Eddie Halliwell
Eddie Halliwell is one of dance music’s liveliest performers whose sets have gone down in history not only for the infamous ‘Eddie’ chant but also his stage diving antics. He has also become one of the biggest breakthrough DJ’s on the planet.
Eddie is part of an elite group of forward thinking DJ’s – playing tracks from across the musical spectrum – trance and techno, house and electro – he harnesses the energy of every beat, synth, hi-hat, squelch and squeak, making each sound stand out and yell at the people on the dance floor.
2010 is set to be another storming year for Eddie, with a full on year of world tours scheduled and another Cream Ibiza residency at Amnesia. Fans of Eddie will also be pleased to hear that he will be returning to the airwaves with his new global radio show, Fire it up Radio.
Here he takes some time to discuss his return to Cream Ibiza @ Amnesia this summer.
What is your favourite thing about Ibiza?
I think my favourite thing is it’s a great place to meet up with your friends and you can go over there and get rid of all your stresses and just enjoy yourself. You can see it in the crowd when you play, some people are just on another level and they’re really out there to have a good time.
I know a lot of people who worked over there for the season and have found it hard to get back to normality when they return home because it is a place like no other. That feeling you get when you arrive there is like no other.
Unfortunately a lot of the time these days I’m just touching down and then flying out – I’ve must have strong will power!
What do you love about Amnesia?
Amnesia is one of my favourite clubs to play and I’m really happy to be returning there this year. I love the enormity of the main room and the reaction of the crowd when you drop a big tune or a riff from a track, it just goes off. As soon as they recognise something its like bang we’re off!
What’s your best Cream Ibiza memory?
There’s been so many! I would say the first time I played in 2004 alongside Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong, Seb Fontaine and Nick Fanciulli.
Ever had a stage dive go wrong?
No thankfully but I remember when I played Nocturnal Wonderland in LA and I dived into the crowd and they took me so far back that I thought the track was going to end. I remember looking at my brother and he just had his hands in the air like ‘what do you expect me to do!’ The crowd just kept taking me further and further back but I just thought ‘sod it’. I ended up getting back there in time.
I’ll always do dives if I’m hyped up enough, I only really do them when I’m really enjoying the set and the crowd are enjoying it, then I’ll just fire into them!
You’re going to be playing the Mixmag terrace at our closing party, have you ever played that room before?
Yes I’ve played there a few times before, I remember doing a one off house set in there a few years ago but this time round I will be playing by usual style of music in there.
What track makes you think of Ibiza?
There’s not one tune that really makes me think of Ibiza, I think any happy, uplifting dance music makes me think of the island. Also I find any tracks from ‘Kevin & Perry’ or ‘Its All Gone Pete Tong’ instantly make me think ‘Ibiza’.
How would you describe Cream Ibiza to someone who hasn’t been there before?
Cream Ibiza is not like anywhere in the world, it has a special feeling that you only get when you arrive in Ibiza and walk into Amnesia. Its just party time!
How do you think dance music has changed over the past decade? Do you feel you’re music has evolved?
It’s evolved in the sense of new producers I’m introduced to, its always evolving as dance music is always changing but its still got similarities to what I played at the start, its always uplifting. I play house, trance, techno it’s a mixture of all sounds and it’s always been that way. Some DJs change their style or go off and do different things but I think generally my sound has stayed the same.
Has anyone ever chanted ‘Eddie’ at you in a random place?
There will be places where groups of people will chant it, I was actually in the Trafford Centre the other day and a group of lads started doing it!
It’s just something that people recognise so they instantly chant it. When you come to club and you go outside you always get it as well. I remember when we used to go to see Oakenfold in Cream people would chant ‘Oaky’ so I think you get it if people find two syllables in your name!
Where is your fave place to play in the world?
Ibiza and Brazil is up there definitely as well.
What is your favourite piece of DJ equipment?
There’s lots of different things but I’d say the JazzMutant Lemur tops them all at the moment.
What is the craziest thing a fan has done?
I think its gobsmacking when you see that people have got tattoos of the Fire it Up logo or my name on their arm! I sent my autograph to someone once and they ended up getting it tattooed. I don’t know if he will regret that in the future!
What DJ did you aspire to be when you were starting out? Have you met them? How did it feel when you first met them?
The DJs I always looked up to, going back to the Full On Cream parties were Jeremy Healy and Carl Cox. I’ve met them on a few occasions now and also played alongside Carl Cox on a good few occasions.
Where did ‘fire it up’ come from?
It’s just a phrase I used to use when I was going out, I used to ask people if they were up for a ‘fire up’ and then we were on about doing an event and my friends said I should call it ‘fire it up’ so I just went with it!
Eddie Halliwellwill be returning to Cream @ Amnesia in Ibiza beginning on Thursday 17th June. Tickets on sale now: www.ticketline.co.uk / Tel: 0844 888 4401
For full line up go to www.cream.co.uk
