Artist: Zombi (Plusquam) Interview by: Evgeny

01. Hello!

Hola

02. Who are you and what the hell are you doing on my site???

I have no clue, which site is it?

03. Now seriously, I don't think there's any introduction needed to our Israeli readers and I'm quite sure that a large part of the world heard the name DJ Zombi as well, but can you please tell us when did you decide to become a DJ and how did your DJ carrier started?

I was that clubber-student kind of a guy with a light obsession about music shops. Many claimed me as a junky... Well I really liked to spend days buying music ;) As well as I traveled a lot for partying in the summers and got to know progressive in its very beginning, from the music I heard during the summer of 2000 at Boom, VooV and Love Field...I got back home knowing that I can't hear anything like this at parties in my homeland and didn't find any better option than buying a mixer and a pair of CDJ's. After a few months I got my first opportunities and with my first gigs I realized that this is what I'm going to do in the next 30 years ;) On my second gig I already got a residence!! and my economics studies never looked as boring as it did back then... So I just did my best every time I got on stage and remembered that only if you are special you can survive for long. Of course first 2-3 years were Disasters, the frustration level you can get is very high, but for me actually that's what made me move my ass and not give up.

04. Do you remember your first international gig? Where was it? Did you ever think that following your DJ carrier will take you around the world?

Of course I remember, I'm only 30 years old ;) It was a German party KDE (Oberhausen) very underground urban location and crazy people. About if I thought DJing will take me so far?? Hell yes, what that's worth without it??


05. You are considered one of the first to bring the progressive sound to Israel, are you still true to this style? And what you tell us about yours sets today?

I consider my sets as progressive. I'm very true to the feeling that music gave me in the beginning and I never want to loose it. I'm always attracted by deep, hypnotic and rocking tunes and since I always look for fresh sound production it all sounds very progressive. Today (and few years already) I play crossover sets and you can find lots of different trax inside influenced by latest music progression and personal taste.


06. Being mainly a DJ I know that you did once take a shot at producing your own music along side with Yuli Fershtat (aka Perfect Stranger) with the project "Fish", which was released on Iboga Records, what happened to that? And will we get to hear another release from you someday?

Yuli moved to a new place and that's pretty much it. About the future? I believe those who have a lot of patience can expect something; others just need to join the ride on my main activities as a DJ and club manager. There is plenty of CD's I compiled so for now honestly I don't really need to have a record with my name in the shop.


07. Apart being a DJ you are also running your Progressive Thursday's Line @ Club Maxim, one of Tel Aviv's finest happenings each Thursday, can you please tell us a bit about the club and what goes on there on Thursdays?

Basically Maxim is already a living legend, I was very happy to join their team and to build already two and a half years of running Progressive Thursdays. I became the Club's artist manager and this is my day job, I love it and I wouldn't change it to any other. Maxim Club is very close to my personal view, an ideal place, so I'm really enjoying the moment. On Thursdays we (Nadav Agami and Me) are basically looking for forward thinking ways to have sex with the music and also we host many respected DJs such as D-Nox, Oliver Moldan, and Kasey Taylor etc... There's a very warm and friendly atmosphere on the dancefloor and people really go wild. Those who never been should just check it out.


08. What do you seek in a DJ when booking him for progressive Thursday? And what qualities do you think make a good DJ?

I almost always book DJs which made me dance lately, as I travel and check parties all around the world I have this extra possibility to hear many DJ's live and that's why almost all of our imports had been successes. Together with being on fire at the moment a good DJ has got to have stability quality and to be a charismatic person with the ability to communicate with new crowds. Those are the ingredients for a Killa disc jockey ;)


09. Having years of experience as a DJ as well as an event organizer what do you think is special and what are the strong points in our party scene? As well as what do you think is lacking compared to the rest of the world?

It's a too general question, but lets just drop some facts... Israel has a great party scene, all kind of events happen weekly, from small clubs to mega events. Many popular abroad DJs come here and enjoy what they see. Of course we don't have amazing nature locations like in Brazil or super crazy crowd like in Germany but overall we own a cool and easy going scene with options to everyone.


10. Coming up on Blue Tunes records is your fourth by count compilation called "Drums & Roses", can you please introduce it and give us some info on what to expect there?

I released 3 CD compilations in the last 3 years and in all of them appeared very well known artist from the whole globe. For my 4th CD I thought that it's about time to Have a proper Israeli progressive compilation. Since the local producers don't run after full on success anymore and the quality of tunes you can collect just in Tel Aviv is really high. It was a big pleasure to work with many old friends. What you will find on this CD is pretty much Israeli progressive all-stars with exclusive tracks from acts like Lish, Elegant Universe, Perfect Stranger, Brisker and Magitman and others... Totally rocking party music from the best veterans and most popular newcomers. Music itself as always is quite varied, from groovy progressive to techy and minimalistic tunes.


11. What is the process of compiling a CD compilation? have you got a main idea, a concept which you follow through?

Well usually when I sign to compile a CD I send a collective mail to all potential artists asking for demos, then after I find 2-3 super good trax and already I can predict what will be the main point of the CD, and then I collect the rest of the tunes around the main trax I found first. My first compilation "Inspirazzia" was very melodic and fluffy and people loved it, I believe because it was very fun to listen to at home, and I'm happy to say that "Drums & Roses" kinda reminds me that feeling..


12. How did you come to work with Blue Tunes? And what can you tell us about the label and working with them?

Well Blue Tunes is a second German label that I work with. In the beginning of this year I released "On the decks with DJ Zombi" on the legendary Plusquam Records...It's not a secret I got a special relationship with the German party scene, many of their DJs are my friends and I play frequently on their main summer events such as VooV, Tshitraka, Indian Spirit etc... Blue Tunes guys are the owners of Tshitraka Festival which I've been booked twice to already, so I guess the reason they offered me to compile a CD is because they like DJ Zombi;) They are totally professional and easy going, so to work with them is a candy.

13. Do you see yourself running your own label one day? or where do you like your music carrier to take you?

For now I still have nightmares from a label we ran few years ago - VP. I guess for now a DJ career and Club management is enough for me. Future will show what Will happen, I believe I will make a second shot in this direction but a bit later.

14. What would be your advise to a beginner DJ? (besides staying away from drugs and alchohol, mixing requires great concentration and we all dj know that these are our two most dangerous enemies!)

A Banal message - practice a lot, this is the only thing that can make you get better and always believe in what u play. Stay open to the crowd but never loose the special touch which is the only difference between you and an ocean of others around you.

15. And what is your messege to the world nation?

BELIEVE YOUR SOUL!


DJ Zombi @ MySpace

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