January 2011 ~ The Pulserusher Blog ( With Johan De Kock )

We Chat To Vicky Devine about being Being a Master Biologist, spending half her life on a Party Island, and playing a little R&B...

01.You’ve been involved in the Dance Scene for well over a Decade, how did it all start for you?

I got into Dance music when I was at college - I was definitely a weekend raver as I'd spend all week studying and then spend all weekend out. I don't think there was one weekend when I wasn't out partying somewhere at that time!!! I got to know the people working in the clubs and this led to all kinds of things such as dancing, magazine reviews and eventually DJing. I used to go round to my mates house after college to practice mixing and then I eventually got my own decks. The rest is history as they say!

02.What were you doing before?

Well I was studying Biology at Uni and I eventually came away with a Masters Degree and I worked in a hospital as a Medical Technician during my first few years of DJing, but it eventually all became too much and I had to go one way or the other. Of course the music won!

03. What was The First Track You ever Bought and Do You Still Have it?

The first dance track I ever bought on vinyl was called The Key, The Secret by Urban Cookie Collective when I was at school..... I was into dance music even then and yes, I still have it. I have all my old vinyl from then and from my first 5 years or so of DJing and will never get rid of them!!!

04.Having DJ’d across the world in some of the world’s biggest venues, are there any event’s you haven’t played and would still love to?

There are loads!!! During the time that I have been DJing many clubs have closed and many new ones have opened. Same with certain brands - lots of new ones have appeared and some have disappeared. Its forever changing and there is always something new I want to do or somewhere else I'd love to play.

05.You’ve been a staple in Judge Jules’ Judgement Sundays for some time now, how did the meeting with Jules come about?

I actually went to the opening party of the very first year of Judgement Sundays back in 2000 when I was on holiday in Ibiza with some friends. I hadn't been DJing long, but I remember being stood on the dance floor saying - one day I'd love to be a resident here. From that moment on it became a kind of mission for me. When I started working in Ibiza, I'd go to Judgement every single week without fail bugging the hell out of the promoters and eventually they gave me a set. From that I was given the residency and have now been there 6 years.

06.Any embarrassing DJ stories?

There are a few from my vinyl days when I took the wrong record off or even more recently when I've stopped the wrong CDJ - schoolgirl errors are always embarrassing!!!! And there was also a time when I was walking across the front of a stage to go and say hello to someone in the crowd. Unfortunately I didn't see that the stage had been split into 2 and I just fell right down the gap in between the two in front of everyone!

07.Who do you admire most in the Scene and in music generally for that matter?

God there really are so many. I have such a diverse range in my taste of music that I admire so many people in so many different genres for so many different reasons. It probably sounds a little cheesy with me being the Judgement resident, but I do really admire Jules and all he has achieved in the scene and also on a business level.

08.You’re obviously a very beautiful woman, do you feel extra pressure to keep up your looks as a female DJ?

Why thankyou sir!!!!! I think most women feel pressure to a certain extent to keep up with their looks don't they!??? Whilst I've always said you have to use whatever you have to your advantage, I've always tried to be the best that I can with my music as thats what its about for me.

09.I am a huge fan of “Starfire” especially what Sean Tyas has done with it… were you a fan of his work before he did the mix… and how did it come about?

I've been a huge fan of Sean's for many years now - his tunes are always spot on and he's been a regular at Judgement Sundays for quite a few years so have DJ'd alongside him many times. I just asked him if he'd be up for doing the remix, he liked the tune and it went from there. I'm not embarrassed to say that I almost cried when I heard what he'd done as I was that bowled over with it, and am just so happy that it received the support that it did last year.

10.Best Gig you’ve ever played?

Hmmm difficult - there are so many Judgement Sundays that I could mention that have been absolutely amazing. Closer to home I would have to say The Gallery at Ministry of Sound in London and further afield it would either be a gig I did in Edmonton, Canada alongside Lisa Lashes or a massive event that I played in India one New Years Eve which were both phenomenal.

