We here at Bright & Shiny had the distinct pleasure of chatting with none other than one of dance music's fastest rising talents, Doorly, before his start as a part of the Identity Festival tour in North America. Doorly seems to be a renaissance man of sorts, staying active in everything from residencies abroad like Ibiza Rocks, Wax:On, Metropolis, and Reclaim the Dancefloor, to managing the ins and outs of his own label, Pigeonhole This!, all the while churning out genre-defying productions and continually putting on one of the most dynamic and exciting live performances you'll ever see from a DJ. His talents have certainly not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by his appearances on Pete Tong's legendary Essential Mix and his manning of the Radio One Ibiza Weekend stage for the past 2 years. We were very glad to talk to him about his career thus far, what he has planned for the future, and his involvement with the Identity Festival.
[Bright & Shiny]: First off, thanks for taking the time out of your schedule for talking to us. We all really appreciate, as I'm sure do our readers. Let's start off with the basics, how did you get into dance music in the first place?
[Doorly]: I suppose I got into it by becoming a DJ really. A DJ didn’t show up at a bar I was working at and I had a bunch of cd’s, so I just sort of jumped on and got really into it. That was like 10 years ago, when I was 16.
[Bright & Shiny]: So before you even messed with any production you were DJing?
[Doorly]: Oh yeah, definitely. I only stared the production about four or five years ago.
[Bright & Shiny]: And in that four or 5 years or so, how do you think your sound has evolved?
[Doorly]: Well I started off being into more house, funk type stuff but recently I’ve gotten a lot more into the dubstep sound so that’s a lot more of what I’ve been doing lately. But for me it’s always been about not limiting myself to one particular sound, just doing whatever I’m into at the moment. And I find myself sort of blending a lot of what I’m into together and really forming something entirely new and different, sort of like a bit of everything put all together which I think is really exciting.
[Bright & Shiny]: So you’re on Ibiza right now correct? This summer you’ve been a resident there at Ibiza Rocks.. tell us a bit about that, and if you think it’s different from other nights or clubs on Ibiza?
[Doorly]: It’s been fantastic so far. Ibiza Rocks is really unlike anything else on the island, just because of how diverse the acts and the music they bring in are. And that’s really one of the main reasons I was so excited about being involved there. You know, like this summer alone I’ve played alongside everyone from Fatboy Slim to Tinie Tempah to Chase & Status, so it’s quite a lot of fun and it keeps things interesting for me and theres really nowhere else like it on the island.
[Bright & Shiny]: You have a couple other residencies on the island, such as at Wax On, Metropolis, and Reclaim the dancefloor, right? Tell us a little about those.
[Doorly]: I’ve actually not been doing much of that recently because I’ve been so busy touring. The only thing I’ve really been doing regularly other than Ibiza Rocks is my own night in my hometown of Huddersfield, Afterparty. I just don’t have the time for the other residencies anymore.
[Bright & Shiny]: Speaking of your own night, Afterparty, what is it like to put on your own event vs playing at other clubs or guesting somewhere?
[Doorly]: Well, for one thing you have a lot more responsibilities when you’re putting on your own event, so that can sometimes make it a bit more stressful since you’re constantly running around. but at the same time that can mean it ends up being more fun. Because when you’re putting on your own night you have to be thinking about and coordinating everything all night long, making sure everything is right for all the other artists and managing the staffs and everything, as opposed to playing at another club where you just walk in, play your set and then your responsibilities are done. So yeah, its just a lot more responsibilities. But when I put on my parties it’s usually my friends that I bring in to dj so that can be a lot more fun because you just get to hang out with all your friends all night and have a good time and all that. So when it works out it can be a lot more rewarding, but during it sometimes it can be a bit stressful. It always ends up being worth it though.
[Bright & Shiny]: Yeah I can imagine it’s a lot of work putting something together like that. So you have a new record label, Pigeonhole This!, how did it get started? What are you trying to do with the label or what direction are you trying to take it in?
