Craig Obey has played at almost all major dance venues around Australia over the past 20 years, including clubs such as Family in Brisbane, Seven and Onelove in Melbourne, and he even held a 5 year residency at Home in Sydney. With his style of filtered house, breaks and electro, mixed with wild scratching and soulful grooves, Craig’s style is always sure to get clubs dance floors pumping.

He has produced a number of mix compilations including ‘Platinum Groove Project’ which secured the number 1 spot on the national dance chart in 2001. ‘A Night In The Life’ as part of Funk Corporation, who produced more national dance chart tracks than any other local production team in 2002/03 (four #1s, four top 10s and four top 20s), and his remix of ‘Free 2000’ which also hit #1 in 2000. Craig’s productions and remixes have been included on Ministry of Sound and Hed Kandi compilations, he’s mixed and remixed with the best including Paul Mac, Love Tattoo, Disco Montego and The Aviators, and he’s supported huge acts like Roger Sanchez, Fatboy Slim, Deep Dish, David Moralas, Basement Jaxx and The Prodigy, just to name a few.

In 2000 Craig started the ‘Grooveyard’ recording studio in Sydney, and the production company ‘A Higher Sound’ (setup with Andrew Penhallow and media group Swish). His brand new album, ‘Elektrik Force’ on Hussle/EMI, which was originally due for release in 2005, is now hitting shelves on November 11. The singles released off the album so far include favourites ‘coolin@the.bar’ and ‘Hip-Ma-Tize-Me’. ‘Coolin’ spent almost 8 weeks in the ARIA club charts, getting as high as #3, and ‘Hip-Ma-Tize-Me’ spent 3 weeks at #1, and another 3 in the top 5. His brand new album also features a remix of The Church’s 80’s hit ‘Under the Milky Way’. With hard hitting electro house beats, and harmonious melodies, this is sure to become a summer favourite in 2006/07, also featuring on the Ministry of Sound Annual 2007.

ITM caught up with Craig to ask him the burning questions on where he goes from here.

ITM. You’ve had an amazing career to date, having accomplished many things. Thinking back, when did you get your first big break?

C.O. I would have to say the Nasa party by Michael Watt in Brisbane in 1991 supporting The Prodigy. I really enjoyed myself and thought that I played such a cool and magic set. I was on fire from start to end!

ITM. What’s been your main focus in 2006? Production, touring or kicking back with a beer?

C.O. Production has been my main focus in this part of the year, however with the release of the album on November 11, a huge tour around Australia will be my main focus for the rest of the year.

ITM. How did the remix of ‘Under the Milky Way’ come about?

C.O. I had been messing around with it for a while and was working on it the same night as the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne were on TV. I had the sound down on the TV in order to tinker with the track, when my manager called me to tell me to turn up the TV. Being played at the opening ceremony was a remix of ‘Under the Milky Way’, put together especially for the event. When I heard that, I knew I had to get the track out there fast, so I took it as a bit of an omen that it had to be done.

ITM. Who are some of your favourite local and international DJs at the moment?

C.O. I would have to say that Aussies include John Course, Ajax and The Potbelleez. And as for international, I really enjoyed the performance of The Plump DJs at Field Day a couple of years ago.

ITM. Have any DJs influenced your style over the years?

C.O. I have received more influences in my production style over the years, rather than in my DJing. I have found inspiration from local acts like TV Rock and Dirty South, as well as internationals like Trentemoller, Sharam Jay and Mylo.

ITM. With so many wanna-be DJs in the market these days, all vying for their chance to make it big, how do you ensure your sound is different and continually makes an impact?

C.O. I think it all comes down to experience, and that’s what gives me the edge. I can stand in a DJ booth with 4 CDJs, 3 turntables, and 2 mixers and find it easier to work creatively. I think the fact that I can play my own music rather than someone else’s remixes also helps keep my sound fresh.

ITM. With DJ equipment continually evolving, what are your thoughts of the whole DJing scene being taken over slowly by CDs and now MP3s?

C.O. Initially I was a little resistant to the change as there is something so sweet about mixing with vinyl. Nowadays the equipment is so advanced that I love using CDJs as it’s so easy to almost completely re-edit and produce tracks live during a set!

ITM. What have been some of your favourite events to play at in the past? Are there any favourite clubs you have?

C.O. Indy in Brisbane recently on the main stage with TV Rock would have to be up near the top of the list, as well as on Bondi Beach Christmas Day in front of a few thousand people dancing in the sand for the first Sunburnt festival all those years ago. Some great gigs would have had to of been Onelove in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as Sublime, both at Home and Pitt St, Delicious and High Times at the old Underground, now Candy’s Apartment. I also loved the huge outdoor events when playing at Strawberry Field and Happy Valley.

ITM. What residencies are you currently holding in Australia at the moment?

C.O. At the moment, I am holding monthly residencies at The Metro in Melbourne, Sounds on Sunday at The Greenwood in Sydney, Yu in Sydney, The Bloc in Penrith, Calypso on the Gold Coast and Fanny’s in Newcastle.

ITM. Are there any sneak peeks of future releases you can let our reader in on?

C.O. I’m currently working on a remix of a band called Milke (www.myspace.com/milke), which includes DJ Friendly and an up and coming UK singer. The track will be called ‘She Says’.

ITM. Finally, if you could give one piece of advise to an up and coming DJ, what would it be?

C.O. Don’t give up your day job!

Craig’s album ‘Elektrik Force’ is released on Hussle/EMI November 11.