Issue No: 328 - Release Date: 20/05/2009 Alfredo Interview Alfredo The DJ That Changed The Dance Music

World. Alfredo, an honour to speak to you. You are quite simply the most famous Ibizan DJ EVER. Born in the town of Rosario, Argentina in 1953 and lived there until the age of 23. What sort of music were you listening to growing up that switched you into the world of the wide variety of records you started to DJ with? "Thank you for the compliments Dan! Fame is a tricky thing sometimes. To answer your question, I can say that my musical background came from the Tango Jazz and Classical music that my father use to play and listen to at night, the Samba and Bossanova that was big when I was a child and British and Italian music that in Argentina was very popular at the time. Also the contact I had with the local musicians and their music was very, very influential to me. The land where I was born is like a sponge, culturally speaking. I can't forget the significance that I got from the mother of my son Jaime - she is Swiss and opened my mind to more sophisticated European, British and US music. When I left Argentina my musical preferences were rock or progressive rock like Pink Floyd or Jethro Tull and it was when I came to Ibiza that I started to get into funky and reggae black music as it was called those days - apart from Bob Marley who I already knew of." What made you immigrate to Spain mainland and then to Ibiza? "The social and political repression that Argentina was suffering left a lot of pain in so many families, the missing people and the fear that I could become one of them. I never really ever thought about leaving my country really, but sometimes life pushes you in a different direction." You had some very different jobs back then, a candlemaker, fashion designer, a delivery man and a barman amongst others - even though you were trained as a journalist from your days in Argentina, have you regretted not pursuing your original choice of a journalism career? "No, my regrets are of a different kind." What made you, in 1982, take up DJing? Coincidence and will power. I had finished a rugby game and was sitting on a terrace when a friend that was going to move to Thailand made me an offer to run his bar and when he showed me the place.voila! There were two turntables, a mixer and a big collection of records. I accepted and after a week or so I decided to become a DJ. I feel now that was the natural thing to happen to me as I've been always connected with music one way another." What was the bar back then that you first started DJing at? "The Be Bop, in the port in Ibiza Town, not far away from The Rock Bar." So how did the move to Amnesia happen? "One year later I asked for the job but they preferred some French guy with more experience than me. It was 1983 and was that year that we made the party 'Impossible' just to show them my possibilities. There were a lot of people helping me to organize the party and it all went very well, but they never took the chance and I moved that summer to Formentera to work as a barman. That was a good experience also. One year later I asked again for the job and this time they accepted." But it took a while to get going though, yes? "I took me 'till August of 1984 to get that dancefloor going that eventually went on to become so influential. We started to attract all the people that came from the others clubs - the majority came from KU (now Privilege). I don't want anyone to forget that there were a lot of people that worked in the place and helped make it all be possible - friends, bartenders, doormen and club owners." Alfredo and Amnesia - the partnership pretty much changed the dance music world as we know it. You took the crazy kids from Ku and had the best, maddest, music loving, open minded crowd on the island. Straight, bi-sexual, young, old, every nationality from around the world (Italians, French, German, Swiss, Americans, Canadians, Brits), hippy, trend setters, models, unknown DJs that would one day spread the world and become famous in their own right (we will come to that later!) - the first time I went there I

