Omid16B lives for music. Influenced by artists like Hendrix, The Cure, Depeche Mode and The Mission, he started playing the guitar at 14, before moving on to drums and bass guitar, forming his first band at 17. Fortunately somewhere in this progression dance music took hold and things became "more loops than words, less songs more tunes”.

His debut album "Sounds From Another Room" was released in 1998, followed by releases on Hooj Choons and Yoshitoshi, as well as his own label Sex on Wax. A believer in musics ability to guide emotion, Omid's style is ecclectic, twisting from sexy tribal house through to dark emotive techno.

RA caught up with Omid to talk about some of the changes occuring in dance, his love for the after party, and plans for his time down under.

You (16B) first came on to my radar with the track “Escape (Driving to Heaven)”. It was a big tune when progressive was finding widespread appeal. What were things like in those days? Did you feel like it was a particularly big time for the scene?
When I began, I spent most of my time in the studio, with very little time to hang out. This was an advantage to some degree as I got to do a lot of music. Even though I had some knowledge as to what was going on, I didn’t conform to fashion, so it was more the DJs who were in a certain genre, that started to notice some of my records.

My musical style seems as though it has changed through the years but I guess that’s a natural progression. “Wateride” was a breakthrough for me hitting national TV but “Driving to Heaven” was more accessible.

Doing some research I see your career goes back a lot further than “Driving to Heaven”, spanning more than a decade and a range of genres. You're also not just a recording artist, but a DJ, prolific remixer and running a record label. What have been some of the highlights?
My favourite band in the world, The Cure, asking me to do a remix was something else. I even went all the way to Rome with my girlfriend to meet Robert Smith (lead singer) face to face after their last tour date. We went for a meal and ended up having an after party in their hotel. It was wicked fun. Part of DJing is to find a balance between having fun and being inspirational and creative, so I’m always trying different ways to inspire myself. Sometimes the best way to inspire yourself is to inspire someone else.

For some people, dance music is a phase, connecting to a certain genre, time in their life, or experimentation with drugs. For others it holds something more meaningful, beyond that of just the club or rave scene. Do you have any insights into what people want from dance music, how it fits in society, how it fits in their lives?
To be completely honest, I truly believe dance music as we know it, was the beginning of some kind of renaissance. And only now it’s starting to really kick in, with everything almost being upside down and starting again. The rest of the world’s industries are closely behind, and the human mind in general throughout the world, seems to be catching up with what best serves life in all its forms, shapes and sizes. Why dance music in the ‘90s was the start of this is purely due to its global intake, various and flexible forms of expression, giving anyone a chance to express from a basic setup and still hit the planet and create waves.

"I truly believe dance music as we know it was
the beginning of some kind of renaissance”

You collaborated with Mr C (of The End, and “Ebenezer Good” fame) in 2005 for a track "That Look" on your own label, which was one of the hits of the summer. You guys are both the life of the party. What is it like working together in the studio? And do you have any stories you can share?
Richard (Mr C) is one of my best mates and I wouldn’t have missed his 40th birthday for the world, even though his is on the 2nd, mine on the 1st and my girlfriend’s on the 4th of January. I decided it would be a good idea to still do the gig on New Year Eve in Shanghai (celebrated my birthday on the 1st in the club with a massive cake!), fly back in to London on the 2nd and go straight to his birthday party in fancy dress. And guess who I went as? I had a choice of dressing up as a cowboy, Dolly Parton or Rod Stewart, but went for Robert Smith (wearing my girlfriend’s tight jeans).

After the birthday party (at AKA) we all went to an afterhours party in someone’s flat that had been turned into a club called the Wipping Rooms. It was very twisted, very minimal but extremely fun. Afterward we ended up in a bar in East London with all sorts of madness going on. In the studio we take it a little more seriously, but around others we turn into some kind of entertainment duo, taking the piss and having loads of fun!

