In today’s age of electronic music, the rise to stardom is often as fast as the fall into obscurity. Solidarity is hard to come by, but Melbourne native Phil K has proven that when it comes to DJing, experience, vision, and just plain persistence pay off. His twenty plus years as a world class DJ have won him one of the largest cult followings in the EDM community. Phil has been labeled as one of, if not the most technically-skilled DJs in the world. With a fan base ranging from peers like Sasha, Seaman, Meat Katie and James Zabiela, touting Phil as his “favorite DJ”, to clubbers from Sri Lanka to Seattle, it’s hard to argue; Phil K has truly left his mark.
Phil K developed his trade from meager beginnings, purchasing his first turntable in 1984 after saving enough cash from work at a fast food chain. After years sharpening his mixing abilities and spinning at any party or event that would have him, he progressed to playing out at the biggest clubs and hottest parties in Melbourne, including the famous “Sunny.” He continued on to the hottest clubs in Australia and was crowned with the coveted Australian Dance Music Awards “Best DJ,” “Best Radio Show,” and “Lifetime Achievement” awards. Described on the decks as a “mind blowing machine” by UK’s Meat Katie, Phil’s tenacious mixing abilities, track selection, and cutting-edge style became crystal clear to the international scene. He soon found himself supporting various acts from Kraftwerk to Sasha and devastating crowds at festivals such as Glastonbury, Sonar, and Big Day Out and countless international clubs such as Fabric, Zouk, and Ministry of Sound.
Phil’s DJ mix cds have left listeners begging for more. With 7 under his belt, including Therapy Sessions with Dave Seaman and a Y4K release, fans are always in anticipation of his latest compilation. One of Phil’s most notable mix achievements was Balance 004, which was voted by DJMag as one of the top ten cds of 2002, thus skyrocketing the series into the international dance scene as one of the most respected DJ series in the world. Another angle of annihilation in Phil’s arsenal is his visual expertise as a DVJ. Phil has a strong relationship with Pioneer as a sponsored representative for the past 7 years developing products, modifying equipment, and playing with the toys that mere mortals get their hands on 6 months to a year later. This position was not achieved by megastardom, but by shocking Pioneer engineers through his ability to abuse their equipment and do things beyond what they were designed to do. Many features currently available on a wide array of Pioneer Pro DJ equipment is the fruit of this relationship.
Phil’s abilities to mix videos and sound into experience has branded him as one of the best DVJ’s in the world. His skill is best described by Joyce Shintani from Massachusetts Institute of Technology after she witnessed Phil’s DVJ performance at the 2005 Sonar Music Festival…”Pulsing with an urban energy recalling Jean-Michel Basquiat, Phil K mirrors glimpses of a fragmented society and submits them to the organizing principles of music. His way of making art in the club context is a contribution to the best of what electronica offers today…” (MIT Computer Music Journal, December 2005).
