How did you get into DJing and was it hard for an attractive woman to be taken seriously in an industry dominated by blokes?
I started collecting records at the age of 7 and learnt to mix as soon as I started going to clubs when I was 16 and got into acid house so it all happened very naturally a long time ago before I even realised it could become a career for me. Now, although I'm very aware there is a
huge deficit of female’s djing I do forget that I am looked at differently because I'm a girl. I believe that if you're good at what you do you gain respect from your peers regardless of gender or colour.

Turnmills was your big break, and now its closed clubland won't be the same. What has been your enduring memory there over the years?
A lot of lost weekends! Many people have had a great deal of fun in that basement at 63b Clerkenwell Rd but my main memory is being in that booth with the sound so loud and clear looking at the lasers across the sea of people and feeling really lucky that they were dancing to stuff I was playing and loving it.

Is there a north-south divide in house music crowds? I.e. do you have a different approach playing in Newcastle to London?
I'm not consciously aware of a North/South divide but i would say London dance floors were slightly different to most clubs in the rest of the country yes. The capitals crowds usually get the edgier stuff a bit more but don't tend to go quite as mental. Huge generalisation there though!

Are you fully converted to the digital revolution? What effect do you think the internet & downloading has had on house music?
I was sworn to never giving up vinyl...until my vinyl went missing on a complicated flight routing and I had to use all CD's. And, being pregnant at the time, that bag of CD's seemed a lighter and
much wiser idea than carrying a heavy bag of records so I never went back. I now love the fact I can shop from Beatport and Juno from home and have the music straight away. There's so much fantastic music out there I'd say the quality is healthier than ever, but hardly anyone is making money from dance music now compared to 10 years ago. Most people’s productions help their profile and DJing but there's not the big wads of cash for remixes anymore and I'd say the real negative was that the independent labels have suffered.

What is your most embarrassing moment DJ-wise?
A rare night when I had stilettos on in Brazil with Xpress2. It was when they had about 38 decks, 12 CDJ's and 45 mixers on the stage and it was all very complicated. Anyway, I had these stupid heels on and managed to get my headphones wrapped around them and as I walked off I
pulled the mixer and several other pieces of equipment off the table and went flying myself. Everything (electrical) was broken but luckily they had those scores of other mixers/CDJ's/decks to use when they went on. I wear sensible footwear now.

What is your highlight thus far in your DJ career?
There isn't one definitive moment but many fabulous nights. I have to say not many things beat Space when it's really good though, and watching your own music rock a dancefloor makes me very happy.

Year after year people keep saying Ibiza is dying. What's your opinion?

I've never heard anyone say that. Where did they go? Are you sure they got the right island?

Who's going to be the breakthrough DJs this year?
Serge Santiago

What's the funniest thing you've seen a clubber doing?
Many, many stupid things, ridiculous outfit's, climbing poles etc but to be honest I much prefer it when they all just dance

What is your ultimate 'if all else fails' tune?
Its dance music, it changes every week...we are a fickle bunch!!!

DJ LOTTIE will be perfoming at the Launch of HOUSE RULES at Plan B on Saturday March 1st alongside GARETH WYN (Cream) and residents David Griffiths, Haran De Lucas and Dave Duffield.

Join the House Rules group by clicking HOUSE RULES REGULARS

Full event details click HERE