:: INTERVIEWS :: TOM BASQUIL

As club reviewers, the boyfriend and I get to see loads of fantastic DJs and experience some awesome club nights (along with some not quite awesome ones). I have my favourite DJs and there are also dozens more who I can rely on to put a smile on my face. But just recently a relative newcomer to the DJ circuit has muscled his way in to my top three all time favourites. Let me introduce you to Tom Basquil. Unless you’ve been to after-hours club Twist in London’s Vauxhall, you will almost certainly not have experienced or been exposed to the brilliance of this man.

We were first exposed to a Tom Basquil set in May of this year and since then have been back time and again specifically to see him. His music is addictive, the sort that you don’t want to interrupt with a toilet break. Tom himself is a clubber at heart, and this much shows as he consistently delivers exceptional quality by knowing EXACTLY what his audience wants. He knows their limits and treats them with respect. With only a couple of exceptions, I have never before seen a DJ so in-tune with his audience which is a natural talent and one that shows through every time he plays. And what he doesn’t know about hard-house really is not worth bothering about. I really enjoy and appreciate musical progression throughout a night and through a set, and if you share my opinion, then Tom will do it for you - big time. He easily equals the ability and talent of some of the big boys and his style and intelligent track selection is reminiscent of legends such as Farley, Glazby and Wardman. I have danced to more than my fair share of good up and coming DJs, but Tom is by far and away the best new talent I’ve seen in a long time.

God only knows why this 27 year old is not playing out at more events. He’s almost like Twist’s secret weapon. And he’s painfully modest. So who is he? Where did he spring up from? Accompanied by his stunning girlfriend Hilda, we met Tom after one of his Twist sets so we could find out more about him:

Ru: Thanks for taking time out to speak with me today, how was your set this morning?

Tom: Its a pleasure mate! Twist was good, very good… as always the crowd were up for it!

Ru: You started DJing as a hobby some seven years ago; do you think that the hard-house scene has changed in that time?

Tom: Definitely, but my tastes have developed which may account for much of the change that I notice. The first thing that comes to mind is that different trends have come and gone, bounce was big for a couple of years and then died down again, and hard-house had a lot of trance influences for a while. Tripoli Trax for example which always used to specialise in good quality, proper hard house, released very much hard trance influenced records for six months. It seems now that it’s all about a few more hi-hats and some percussion loops and all of a sudden people are labelling that “techie”. Trends are always appearing and coming to the forefront but nothing lasts and different influences come around and give things a shake up, which is great because it does kind of keep it fresh. There is always some good stuff coming through and there is a fair bit of exciting new stuff out there.

It can be difficult for me to spot subtle differences in trends though because I am submerged in the scene and unless you’ve taken a break then you tend not to notice the changes. It tends to be a slow progression.

Ru: What about other aspects of the scene? How about the clubbers, do you think that they changed?

Tom: Yeah, actually, crowds used to be younger when hard-house was at its peak. And there seems to be bigger gaps between events now. Before you used to have big events pretty much every weekend, but now it seems that unless you are prepared to travel across country we only get the really big parties once every couple of months or so.

Ru: Why is that, would you say that the hard-house scene has lost its focus recently or has fallen victim from over capacity with having so many big events?

Tom: That’s a difficult one to answer. The scene is shrinking, definitely… and the quality is not there as much anymore. In the olden days when hard-house was at its peak, it was really rare to see DJs do a back-to-back set, and when they did happen they were very special occasions where the DJs concerned were well suited for a back-2-back and it was a really special set, a one off. These days though we see too many back-to-backs with seemingly little thought to how they will work so they can have more DJ names on their line-ups… though there is a need to bring in as many punters as possible its hard to strike the right balance whilst maintaining quality throughout.

Hilda: …I agree, as a clubber I hate to see too many back-to-backs… we pay good money to go and see some quality DJs but if they are doing a back-to-back set then all too often it tends to be a mish-mash of styles. You get a lot of frustration from their fans because they are not getting to experience true journey’s from the DJs and what gets played might as well be coming from a jukebox! Hard-house is about sets building the atmosphere and the whole dance floor would buy in to that, when it’s done right its great, but its much rarer to get that buzz when the set is a back-2-back.

Tom: And there appears to be a belief that money paying clubbers are happy to see loads of DJs, many of which doing back-to-back, and some doing just 45 minute sets… I'd say its very hard to structure a set that takes you on a journey in such a small amount of time.