stopped in my tracks, couldn't believe what I was seeing. No roof in part of the club back then - and a soundtrack that included anything (which we now know as the Balearic beat) from Rock to artists such as Madonna, Tears For Fears and Bob Marley. A musical melody that changed millions of people's lives all around the world. If it wasn't for you, record companies, TV adverts, thousands of DJs, theme tracks for films, musicians and bands etc etc. wouldn't be here today - how do you feel about being mainly responsible about that?!? "Well Dan, obviously I'm very proud of it. It was a great time, but life goes on - there is always more to come..." What would you say were the biggest 10 tunes from early Amnesia days? "Bob Marley 'Could you be Loved' 'The Theme from Hill Street Blues' Gilberto Gil 'Toda Menhina Bahiana' The House Masters 'House Nation' Henry Mancini 'The Pink Panther Theme' Chaka Khan 'Ain't Nobody Joe Smooth 'Promised Land' Andino 'Atahualpa 1530' (industrial Mix) Trashing Doves 'Jesus And The Payroll' Icarus 'Stone Fox Chase' Sade 'Hang on to your Love' And so many more that I would love to put on here such as Mina, Luccia Dlla, Serge Gainsbourg, E2E4 and so on!" What were the most famous celebrities partying on your dancefloor back then at Amnesia? "Grace Jones, George Michael, Boy George, Prince Albert of Monaco and many more that I don't remember 'cos they were partying like everybody else and I never used to go out of the DJ booth. And to be honest, I never cared who was there!" What are your biggest 15 Tunes from Ibiza EVER? "Joe Smooth 'Promised Land' Eurythmics 'Sweet Dreams' Bob Marley - there are too many of his, sorry! Marvin Gaye 'Sexual Healing' Richie Havens 'Back to my Roots' Steve Wonder 'Masterblaster' J.J. Cale 'Troubadour LP, Cocaine' George Kranz 'Din DaDa' Silicone Soul 'Right on Right on' DJ Rolando 'The Jaguar' Layo& Bushwacka 'Love Story' M:A:N :Y vs Booka Shade 'Body Language' Tory Amos 'Professional Widow (Armand van Helden Remixes)' Prince and the Revolution 'When Doves Cry' Daft Punk 'Around the world' This question was difficult, so much great music in more than 30 years, I bet I forgot many..." Which DJs that you played with over the years have been the best? "Danny Tenaglia, Harvey, Frankie Valentine and my son Jaime - and this is not just because he is my son - he has got an incredible technique. There were many more also, a Brazilian and a Japanese who's names I don't remember. Again, another very difficult question Dan." So the obvious question. Rampling, Oakenfold and Holloway - the three UK DJS that partied at your club and went home with stars in their eyes and started their own club nights thanks to you - 'Shoom', 'Land of Oz' and 'Trip' - how does that make you feel looking back? "They paid me back the favour in full, and I am happy for them and a bit proud of the influence that they took from me to spread the love all around the world." What made you switch from Amnesia to Pacha in 1988?

"I switched to Pacha due to a management decision - not because I wanted to. They considered I was too big headed for the place with too much control. Also, and this true, because we were open air, the really bad weather towards the end of 1988 that we didn't see coming. A year later they came to me at Pacha and offered me the whole of the club, DJ, Manager and all. But I never took their offer up." How has Ibiza changed since the heady days when you started DJing there to now, a completely different island? "It has changed a lot and now we are in the middle of changing times. At the moment Ibiza is an island of extremes. It has millionaires and glamour but also beer and hamburgers. The world changes and we are a reflection of that change in many ways. I can't deny that the infrastructure is better and also the professionalism, but the feeling...I don't know. Anyway, it will keep being the island for the people with a young mentality and musically, at the centre of the world club scene." You became a resident at Zouk in Singapore - best nights you had there? "The first time I managed to get them dancing to house music - they left their mobile phones and white shirts soon after that night. Took me a minimum of a month but was very nice at the end." What do you think about the Manumission sex shows that happened years ago? "They were a reflection of the times of hedonistic sensuality that came with the century change, and it was a brave job of Mike and Claire. They did it for the first time in Paris, I was playing and I went mad when I saw what they were doing - sex on stage in front of all of Paris!!! Incredible." Best club around the world you have ever played at - other than Amnesia? "Brazil, 'Sirenas' (near Sao Paolo) in front of the sea in the middle of the jungle with a great dancefloor full of hectic people. Also 'Gold' in Tokyo, 'Narcissus' in Bangkok, 'El Cielo' in Buenos Aires, the old 'Back to Basics' in Leeds, 'Zouk' in Singapore - many places that are so different. Also 'Foresta' in Sao Paolo - a kind of square surrounded by the business area of the city, massive towers and in the middle a terrace full of plants and people." What was it like, the first time that you DJ'd with your son Jamie? "Emotional and lovely - we worked as a team and probably in 2001 we made the best music in Ibiza. One of the peaks of my career." What is Ibiza's best... Beach: "Salinas and Cala Saladeta" Restaurant: "Sa Punta in San Antonio (best fish in the Island)" Club Owner: "Ricardo Urgell" Bar: "Locuras" You have won many awards - DJ Magazine, an award at Midem, the Ibiza DJ Awards - too many to mention - what has been your proudest? "The Midem award as it was at the world famous summit for the music industry at Cannes and was like an Oscar. Also, I can tell you that I never have got a better award than when the people were cheering in Amnesia for one more song. It's the most important thing in the end - the people, to make them happy." What is playing at 'We Love Sundays' at Space like? "A mix of old and new, housey, tech, a bit of minimal and electro, any record I like, the suite for the Sunset Terrace is the most happy area of 'We Love', well in my opinion And finally, what is the best record you have placed on your decks...? "OK - I made a kind of a lottery with 100 fantastic tunes that I love. And the winner is....Iggy Pop 'The Passenger!!!!!!!!' PD: Si el link no anda... suscribite!