Who is Justin Wilkes? The 30 second intro
Justin Wilkes is a DJ/Producer/Radio Producer/Tech Entrepreneur/Voiceover
You can hear Justin daily on Kiss, Kisstory, and Tomorrowland One World Radio. He’s also the station sound voice for BBC Radio 5 Live, ITV4, and DAZN. He consults on high end sound system installations, and home technology, and has voiced ads for some of the UK’s most loved household name brands.
How would most people know you? (What are you most well known for?)
I’ve been called ‘The Ad Guy’, and ‘Mr Kisstory’. I’ve been with Kiss since 2006. Kisstory as a sub brand was rebooted as a music feature in my Kiss100 morning show. That’s where people have usually heard my name.
Listen to Justin Wilkes in the mix
Please list your relevant links (Social accounts, Mixcloud, gigs etc and a link to a mix)
www.instagram.com/justinwilkes
Where are you based, and do you have any regular gigs?
I’m based in Surrey.
Please let us know your next gig dates, and release schedule if you have anything coming out soon
28/6 – Portugal tbc
8/7 – Kisstory @ O Beach Ibiza
18-20/7 – Tomorrowland, Boom Belgium
25-27/7 – Tomorrowland, Boom Belgium
What’s been your favourite ever gig?
The very first Kisstory at the 02 – We just didn’t know what to expect, and it sold out 1,600 tickets. It was such a mixed crowd and it was so much fun.
The sound guy was Basement Jaxx’s tour sound engineer. So it sounded incredible and also looked incredible and no-one was doing anything like that. So sort of set a template for these kind of events.
Also Moneypennies at Bonds (Editor – legendary Birmingham nightclub of the mid-90s) – my first time I played Moneypennies was mental. I absolutely loved that gig. It was the last big Midlands brand I hadn’t played and they had really high standards. They didn’t just let anybody play.
That’s one set I do really remember, I almost remember every record I played. I played the middle set and this guy came up to me, a little bit tipsy and said “that is the best set I’ve ever seen here”. This was probably 1996. I was playing tracks like Medium High – The Pleasure, and some tracks that are pretty rare these days like Spluff and Ramirez Project. Also some tunes on Global Grooves, Urban Hero, and Bostin’ which were fantastic local Birmingham based record labels. You had to be conscious playing that middle set to leave a lane for the headliner to go into!
Why did you decide to become a DJ and/or producer?
I was playing on my dad’s vinyl when I was a kid. But it was really radio that triggered my obsession with music. Especially pirate radio in Birmingham in the 90s that played hardcore. I used to spend a lot of time sitting in my dad’s car with the radio finding pirate broadcasts, which is how I first heard that kind of rave music. I mean, there’s nothing more exciting than hardcore when you’re youngster.
And then a radio DJ called Phil Upton started a dance music show on Sunday nights on BRMB radio. So all of a sudden you’ve got this amazing music, but it’s being presented to you in a radio formula that makes sense. You’ve got somebody that’s enthusiastic about the music, and he played proper mixes on this show.
He got in mixers like The Commission who in fact mixed the first ever Radio 1 Essential Mix later on. They did amazing DMC mixes, one was Italia 90 which was just all Italian house. I loved that, and they also did the Bloc Party, which was the hip house from 1989-90 which smashed together an incredible like 20 minute mix of every hip hop track you have ever heard. I sent a tape in at 15 years old, a rave tape and Phil played my tape on the show. And that was that, my path was set.
What DJ tech did you use in your early days? (We’d love to see some photos!)
Soundlab DLP3 with the direct drives. I started off with the Tandy Realisitc mixer, the one that everyone had. That broke really quickly from the heavy scratching where I was messing about with my hardcore mixes. I saved my paper round money for a year and bought those DLP3s from an an ad in back in DJ Mag (Jocks magazine back then) from Sound Division in Essex.
There was one record shop in Solihull for a bit called Power Surge records. Selling records, clothes and oversized t shirts etc. I’d go in there to buy records and I’d chat to them. Once my mix was played on the radio, I started saving for Technics. I’m trying to think what my second mixer was with a little two channel scratch mixer with cut buttons, the Soundlab DSm15. The 1200’s I eventually bought second hand in 1992 and I’ve still got them and they’ve never even been serviced! I sent a cheque for 350 quid in the post. 10 days later, this box turns up with them in it!
What is your home DJ tech set up currently?
Technics1200s as discussed and two CDJ 2000’s. I’ve got the Pioneer RX as well. Replacing everything I’ve got home with the latest would be a bankrupting.
