Stephen Allkins aka [love] tattoo is probably best known as the man responsible for the sublime house bombs “the bass has got me movin” and “drop some drums” of a couple of years ago, but he is by no means a recent entrant to the Australian dance music scene having been a prominent and valued contributor for well over 20 years. He’s one of the few to remain throughout the constant changes to the club scene – a universal occurrence which sorts out the pros from the cons – and one of the true pioneers of dance music in Sydney and Australia.
In 1978 he started DJing at club night Palms, playing everything from Aretha Franklin to Kraftwerk – then to Stranded, Patches, Glamourworld, the Phoenix sessions, the successful Class Act (where Deep Dish asked to play during their ‘98 visit) at Sublime@ Home, and the list goes on and on. Throughout his career he has played next to some of the biggest names in house music, including Frankie Knuckles, David Morales, Kings of Tomorrow, Roger Sanchez, Danny Rampling, Deep Dish, Armand Van Helden, Fat Boy Slim, Miguel Migs, Masters at Work and many more. Yet however customary it may be to equate his success with the company he has worked with, it must be noted that Stephen Allkins is a star producer and DJ in his own right.
After enjoying early years of success with his DJing and having worked on some remixes with his friend Robert Racic, Stephen got together with Paul Mac and produced a club classic with a reverent nod to disco and other great dance moments in a modern time. This first [love] tattoo track “History Of Disco” found great success, with Pete Tong picking it up and releasing it through leading dance label ffrr. After touring Ibiza and the UK with Carl Cox, Stephen continued to record tracks for the [love] tattoo project with his new collaborator, local producer/remixer Justin Shave. Following “History Of Disco”, [love] tattoo took on another direction with the tribal vibe of “Drop Some Drums” and the sublime groove of “The Bass Has Got Me Movin’”. Both have become classic club cuts here and overseas even before their release on the new ‘Hussle’ label through Ministry Of Sound Australia. Both tracks were featured on a number of compilations worldwide, and caught the attention of almost every high profile dj around the globe.
What were your early influences when you were first getting in to music?
Anything – I’ve always loved music since I was little. My first musical memory is freaking out the first time I heard Aretha Franklins RESPECT when I was 5 years old.
When did you decide you wanted to forge a career in DJing and the music industry?
Never really, I sort of fell into both. I’d been going clubbing since I was 15 that was 1975 – by 1978 I was truly hooked on dance music and had an absolute sh*tload of records and a friend just kept pushing me to do a night – so I did – and 25 years later I’m still doing it.
As someone who has seen musical trends come and go over the years, do you have any predictions for the future direction of house music?
All I want to see house do is be itself. When it is… it’s a beautiful thing.
What would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?
Too many highlights to mention, but my favourite show to play was the Big Day Out tour in 2001. I played all cities in Australia in the boiler room right before Crystal Method – it was very cool. Still playing and getting people dancing is quite a highlight also.
Which do you find more rewarding – producing or DJing?
I find both rewarding for different reasons. Nothing beats finishing a track and playing to a crowd and getting a good reaction when they don’t even know it’s yours yet.
When producing, do you plan and brainstorm what you’re going to do before you make a track?
I have a good idea how I want most things to go and I convey that to the people I’m working with on any track. My specialty is arrangement I guess.
You have produced tracks that have been endorsed by some of the music industries biggest names – do you enjoy the recognition?
Oh yes. I’m totally flattered, especially when I hear a favorite dj play or use a track on something.
How far are you along in making the new album? What kind of sound can we expect?
I’m halfway through but am picking up steam with every track. There is an electro track called ‘what’s so fucking funny’, a cute little 115bpm sort of German sounding track called ‘my turn to rumble’, a tribute to Todd Terry called ‘Todds groove’ or ‘Todds theme’, and a beautiful live percussive house track with very nice female vocals indeed. The next track should be done in 2 or 3 weeks. Haven’t found a title for the album or set a release date, but I’ll keep you posted.
Stephen Allkins has proven himself as a consistent and powerful force behind the Australian music scene, and house music in general for over 20 years, and when asked if there was a secret to his success he answered simply – “Just love music and dancing. That’s it.”
Stephen Allkins plays Kink Summer Sessions this Saturday, November 15. Click HERE for more info.
