At only 24 years old, DJ and Producer Filthy Rich is at the top of his game; with an ever growing fan-base watching every step, his reputation as one of the brightest stars is gathering steam at a furious pace. Having made the transition that so many others fail in, namely manifesting themselves from promising talent to a genuine global star, 2007 is already shaping up to be a rollercoaster ride of Herculean proportions!

Rich currently holds some of the country’s biggest and best residencies that include; multi award winning club ‘Kissdafunk’, world-wide dance institution Gatecrasher, the ever glamorous Hat Club and more recently ‘Very Very Very Wrong Indeed’. As well as this, his magic has touched the dance floors of the Gallery, Sankeys, Garlands, Dusted and many more. If this wasn’t enough Rich will add the world famous Ministry of Sound to his residency portfolio this year which will provide yet another crowd to unleash his sound onto.

: Well Rich, the last year has been pretty amazing you must be pleased with your progress?

Yes I really am…the year has been going very well…probably my best year yet so I can’t complain! I’m busy with gigs every weekend and I have more production work than I can handle. More international gigs are coming through now as well which is great. Things are getting better and better at a steady pace so I just hope things continue the way they have been!

: What has been the recipe to your success?

It’s hard to say… passion and hard work I guess. I believe that I have reached the stage where I am today purely by playing the music that I love and by putting 100% into all aspects of my DJing. Hopefully more of the same will mean I realise my full potential. To be honest I am perfectly happy with what I have achieved so far but each time something good happens you instantly strive to take things to the next level.

: In your short career you’ve played at most of UK’s top venues and clubs, is there anywhere you haven’t played that you’d particularly like to?

I’ve always wanted to play at Fabric just because it is such an amazing venue. But I would also really like to play at more festivals. Global Gathering, Creamfields, Coloursfest even Glastonbury!! So far I have only done Leeds Love Parade, Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem and Wakestock. Hopefully the future will hold more… you can’t beat a good festival!

: You hold residencies at some of the top house nights in the country, do you feel you have to vary your sound much between them?

I don’t feel I am one of these DJ’s who tries to educate people too much. I play good music for people to dance to. That’s what it’s all about. I am not one of these DJ’s who just plays for himself. I like to think one of my strengths is my diversity and that I adjust well to my surroundings. I would say my sound suits all three of my residencies. It is constantly evolving as opposed to changing. I don’t think there is a DJ out there whose sound doesn’t evolve as time goes by. Due to a combination of my own productions and keeping my ear to the ground on what’s hot and what’s not I feel that I am always developing my style. I try to stamp my own sound on the night wherever I am playing but making sure that I fit in with what’s going on around me. Sometimes I keep things a little more accessible and other times I get to keep it filthy! Its all about uplifting house music that makes you wanna dance!!

: What’s been the highlight of your career so far?

Having support from Pete Tong, Radio 1 and Carl Cox on Global Radio of my latest bootleg – Filthy Rich vs. Cypress Hill – Got No Brain. Respect of the highest order… definitely a highlight!

: What releases have you got coming up?

Well there is my bootleg of Cypress Hill which is getting a lot of attention at the moment. Pete Tong has played on Radio 1 and the white labels should be due out in June. My track ‘Distortion’ is due out on Cosmonaut Blue and I have also just had a track signed to Toolroom called ‘Gimme the Bass’. Then there are also releases due on my own label Control Freq, the first of which is ‘Get Down’.
On the remix front my remix of ‘Dave Armstrong – Make Your Move’ is doing really well. Have also remixed ‘Richard Grey – Warped Bass’ and ‘Sidney Samson – Rock & Shake This’ which are both out now. In the pipeline I have another Seamus Haji track ‘Angels of Love’ and an awesome new rock track by Inhaler called ‘Something About You’.

: You’ve just started your own label too – how is that going? Is it just going to be a platform for your own productions?

The label is going to be a home for many of my own original productions, some knock out remixes and will also serve as a platform to develop future talents that I believe deserve some recognition! My label is looked after by 24 Management. They look after labels for many other DJs such as Funkagenda, Chris Lake, Trophy Twins and Micky Slim. They control the distribution and press side of things. I control the release schedule and artwork which leaves me the time to get the tracks completed and ready in the studio.

The first release is one of my tracks ‘Filthy Rich – Get Down’ which comes with remixes from Prok & Fitch and Hauswerks and gets released on June 15th. We promo’d in Miami and have been getting some really great reactions including plays on Radio 1 in Seamus Haji’s essential mix and inclusion on a forthcoming Ministry compilation. The second release is Filthy Rich – Let’s Get Dirty with mixes from H2 and Kim Fai. I’ve also signed a couple of tracks… one of which is James Fitch – Wide Awake… so look out for that!

: You have your new project called Spektre, how is that going?

Really really well. We got ones to watch for 2007 in DJ Mag, in amongst people like Audiofly and Claude Von Stroke. We were very proud to be alongside such company. The releases are also going well. We have just had EPs released on Dance Electric, Heimatmelodie and Global Underground with one on Leftroom in the pipeline.

: You use a lot of your own material in your sets but which other DJs and producers are doing it for you right now?

Carl Cox, Micky Slim, Dave Spoon, Mark Knight, Will Bailey, Audiofly and Plasmik.

: Do you play your music mainly off vinyl or CDs?