Ru: So you think the quality of the events is as much to blame for the decline?

Tom: It definitely plays a part! Not everyone who goes out clubbing are there for the music so you have to cater for much more than just musical taste. For many I'm sure the production value counts as high as anything else that goes towards the whole experience. A laser, smoke machine and a few posters on the walls isn't going to get them too excited.

Hilda: Some promotions still put that extra effort in though… Tidy for example are renowned for their visuals and the last Magna I went to was superb…

Tom: Yeah, I agree… Tidy know how to put on a good show… it takes me at least a week to get over the Weekenders, they are legendary, and proof that there is a lot of life in the hard-house scene!

Ru: Will you join my one man crusade to ban irrelevant back-to-backs then?

Tom: [Laughs] Yeah fella, I’m with you on that… if any promoters read this think of back-to-backs like Jack Daniels, a popular drink on its own but really only goes well with Coke, you wouldn't mix it with orange juice! There are very few DJs that can do back-to-backs well, no disrespect to them but as DJs we all have our own styles and ways of playing, and I for one like the rapport I build up with the dance-floor when I’m playing, I like the control and the clubbers like the progression. If I had to share my set with another DJ, unless I have worked with them for a good while I’m not really going to know what they are thinking, they are going to play the tracks that they want, and I will play the tracks that I want. Luckily I have got to play b2b with Maynard on a good few occasions and as we both like much the same sort of music and know how each other plays then it makes it quite easy.

Hilda: It’s a really emotive subject… go to any chill-out and back-to-back sets will always be a topic of conversation, you will always hear some strong opinions on them be it good or bad. So yeah..... room for one more on your crusade?!

Ru: Great stuff! Its strange to find a hard-house DJ that is negative about the scene…

Tom: Oh, I’d hate to think I'm negative about it, just eager to see the best the scene has to offer. I would say its constructive criticism! The scene is in decline, that much is apparent, but it’s mainly the big events that we are lacking. The smaller clubs seem to be doing well and a few new ones have sprung up… I think hard-house has a strong future, there are a lot of good tracks out there, some top producers too, and the current down turn we are experiencing will be a good shake-up for the scene. I’m loving it as much now as I did when I first started clubbing years ago. The fans are still there. Twist is busy right up until it closes and a lot of them [customers] have been out for 14 hours by that point!

Ru: Talking of Twist then, you are now a resident at a club you used to frequent as a clubber, is that why you started DJing there?

Tom: [Smiles] I’m so lucky to have a residency at Twist, and I can thank Karim [Twist resident] for that?

Ru: Karim is a friend of yours then?

Tom: Karim is my idol, my inspiration, as well as a good friend. He must have been influential in getting me an opportunity there. He was always telling me to give Steve [Darragh – Twist promoter] a demo CD. Me and my friends were Twist regulars and we always went to see Karim. When Steve did a girl’s month [an all female DJ line-up] and a boy’s month nicknamed “The Twist Boys Club” Steve asked me to guest for the boy’s month. I was totally made up and it went so well that Steve picked me to become a resident. I had nothing regular before Twist so I was totally blown away. And when I am warming up for Karim, the musical legend, that is something else. Now I’ve been there a year it still feels amazing to be playing alongside him and if I play after him we joke about him being my warm-up DJ.

Ru: You make no secret then that you have a lot of admiration for Karim, but what other influences do you have with your musical style?

Tom: Loads! Pete Wardman is a legend, I have learned so much from his mixing. I heard him play at I Love VC recently – he’s changed but he is still amazing. Basically anyone who is in the business for the love of the music, people who do something individual and who are clearly passionate about the music, they are the sort of people that influence and inspire me.

Ru: Any names in particular that spring to mind?

Tom: Too many to mention really but if I had to name any, Frank Farrell and Dave Owens. I liken those two to OD404.

Ru: So how would you describe your Twist set style?

Tom: In a word, energetic. My favourite sets are the tougher ones where I like to build the intensity over the duration. I love playing the last set at Twist. I like putting tracks in early to keep people on a high. I don’t like “empty beats” so I will pick records that compliment each other so I can mix in early so not to lose the momentum. You’ve got to keep people there and keep them interested. Although the people who are there for the last set of Twist are the real hardcore fans and are there for the duration. If I play an earlier set at Twist then I’ll play groovier tunes to get people in to the music.

