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Interview: Ralph Moore

"I feel like David Guetta!” So says Annie Mac mid-way through her first ever Australian tour for Stereosonic. Little wonder: she’s already calculated that during one particular jaunt, she managed to jump on 19 different modes of transport in 24 hours, including helicopters, private planes, various modes of ground transport and at least one buggy.

Musically, Annie is on fire this year. When Mixmag sees her play in Melbourne in the Outrage tent, she plays everything from Adele and the Boy 8 Bit mix of Burial’s ‘Archangel’ to Tiga’s techno-fixated rerub of Friendly Fires’ ‘Hurting’. The next day she’s in a similar musical place in Brisbane, where it becomes clear that the song of the tour is Azealia Banks’ expletive-laden ‘212’. Meanwhile, over on the main stage, LMFAO and their 28-strong entourage are playing to 30,000 hungry clubbers in the early evening sun – and that’s before Armin lashes them with two hours of stadium trance. The stats for LMFAO, quite frankly, are frightening: their latest ‘Sexy And I Know It’ track has already been an Australian No. 1, and their previous hit ‘Party Rock Anthem’ also hit 
No. 1 and is now eight-times platinum there.

Little wonder, then, that Stereosonic broke records for the biggest one-day attendance for a dance festival this time around. Thanks to headline appearances from the likes of Armin van Buuren, Afrojack and Avicii, almost 70,000 punters headed for Sydney Olympic Park the week before. Ever the ambassador, Annie Mac does her best to converse with everyone, from Carl Cox in his tour bus to Beni and The Bloody Beetroots backstage. From Diplo-style bangers to DirtyBird bleepers, Annie’s music is perfectly suited to these climes. It’s not hard to see where her heart lies, though, The 2 Bears and Benny Benassi being particular tour favourites of the lady who preaches from the twin pulpits of house and bass. At the end-of-tour party Carl and Annie play classic disco, garage jams and house anthems from Janet Jackson, New Order and Sia until we can stand up no more. But there’s one image we’ll never forget: Annie playing ping-pong backstage with LMFAO front-man Redfoo, who also happens to be the son of Berry Gordy Jr, the man behind Detroit’s Motown empire. 

How have you found Australia?

It’s a very long way to go – but there’s something weirdly spooky about it being so culturally similar to the UK. You can travel seven hours to Nairobi and it’s like a different planet. In twelve hours you can go somewhere like Hong Kong – but then you come here and there are streets called Paddington, Hyde Park and Kings Cross. I was expecting a culture shock, but there isn’t one. And I’ve been enjoying their food, which is a lot better than the UK! I’m turning into the third Bear.

Before we arrived, you tweeted that you’d been on 19 modes of transport in 24 hours. 

I said nineteen without counting! But then I counted it and it was seven cars, three golf buggies, two jets and a helicopter. It was a massive event, an incredibly intense day and an insight into what it’s like for huge global DJs, who do this all the time as a job.

And then from Adelaide to Melbourne this weekend – was that another private jet?

Yep. I was with Dynamite MC, Claude VonStroke and the amazing Gaslamp Killer. I was chatting to Dynamite and the next thing you know, a plate of fresh sashimi appears, along with sandwiches, fresh fruit and Champagne. It was all very… how the other half lives.

What was it like seeing 67,000 people partying in Sydney?

[Adopts posh voice and laughs] We flew over in a chopper, darling! It was incredible. At the stadium there were 45,000 people watching one man. Mind-blowing.

Is the success of Stereosonic down to Armin Van Buuren and LMFAO?

They’ve been clever in that they’ve not tried to make it anything but a dance music festival. A lot of the time at electronic music festivals, they think, ‘we’ve got to get a rapper’, or ‘we’ve got to get a live band’, but here people know what they’re buying into. It’s also a testament to the state of dance music: look at David Guetta, LMFAO and Black Eyed Peas, all these pop people making dance music. Dance music is the new pop!

Does that affect what you play?

I’m playing in the alternative tent, and I’m happy about that. I want to bring a taste of the UK; I feel like that’s quite important, playing stuff that I’ve been into, that people haven’t heard over here. I’ve never been so focused on bringing the sound of the UK before, but here it feels like an important role.

I know they were keen to book you...

They first accosted me at Creamfields two years ago. I said yes, and then couldn’t come because of TV commitments. I’m not a big DJ here at all, so it’s nice to bring something. And it’s a nice way to end the year. 2011 was my busiest yet, certainly as a DJ. Annie Mac Presents has got bigger, the shows have all sold out so it’s  nice to come here, be low on the line-up and play to people who don’t know me. It’s humbling. I already want to come back next year and get a better slot!

Who has caught your eye so far?

It’s been good to see Afrojack; Drop The Lime live has been really interesting, and Bag Raiders who are really big in Australia. And Armin van Buuren! He was interesting to watch. Nothing to do with my world, but really interesting. I enjoyed the music more than I thought, it had much more groove and bass in it. He’s a great DJ.

The one artist you’re firmly behind is Azaela Banks, who we’re struggling to compare to anyone else.

[Nods] I met her in Glasgow for AMP and I really hope she makes it. I’m basing this on four songs she sent me plus ‘212’. She can sing and rap, and she has an amazing fierce personality. And because it’s the second time round for her, she’s doubly determined to make it. She knows exactly what to do and what not to do. She’s in the studio with Paul Epworth at the moment.

What have been your highlights of the past 12 months?

Playing Glastonbury – that was special and a life-long dream. Bestival was amazing, and also Creamfields, which felt special in terms of the people, the line-ups – everything coming together. It had a family vibe where people came to hang out. I’ve also loved doing the videos for The Adventures Of Annie Mac, from making 10-minute TV shows at Sónar to interviewing Carl Cox at Space. He gave us a backstage interview; it was such a fun night. He’s an incredible man. And his mixing is so tight!

Carl’s other passion is motorbikes. What’s yours?

Radio. I love it, but I also take it seriously. It’s amazing to shout about people and watch their careers flourish. And the more you do, the more you see it. I want to do it until I’m 104 if I live to be that old. It feels like the most natural thing in the world to me, and to make a living out of it is a dream.

www.stereosonic.com.au