11.Worst Gig you’ve ever played?

Any where the turnout hasn't been great! I've also done a few where the promoters have really had no idea about music policy and its really frustrating to be asked to play R&B as a trance DJ!!!!! lol

12.What are your current top 3 tracks?

oooo now there's a question. For warm up sets I'd have to go for Nick Larson's track Numbers which was released a few weeks back. I've been working quite closely with Nick on a few projects and I love his sound - and Numbers is a real builder with techy influences and I always love a bit of tech! On the harder tip I absolutely love The3hold's H.A.A.R.P which was also released last month - its such a clever track and ticks every box for me. And then from a personal point of view I've been working for some time now on my first vocal release as a collaboration with Marcos and Hayley Parsons - its a first for me to do something vocal and more uplifting and I'm really happy with the results so hopefully everyone else will think the same!

13.Any track that you never go to a gig without… something that just works every time?

Any remix of an old classic or a good remix of something current. At the moment I've been taking a remix Ian Bett's did last summer of Iio's "Rapture", Claudia Cazacu's remix of "Cafe Del Mar" and great little mix of Rhianna's "Love the way you Lie" which was done by Laura May last year. People always love something they recognise and all three of these are great remixes.

14.As a female DJ, do you ever feel that some of the Guys don’t take you as seriously?

I think its difficult for anyone male or female to be taken seriously sometimes for different reasons. Bottom line is to focus on what you do and do it to the best of your ability with what you have available to you - and thats what I have always tried to do.

15.You’ve got a Biography that reads like an Encyclopedia… is there anything you haven’t done in The Dance Scene… And if so… any plans to do that?

Haha - well I've always loved the music so I've always wanted to be involved with it in whatever aspect that I can. I'm currently working on a number of projects actually which is going to see the development and expansion of the business that I currently run with my fiance Brett........ and this involves a number of new dance music related websites. So those are going to be taking quite alot of my time up as well in the foreseeable future. I'd also love to do an album at some stage.

16.When you’re not DJ’ing or producing… how do you spend your time?

Well as I said in the previous question, I am also working hard on a few websites!! But outside of that and my music, I'm a hardcore Manchester United fan so I love going to the games or watching them at the very least. I also try and get out and about to see my family and friends as often as I can as I miss out on quite a bit being in Ibiza all summer so its always good to catch up with them when I can. And I am also turning into a bit of a fitness freak so I'm spending more and more time on the crosstrainer as time goes on!!!

17.Anything we would be surprised to find out about you?

Apart from being a Master in Medical Microbiology and a hardcore united fan........... errrrr, I'm a bit OCD when it comes to tidiness and filing. Ask any ex flatmates and my fiance!!! haha

18.Will you be DJ’ing till your last possible breath, or is there a White picket fence somewhere in the distant future?

I really don't know about that to be honest. I'm just taking everything as it comes and enjoying the times that I have. Priorities change for everyone at some stage in their lives and I'll just cross those bridges when I get to them.

19.Where do you see Dance Music going in the future?

Thats a difficult one to answer as well because you think its heading in a certain direction and then either a new act or new piece of equipment comes up that changes everything. Thats what makes it so exciting!!!

20.Lastly what can we expect from you in the near and distant future… any exciting projects?

As I mentioned above, my new track with Marcos should be out and about every soon. I also have a new track with Nick Larson called Lunar Love which will be coming out on Fraction and some remixes for other labels which should also be out soon. DJing wise I will be playing at MOS Red Sea at Hurghada in Egypt at the end of this month which I am really excited about as I have never been to Egypt before let alone play there and I have some further exciting international stuff planned for later in the year. I love travelling so international stuff is always something that excites me! I'm continuing also to work hard on my podcast - Dual Velocity which is gaining increasing support, and then we obviously also have Ibiza 2011 to look forward to!