Ru: What has been your favourite set so far?

Tom: Oooh, that’s a difficult question, possibly the Twist Boys Club in 2005. Despite what I said about back-to-back sets, my set with Karim at Hard House Heaven was very memorable and seemed to go down well. The atmosphere in the Vicious Circle room was second to none.

Ru: I think there is a general consensus of opinion that Twist works better at Crash…

Tom: Most definitely, it’s a much better environment and it has a great set up for the DJ's. Twist has been immense since it moved to Crash.

Ru: How would you describe the Twist crowd?

Tom: Tough as old boots [laughs]. They are a quality bunch with loads of regulars and I’ve got to know many of them since becoming a resident. I love them; they are a brilliant crowd, a family, and always there for a party. They are often groups that go to bed on Saturday night and set their alarms to get up before the crack of dawn to make their way to the club, a testament to its popularity. There are also loads that have partied all night and want more or even those that have partied all weekend. To sum it up they’re a top crowd - always up for it, always wanting more.

Hilda – They are a very educated crowd who have a passion and know their hard-house. Twist is all about fresh and up-front music. Streetwise and loyal!

Tom: A couple of weeks ago it was my birthday and there was only one place I was going to end up on the Sunday morning!

Hilda – He even got a verse of Happy Birthday at the end [laughs]

Ru: You played on your birthday?

Tom: I had the option but I’d just done four straight weeks and I wanted a night off, morning even! But the place I wanted to end my birthday weekend was Twist, so I went anyway and loved it – great way to spend any Sunday morning with top tunes and some of the friendliest faces in club-land!

Ru: Do you go out clubbing yourself?

Tom: If I am not at Twist on any given week I better have a good excuse! Even when I am not playing, it’s a very social thing going on there, so many good people, always good music…

Ru: And if you are not at Twist…

Up until recently I rarely missed a night at Insekt. I used to be a Frantic regular but there were only a couple of sets that I’d really want to listen to but Insekt was for me musically perfect. And the quality of the crowd matched the quality of the music. The people knew their music and again they were very social. I can’t wait for the Insekt 2nd birthday at the Fridge – the line-up looks amazing.

Ru: Who is playing?

Tom: Loads! James Nardi and Marc Johnson, Defective Audio, Glazby b2b Bourne, Steve Maynard b2b Toomz and a certain Frenchman with the Type 1 boys warming things up … it’s a brilliant line-up.

Ru: If you were asked to promote a one off night, no expense spared, where would you hold the event and who would you ask to DJ?

Tom: Trade!

Ru: Eh?

Tom: Trade! Having never been to Trade but having heard so much about it, I think I would try to recreate the mid 90’s Trade. Clearly it’s impossible to bring back Tony De Vit, but Trade had the best set of residents you could have possible hoped for, who played week-in week-out, and they really knew how to build and progress the music. As much as I’d like to slip in a couple of other DJs, as the saying goes “if it aint broke…”

Ru: Were you never tempted to go to Trade?

Tom: Always tempted, should have gone but always bottled it. Trade was always shrouded in mystery. There were stories about their strict [gay and lesbian] door policy which scared us off as we were frightened we’d have to kiss to get into the club.

Ru: Kiss each other?

Tom: Yeah, apparently to prove to security that you were gay… I don’t know how true that was but any time we would think of going, we just looked at the each other and thought “I might give you a hug but I really don’t want to kiss you!” It’s a shame because I really missed out. I only ever heard de Vit play once and that wasn’t a standard Trade set but mates who have seen him say he was just perfection.

Ru: What are your current top five tunes?

Tom: Always a tough one for me. My answer changes daily and is dictated by what sort of mood I’m in. Right at this moment my top five is;

The Captain and Karim / Heartbreak
Nauseous / Coz I Said So
Marc Johnson and Munkjack / Playtime
James Nardi and Julian Dwyer / Mad Dogs
A-ha / Take On Me – the Karim remix

Ru: A-ha? Really?

Tom: No mate – just joking!

Ru: Dunno, that might work… maybe we need more pop/hard-house fusion to get people to cross boundaries?

Tom: Maybe. But I think A-ha may be a step too far.

Ru: What about if you had to choose an all time hard-house classic?

