Ahead of a huge summer in Ibiza and a hectic gig schedule, we spoke to Doorly about his awaited Toolroom Knights album which shall be sound tracking the summer to many avid house music fans.
Firstly, what brought you to house music and becoming a DJ?
I was working in a bar when I was 16 and the DJ didn’t show up, I was really into subliminal and Erick Morillo at the time so had a few records as I had been practicing so the manager asked me to stand in with the few records I had and some CDs from behind the bar. I was terrible but I was cheaper and it seems more reliable than the other guy so I got the job and the rest is history!
With accomplishing many things some DJs can only dream of (touring with Fatboy Slim and recording no less than 2 Radio 1 Essential Mixes) what is your proudest achievement?
I think being asked to record my second Essential Mix was a real milestone for me, the first one was because Pete Tong picked me as his future superstar, based on my prowess as a DJ and my warehouse parties. So the second one was 3 years later and this time because of my achievements as a producer and international artist. There’s still and always will be a long way to go but that was definitely one of those “now I’ve made it” moments!
With touring and travelling so much, how do you find time to produce?
Mainly on aeroplanes and in hotel rooms! It’s not ideal but they can both be inspiring places at times, and its a good way to kill time by starting ideas. I have a great studio set up at home in L.A now as well so when I get home I just plug in my laptop to my set up and everything gets finished properly there. Since I moved there I have made sure I spend more time at home being a bit more picky on gigs because I love it so much so I’m feeling super productive right now.
Do you feel this Toolroom album gives people a taste of what a notable, high energy Doorly DJ set is like?
Yep, that was what I was aiming to put across for sure, a selection of whats really working in my sets at the moment alongside some of my new unrealeased tracks and a load of accapellas and stuff as usual to give it some real colour.
You’ve included an exclusive track from yourself and Sonny Fodera, can we expect any more collaborations in the summer?
You sure can! I’m currently finishing tracks Alongside Cajmere, DJ Pierre, Harry Choo Choo Romero & Switch plus me and Shadow Child have a HUGE record dropping in July called Piano Weapon!
Your remix of house-legend Steve Silk Hurley’s 1986 track ‘Jack Your Body’ was huge last year. How did it come about?
I got sent a remix package of the track and was very disappointed so I thought what the hell and messaged the label to see if I could have the parts and have a go. I’m really proud of that remix, it really opened a lot of doors for me with some of my heroes and its still probably the biggest track in my sets!
You’ve included tracks from big-name DJs such as Claude VonStroke and Four Tet, are there any artists on the album that you are excited for in the future?
The cabaret nocturne track on there is amazing, it’s on my good pals People get real’s label (Join our club) and its just one of those tracks I wish I”d made. I think big things are about to come from him and People get real who also have a track (Deja View) on the album.
Do you have any plans to release an album of your own material?
I never really thought of myself as an album type of artist but when it came to putting together this compilation I realised how much music I have released last year and how much is coming over the summer alone so I”m actually thinking that i would like to do one at some point. I’ve definitely got a lot of work to do before that though, there needs to be a real demand for it first. Let’s see how thing are looking after this summer and the releases I have in the bank first : )