Hi, „Super“ Clodagh, The first question in the interview is always the hardest, so letś begin by classical way: How are you and wh at are you doing now? Are you looking forward to the summer? Are you planning any vacation in the hot countries?

Hi! How are you? I’m good thanks, I’m in bed answering these questions on my laptop watching TV on my other laptop! Yes i’m definitely looking forward to summer, in the UK and Ireland we’ve had soem really bad summers but I think this summer will be full of sunshine. In September I am going to Tanzania for about 3 weeks, I’m going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for charity & then go to the paradise island of Zanzibar! I’m really looking forward to it as i’ve never been to Africa before. Check out www.justgiving.com/clodagh-ben-kilimanjaro

Do you like bubbles? :)

Yes i like Bubbles. When I used to run a party called Spiritualised in London we used to hire Bubble Machines. My friend also had bubbles at her wedding which was nice.

During one interview you have proclaimed, that you would like to play every weekend in the Czech Republic, it is always true and what is therefore the reason that you are living in England. So do you want to move in the Czech republic, don´t you? :)

Haha, yes i wouldn’t mind living in Czech Republic as it’s got better weather than London, but seriously every party I’ve played in Czech Republic has been excellent & the party people have always been excellent so I’ve always enjoyed playing there, so yes it would be nice to come play in Czech every weekend.

There are many signs that you are really talented. But I am interested in one thing, as a DJ beginner you won three contests. The first one was only after 8 month of your playing. How many hours of hard work per day did it cost, and do you still training your DJ skills?

Well thank you very much. The first 2 gigs I ever played I was so bad & I was really embarrased, so I was determined to improve and I practised about 2 hours everyday in my bedroom. I always love a challenge and started entering myself into different Dj Competitions – actually 3 different ones, the first one was a trance Dj Competition, the next one a House Dj Competition and the one after that was a techno Dj Competition, and I won them all which was pretty cool. Even the TV show the Joy of Decks I was playing mainly house music, I didn’t have much money back then and I only had about 15 house records so i used to borrow records off friends and borrow money to buy some new tunes but i used to practise like crazy and play at every party I could. Yes i still practise, there’s always room for improvement! You never stop learning.

Everyone is talking about your cooperation with Carl Cox, the time you spend with him on his Carl Cox and friends tour. I would like to know, how he learned about you. Was it by chance, work of your management, people who are close to Carl Cox have seen you, or how was it, where is the true?

In 2003 I was on a big TV show in the UK, it was 6 part documentary about 4 up & coming Dj’s, it was like a Dj Competition, I didn’t win it but Carl Cox saw me on it & I emailed him a few times asking for advice and if I could warm up for him at some parties etc. So I sent him some demos & then in Jan 2005 he invited me to come on tour with him in France at his amazing Carl Cox & Friends parties. When he saw me on the TV show he said he liked my energy and atitiude and knew I could handle the pressure & believe you me when your warming up 4,000 people for a Carl Cox party, there is a lot of pressure. But it was an amazing experience, I learned so much from Carl, he’s a great person & so are his management. It’s something i’ll never forget. He’s the only Dj I really enjoy going to see and always try go see him whenever he plays in London.

You were the preplayer for many wellknown DJstars. Have they sometimes told you, what you have to play? I know about some DJstars, who are interested in the tracklist of preplayer, they are trying to change it, the sound must be reduced etc. To be really the star of the event. Have you some similar experiences?

No this never happened to me. I don’t really know what i’m going to play before a big Dj until I get to the party & feel the atmosphere. With Carl I was asking him what would he like me to play and all he said was „Electronic House“ but he never told me what tunes to play etc. I do a lot of research before my gigs, I always find out what Djs are playing before & after me and what style they will play. I think it’s important to make the night flow and you should respect the Dj thats playing after you but still rock it in your own way. It’s an important job for the promoter to place the Dj timetable in the right order too.

And vice versa now. You are going to be in the position, that you are the topstar DJ of the night and someone cares about atmosphere for you. How do you feel about that.

Yes thats really great when the music of the night flows really well from start to finish. But no matter what i’ll play what I play and give it 110%.

Do you have commonly bigger stress, when you are the topstar in the event and every clubbers are looking forward to your performace?

I always get really nervous whether I’m the headline Dj or the support Dj, or whether i’m playing to 5 people or 5,000 people. I always want to do my best. I usually get incredibly stressed when the equipment and sound is bad or the equipment isn’t set up properly when you’ve told the promoter you play both vinyl & cds and the bloody CD players aren’t plugged in properly or they don’t even work. I find the main stress I have is actually working with unprofessional promoters... some can be a total nightmare, trying to get paid or trying to get them to send you your flight on time. I have had many years of the stressful business side of Djing that i refuse to work with the unprofessional ones anymore. Usually the actual Djing side is really fun, it’s the business side thats really stressful!

The time of summer open-air parties is comming, have you got any invitation for some of them?

Yeah! I love summer time. I’m playing about 4 open air parties this summer and I can’t wait! Dancing outside in the sunshine or on a warm summer’s night is just the best feeling. You feel so free... so much fun & lots of craziness happens!

Nowadays, if the DJ wanted to see the world, he would have his own production. In 2006 you began to study Music Production course. Immediatelly, you produced couple of precious tracks on the labels Tekelec and Kick the drum... How it is now, are you still producing and it is any blockbuster in the developement? :)

Well I just made a new track 3 days ago with the very talented Dave the Drummer which i’m really happy with, i still have to think of a name for it. It’s the first time we worked together and it went really great. It’s good pumping techno and i will test it out this summer. Yes lots more tunes to be produced this year for sure.

On the label Tekelec you have been cooperating with the excellent producer Ali Wilson, are you colaborating still or it is over?

Ali is an amazing producer, he is currently working really hard on a new album and hopefully when he’s finished that we’ll get back in the studio again and produce some more great tracks.

Thank you very much for your interview and we look forwad to see you at our event Bubbles in Olomouc fort and we hope that you will arrange for our partypeople one of the unforgettablest energic show that you can.

Well thank you too for the nice interview. Yes i’m really looking forward to playing at Bubbles too for the first time at your cool open air party and yes i’ll be full of energy playing lots of amazing music so as long as people are really to dance, i’ll be ready to rock. See you there guys! Luv Clodagh xx