Tom: Mmm, even tougher than the current selection but probably Weirdo / Photic Zone, it never fails!

Ru: Have you ever had any unusual requests as a DJ?

Tom: Yeah: “Please get off the decks” [laughs] – that’s never happened yet.... touch wood! I was asked by the resident Twist tranny if I could play Kylie or Madonna. I think he would have enjoyed that but not many of the other punters!

Ru: So how did you get in to DJing in the first place?

Tom: I was never really interested in the DJing side when I first went clubbing. My mate Willis played out a fair bit and myself and the lads followed him around gigs. I first touched a pair of 1210s at his house and I just knew that I wanted more!

Ru: That just sounds rude! Are you trying to tell me something Tom?

Tom: 1210s – they are decks; I was hooked from the first hook! It’s so addictive once you get started… you’ve just got a dirty mind [laughs]

Ru: What do your folks think of your DJing… Have any of them been to Twist to see you play?

Tom: I still live with my folks, even at 27! Both my parents come from Mayo in Ireland and they are going back there soon so me and my younger brother are enjoying the easy life while it lasts. My mum has threatened to come down to Twist to see what it’s all about but I don’t think she’d make it through the whole morning.

Hilda: – I brought back a Twist poster to show her, it had “Come and see the amazing Tom Basquil” across it which excited her a little!

Tom: She does come into my room when I’m mixing and waves her hands in the air. If she did come along Dad would definitely stay in the car and read the paper. He’d hate the music, but he has a really bad taste in music – old Irish music! Mr and Mrs Basquil senior would never get the whole Twist thing.

Ru: “Basquil” is an unusual surname, is that a DJ name?

Tom: It’s actually my real name… in the old days you had to have a DJ name… usually something with some bizarre drug reference but Tom Basquil suits me fine. Considering I have Irish parents it surprises a lot of people.

Ru: Not very Irish sounding at all…

Tom: It’s from the Basque region in Spain. The basic story is that during the time of the Armada a ship got lost and ended up settling in Mayo on the west coast of Ireland. It’s actually a very common name in Mayo, as common as Smith is here. I used to think it was rare but I am noticing it more and more these days. I’m pretty happy with my name…

Ru: You don’t sound very Irish…

Tom: I’m very much a Londoner me ol' mucka…

Ru: So, as a Londoner, if you were a tour-guide for the day what five places would you take your tour-group to and why?

Tom: Simple [smiles] …. I’d show them the places that I know best so it would have to be Koko (the legendary Camden palace), The Fridge, Brixton Academy, a short tour around Vauxhall and then on to Upton Park.

Ru: Upton Park? Is that a new club?

Tom: Er, no, its West Ham’s ground. [laughs]

Ru: Ah, I see… football… I’m way out of my depth! Do you have a favourite bar or pub in London?

Tom: To be honest I could be in a shit-hole or a posh bar, but if I am with the right people, I am in the right place. It’s nice to be somewhere where you can chat, sit down, be heard. Loud music is for clubs.

Hilda: I agree… when we go to bars it’s to socialise, you should be able to talk and not have to shout! And by the same token, when you are at a club the last thing you want to do is be engaged in conversation on the dancefloor with some random just as the DJ is upping the pace and you’re about to lose it big time – it’s basic club etiquette!

Ru: Being a Londoner then, if you were London’s Mayor, what would you change about London or living in London?

Tom: At the risk of getting all political on you, first things first I’d like to hold a “Fuck off Ken Livingstone” street party! Also, I’d like to give the people a bit more say in big issues. It seems like you only get to choose your representative once every few years and you don’t get any say at any other time. There should be mini referendums on certain major issues. Give power back to the people, brother! What would you do Ru?

Ru: I have to remain neutral on political issues… it comes with the territory of being a reviewer…

Tom: But you hate back-to-backs and you say that every time you review a back-to-back set [laughs]. That’s not being neutral!

Ru: Back-to-back sets are a crime against humanity; I can be a humanitarian without being political! Anyway, you’re the interviewee… If I were to raid your CD and vinyl collection, is there anything there I would be surprised to find?

Tom: Fluffy pop!

Ru: Really?

Ru: No, as long as you weren’t looking in my parents’ collection, you wouldn’t find anything really shocking. There is a lot of trance in my collection from back in the day which might surprise some people who have seen me play.