[Doorly]: Part of the idea behind it was that I wanted a label where I could release really any sort of music I’m into at the moment and not be confined into sort of a box, not be confined by genre distinctions. And I really didn’t see any label like that out there. Then also the idea is that I can help promote artists I’m into at the moment. There’s a lot of really great artists we’ve got releases coming up from, and a lot of them have totally different sounds. For me it’s really about the creative freedom of it, not getting tied to any one particular sound.
[Bright & Shiny]: So the name Pigeonhole This! is kind of ironic, making fun of other labels?
[Doorly]: Oh yeah, totally.
[Bright & Shiny]: What is it like acting as a label boss? What are the responsibilities that come with the position?
[Doorly]: My main responsibility is to just make sure the music’s right and we’re booking the right artists. I think it’s quite important just to make sure that the music is absolutely on point, that everyone wants to hear it, and that all the djs are playing it. I’ve just gotten a lot of really good support from all my peers and all my friends that are playing the tracks, so it’s good to have that.
[Bright & Shiny]: When you’re touring, do you see a lot of differences between crowds in Europe vs crowds in America?
[Doorly]: Yeah, totally. America is just on fire at the moment. There’s no where like America in terms of energy. I’ve been playing in America for a good few years but like in the last year or so, it’s just gone mental. It’s actually kind of hard after an American tour to come back to England because we don’t really mosh out or rock out like you guys do. You come up to England and people just don’t really do that; I don’t know, it’s like people think they’re too cool for it.
[Bright & Shiny]: Yeah other DJ’s have told us the same thing.
[Doorly]: You don’t need to have your hands in the air to be enjoying yourself, you just sort of need to be noddin’ your head and you’re having a great time. But in America you feel like you’re doing something wrong if you drop a track and everyone isn’t like 'AAAAHHHHH!!', losing their shit over it. It’s really good for your ego. It’s the same thing in Europe, especially in places like Germany or Belgium or something, it’s just kind of boring compared to America…but it’s all good, everywhere has its benefits.
[Bright & Shiny]: So speaking of touring, obviously you’re a big part of the Identity Festival right now, which is sort of the thing on everyone’s mind. What is it like to be a part of touring festival?
[Doorly]: Well yeah, I’ve never been a part of a touring festival or anything like this. The last tour I did was with Rusko and it was great; it was very intense and every night was sold out at these massive clubs. But this is even better, the line-up is so good, there’s like 70 people in the festival that I want to watch every single night anyway. If I wasn’t booked for it I’d be looking to get myself a ticket to get over there anyways. But because we had so much fun last time Rusko and I are sharing a tour bus again; we’re not going to do the festival tour bus since there are so many people on there – it can get messy. So we just got our own tour bus on this one so we can relax a little bit more between shows. It’s going to be a lot of traveling, but every time you get to a new city it’s really exciting.
[Bright & Shiny]: What was your initial reaction when the management for ID approached you about being on the bill?
[Doorly]: It was halfway through the Rusko tour; I was playing in New York and I got the offer. At first I didn’t really know who was playing it just sounded like a good thing.. So I said I’ll think about it, though I was pretty sure I was going to do it. Then I looked at the lineup and I saw like DJ Shadow, Modeselektor, Erol Alkan and I was just like wow..sign me up! It’s great, I just feel like it’s going to be a great thing.
[Bright & Shiny]: Do you think this sort of touring festival is going to be something that’s replicated in the future?
[Doorly]: I think so, yeah. The people that run it are one of the biggest agencies in the world, William Morris, so I wouldn’t be surprised. People kind of do it in Australia, there’s the whole Parklife tour and othe things like that. But I’ve never heard of anything like this, this many dates and this many artists in the UK or Europe, or in America. It’s a great idea; you get the acts more gigs, and everyone gets paid, it’s good.
[Bright & Shiny]: What do you have in store for the rest of the year, post ID Festival?
[Doorly]: Loads of gigs really. I've got a bunch coming up, including a mini-tour with fatboy slim and Jack Beats. I've also got a few EP's coming out, and I just released this Foxy Brown bootleg I did recently and new mix. So yeah, I'm gonna be pretty busy, but I love it.