Another collaboration that found success last year was with friends Desyn Masiello and Demi. Your Sex on Substance parties (S.O.S) have enjoyed success in London, and particularly Ibiza, breaking in some new venues on the White Isle. What’s it like working with such close friends?
We are close and that does help considering most of the time we are all in different time zones. But even when we don’t have gigs together we try to get together after and in between gigs. Understanding each other’s true gifts is the first stage of any partnership. If you don’t know what the other person is really bringing to the table and you only speculate, or you work with each other for personal gain rather than the collective, it wouldn’t last. S.O.S can enjoy success like any band or collective because what it represents is unity and love, a gentle invitation into wherever it goes, not programmed or prepared but spontaneous in nature.

Ibiza had to be the place where we kick started S.O.S properly. Last year we had a residency at the 'Let's Get Dirty' parties and worked closely with Ibiza Voice, playing for them at the opening and closing parties at a beautiful venue called El-Ayoun. The venue is a Moroccan restaurant by day but for this occasion they had a Function One system installed and the restaurant turned into a proper club. Hopefully we will do the opening and closing parties again this year. I am already looking forward to it!

Omid16B

Looking back on your career, you've also been in bands, remixed artists like Depeche Mode, Gus Gus and The Cure. What are the common elements? And what keeps you in dance music?
Dancing keeps me in dance music. All other forms of music aren’t as flexible (well not the way I dance anyway).

At the moment dance is a genre but it’s kinda crossing over as more and more young kids turn their heads to it around the world. But it’s not dance music that keeps me interested, it’s the way we use dance music or any other form of music as a way to express who we are. Dance music is only a temporary name and its true name is music. Hopefully I can evolve through music to other creative activities.

"Dancing keeps me in dance music.”

You've just come back to the UK having played gigs in Russia and China, and you’re about to head off again to Australia. That’s an impressive reach. What are the differences playing these countries, do you change your style, what do you look forward to?
I love to meet different people from different countries, and when it comes to playing music, you can say it’s universal. Everywhere has something new to offer and a piece of you can also be left behind. You have to embrace the differences or sometimes discomforts of the country you’re in, but when you get through to the people, time and time again, it gives you a sense of achievement that I wouldn’t miss for the world. I think it’s also because I love playing and love making music and this love can be nurtured all over the world.

I see you are booked to play a boat cruise for Musica in Sydney. I've been on one of your boat parties on the Thames here in London which was a wild night and one of my best weekends of the last year. For you what are the key elements to a party? And is there anything special about being on the water?
The good thing about a boat party is that once people have got on, it’s very hard to get off, so you can work on the crowd that’s there and build a unified atmosphere. Then it feels like one big family and you can take it where ever it goes. Even if the sound system is not so hot, somehow you can still turn it around. Almost every boat party I have done has been huge amounts of fun and allowed me to drop tracks that I don’t normally drop, due to the open mindedness.

Finally, you’re playing a range of gigs around Australia, what are you looking forward to about the trip, and have you got anything planned for your time Down Under away from the decks?
I am planning to hire a bike and cycle everyday, like I have been doing in London for the past year. I went to Australia about 5 years ago. I played and partied a lot, but had a great time. This time I will play more and party less, so I will have time to suck up all the good Australia has to offer a humble tourist like me. I also want to check out some sites and do some of the more ordinary and normal things. I have a love for koala bears so I will try to find some to hang out with.

One of my best mates Rowan Blades (also an idiot) has been living in Sydney for almost a year, so I’ll be hanging out with him for a few days. Just about to buy a new laptop, so we will most definitely make some new tunes in my hotel room.

Omid16B Australian tour

20 January: Omid16B @ Sugar, Adelaide
21 January: Musica (day) @ the Lady Rose boat, Sydney Harbour
21 January: Musica (night) @ Candy’s Apartment, Sydney
26 January: Inner city @ the Shamrock, Brisbane
27 January: Private Function #35 @ Altitude, Melbourne