Ru: What CD are you listening to in your car at the moment?

Tom: I don’t have a car, I don’t drive. That always surprises people. I spend a fortune on cabs… but I’m always listening to hard-house at home though; I never have enough time to listen to all the CDs. If I was listening to something different then probably Calyx – he is a Drum ‘n’ Bass DJ/producer.

Ru: What is your most shameful moment?

Tom: Thankfully nothing too shameful in my adult life, though I get the feeling I might be reminded of something if my mates read this. Though when I was younger the police turned up at my school when one of my mates got caught thieving. We’d all been bunking off lunch time detentions and getting up to no good. When mum found out I was lifted off the floor by my ears. It was all good fun up until that point!

Ru: What is the worst chat-up line someone has used on you?

Tom: Never had a bad one because they have always worked. [laughs]

Ru: Does that make you easy?

Tom: I guess it must do……[laughs] No not at all but Hilda didn’t have to try very hard though.

Ru: What did you say to him Hilda?

Hilda: God, it was awful. I asked a friend if I could be introduced to him after a set at Twist, and I just said “Oh I really love your music” just as everyone else stopped talking, so everyone heard. So I cried out “God, I sound like such a sad groupie”. I really wanted to make an impression and it felt like I fell at the first hurdle.

Ru: Since we are talking about romance, it’s a good place to start with a section of the interview called “My First”…Please complete the following sentences for me… My first kiss was with…

Tom: … a nice little Spanish girl at primary school. I was about 8 I think? I can’t even remember her name, I was such a shy boy and it was a long while before I tried it again. She scared me off!

Ru: My first love…

Tom: I never really knew what true love meant until recently. [Tom squeezes Hilda’s leg and smiles] I shouldn’t really say that in front of her!

Ru: My first car was…

Tom: I can’t drive, I don’t have a license!

Ru: My first set was where?

Tom: Sid’s Bar near Tottenham Court Road, on a Thursday night.

Ru: My first porno movie I saw was…

Tom: I don’t know the name but the tape was well worn out! [laughs]

Ru: Was it worn out when you first got your hands on it?

Tom: Nah mate, it was played a lot, some dodgy Swedish thing!

Ru: You don’t look the porn watching type. Let’s talk about some of your favourite things… I’m guessing I know the answer but who is your favourite DJ?

Tom: …there is only one answer, Karim. Never heard a bad set from him from the first time I heard him.

Ru: Favourite Producer?

Tom: Dom Sweeten, the man is a musical genius. For years he has been churning out stunning tracks, in so many guises, similar enough in style to know it’s him, but different enough not to get stale.

Ru: Favourite TV Programme?

Tom: There is so much crap on TV these days. I’m loving Contender at the moment but not much else worth bothering with.

Ru: Favourite Book?

Tom: I’m more of a magazine man to be honest. But I was forced to read Lord of the Rings by a work colleague and much to my surprise I loved it.

Ru: Favourite Film?

Tom: I want to say the Matrix but that’s a boring choice so I’ll say Dazed & Confused, never get bored of that film

Ru: Favourite holiday destination?

Tom: Thailand, it’s paradise… and a world away from London. Thailand is so vast and magical… Koh Tao is particularly special.

Ru: Favourite city?

Tom: Amsterdam, for chilled weekends, I know it like the back of my hand!

Ru: Finally…. Please tell us a joke!

Tom: I never remember jokes, but I know you always ask for one so I’ve written this one down! It’s rude, is that OK

Ru: If it makes me look ‘ard and clever when I tell it then yes!

Tom: OK… [Hilda cringes] Two tampons walking along the street and they see a friend on the other side of the road. Which one waves?

Ru: …… go on.

Tom: Neither, they’re both stuck up cunts!

There are occasions when a DJ’s set will stand out for its sheer brilliance, but the true test of their talents is if they are able to consistently deliver the same outstanding performance on each subsequent occasion. I can count on one hand the DJs who have done that for me. Tom Basquil is one of them. He is a born natural. I will always report on good DJ sets but it is rare I will recommend you go and see a particular DJ. I have to be absolutely confident that he or she will live up to my claims and promises. I recommend that, if you have not already done so, you get down to Twist and see this guy in action. Nothing can ever replace Trade, but if you are missing the good old days of a Trade-style after-hours musical journey, Tom will be a more than suitable substitute. A future legend.