[Doorly]: I suppose I got into it by becoming a DJ really. A DJ didn’t show up at a bar I was working at and I had a bunch of cd’s, so I just sort of jumped on and got really into it. That was like 10 years ago, when I was 16.
[Bright & Shiny]: So before you even messed with any production you were DJing?
[Doorly]: Oh yeah, definitely. I only stared the production about four or five years ago.
[Bright & Shiny]: And in that four or 5 years or so, how do you think your sound has evolved?
[Doorly]: Well I started off being into more house, funk type stuff but recently I’ve gotten a lot more into the dubstep sound so that’s a lot more of what I’ve been doing lately. But for me it’s always been about not limiting myself to one particular sound, just doing whatever I’m into at the moment. And I find myself sort of blending a lot of what I’m into together and really forming something entirely new and different, sort of like a bit of everything put all together which I think is really exciting.
[Bright & Shiny]: So you’re on Ibiza right now correct? This summer you’ve been a resident there at Ibiza Rocks.. tell us a bit about that, and if you think it’s different from other nights or clubs on Ibiza?
[Doorly]: It’s been fantastic so far. Ibiza Rocks is really unlike anything else on the island, just because of how diverse the acts and the music they bring in are. And that’s really one of the main reasons I was so excited about being involved there. You know, like this summer alone I’ve played alongside everyone from Fatboy Slim to Tinie Tempah to Chase & Status, so it’s quite a lot of fun and it keeps things interesting for me and theres really nowhere else like it on the island.
[Bright & Shiny]: You have a couple other residencies on the island, such as at Wax On, Metropolis, and Reclaim the dancefloor, right? Tell us a little about those.
[Doorly]: I’ve actually not been doing much of that recently because I’ve been so busy touring. The only thing I’ve really been doing regularly other than Ibiza Rocks is my own night in my hometown of Huddersfield, Afterparty. I just don’t have the time for the other residencies anymore.
[Bright & Shiny]: Speaking of your own night, Afterparty, what is it like to put on your own event vs playing at other clubs or guesting somewhere?
[Doorly]: Well, for one thing you have a lot more responsibilities when you’re putting on your own event, so that can sometimes make it a bit more stressful since you’re constantly running around. but at the same time that can mean it ends up being more fun. Because when you’re putting on your own night you have to be thinking about and coordinating everything all night long, making sure everything is right for all the other artists and managing the staffs and everything, as opposed to playing at another club where you just walk in, play your set and then your responsibilities are done. So yeah, its just a lot more responsibilities. But when I put on my parties it’s usually my friends that I bring in to dj so that can be a lot more fun because you just get to hang out with all your friends all night and have a good time and all that. So when it works out it can be a lot more rewarding, but during it sometimes it can be a bit stressful. It always ends up being worth it though.
[Bright & Shiny]: Yeah I can imagine it’s a lot of work putting something together like that. So you have a new record label, Pigeonhole This!, how did it get started? What are you trying to do with the label or what direction are you trying to take it in?
[Doorly]: Part of the idea behind it was that I wanted a label where I could release really any sort of music I’m into at the moment and not be confined into sort of a box, not be confined by genre distinctions. And I really didn’t see any label like that out there. Then also the idea is that I can help promote artists I’m into at the moment. There’s a lot of really great artists we’ve got releases coming up from, and a lot of them have totally different sounds. For me it’s really about the creative freedom of it, not getting tied to any one particular sound.
[Bright & Shiny]: So the name Pigeonhole This! is kind of ironic, making fun of other labels?
[Doorly]: Oh yeah, totally.
[Bright & Shiny]: What is it like acting as a label boss? What are the responsibilities that come with the position?
[Doorly]: My main responsibility is to just make sure the music’s right and we’re booking the right artists. I think it’s quite important just to make sure that the music is absolutely on point, that everyone wants to hear it, and that all the djs are playing it. I’ve just gotten a lot of really good support from all my peers and all my friends that are playing the tracks, so it’s good to have that.
