Disco King

How do you think the music on the album differs from the first OneLove you mixed? I think nine years ago we could simply choose really big and interesting tracks without having to worry about how old they were. Now music moves so fast that we had to really make sure there were completely fresh things on the disc, things that had not even been released. Plus, when considering an older track (and it may only be a few months old) I thought about how much it had been played. I think a track like the Gorge remix of Lovebirds is an amazing track that lots of people have simply overlooked but that's just one example.

You've been spinning and mixing for over 20 years… how do you keep things fresh? I work very hard to find tracks and I always play new music, no matter what club I am in. On a mixing level I try to keep it interesting and always request three players so I can keep the mixing fresh. Keeping on top of things musically keeps me invigorated as music constantly evolves; at the moment I think there is some really amazing underground music around.

How does being a resident DJ compare to playing massive gigs? I feel the true 'resident' is almost gone in this country and it's really a pity. When you are the resident and play say three out of every four weeks in the same busy club, you get the chance to build songs and also to build a relationship with the people who go there every week. At OneLove there were a handful of regular DJs and the crowd really trusted us… That's what made it such an amazing club, particularly in Melbourne. We could break a leftfield song into the club over a few weeks and it would eventually become very big, with no other club playing it. That's a bit harder to do on the road, as is having a great connection with the regulars. However, sometimes as the guest you can walk in when its already rocking and just take the baton and run with it. You don't have to build the night nor close it, so it can be easier in a way.

How do the mixes you make for radio differ to the mixes you make for the clubs? It's all about keeping a vibe. Everybody tends to play very similar sounds at big events and nobody wants to hear the same tracks all day, so I try and combine a bit of freshness with some things people know and hopefully put it together in an interesting way. On the radio we are not working just to a dance floor, so you have the luxury of introducing new tracks and also giving some info. My Vicious Sound System monthly podcast gives listeners information about the tracks and mixes as well as the music.

Who are the most exciting artists you have signed this year to Vicious? We have a really strong roster at Vicious. We love the work that the Peking Duk boys are doing out of Canberra, Mind Electric from Perth has a killer track Combat and US artist WHiiite is very exciting on a dubby electro mash up kind of vibe, as is Angger Dimas who, although he has been signed for a long time, is really making an impact with lots of productions.

Following the Mobile Disco tour of Australia, what can we expect from John Course for the remainder of 2012 and beyond? I have been in the studio a little bit but I'm yet to get anything 100% finished this year… its hard to get time with all the touring and running Vicious but hopefully there will be something soon.