Paul Woolford has cemented his status over the years as one of the leadings djs and producers in house music, destroying clubs worldwide both behind the decks and as the raw material utilized by djs on it. Installed once again as Space’s Ibiza resident, we caught up with him to poke questions on his new productions, the possibility of a new label and Dave Beer’s antics. As ever, he remained tightlipped when he needed to be…

“This summer you will be joining up as resident of Space once again, doing every week. Are you looking forward to isle life, and how do you fell about the association with arguably the islands greatest club?”

Being able to play every week on the new terrace at Space is one those things that I didn't think would ever be a possibility until last year. I had a lot of fun playing music that in previous years there would be no way on earth you could make work on the terrace. Now the system is amazing, and the environment, and possibly most important, people's minds are open to hearing new music. So it's great to be part of Space in such a prominent role, but as well as that, it's great to be given the opportunity in this musical climate. I didn't live in Ibiza last year and I won't be living there this year for two reasons. The first is that I have too many other things happening to just stop everything else and base myself there, and the second reason is that I want the music to be as fresh as it can be, every week. There are many djs who have had Ibiza residencies over the years and by September they are playing the same old records week in and week out. I'm not going to be one of them.

“Although you made your name firstly as a dj, you’ve cemented your reputation as one of the finest producers of House music going. Being one of few djs/prodcuers to straddle both spheres equally well, would you say one is more of passion than the other?”

I take different things from each. Djing in clubs is a very instant thing, the people react immediately and you bounce off that, and so on. Writing and producing is a totally different beast and can be done in so many different ways that to compare the two seems foolish to me. It's a completely different mindset. Although you are taking what you see working in clubs and re-interpreting that in the studio so it would seem initially that they very close, but studio work can be very intense and occasionally requires far more consideration. I love them both equally.

“Your productions have been synonymous with 2020 vision, but you’ve got a three parter being released on NRK. How’s the new relationship faring and is there likely to be more output on NRK or Honchos in the future?”

I have known Nick Harris at NRK for a few years and we have discussed a possible project for quite a long time, but I always said to Nick that I only wanted to record for NRK and not his other Honchos label. Purely because NRK had many artists on who I have respected over the years, like Francois K, Peace Division, Joe Claussel, Gemini, and so on. My aim with these EPs for NRK was to produce some lush deeper tracks that didn't necessarily fit into what's trendy at the moment or whatever. The easiest thing in the world for me to do right now would be to make ten more tracks like Erotic Discourse but it's more of a challenge to come from a different angle and still have an impact. I don't want things to be too easy and too safe so these releases for NRK have been really inspiring. We'll see what happens over time...

“Are there any plans to launch your own label in the future?”

I have been fully exploring this but there's nothing I can let you know.... just yet.

“There’s been plethora’s of your singles out now for quite a while, any word on another album being released?”

I have been recording material constantly for 2020 Vision for a possible new Bobby Peru album and this is on-going. So far there is about 28 tracks but I will not release another album unless I am 100% happy with it so this could go on for another 5 months or for another 5 years. I will know when the time is right and I don't think it's wise to sell yourself short for the sake of a release schedule.

“Ralph Lawson has proven that live and unrehearsed dance music can be both fun and exciting, and with people like the Bays and the trend hurling Breaks DJs into live instrumentation proving that there’s scope for the music to come laive in this fashion. Is this something that would interest you and the Woolford/Bobby Peru Sound?”

I have always vowed that if I do a live show it has to be fucking amazing so to try and find the time to do that now would be too much. It does interest me but I think to do it properly you need a huge budget and you need a lot of other people and it has to be a show. I saw a guy from Perlon records play live in New York last week using Ableton live, and it was great, but ultimately it was people standing watching someone fiddle with a laptop in a 300 capacity club. If I did it I would want it to be really good and quite a spectacle and at the moment, to put that together is out of the question.

“And finally, backtracking to Ibiza again, what’s the wildest story you’ve got about the white isle. And does any of it outdo the madness of Dave Beer?”

My lips are sealed but most of the stories I know from there involve Dave at some point anyway, he has a habit of popping up in the most unlikely of situations! But I wouldn't have him any other way…

Paul Woolford will be resident for we love at space, Ibiza every week from Sunday June 18 – Sunday September 24: www.welove-music.com