Kenny Hawkes & Luke Solomon Interview

Since they met as DJs on London underground station Girls FM in the early 90’s, Kenny Hawkes and Luke Solomon have become friends and fellow residents in the city’s premier midweek quality house club, Space, at Bar Rumba. They took time out to talk to new DHN contributor Paul Corey about their music, favourite artists and combining their number of roles in the music industry.

DHN – What do you think the music you’re playing should be called?
Kenny Hawkes – Sleazy Hypnotica.
Luke Solomon – House music.

DHN – What do you put the success of Space down to?
KH – Good music, good DJ`s. good sound system.
LS – Perseverance.

DHN – Most popular guests?
KH – Derrick Carter, Francois K, Dave Angel, DJ Sneak, Doc Martin, Mark Farina, Cajmere. Resident nights can be good also.
LS – Derrick, Sneak, Terry Francis, Doc Martin, Mark Farina, Joshua, Weatherall, DJ Harvey.

DHN – Who would you like to have that you haven’t managed to get so far?
Both – Tony Humphries!
KH – Danny Tenaglia and Darren Emerson too.

DHN – What are your respective definitions of house?
KH – Four beats to every bar.
LS – House music that is the result of something that began a little over 10 years ago, that takes its influences from many different genres, and that also has soul and a funk too...

DHN – Who, for you, are house music’s current innovators?
LS – Isolee, Derrick, Masters At Work, 20/20.
KH – Too many to mention!

DHN – Kenny, what are your plans for the future as a recording artist, and how did the remixes for Andy Weatherall, and vice versa, come about?
KH – I’ve just bought an Akai MPC3000 , so once I’ve mastered that I intend to be more productive. As for the Remix , well ... Weatherall was really into a track I made a few years ago called “Ashleys War” on Luxury Service. Well, I felt I wanted to remix it, and re-release it, on Paper recordings. I ask him if he wanted to remix it, which he did! When I went to pay him, he said, "Fuck that! I’m into your stuff, so just remix something for me!". So I just took the best track from his album, and that was that.

DHN – Luke, I’ve heard that you’ve done a remix for Steve O’Sullivan on Mosaic. Do you see a close relationship between his sound and yours?
LS – I just think he’s a cool bloke that is doing something that he feels strongly about, and that’s enough for me...

DHN – Which is the most important: being a DJ, producer or club runner?
KH – It would be good to do all 3 well! I wouldn’t regard us as good Club Runners though.
LS – I don’t really put a level of importance to the things that I do, I treat them all individually as they are all have their own importance.

DHN – Do you agree with this statement: Good DJs don’t make good producers and vice-versa. If you don’t, who, in your opinion(s), straddle the DJ/production divide with consummate ease?
LS – I regard them as two separate talents, so yes that statement is definitely true.
KH – Again, too many to mention.

DHN – Where, outside London, are you happiest playing; and if it’s not the same place, where are you most well-received?
KH – All of America & Canada, Belgium, Portugal, Ireland, Spain. Japan, Australia and South Africa too.
LS – Belgium, Frankfurt, and Scotland is always a great deal of fun.

DHN – Any plans to release a “Space II” CD; if so, who’d be on mixing duties?
LS – Yep, me.

DHN – Luke: in an ideal world, who would you like to have recording for Classic?
LS – If there were to be some add-ons to the family, I think they would include Kenny and Iz and Diz....

DHN – Kenny, I read an interview with you a few years back, in which you said that you didn’t regard yourself as a technically good DJ (i.e. you didn’t think much of your mixing skills). What opinion do you have of yourself now?
KH – I don’t remember saying that, but yeah, I always want to be better - a good record selector and programmer can be more important.

Interview by Paul Corey