Ok so if you haven’t heard of Alain Macklovitch, AKA A-Trak, then here’s a little intro.
Hailing from a quite corner of Montreal, Canada, Alain scratched his first record when he was 13. After locking himself in a basement with Jazzy Jeff and Pete Rock records, videos and a set of decks, he emerged two years later and barely an armpit hair in sigh and he blew the competition away to become the youngest ever DMC World Champion. He was then invited to be an honorary member of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, the celebrated Bay Area crew of DJ Q-Bert and Mixmaster Mike fame.
Since 1999 he has hooked up with Miami’s DJ Craze joined forces as the front men of a new collective, the Allies. He is the only DJ to win all three major titles DMC, ITF and Vestax) and the first to win five world champs, being the 1999 & 2000 ITF World Championships, the 1999 Vestax World Extravaganza and the 2000 DMC Team Championships (with Craze).
Nuf said.
So unfortunately for Alain, I woke him at 10 Barcelona time (after a show the night before) last week to have a chat. Most (including myself) would have probably not even answered the phone let alone a few questions for someone on the other side of the world, but Alain didn’t hesitate and you get the impression that that’s the kind of guy he is.
G: So what are you up to Alain?
A: Well in Barcelona at the minute, been touring with Kayne west through north America for three months before new years, and now another few months starting in the UK, then on to the rest of Europe, down to oz and then via Japan before heading on home.
G: So how’s Barcelona this time of year?
A: Pretty nice, I think it’s always nice here…?
G: How do you like to relax?
A: You know just chilling like everyone else I guess. I mean touring is great and really exciting heaps to see and loads going on but its also pretty hard work. We don’t actually get that much time to chill and cruise around to see the sights. It’s often like in and out, you know lots of airports, buses and travel. Being with right people enjoying yourself, release responsibilities.
G: Record hunting?
A: Yeh of course, I love nothing more than getting lost in a pile of records for an afternoon and discovering new sounds, but that’s kind of a rarity, you know when your touring you don’t often get a day to just roll…its fly in fly out.
G: And the Kayne West extravaganza, how did that happen?
A: Well he saw me playing in London at a shop and invited me to tour…
G: Do tell , how big is the party?
A: Yeh it’s pretty massive, playing to 20,000 screaming ladies. I really enjoy working that side of my skills, playing the big party tunes that get everyone dancing and bringing turntablism to a bigger audience is really satisfying.
G: How many times you been to Oz now like 4?
A: I think maybe 6, yeh was there last August, got to catch the zoo and check out your animals…
G: And how’s this trip shaping up?
A: Well we (Kayne West) were meant to be opening for U2 and then doing gigs all over, but since that got scratched we’ve kinda got a little extra time, so looking forward to breaking up a busy touring spell and cruising.
G: Yeh it should be pretty damn fine…although heads up for the lobstered Brits in town for the games…that shit ain’t pretty!
G: Where to from here for A-track?
A: Well, we’re touring through Oz, Japan, and then Hawaii on the way home for another couple of weeks. Then will be touring and promoting the new DVD, sound track “Sunglasses is a Must” on Audio Research
G: That’s with your bro Dave yeh?
A: Yep, it’s a collaboration. We did it together.
G: Tell us about your album?
A: Been working on it for a while and its coming along nicely, so it will be good to get back onto that, experimenting with sounds, techniques is heaps of fun.
G: Well hope you enjoy Barcelona, and look forward to checking out the party at Honkytonks on Thursday next in Melbourne.
A: Yeh thanx, look forward to coming down.
A-trak is doing solo shows as well as touring with Kanye West in Australia, solo show dates are as follows:
23 March at Honkytonks, Melbourne
1 April at Mandarin Club, Sydney
