John Course is one half of the DJ duo behind the hugely popular Ministry of Sound Sessions and Annuals Compilation- showcasing the best current and future dancefloor stompers. Alongside regular sets at the biggest festivals in Australia and residencies at One Love in Melbourne, John manages to squeeze in numerous tours, remix production work, and mixing for Nova around the country. He found some time to answer some questions for ITM prior to his set at Cougar and Ministry UNLEASHED this Saturday…
You are regarded as probably Australia’s most popular and well-known
commercial house DJ. Do you classify yourself as such given the conservative pidgeon-holed connotations that accompany that genre? If not, what kind of house music do you play?
I play good records which quite often cross over to commercial areas such as the chart and radio playlists. It has always been my style and I get onto tracks early and hopefully help make them successful, rather than waiting for somebody else to play them and then following. It’s not just about what you play, but when you play it. An underground record can quickly be considered commercial if it catches on, so I like to buy lots of music, stay on top of what is coming and ensure my DJ sets at clubs like One Love are always fresh.
In Adelaide, you are most known for your work with Ministry of Sound,
as well as the rapidly growing OneLove. How do these brands differ, and how do you modify what you play in compilations for these different brands?
Well, I really only play in Melbourne for One Love. I did the first CD a few years back but I now do Ministry Sessions and The Annual. So on a touring front, most of you would see me for a Ministry gig or a stand alone John Course gig. Musically they are not that different.
In your Sessions, and The Annual compilations, you traditionally
squeeze up to 22 tracks in one 80 minute disc. Is this frustrating to have to mix through songs so quickly, given you would not do this in a live DJ set?
It just means you need to be handy with the “edit” button when cutting down the final mix. You often have to shorten things to fit all the tracks on so its about keeping the integrity of each tune while ensuring the mix flows.
Sessions has showcased new house and electro music, while the Annual
has seemed to be both a teasing of the songs that will be huge in six
months. It acknowledges the tracks that have been huge in the last twelve months, especially those that have slowly risen up through the clubs before radio stations have eventually picked them up. Is this an accurate description?
Yes, I think so. People look back on CD’s such as The Annual and think, wow, lots of commercial records on there, but they forget that at the time it is mixed they are very fresh tracks. As an example, ‘Speechless’ by Mish Mash is released in Australia now, as is ‘Give It Back’ by Gaelle (both with new remixes) yet they were both on the current annual which was released in November 05 and mixed in October 05. We anticipate the biggest records out there, including new tunes and generally end up pretty spot on.
Which compilation do you enjoy making more?
Sessions because it has less expectations than the Annual. But they are both fun.
If so, are there ‘acknowledgement’ songs that you wished you could have put on the 2006 Annual?
This is the thing people don’t realize…we often can’t get the rights to a particular song, even if we want it. So although The Annual gets lots of massive tunes, you never get them all. I am sure there were ones we didn’t get, but that’s the nature of releasing compilations and its only the illegal DJ mix CD’s that put what they want out… because they don’t give a fuck about paying the artists or getting the rights.
Who is the one DJ you dream of mixing back to back with?
I always looked (and still do look forward) to playing with Roger Sanchez.
Many of your Melbourne fellow DJs have branched into producting their
own songs, namely Grant Smillie, Andy Van and Dirty South, and are having huge club success with these songs. Why have you not followed this path, and do you plan to?
I have been a little bit more out of the limelight with my productions. Since 2005 I have been working on remixes with MrTimothy, and I am in fact one half of the Electro Funk Lovers. Our mixes have been very successful for the likes of Fast Crew, Savage and Gaelle. But because my name is not on those records (EFL is) the connection is often missed. We will have some original material out this year so I am sure everybody will eventually get the connection.
What does John Course do Monday- Friday 9am-5pm?
Answers interviews like this… No, I generally start my days at about 9:30 to 10am. In the vicious office doing A&R stuff from 11am on Tues and Thursdays, do mixes for Nova (and work on putting together our Saturday Night Overdrive show for Nova). 2 afternoons in the studio. Record shopping and music researching. Then all the little things like meeting with business partners, club owners, booking agent, Ministry etc …it’s god damn busy!
Is there a remix you wish you had thought of?
Considering Deep Dish’s “Flashdance” is the entire vocal and guitar line from a track of the Flashdance Movie Soundtrack from the late 80’s, I guess I wish I had of tried putting some drums and bassline under that before they did!
What is your opinion of the state of house music in Australia, and
also in Adelaide? Is electro taking over?
In Australia house is awesome, and electro is not in competition, but part of it, so its all good. Adelaide can be tuff sometimes as I know you all love your harder stuff and your techno but there are some really loyal lovers of all house genres there and they support with passion so it will get stronger.
Do you prefer house remake’s of old songs, or original house music?
I don’t mind old records getting sampled with a new twist, and nothing is really original, but I like some new elements added to create a new vibe, not somebody simply milking an old vibe.
House music is regarded by some as very cheesy. Have you dropped the new remix of the Baywatch theme in a club, and where do you draw the line?
I have not, and I hate it. To me a record needs to have a “club” relevance… in other words if it’s a radio record and becomes big (say like “Summer Rain”) it has no relevance to clubs or clubbers. “Don’t Call Me Baby” by Mad Ave, and “Flaunt It” now were both born out of the club scene, and no matter how much they crossed over, they will always be relevant to the clubbers who were part of it first. That’s the line I draw and when things become commercially massive I try to move onto the next.
How do you select and find those tracks that you include in a compilation, and then three – six months later are always huge?
We all discuss what tracks are around at any given time. Its amazing to many clubbers how long a track takes to cross over so we often have some really good new things in our CD wallets which we think will be big but nobody has heard yet. Its about trusting your judgement and having a feel for what a record will do… two tracks bought on the same day could rock the club that night, but maybe only one will have legs to catch on and its about having a vibe for which ones will and wont.
Do you have a signature track, something you play almost every set?
Not really, but I do have tracks that I play for certain periods of time. Lady T by Crazy Penis is one such thing that I have been supporting heavily at One Love. Likewise “Dirty Cash” which is on our Vicious label and the very hot “Always and Forever” by Chocolate Puma are two new ones that I am giving plenty to.
How does playing massive festivals (like Two Tribes), compare with
playing intimate club gigs? How do you change your music and your mixing style for each?
They have different energies but like any event, you need to judge the vibe at every gig and play accordingly. That’s why you can never plan what to play. It’s the reading of a crowds vibe and playing the right types of records (ie balance between tuff, mellow, new old etc) which is the most pivitol thing to a good DJ set. Programming is the skill most easily underestimated by venue owners and promoters who see two DJ’s mix well and think they are equal.
Finally, what can Adelaide expect from your set at Cougar and Ministry UNLEASHED?
Phat, Phunky house sounds to rock a big room’s ass off!
John Course plays during the Adelaide Clipsal 500 at the Cougar & Ministry of Sound mother of all parties, Unleashed. It’s set to be one hell of a night, featuring fellow DJs Dirty South, Mark Dynamix, Craig Obey, Lenno, Rmac, Souli, Chris C & Krisp. Ticket’s are selling out fast so get in quick!
