Theo Keating, the man also known as Fake Blood has sprinkled his magic dust over ‘Fabriclive 69’, released last month and stuffed full of his trademark twists and turns. “I went for combinations and blends that seemed a little odd on paper but worked really well sonically,” he reveals. Currently on tour in Canada before heading into festival territory across Europe for the summer, Theo will be in the States from mid September. A seasoned DJ on the scene he’ll approach the big EDM events much like his Fabric mix. “If you try and bang your head against it you’re going to have problems,” he says. He’ll be doing what he does best and trying to make it fun as well, much like the new material he’s working on…
Words: HELENE STOKES
What is the track that sums up your childhood?
“From my early childhood was probably ‘Prince Charming’ by Adam & The Ants. When I first getting into pop records, like you do when you’re little, he was obviously a big deal and he was very much my hero when I was a small nipper. His whole look, his outfits, the stripe across the nose, even the way he sung, he sounded like he was from London and I could relate to that. He was just a classic, slightly rough around the edges, pop star at the time. And I thought, ‘this is the best thing I’ve heard’ in my rather short life. So ‘Prince Charming’ was the tune with the video, with the big 18th Century baroque, kind of camp, high camp.”
What was the first record that you ever bought?
“I think the first record that I really wanted and had to look for and saved up my money for, it was a compilation that an old label called Street Sounds did called ‘Crucial Electro’. And it has absolute classics like ‘Cybotron’, which was Juan Atkins actually, and Herbie Hancock, and all these things, and Man Parrish. So it was the first thing that I heard which wasn’t music that was on the radio or on TV, it wasn’t pop music that everyone was in to. I had to look for it and save up for, and it changed my whole world. And also those tracks were mixed and that blew my mind.”
What’s the most embarrassing record in your collection?
“I don’t think you should ever be embarrassed about any record that you have. I don’t really buy into the whole ‘guilty pleasures’. I think if you’re into something you’re into it and you should be proud of it. Every couple of years I do a real cull and I just off-load a lot of records. I suppose when you’re a kid, I had ‘Too Shy’ by Kajagoogoo. Or that ‘Freur’ record by the guys that went on to be Underworld, it was their first band and they had crimped hair and their name was just a squiggle thing. But then fuck it, that’s still a good tune.”
What’s the track that’s guaranteed to make you cry?
“There are records when someone dies god, forbid, those records are a catalyst for letting off a lot of emotion. But one of the
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records that used to bring me to, well never crying, but it was a record called ‘Alright’ by Urban Soul, it was one of Roland Clark’s projects. It’s an amazing track. People sing about these same themes a billion times but for some reason the stress and the desperation in his voice, there’s just something about that track. For a house record it’s a pretty powerful tune, I used to love that.”
What’s an album that you’re currently into?
“I always find that question difficult because I very rarely take on whole albums, I suppose it’s having been a DJ, I’m like a magpie and I cherry pick all the great tunes and there are albums where there might be four great tracks. Even with my older records, I kind of compile my own little albums or compilations. But one thing that isn’t super new but isn’t that old that I always go back to and listen to the whole way through is by Onra. He’s French and he makes instrumental hip-hop stuff, but all sample based.”
What’s the most valuable record in your collection?
“When I buy records there are some that I spend quite a bit of money on, but there are others that have cost me a quid, it all kind of balances out. But occasionally you just see something that you’ve wanted for years and you just have to grab it. One of these was a little 7 inch, a 45 by Manzel, and it’s called ‘Midnight Theme’. I think it’s been re-issued a couple of years ago. It’s just an amazing, amazing tune. I think it came out right at the end of the ‘70s, it’s instrumental. It’s not like jazz funk, because that makes it sound awful, it’s more like an instrumental soul record with synths. He only did a small number of tunes.”
What’s your all time favorite track of all time?
“Oh my god. That’s like, ‘which is your favorite child?’ I always have a core of tunes, there’s always these tracks that you love them equally, and you go to them at points and they always give you pleasure. Maybe a track ‘I Like London In The Rain’ by Blossom Dearie. She has an amazing voice, she recorded it in London. It’s obviously about my hometown, which I’m very proud of. It’s the lyrics and the way she sings it, she has a very emotive way she sings it, it has a very happy sad twist to it. And then, of course, it’s backed by the most incredible music.”
FAKE BLOOD
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