“You know you’re not gonna see a cent from it” I laugh referring to “THAT” Microsoft email, currently doing the rounds again, which I received recently from a friend whom had received it directly from Steve. You know the one - it’s where Bill Gates promises to give you (and every person who’s ever received the email before you) a truckload of cash if you forward the email to a bunch of your unsuspecting friends and foes. “But it came from a good source!” Steve declares, also laughing, in reference to his (obviously) trusted Manager and friend, Guy Ornadel whom sent it to him in the first place. We have a chuckle about chain mails, discussing some mutual friends in the process and how Steve is looking forward to catching up with them at the homelands festival and I am relieved that the ice seems to have been broken.

Steve Lawler’s reputation as one of the world's Nu Breed of DJ's/ Producers was cemented almost overnight with the release in the late 90's of the Global Underground Nu Breed Compilation. A release which no doubt assisted in planting him firmly in the Top Twenty of Mix Mags Top 100 DJ list for 2000 and 2001.

The last couple of years have seen numerous endings and new beginnings for Steve. There’s been the end of his now legendary ‘Deep South’ residency at home London; the beginning, middle and end of his acclaimed 'Mid Week Session' at Code and the launch of his new label 'Harlem' which has recently seen it’s own off-shoot ‘Harlem Nights’ launched at The End in London. Steve indicates to me that he's really pleased with how it's all going - the numbers are up, the vibe is fantastic and he gets to play whatever he wants, allowing him to create a real party atmosphere. "I guess I'm a control freak!" Steve laughs when I ask him about his obvious love for promoting his own parties. "Ï like everything to be right… Not just for myself but for the audience as well!" The past year or so has also seen Steve take to playing what is becoming known as his trademark length set - anywhere between 5 -7 hours is a general timeframe. "I just get in the zone and keep going," he says in reference to my question about how he's finding the longer 5 - 7 hour sets. He then concedes that he does find it "hard to wind down and relax…As soon as the music is switched off my ears start ringing". I then pose the question as to whether or not his style has evolved or changed in recent months with the longer sets that he's playing. Steve disagrees saying that people are actually getting to hear more of his style in recent times as the elements, which are indicative of his taste, will always stay the same. "I actually get to play more avenues of music that I like," he states.

On December 13 last year ‘The Mid Week Session’ celebrated its first, and only birthday before ending its year long run. Having gained punter and critics support alike ‘The Mid Week Session’ was widely regarded as one of the most influential club nights in the UK. Lawler, obviously wished to end the ride on a high note; citing DJ and production schedules as the main reason for bringing the wildly successful night to a closure. Guests at 'The Mid Week Session' included Deep Dish, Futureshock, Darren Emmerson, Satoshhi Tomiie, Cevin Fisher and Danny Tenaglia. “It was amazing for me!” he states, the pride evident in his voice, when I ask if he misses it at all. “I had such amazing support from my peers”. He goes onto tell me that he personally called many of the DJ's himself asking if they’d come and join him behind the decks. I get the impression that he misses it indeed - but Steve Lawler isn’t one to sit and rest on his laurels. He’s constantly pushing himself further and trying new things.

Steve Lawler began DJ'ing in 1989, quickly graduating to promoting his own parties between 1990 - 1994. The series of illegal parties in a disused tunnel underneath the Midlands M42, which included unadvertised guests such as Tony De Vit, Anthony Pappa, Pete Gooding and Scott Bond, have since become legendary. A true Ibiza regular, Lawler has been visiting the island every year since 1990 where Jason Bye helped give him one of his first big breaks by asking him to play daily at Café Mambo. At the same time Lawler was also playing three times a week on the Roof Terrace at Pacha. It wasn’t long before Darren Hughes (ex-cream, ex-home, current homelands promoter) spotted him and signed him to Creams DJ'ing agency, with the icing on the cake being that he was offered a residency at the Liverpool club. I ask him about his long work history with Darren. Steve tells me that after working with Darren for so many years there is a real friendship there and that; "he'd just have to pick up the phone and call and I'd help him with anything that he asked for". His upcoming projects working with Darren include Space in Ibiza - the opening of which is June 2 - and the 'homelands' festival.

Lawler has previously described Ibiza as “heaven on earth” and his summers playing there have seen him crowned ‘King of Space’ - an honour the locals don’t bestow lightly. I ask Steve what it is about Ibiza that keeps him coming back for more. “It’s Ibiza!” he replies like it should be obvious. “It’s an amazing place - everyone looks forward to it!” he concludes also indicating he enjoys being able to hang out in the sun as it gives him an opportunity to dress down and relax. “I think if I didn’t go there [every season], I’d really miss it!” he says wistfully. In an interview conducted on his website Steve says, "Space for me is the best club in the world. It's my home for the summer, it has the best of both clubbing experiences, inside you'll find the darker harder recess's of house music, whilst outside it's party time, get funky and light it up. This is what makes it the best club in the world, and the crowd, well you couldn't ask for more".

Often referred to as the UK’s answer to Danny Tenaglia, Lawler has described himself first and foremost as a DJ, and then a producer. Producing under the monikers Novacane, Chemeleon and Steve Lawler but to name a few, the last year has been busy for Steve production wise - most notably of late with the release of his latest Global Underground offering ‘Lights Out’. I ask him about his thoughts on his partnership with Global Underground. “Global Underground is the best compilation label that there is!" he responds emphatically, also indicating that he enjoys the free reign they give him with choosing tracks and putting the compilation together. “There’s moments on the second CD where it goes quite German-Electro sounding, but they were absolutely fine with that” Steve indicates, telling me that he enjoys working with the label because they give the DJ's scope to produce work that is totally their “sound” whilst also allowing them to experiment. The Global Underground site describes 'Lights Out' as a "dynamic new series about the sleazier side of clubbing - from 4am beldam to insane after-hours Session". It refers to the tour with promises that "full visuals plucked from the darker edge of the erotic spectrum, dancers who challenge the crowd to question themselves and each other" in addition to Steve Lawlers 'Lights Out' will "catalyse each event into an experience not easily forgotten".

BRING.

IT.

ON.

Next week Dayna discusses with Steve the birth of his label 'Harlem', the closure of Twilo and the record that never leaves his box. You can read the 2nd half of this interview here:
Part 2 - A Law Unto His Own.