STEVE STIMPSON: Seb, thanks for taking the time out of your very busy schedule. By the looks of it, you've had another fantastic Summer playing across the globe, not forgetting that stunning set at the Clock Stock event on the racecourse. Now, you're known to play to crowds of tens of thousands (actually hundreds of thousands if we think back to that legendary Glastonbury Mainstage BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix) but you also look very much at home playing in those dark, low ceiling sweaty warehouse-type rooms to a much smaller intimate crowd. To the up and coming DJ, I think the dream is basically playing to as many people in one go as physically possible. My questions to you are, what really makes you click behind the decks? BIG crowd or intimate smaller venue and secondly would your musical selection be any different when preparing for 2 different sized events?
SEB FONTAINE: To be honest I love both...I love the feel of playing on stage at a big festival but then I’ve always thrived in small low ceiling venues where even a high hat coming in can make the crowd go nuts. Musically yes they can be different...I think you have a little more musical freedom in an intimate venue
Please tell us some of your earliest influences that still help shape your music today.
My first DJ hero was Norman Jay...way before house music I was playing hip hop and rare grooves and Norman was king in west London.
Musically I think that I loved the beginning of dance music...people like Coldcut and Double Dee and Steinski were the pioneers of sample based records. It’s funny because samplers had such a short sample time back then it’s all about little snippets patched together.
You've toured the globe time and time again. Apart from the UK what club & place leaves the fondest memories?
Always loved Buenos Aires...such a great city and the people are fantastic. If I had to choose one though I think Ibiza 90s was just such a fantastic time. My residency at Amnesia for Cream was something I’ll always look back...a crazy time. Someone reminded me recently that the whole club sang happy birthday to me once (and I cried...it was all too emotional hehe)
Fast forward 2020, what's in store for you? Any tours or big gigs you are looking forward to?
2019 was insane, I think I did more festivals in one year than I ever have before and I think 2020 will be just as good. We are close to finishing a few Reflekt singles as well so looking forward to more gigging mayhem
Desert island Disc top 5?(Album and singles permitted)
1. Coldcut - “Say Kids What Time Is It”
2.The Meters - “Just Kissed My Baby”
3. Roach Motel - “Wild Luv”
4. Sounds of Blackness - “Optimistic”
5. A Guy Called Gerald - “Voodoo Ray”
You have a very successful new radio show with your long term b2b partner Tall Paul on Music Box Radio. Pls. tell anyone who hasn't managed to check the show out what to expect and where they can find it.
Its a great little “collective station” called Musicbox Radio but we post the show on Mixcloud every month. Looking at getting it on some other stations as we speak but it’s really building fans (new and old). Last Wednesday of each month 7-9 pm.
Finally, as you are well aware the EvermixBox4 is about to land which features crowd capture, how important to you is this functionality and why?
I think recording the crowd can really add to the drama of a mix but I think the best bit is the way the app lets you edit the mix and only bring the crowd in at the high points...that way the main body of music still sounds great in the mix and the cheers just punctuate how good your set was!
* TRACK LIST:
Stonking mix. Loved it