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Layo Paskin isn’t just co-owner of hip London club The End, he’s also one half of dance duo Layo and Bushwacka. Youth Music spoke to him about their new album, The Roundhouse creative centre in London and how to make it as a DJ. ‘Feels Closer’, the third album from Layo and Bushwacka, released on their own Olmeto Records, saw the pair recording in London, Brazil and New York. As well as featuring an array of singers and musicians, including South American superstar Rogerio Flausino, the album displays their usual floorfillers, and downbeat tracks. It’s a welcome follow up to the highly successful ‘Night Works’ LP, which spawned the 2002 Ibiza hit ‘Love Story’. And Layo for one, is chuffed…

Some of it is more downtempo than usual. How did that happen?
We didn’t just want to make an album of dance tracks. We’ve made a lot of dance tracks in the past. We thought that if we moved around the BPM’s a little bit, we could get a bit more of a diverse feel. It also makes it a bit more of a gentle listen. We wanted to make a warmer album. It’s the way it unfolded.

Tell us about the studios you’re building for young people to use at Camden’s famous old gig venue – The Roundhouse
Yeah, it’s due to open in June 2006 and I think we’re a skip away from having raised all the money so everything’s on schedule for that opening. We felt that with the 10th anniversary of the club [The End] – obviously we did the fanzine that came out, and big parties – but we wanted to do something that was a little bit more altruistic and had a life of its own. We raised the money – and Red Bull has matched every penny that we’ve raised – so we’re building two studios together. For charity; they’re not for us. They’re gonna be called The End Studios.

And these studios are to give disadvantaged young people opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have?
Yes. With the Roundhouse, by working with someone like The End, it’s gonna have a lot more appeal to a disadvantaged kid than if it were called ‘Camden Council Studios’. It just wouldn’t be cool for them.

On a day to day level, what will your involvement be?
C hecking on the courses, doing one-day workshops, and allowing people that do well there to maybe come and perform at The End. We’ll take an ongoing involvement. It’s set up to try and get young people into the idea of being a part of it. It’s nice in life to get the opportunity to do something good. < /p>

As a club owner, what would your advice to aspiring young DJ’s be? Is it harder or easier nowadays?
It’s become easier again because of the digital… people can download tracks for 99p! A few years ago it was getting to £7-8 for a 12- inch; unless you’re a professional DJ that’s a very unaffordable hobby. The reality is that you have to find your style, your music, your sound, and not be swayed by what you think people like. You also have to believe in what you’re doing. It has to be honest. Then from that, you have to be very dedicated and accept that it’s gonna take a while. You have to be creative yourself too. What I mean by that… is that a lot of people that make it start off by setting up a night with so me friends, and building up a reputation; building up a name for the night.

Are there any other routes into DJing?
The other way, is that nowadays getting into a studio helps too. 12-inches can be a way of marketing and creating an aura around your name. Without that, the only other way is by creating an aura around a night that you’re doing. You can’t look for someone to just come and give you a break. It doesn’t happen in life. You create your opportunities.
 
Is it beneficial for young DJs to send mix tapes to clubs?
I don’t recommend it. Here at The End we just don’t have time. If you’ve got meetings all day and you’re doing different things you just don’t have time to listen to peoples CDs. And it’s not that you’re being nasty; it’s just the realities of working in a business. However, if someone’s running a hot night and we hear about it, then we’re interested on that basis.

So you check out new nights?
Oh definitely. We do that a lot. That and looking at the music that people make are the two biggest avenues. I’m not saying it’s an impossible route. I think James Zabelia started by sending a mix tape to Sasha, but if you want my advice it’s not a route I would go down.

Technics decks are the industry standard for DJing but they’re so expensive. Are they necessary?
Technics are the best decks but these days with CDJ’s [CD decks] there are other routes. Yes, as a start up, it’s not the cheapest hobby in the world, but it’s not completely unaffordable either. Like anything in life, it depends how much you want it.
 
Layo and Bushwacka’s ‘Feels Closer’ is out March 13 on Olmeto Records. For more information on The Roundhouse visit www.roundhouse.org.uk

Words: Gal Detourn

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