[Bright & Shiny]: When you’re touring, do you see a lot of differences between crowds in Europe vs crowds in America?
[Doorly]: Yeah, totally. America is just on fire at the moment. There’s no where like America in terms of energy. I’ve been playing in America for a good few years but like in the last year or so, it’s just gone mental. It’s actually kind of hard after an American tour to come back to England because we don’t really mosh out or rock out like you guys do. You come up to England and people just don’t really do that; I don’t know, it’s like people think they’re too cool for it.
[Bright & Shiny]: Yeah other DJ’s have told us the same thing.
[Doorly]: You don’t need to have your hands in the air to be enjoying yourself, you just sort of need to be noddin’ your head and you’re having a great time. But in America you feel like you’re doing something wrong if you drop a track and everyone isn’t like 'AAAAHHHHH!!', losing their shit over it. It’s really good for your ego. It’s the same thing in Europe, especially in places like Germany or Belgium or something, it’s just kind of boring compared to America…but it’s all good, everywhere has its benefits.
[Bright & Shiny]: So speaking of touring, obviously you’re a big part of the Identity Festival right now, which is sort of the thing on everyone’s mind. What is it like to be a part of touring festival?
[Doorly]: Well yeah, I’ve never been a part of a touring festival or anything like this. The last tour I did was with Rusko and it was great; it was very intense and every night was sold out at these massive clubs. But this is even better, the line-up is so good, there’s like 70 people in the festival that I want to watch every single night anyway. If I wasn’t booked for it I’d be looking to get myself a ticket to get over there anyways. But because we had so much fun last time Rusko and I are sharing a tour bus again; we’re not going to do the festival tour bus since there are so many people on there – it can get messy. So we just got our own tour bus on this one so we can relax a little bit more between shows. It’s going to be a lot of traveling, but every time you get to a new city it’s really exciting.
[Bright & Shiny]: What was your initial reaction when the management for ID approached you about being on the bill?
[Doorly]: It was halfway through the Rusko tour; I was playing in New York and I got the offer. At first I didn’t really know who was playing it just sounded like a good thing.. So I said I’ll think about it, though I was pretty sure I was going to do it. Then I looked at the lineup and I saw like DJ Shadow, Modeselektor, Erol Alkan and I was just like wow..sign me up! It’s great, I just feel like it’s going to be a great thing.
[Bright & Shiny]: Do you think this sort of touring festival is going to be something that’s replicated in the future?
[Doorly]: I think so, yeah. The people that run it are one of the biggest agencies in the world, William Morris, so I wouldn’t be surprised. People kind of do it in Australia, there’s the whole Parklife tour and othe things like that. But I’ve never heard of anything like this, this many dates and this many artists in the UK or Europe, or in America. It’s a great idea; you get the acts more gigs, and everyone gets paid, it’s good.
[Bright & Shiny]: What do you have in store for the rest of the year, post ID Festival?
[Doorly]: Loads of gigs really. I've got a bunch coming up, including a mini-tour with fatboy slim and Jack Beats. I've also got a few EP's coming out, and I just released this Foxy Brown bootleg I did recently and new mix. So yeah, I'm gonna be pretty busy, but I love it.
[Bright & Shiny]: Sounds awesome, we're really looking forward to your EP. Well, that covers everything we have. Again, thanks so much for talking to us, and we hope to hear a lot more about you in the near future.
There ya have it, folks. Peep some Doorly goodies below as well, including his latest mix and a nifty Foxy Brown bootleg! And a big thanks goes to Jonah and all the boys & girls at Infamous PR for setting this up!
There ya have it, folks. Peep some Doorly goodies below as well, including his latest mix and a nifty Foxy Brown bootleg! And a big thanks goes to Jonah and all the boys & girls at Infamous PR for setting this up!
PK & Augustus
I saw this dude at ID fest... he was awwwwwweeeeessssooooooommmmeeeeeee
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