CDs all the way… what is a vinyl again?

: How did you learn to mix, was it vinyl decks or CDJs?b>

I did actually learn to mix on CDJs however back then they were dual cd players, two in one! After a while I found I could only buy the music I was looking for on vinyl and I bought one deck. Obviously it wasn’t long before I had two and I was a vinyl only DJ for a long time. Now it’s come full circle and I only play CDs. I try to embrace all the latest technology, you have to move with the times because if you don’t then someone else will and they’ll do it better!

: What advice do you have for aspiring DJs out there looking to get into dance music?

It’s so hard these days to make it as a DJ. The competition is huge. It’s not just about who can mix tracks together anymore. As a DJ you need to be the full package. You need to know the right people, be in the right place at the right time and probably have a bit of luck as well. The best advice I can offer is to just get out there and meet as many people as you can, and always be friendly to everyone you meet!

: If you weren’t DJing what would you be doing?

I would probably either be a Music Producer or a Forensic Scientist. I do actually have a degree in Physiology so if it wasn’t music then I guess I would be doing something science related.

: What is the best thing about this DJing lark?

I would say that the most glamorous thing about my job so far has been getting flown to different countries to play. My international diary has been getting bigger all the time. I find my productions are so widespread now that I am getting booked further and further a field. So far in the last year I have done Russia, Poland, Dubai,

: And the worst?

One of the worst things about the music industry is some of the politics that goes on between all the club nights and DJ agencies. I know that it is practically unavoidable in most cases, but as a DJ it can be quite annoying. Especially when you’re stuck in the middle of it. Sometimes through no fault of your own you can really piss people off. It’s very hard to keep everyone happy. But I guess it comes with the territory. Also I don’t particularly like narrow-minded people and pretentiousness. The kind of people who judge you before they even know you; musical snobs! I hate that! You should be open to everything and understand that everyone is entitled to their opinion. You shouldn’t look down on someone just because of the music they like or play… that’s ridiculous!

: Are you looking forward to playing Ibiza this year?

I love Ibiza and always look forward to it every year. This summer looks like it could be pretty busy already. I’m resident for Kiss Da Funk at El Divino on a Tuesday and I also have a few one-off dates for Xtravaganza. I’ve played out in Ibiza for about 3 years running now so it’s becoming like a second home to me. There really is no other place like it. I just love the vibe and the clubs…thousands of like-minded people travelling from all over the world to party in the sun to the best music in the world; at the best clubs in the world….what could be better??

: Will you be partying out there too as well as working?

This is actually the first year for a while that I have a holiday booked out in Ibiza with all my close friends so I am really looking forward to that. Ibiza over the last few years has usually meant work for me so it’s nice to actually have some time off booked in.

: What is your favourite thing about the island?

In a word DC10… but I hear we might be without it this year. I’m hoping the closure won’t last…definitely my favourite place on the Island.

: What’s next for Filthy Rich?

Doing much more of the same….keeping up my busy schedule! Hopefully my productions will be doing just as well if not better, and I will be travelling just as much as I am now. I am hoping my record label will also take off and get some good recognition. I’m looking forward to some crossover remixes as well such as some bands or electronic dance groups. I also have an Asia and Australia tour coming up at the end of the summer so I’m looking forward to that….roll on the summer!!

Filthy Rich will be playing at Seone for Sick ! On The DanceFloor on 18th August alongside WILL BAILEY AND ED KANE

IF YOUR ATTENDING THE EVENT CLICK THIS LINK

http://www.dontstayin.com/uk/london/seone/2007/aug/18/event-121998

IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE CHANCE TO WIN TICKETS TO THIS EVENT WATCH MTV DANCE ON THURSDAY 9TH AUGUST AT 8PM

FILTHY RICH'S SUMMER CHART

1. Filthy Rich – Get Down (Control Freq Records)
2. Freaks – The Creeps (Micky Slim Remix) (Data)
3. Cypress Hill vs Filthy Rich – Got No Brain (White)
4. Mark Ronson Ft Lily Allen – Oh My God (Chris Lake Remix) (Columbia)
5. Cirez D – Tigerstyle (Mouseville)
6. Who’s Who – Sexy Fuck (Louie Padilla Remix) (Size)
7. Supermal – Bigger Is Big (Micky Slim Remix) (Eye Industries)
8. Sebastian Leger – Mars (Mistakes)
9. Rossell – Dancing With Strangers (Dave Robertson mix) (BrandNewVibe)
10. Swen Weber – Smith & Wesson (Original Mix) (Fusion)
11. Mark Knight & D Ramirez – System (Toolroom)
12. Shena – Electrosexual (Aston Shuffle Remix) (Hussle)
13. Thomas Gold – Don’t You Want Me (Dave Spoon Remix) (White)
14. James Talk – Remote (Deadmau5 Remix) (Spoken)
15. Sam Ball – Automatic (Original Mix) (Punchfunk)
16. Murk – Reach For Me (TV Rock & Dirty South Remix) (Cr2)
17. X-Mode – Some Kind Of Drink (Noiz Remix) (White)
18. Djuna Soundsytem – Le Djinns (Swen Weber Remix)
19. Subsource – This Town (Hook N Sling Remix)
20. Sidney Samson – Rock & Shake This (Filthy Rich Remix) (Muck)