After looking at 3 DnB DJs, our series of profiles on Perth DJs
takes a fork in road, to look at a stalwart of the local scene, Darren Briais…..

Having DJ’d since 1985, Darren is one of few locals who can claim to
Have made a career out of his passion for dance music. In the 17 years of his career so far, he has played all over our country, as well as in Europe and the UK, and has DJ’d at many of Perth’s more successful events and club nights. His style and appeal have also afforded him many appearances at events such as the Big Day Out and, as such – along with other Australian dance music icons such as Pee Wee Ferris – he has been partly responsible for the popularity of dance music in this country today.

You can catch Darren playing at his own (XS Promotions) events.


Is it “just a fucking phase”? Or, do you think that you will always be involved in dance music in some way?

I’ve been involved in the dance scene since 1985 and i’ll be
involved in the dance music scene til die !

How did you get yourself into this mess anyway: what was your path
to DJing?

I was always the first punter on the dancefloor, always asking the
dj what every new tune he played was, always spending all my money on
“that” new tune (usually the next day), so i just took the next step and blagged a dj gig and have never looked back.

Who are your favourite local DJ’s and producers?

HMC, KC (Sydney DMC Champion) & Greg Packer never fails to impress.

What are the current labels you favour?

Darren Emersons Underwater Label is putting out some great productions of late & City Rockers is a current fav.

What is your favourite food and beverage?

Japanese does it for me anytime & I’m a big fan of Red Bull anytime of the day.

Some artists that influence your style, sound and records you choose?

Timo Maas for refocusing clublands perspective on … well club music, Robbie Riviera for his twisted take on a disco loop & Jon Carter for just being Jon Carter!

What do you do in your spare time, or the time that you have when
you aren’t DJ’ing?

Have just finished promoting and organising Vibes On A Summers Day
2002 which was the biggest, and most rewarding task I’ve ever undertaken. So now looking toward Vibes 2003 and putting together a few smaller events in a similar style over the coming months, plus I’ve a couple of side projects I’ve been toying with for a couple of years and they will come to fruition this year.

How do you think the Perth scene compares to others in Australia?


I was in Melbourne for Vibes and Norman Jay said it all when he said
Perth has it’s own very special unique take on a “Party”, one that draws acts/DJs from all over the world knowing that they will always have the best time. Perth is a very special place.

What do you think of Perth’s strong predilection for certain genres, like deep house and drum’n’bass?

Hey we’re lucky to have had so many eclectic pionering DJs during the birth of the Perth dance scene with quality musical foresight to pave the way for todays up & coming DJ’s to be respected for there respective fields. This shows in the quality of local producers that will be storming the international charts before the years out.

Who, if anyone, would you drop all your records for a night and go and see if they were playing in Perth and why?

Derrick May is the most inspirational person i have ever had the opportunity to spend time with. Just the way he interprets music and its role in not just his life but everybody’s daily lives is incredible. He is pure genius, he changed my way of looking at music and in the process changed my life.

Is it more of a challenge to play to the same crowd every week and
have to maintain variation or to have to work a different crowd and
venue week in week out? Which would you prefer?

Playing to the same crowd weekly lets you grow with your clientele, and in so doing they grow musically with you because you have their uninitiated trust. This allows the DJ to use the words “educating the dance floor” in the true sense of the words. It’s like going to school every week you learn something new, which helps you throughout your life in years to come. Same as a dj educates with introducing new music into his/her playlist on a weekly basis. The dancefloor is educated in the same way, and take this musical knowledge and use it to explore other musical genres.

DJ’ing a 1-2 hour set at a different club or event week in week out is really just about each individual DJ showcasing there skills on the decks and ability to entertain an audience, while playing the best 20 or so toones in there record box.

Give me weekly residencies anytime.


Have you played anywhere besides Perth? If so where and when?


I started DJ’ing in Queensland in 1985, then moved to Sydney and
DJ’d there for a while … back to the Gold Coast, then Brisbane. Moved to Perth in 1991 to work the Berlin Club and stayed. I’ve played Adelaide & Melbourne a couple of times each so I guess you can say I’ve been lucky enough to play every major capital city. Moved to London for a year in 1998 and played a bit over there and in Paris, but really went overseas to take a year off DJ’ing and experience what all the fuss was about. So I basically went clubbing 3-4 nights a week from Liverpool to London, New York to Paris to Amsterdam to … well too many places to remember. But I know I had the time of my life!!!


How would you describe the music you play? Is there anything you won’t play?

This question gets harder as the days go by … so many genres so little time – ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!

I play club music in nightclubs – it’s still all house music to me, be it disco tinged with some trance undertones, a generous dollop of tough fat basslines with a side serving of breakbeat … I like to play a variety of styles it excites me and the dancefloor gets a quality smothering of what they all want to hear.

I wouldn’t play just one specialist genre there are DJ’s that have devoted their lives to one certain style/genre so they would obviously play that style better than me.


How long have you been playing? How has the sound of what you’ve been playing developed since you started out as a DJ?

DJ’ing since 1985, so 17 years. My sound hasn’t really differed … just evolved with technology. What has changed is the public’s perception of dance music it’s made it a whole lot easier for me to play the music I want.


Are you interested in music outside the style that you play?

Of course or else I think I would have strangled myself due to excessive boredom. I love the Hip Hop attitudes of so many talented homeboys/girls there’s some series funk going on out there with those brothers and sisters.

For me there’s no “that music is crap” or “that music’s better” at the end of the day it’s all music … just different peoples definitions. I just listen to it all and take from each style what I like and what makes me feel good … simple as that!

What are some of the most memorable nights/events you have played in the past year?

Rewind 2001 at Metro was memorable to say the least (?) I still love playing at Connections after all these years, the best room in town, the best sound system, the best crowd, no agro, its still happening after 26 years so they must be doing something right.

What makes a good DJ?

Drinking straight vodka … no not really – having the right attitude towards the music, the people & yourself.

Do you dance when you are not playing?

Depends on how many vodka’s I drink … ha ha !!!


Other Perth DJ Profiles can be found with the following links;
Kriece – MRW – Nic Tan – Elhornet – Cee – Declan – Essex – Greg Packer – Elle Rollo – Krank – Micah