Behind The Headphones delves deep into the DJ psyche. Aiming to explore the inner workings of the artists mind and offer an insight into the ‘other side’ of DJing. To kick things off, we spoke with a DJ and Producer from Portsmouth that has played most of the worlds most discerning dance floors.
Dave Robertson aka Reset Robot, sculpted his sound meticulously over time. In 2009 he emerged rejuvenated from the studio with 6 tracks on the internationally acclaimed Sci+Tec label. Since then the artists has racked up an impressive catalogue of releases. Get Physical, Soma and Adam Beyer’s Drumcode as well as sister label Truesoul all host regular releases from the artist.
After hearing Reset Robot’s latest master piece. A two track LP, titled ‘Aposiopesis’ on Alan Fitzpatrick’s, ‘We Are The Brave’ imprint. We thought it was time to get behind the headphones and find out what makes him tick.
Where do you get your music?
I buy most of my music as I don’t have time to go through promos. I use Beatport quite a bit, Juno and What People Play.
Do you ever mix at home? Or are you practicing in the club all of the time?
I have my CDJ’s set up at home at the moment. Although I haven’t been on them for a while, I do use them. I have 1210’s as well and like sticking a few records on every now and then.
How do you organise your music in preparation for the gig?
I normally go through new tracks and older stuff in my playlists and create a new playlist for individual gigs. I find that works best for me.
What important lessons have you learned over time that has made you a better DJ?
I don’t like to be too ridged with what I play or plan to play. The vibe on the night can be totally different to how you imagined or prepared for so it’s good to be able to adapt.
You have released music on some of the biggest labels around. Truesoul, Dubfire’s SCI+Tech, Mobilee and now Alan Fitzpatricks ‘We Are The Brave’. When putting out a track what do you look for in a label? Do you choose the label or does the label choose you?
I think it’s a bit of both. Producers will have an idea of labels they want to release on but then it lands on the label owners table and its down to them after that.
Obsessing over what is and isn’t your sound is quite a common issue for DJs and can lead to all sorts of anxiety. How do you deal with this problem? You have an Alias is this a way of countering this problem?
This is a good question and something I think about a lot. The best music I make is when I feel totally free but the only person that puts up limitations or barriers is myself. I could be halfway through making something and then suddenly out of nowhere I’ll be imagining who might be playing it or who might sign it. Usually at that point I’ll decide its rubbish and start something new.
Would you describe yourself as confident DJ who plays in the moment, or are you in the ‘over thinkers’ department, often scrutinising / perfectionising every detail of a set and rarely happy?
The latter unfortunately. In the past I have found it difficult to feel comfortable in myself behind the decks and have often struggled or felt like I have struggled to connect with the crowd. Things got very difficult for me at one stage. I played at a club in Argentina and someone threw a glass into the DJ booth which really shocked me, then a couple of weeks later I played in Germany and someone threw a pot noodle (not sure which flavour) into the booth. These two incidents so close together really got to me so I decided to go get some help. I found someone last year who helped me think about things in a different way and I’m able to stay focused more now without hiding away inside my head for half of my set.
If you find yourself booked to play the wrong kind of crowd, are you happy to go down in flames playing music you believe in or are you open to the idea of compromise to keep a crowd happy?
I can compromise to a certain extent. It’s going to be some form of house or techno but I can definitely play deeper, tougher or more melodic if I need to.
How do you handle things when something goes wrong in the middle of a set?
Sometimes well and others not so well. The pot noodle (I still wonder a lot whether it was beef and tomato) incident is a good example. On that occasion I was so close to turning the music off and walking out. I stood very still for quite a long time but then continued and managed to battle through. I find the smallest thing can put me off, could just be choosing not quite the right track or someone does a really smelly fart.
Good gigs are easy, but not every gig is a good one. How do you handle the bad ones? Do they get to you?
Some gigs look so good on paper but they aren’t always the best. Some gigs might seem like they’re going to be awful and then completely surprise you. When I have a bad gig, I will normally try and work out why it was bad. Sound System? Crowd Vibe? Lighting? Played a bad set? I normally know what it was and try not to spend much time dwelling on it anymore.
Have you had any incidents where people have felt the need to share a negative opinion of your set with you and did this faze you?
Yes, I remember someone being quite critical once after a set. We ended up having a long chat over a drink. It didn’t faze me.
The fans assume every DJ is always away eternally playing three nights a week to big crowds and earning tons of money. What’s the reality of touring life like and how do you handle the ups and downs?
I can tell you my reality of touring. Ups and downs galore. Sometimes I’ll be away thinking what the fuck am I doing. I have a beautiful wife and two children at home and I’m sat in a shit hotel watching some weird foreign TV feeling anxious about what the impending gig will be like. Other times you can kind of force yourself to get the most out of the situation. Now I will always go for dinner if that is an option so that I meet the promoters or organisers and I try to use the travel time to read or make music.
Listen to Reset Robot on Soundcloud
Buy: Reset Robot – Aposiopesis
