““When I play in America, I mostly play very varied sets. For example, in New York I played for five hours and I was playing Tyree and some techno, and no matter what I played it was going crazy, whereas in England in certain places, if I tried that, then it would go down like a sack of shit.”
“I went to see Catz ‘N Dogz play at the DJ Mag party in Miami last year. I’d already met the DJ Mag guys when I won the Breakthrough Producer award, so I wanted to go and hang out with them as they’re all salt of the earth, sound, normal lads; just normal beerhead twats like myself,” he says in typically self-effacing style. “It was a wicked party, so when they gave me the offer to play this year, it was like, I’m definitely going to do everything I can to do it. I don’t know who’s on the line-up but it was amazing last year so if it’s anything like that, then I’m honoured to be on the bill.” Eats Everything is now becoming something of a regular on the US club circuit and says in some respects it differs little from home. “I would say it’s the only place that I’ve played that’s really comparable to the UK, if I’m honest,” he says, though he adds, “When I play in America, I mostly play very varied sets. For example, in New York I played for five hours and I was playing Tyree and some techno, and no matter what I played it was going crazy, whereas in England in certain places, if I tried that, then it would go down like a sack of shit. “Then again, I played Junk in Southampton a few weeks ago and I was playing acid house and everything. I had like a DC10 sit down to a Bodikka record! I think there are sometimes certain expectations of me, though I suppose when you’ve made a few records that are big like ‘The Size’, ‘Entrance
Song’, ‘Tric Trac’, ‘Vertigo’, records that are well-known and played by a lot of people, then people are going to want to hear those records.”
EVOLVE OR DIE But with each new production, Eats Everything confounds any expectations people may have by flitting from genre to genre — whether it’s deep house, acid house, bass music or techno — and demonstrates the same musical prowess whatever he turns his hand to. “I feel personally that you have to evolve,” he says of his eclecticism. “When I get in the studio I make what I want to make and if I’m making a booty bass record, I’m making a booty bass record. If I’m making a straight-up house record, then that’s what I’m making. For every tune I’ve released, I’ve got about a hundred on my hard drive that will never see the light of day because people aren’t into them.” But playing the numbers game that many other producers do isn’t for him. “I don’t want to be the guy who’s on like a million record labels,” he explains. “I’m happy being on Pets, Dirtybird, Futureboogie and Hypercolour, they’re the only ones I want to release originals on. I’ve spoken to Loefah about putting something on Swamp 81, which I think would open me up to that kind of scene a bit, and something a bit more banging and a bit darker. But I’m never really going to move from those labels, they’re my home.”
COLLABOS One of his closest friends is Dirtybird’s Justin Martin, who he’s just collaborated with on the ‘Feather Fight’ EP. “We’re like the same person, just from different worlds,” says Dan. “Basically, it just boils down to the fact that we’re a pair of absolute idiots! When we’re in the studio, half the time is taken up by being ridiculous and the other half is spent working. We’d have made 10 tracks by now, if we weren’t sellotaping bowls to our heads and shit like that. He’s been my favourite producer for years, so to actually work with him and be his mate, it’s amazing. Justin’s just one of my favourite people on the planet without a shadow of a doubt.”
This creative connection is being explored further in the coming months. “We’ve got at least another EP coming out on Dirtybird this year for sure,” reveals Dan. “That’s signed and ready to go.” Other upcoming releases this year include ‘The Withywood Walk’, his wonkily anthemic contribution to the upcoming ‘Dirtybird Players’ compilation, and a varied host of collaborations with TEED, Skream, Disclosure, Catz ‘N Dogz and Richy Ahmed, among others. There’s also talk of an Eats Everything solo album, but that may have to wait till 2014. “I was going to do it this year but I may release it during summer next year,” he says. “This is all just conjecture. I’ve no idea whether I’ll make the right music or whether I’ll have the time or whatever.” So now he’s made it to dance music’s top table, how does life compare to being in recruitment? “There’s no comparison mate,” he says, suddenly serious. “It’s like hell and heaven and I’m not even slightly exaggerating. Don’t get me wrong, this job isn’t easy, it’s a lot harder than people might think it is, but it’s also the thing I love most, other than my wife.”