Drum & Bass Friday: LTJ Bukem vs. The Syndicate

Drum & bass pioneer LTJ Bukem is in town this Friday (March 11) to help The Syndicate (www.syndicate-dnb.com) celebrate seven years as Beijing’s drum & bass vanguard. We asked Bukem about his classical training and laying an iconic piece of DJing kit to rest. We didn’t ask him about his showering habits, but he told us about them anyway.

You trained as a classical pianist. Any favorite composers?
Nothing I still listen to now, but I used to listen to Khachaturian when I was 9 or 10. I used to like him because the stuff he used to do was almost like jazz. I realize now why I liked him – I’ll have to go back and see if I still do.

Any influence on your later music?
Definitely, but what influenced me more was when my teacher introduced me to Chick Corea, Bill Evans, people like that. That really twisted my mind. Corea’s “Lenore” – that track changed my life.

Tell us an interesting fact about LTJ Bukem.
I wear flip-flops when I go in the shower.

So do a lot of Chinese people.
Really? Haha, that’s crazy! That’s something I think I’ve only ever told two people about.

What’s your favorite fact?
This one gives me both joy and frustration, but I’m gonna die not having heard all the music I should.

The Technics SL-1200 is dead. Who should speak at the funeral?
Haha, probably the first guy who ever DJ’d on them, if he’s still alive. I wonder who that is. But I don’t get it – why they’ve stopped making the SL-1200. With the arrival of digital DJing, Serrato and so on, you need a pair of decks more than ever.

What would the inscription on the gravestone say?
Oh my goodness, that’s a difficult one. “Here lies the influence of millions of people”?

If you had to support anybody, who’d be headlining?
Eh … I’ve done one of them already – Herbie Hancock – but I’d love to support Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Norman Connors. Any of those guys, if they’re still alive.

Let’s play Chinese whispers. Start a lie about The Syndicate, and we’ll spread it.
Did you know that DJ Blackie is really a woman?

See how DJ Blackie responds when LTJ Bukem (www.goodlooking.org) plays The Syndicate’s 7th Anniversary Party on Mar 11 at Yugong Yishan. RMB 100 (door), RMB 70 (advance). 9pm-late.