He's the King of the Carnival. He's the founder of Good Times. He's a clubland institution. So, imagine our surprise when the usually-private, Norman Jay, agrees to do an interview with us, ahead of his first appearance at Pacha in a long time. We are not worthy....(!)

How do you feel the Notting Hill Carnival went?

I think, overall, as an event, as a spectacle it was brilliant! In relation to Good Times, ourselves, we, again, exceeded expectations by attracting records crowds on both days. So, to date, it's been the best ever for us!

What did you enjoy most about this year's Carnival?

The fact that we had the weather! Given that England hasn't had a Summer this year, I made promises beforehand and gave asurances that the weather would be perfect and it turned out to be that way! Phew!

This will be your first appearance at Pacha in a few years. Have you missed it?

It certainly has been a while! For me, it's always been a great building and a great space. I've done various nights down there over the years, always had a fantastic time and I'm really looking forward to this weekend. My nephews want to come down, too!

What did you do to celebrate your last birthday?

I had a quiet night in with my family.

When was that?

Well, I'm not at liberty to give out personal information!

And, how young does that make you?!?!

18 years old plus VAT!

What's the weirdest thing that's ever happened to you in a club?

I've been fortunate. I keep away from the weirdos!! But, back in the day, I used to get knickers and bras thrown at me. Also, requests to have my baby!

Does that still happen?

Yeah, it does actually! I've got quite a collection now! And, I'll be collecting some more at Pacha this weekend....(!)

So, you're the DJing world's equivalent of Tom Jones, then?

Well... more Marvin Gaye than Tom Jones!

What's the best night out you've ever had?

Ah! Probably the after-party at the Carnival, y'know? It's always the last gig, for me. I'm very fortunate. Everything I do is live, exciting and happening right there. If you ask me the same question on Monday, I'll say it was at Pacha over the weekend.

What's the worst gig you ever had?

Thankfully, there haven't been too many of those. If they've been bad, they're forgettable. I never dwell on them. I quickly move on. I'm a positive person - I only celebrate the good things!

What's your favourite record of all time?

It's never-ending. Today it could be Marvin Gaye - 'What's Going On'. Tomorrow, it could be Bob Marley - 'Could You Be Loved'. You know what I mean? A different tune for every day, basically.

What happened the last time you embarrassed yourself?

I apologised to everybody around me!

What can't you live without?

Food and water!

Before you were a DJ, what was the worst job you ever had?

I've never had a worst job because I was a lazy slacker! I never did anything. Music's always been my life.

What was the last record you bought?

It was the last single by Omar.

Who are your musical influences?

Thery're vast and many. Everything from Aretha Franklin to James Brown, Marvin Gaye to Stevie Wonder and up to people like Bugz In The Attic and 4Hero on today's scene.

Is there anything unusual about you that we should know?

There's nothing the media needs to know about me! I'm a very private man!

If you had a time machine, where would you go and why?

I'd go back to the days of pre-slavery and do my level best to put a stop to it before it began.

What tunes have lodged themselves in your record box and refuse to leave?

All my Good Times Collections from 1 to 7. That's the truth. They never leave my box!

And finally, what can we expect from you during your set at Pacha?

Expect good times, expect quality and expect the unexpected!!!

Thanks, Norman, we look forward to welcoming you at Pacha on Saturday night!

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