and others. Most importantly we’re going to get drunk and we’re going to have good time. I got some promo’s from labels of tracks that are yet to be released and I’ll drop some of them.

Current Top 5 tracks?

Elektrons - "Joy " (Pete Simpson mix) – Wall Of Sound
Nu Frequency Feat Shara Nelson “Go That Deep” Rebirth Italy
Ralphski Feat Kristie “Keep Me Awake” – Mutated Music
Rachel Claudio – “Freedom (Ralphski’s Cry For Zimbabwe Mix)” – Jaffa Music France
Voom Voom “Best Friend (Charles Webster Remixes)” - G-Stone Austria