DJ Booth: Lady Erica

14 June 2012 | 12:59 pm | Staff Writer

Daytime name: Erica Myers-Davis.

From: Wolverhampton, UK, but now I live in Melbourne.

How did you get your DJ name? MJ Cole said I was a “classy bird, a real lady!”

What you play… UK garage, old school US house/garage and dubstep.

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What residencies do you have and crews do you belong to? Resident at Atticus Finch, Melbourne.

Career highlight: Established and DJ'd at Australia's longest-running weekly UK Garage night at Double O, Melbourne 1998-2002. Hosted my own radio show on 3RRR for six years, Underground Flavas. Playing alongside MJ Cole and having Roots Manuva as our support.

What was so memorable about your first set? On pirate radio Fantasy FM UK back in 1991 – I was shit scared! First set in Perth in 1995 – I played a Jungle set while Greg Packer and all other DJs played happy hardcore. I cleared the dancefloor!

All time favourite 12”? The How It Was EP – Paul Benjamin and Jeremy Sylvester.

Fave DJs and why? DJ Playboy – a wicked DJ who not only knows and plays the history of Jamaican music from 1950s onwards and has the most incredible dubplates, but is also my dad! These days anyone who still plays and loves vinyl, mixes live and doesn't try to hoodwink the crowd with a pre-mixed set!

Fave producers and why? DMZ – they make proper dubstep; atmospheric, with subs that make you move. Qualifide – steppy vibes, so simple yet so infectious. MJ Cole – king of the smooth UKG sound.

Best set by an Australian DJ and why? AC23 – he's like a young Greg Packer but more militant! He's one of the fastest mixers I know – he can mix a tune every 1-2 minutes and keep the dancefloor rocking. He'll be appearing alongside me at Geisha.

Best set by a Perth DJ you've seen? Greg Packer is a fantastic DJ, musically and technically. I love all his sets but use to enjoy a retrospective night he did back in the '90s.

Funniest thing that's happened to you when DJing? I once gave first aid to a girl suffering from an asthma attack between tracks.

Best all time gig? Cross Club in Prague, Czech Republic in 2008 – they were so up for it and I played alongside Benny Ill from Horsepower Productions, it was an awesome night. But really, every week at Double O was the best.

Funniest record you've ever played out? The Theme From Dallas.

In real life you: Work for a charity as fundraiser, am a royal author (wrote a book with Princes Harry & Philip) and am related to Olympian Usain Bolt.

Production releases: Two Steps To Love remix – Atari Baby, Launch Records.

More info? Facebook: DJ Lady Erica.

What should people expect from you when you tour here? Lots of dancefloor classsics!