Cemented as one of the biggest names in the dance music industry, Lee Mortimer is a multi-talented DJ from the UK. His talents span realms of production, running record labels, rocking crowds and managing some of the best artists in the world. We don't know how he got so good, so we spent 15 minutes on the phone with him to find out!
FJ: How do you find working with another artist given all the collaborative work you do?
I really enjoy it. Its not something I expected to do to begin with. I mean the first track I did was with Foamo and I think neither of us had done a track together so it was kinda’ new ground, but what came out was really good. After that I did the one with Laidback Luke, that was incredibly quick to do! We kinda did that in about six hours.
Yeh, we have heard Luke does his tracks very quickly?
Yeah, he really does. I mean it can take me anywhere between a day and a week to make a track sometimes i go back and forth to it but um yer he's really quick in the studio, just sort of no nonsense sort of just lays the track down really quick and ends up usually really good.
What does it take for someone to jump off the page and make you want to collaborate with them?
Umm I think we both have to be into similar kind of music. I actually played a lot of Laidback Luke's tracks and he always reacted really well to the tracks that I sent him from my label. You have to have the same kind of mentality, both be into kinda big tunes, you know big rooms.
Who have you most enjoyed collaborating with?
Probably "Luke" id say, because its probably the biggest track ive done, and the fact it was so quick, it was a new way of working for me. In terms of ‘Blau’, I remember hearing Crookers playing it like last Summer at a festival over here, called Creamfields. That was the first time id heard someone else playing it "out" and I managed to get a video of it, and this was way before it was released so i don't think anyone would've really known what it was at that point. The crowd just went crazy and I think it was at that point I realised "this is a pretty big tune". Even after it was released it was still gradually growing from there you know I had people like Tiesto playing it maybe two weeks after it got released.
Plenty of satisfaction in that?
Yeah for sure! Especially someone like Tiesto playing it and Crookers you know obviously very different styles in music. It really did manage to cross a number of different genres.
Agreed! They are both very different demographics too. For yourself Lee, what do you look for when your making a track? Has it changed much?
When I am making a track I don't exactly start off with a specific idea i just sit down and play around with it, I really just try and make big tunes that will have a big reaction on the dance floor really. I am not really to subtle about anything. Sort of big and in your face. In terms of change… it’s changed a little a bit. Tracks have been getting bigger and more in your face and more of a bigger sound. Then again a few producers have gone more a ‘housey’ route as well so I think its more diverse in some ways.
Do you think that may have to do with the fact that the sets your playing, and the places your playing are a lot different now, opposed to when you first started out?
Yeah true, I mean you get to a point where you start playing at peak times and obviously the tunes your playing are bigger tracks and that reflects when you go back and make bigger tracks then you did when you sorta started out, and like I’m a resident at a club where I live up here in Oxford, and I've been going there for like ten years. Started off as a warm up dj so you kinda buy that sort of music until your higher on the bill.
Does running a label take away from DJing?
To be honest it all goes hand in hand, I mean running a label does take up a lot of time, like finding new artists, listening to demo's and things. It’s great to discover new music, being sent tunes from all corners of the world, you know i signed a track from a guy in New Zealand and then people in Budepest and then Italy.
You and Foamo have been taking the Superman release all around the UK lately, how has that been going?
Ha! Yeah we've been kinda getting the superman costume's out and Dj'ing. It’s been great! We have really had a lot of gigs off the back of that release so i really do think that's the biggest thing to happen on the label so far
I bet! How have the crowds been reacting when they see two massive acts throwing down a VS set?
Yeah its been getting great reaction. We are pretty similar as we are so we really DJ well together, and I really look forward to playing those gigs, Its really good fun. Its not something I've really done before, playing back to back with someone, but the more you do it, the more in tune you get. They are always great parties and the crowd are always up for it!
Nice! Well Lee, tell us your thoughts on Aussie crowds?
They are really up for it in Australia! But probably not to different to be honest, I mean anywhere you go in the world they are all into pretty much the same music and seem to attract the same sorta crowds. You look around and there are people from all around the world in every city anyway. Its just great to be able to see that and to play to all these people, but the Aussie crowds are definitely up for it!
Do you differ your sets depending on location?
I kinda think if I am booked to play somewhere, they are probably aware of my music already. I just try and do what i usually do. No two places are the same and no two crowds are exactly the same. You know, no two sets will be exactly the same. I would never have something in the back of my mind saying "I’m playing in Australia I better play this tune" I just stick to what I know and that's the crowds are expecting I suppose.
Name a stand out memory of your career!
Id say the Glastonberry last year, I was playing on a stage that looked like something out of the film Mad Max, it had like junk net all around and I was 15M in the air, I was playing in this kind of crows nest, and the whole stage around was filled with like performers and there was big flames coming out of everywhere. As I said it was really high up and there was about 5000 people dancing, and ill never forget looking down over that crowd just thinking it was unbelievable. That's something I will never forget
Amazing! What can we expect from "Lee Mortimer" for the rest of the year? Big plans?
LM: Yeah, got a couple of tracks coming out on a Belgian label called "youboot" which should be out in a couple of months. I think the remixes are getting done for those right now. I’ve also been working on a track with a reggae sound system called "Saxon Sound System". It has a big reggae influence on this track, still my usual sound but it goes into a reggae section. The guys do something they call "speed rapping" they are rapping but it just keeps getting faster and faster and it sounded amazing so I thought I had to work with these guys! We are going to be promo’ing this over the summer so hopefully this can be a big summer tune!
Wow! what was the influence to do a reggae style tune?
Umm I just heard these guys on a Youtube video. My Manager sent me a link and the way they where rapping was just unbelievable. I mean they go back along way, back to the 80's, and they have been sampled more then, say James Brown I reckon. I mean their vocals are on so many old jungle tracks, but when we approached them to work with them, they where actually really happy we approached them sorta legitimately, instead of just sampling them. They where really up for doing it, and they kinda just said "you do what you want with it" I sent them an instrumental demo and then they rapped over it. We got it into the studio and I am really happy with outcome.
FJ: Looking forward to that one! So what’s happening with Warehouse for the rest of the year?
LM: Yeah well the schedule is pretty full on for the rest of the year now. Something coming out from a new artist called Nemo, disco trash music, a guy called Youx from New Zealand which is around your kind of neck of the woods. Also a guy called Kill Light which I'm really into at the moment, and then a guy called Jay Robinson aswell! Those are the things coming up to look forward to!
Thanks so much for your time Lee, and we look forward to your tour down here!
Cheers guys!
