"Yousef Speaks"

Publication: BBC Manchester
Date: 15.01.04

Yousef has risen through the DJ ranks to become one of the country's best loved house jocks. He promotes and is resident at Liverpool's Circus, often pops up on Radio 1, and is coming to Stylus on Friday 13 February so we caught up with him to find out what's happening in his world.

Yousef on...

...his expectations for Stylus
"I hear it's a solid and straight up house night. I don't think people appreciate the importance of new independent club nights. They are always among the best. I'm really looking forward to it.

...his work on new label, Carioca
"I delivered about 10 things last year which, release wise, will take me up until May time without doing anything new although I will have a higher work rate. One of the releases will be a collaboration with DJ Onionz from New York which takes in the pumpin' Latin route and leaves behind the jackin sound (for now) as so many people have followed that route lately."

...the Circus night in Liverpool
"It is a dream come true to have my own successful night in my home town. The fact that Richard McGuiness and I set it up for me to play in Liverpool and we are sticking to the musical values we believe means a lot to me. The night came about because my time was up at Cream, our musical ideas were poles apart, so I decided to do my own thing. I'm trying to keep a balance between myself, a headliner, new underground name and the other Circus resident Lewis Boardman who is rocking!"

...DJing around the world
" Australia was rocking, what a place. I loved it. Four great gigs, mostly 25,000 people festivals. My personal favourite was Field Day in Sydney on New Year's Day. Miami this year will be about dropping all the new Carioca trax. I've got parties hooked up with Derrick Carter, another with Onionz and the crew and one with Type/Subliminal."

...the house scene
"It's growing again. It's always pretty stable but rarely explodes. The dance scene is a little less exciting (for me). Both scenes have shrunk but are still rocking on a smaller scale. All good."

...his biggest musical influence
"Prince without a doubt. Funk, swing, dirty, heart. Whatever it is Prince is the man."

...what to expect at Stylus
"You can guarantee I play lots of upfront sleezy tracks alongside energy beats - I'll try to whip it up and have some fun with the music."

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