What do you most often play out on these days?
Pioneer CDJ-3000s, Pioneer V10, and less often the A9.
What’s on the tech shopping list?
An RMX? Nothing really. I’ve played around quite a bit with what I used to take to gigs, including a Filter Queen which is a big analog filter that you put on the return channel. The first in history actually. I got the idea from Turnmills where their decks had individual 10 channel EQ’S underneath them between the turntable and mixer.
I’ve played with Novation launch pads and controllers to do sets from. But I always go back to basics with them, I always play live even for shows that have timed visuals. I do some work with premiership football clubs for stadium experience, and sometimes the sets are just six minutes. I still break the pieces down and mix live. I’d never go and stand there and wave my hands in the air. First thing I do usually when I start a set in a club is turn off the sync/quantize functions and often get inquisitive looks from other dj’s! To integrate some new tech I’d need to learn it inside out. I have to get proper geeky with it… I do like the the Pioneer RMXs. They’re fantastic.
Throughout your career is there a piece of equipment that you have just never got on with?
I got sent the latest Vestax midi controller many years ago and I tried using that on a live show with Ableton and the delays felt too digital. It felt like nothing was really attached to you anymore, it was a little bit distant. So that went straight back and it didn’t come out again. I mean, it looked amazing and what it should have done was amazing but it just wasn’t for me.
From a DJing point of view what three things do you always take to a gig apart from USB and headphones obviously!
So three things I take every gig apart from the USB and headphones – A spare Ethernet cable. And one thing I’ve always got in my bag is really random, which is an FM transmitter receiver. (Editor – That’s a first!) Every now and again, you walk up somewhere and there’s a second room that no-one’s thought about properly, particularly if they’re private gigs. I can just bung that on my mixer and put the receiver in a different room and then music can be playing out in there as well. I used it at a private party on an island, everyone was very impressed.
Can you talk us through your productions? (If any)
I’ll leave that because I’ll see there’s all kind of stuff there!
If you are a producer, what is your tech stack?
It’s always changing because you need to be integrating with other people because everyone’s so remote these days. I can work with a producer on the other side of the world. It’s trying to make sure you can quickly flip things to each other and work off it. I do my bit, wetransfer it and we go from there.
I learnt on Cubase on the Atari ST which is a brilliant grounding and also learned Notator. I was a master on Steinberg Pro 12. You could write a groove and then you just wrote a list of what order things would happen, and the software would just follow your list. It was really a bit like Ableton now for building stuff fast.
If you still have vinyl at home, how much?
10,000 down from 36,000. I sold a lot for 10p. (Editor – We’d have bought these…..)
Any DJs or producers that we should watch out for?
There are so many new DJ’s/Producers around. I do like going to some of the smaller stages at Tomorrowland festival and hearing fresh talent, particularly those that are brave with tune selection. (Editor two of our youngest interviewees Archie and Elfigo have both played at Tomorrowland)
Outside of DJing and production, what tech do you use at home?
An automation system called Creston which is a high end home automation system, which I sell and program for high value houses. It means amongst other things that you can listen to any radio station, any stream from there in the world in any room.
I also put some Turbosound Actives in my house which I love to listen to
I’m about to install a massive L-Acoustics club sound system for a client in Shoreditch. It’s going to sound insane!
Can you let us know three apps that are essential to you?
Xero – cos DJ’s are shit accountants
Idealista – So I can look at properties in Ibiza I can’t afford
Momondo – For tracking flight prices
What app would you like to spread the word about?
Turbo sound turbo control – Although I don’t even know if I’ve used it since I set it up as it just works, and the name is cool.
What non-music related product can’t you live without?
My livingspaceuk bed… when you’re knackered from gigs it’s worth the investment in a quality bed/mattress
Have you been to any great clubs or events recently, either as an artist or in the crowd?
O Beach Dubai is our freshest Kisstory parts and it’s fantastic.
I rarely go anywhere as a punter, but did go to Heritage at the Hare & Hounds in Birmingham the other week, and it was awesome. Had the proper feel of 90’s clubbing, smiley faces, and quality music.
Do you have a favourite sports team?
Aston Villa. My daughter plays for Chelsea, so how to say Chelsea women as well.
DJWORX thanks Justin Wilkes for the interview and for talking us through his DJ tech and story. Read our other DJWORX interviews, including DMC World Champion JFB, Ibiza legend Pete Gooding and many others.