Locals: OWEN JAY Interview
Who are you? How old are you?
Owen Jay, 46 years old
How many months/ years have you been Djing / producing?
I have been djing for 30 years and producing for 26 years. In 1998 I released Malta’s first techno album. Since then, I have released music on numerous labels, such as Moods & Grooves (Detroit), Deep Explorer (Spain), Verdant (London), DeepArtSounds (Switzerland) and Profound Sound (Malta), to name a few. I also own the labels Batti Batti & Gauss (alongside Natan H).
Mention an artist that inspired you to become a DJ/producer?
I had been buying records for several years, so becoming a Dj was logical. Brian James & David Dee inspired me a lot, and we had the mission to inject underground music into the local scene, which was infested with commercial dance music. Regarding production, I started experimenting with hardware, and luckily I met Edwin Balzan and Frank Cachia (aka Duo Blank), who showed me the way.
Is there a local artist that you look up to and love to see play at events?
Brian James, Melchior Sultana, Gordon Flash, Tina, Keith Farrugia (aka Sound Synthesis) and Mato.
What skills do you think DJs need to be successful?
Sound mixing, understanding the crowd, having vast knowledge of music, being outgoing and confident and above all being original and willing to take the risk.
How do you stay up to date with the latest music trends?
I am constantly searching for music from different sources, and I follow labels and artists I like.
What would you say is the most rewarding part of being a DJ?
