DJ Lisa Lashes, sometimes known as the Queen of Hard House, is one of the top DJs in the world. With her mix albums and busy schedule of performances, she has attracted a global following.
Lisa is the first and only female to be considered among the top ten DJs in the world by DJ Magazine, ranking ninth in 2000 and continuing as the top-ranking female DJ in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Her mix albums, Hard House Euphoria (2002) and Extreme Euphoria Vol. 2 (2003), have been the highest selling hard house compilations in the world. Lisa has even conquered Ibiza with her own Lashed in Ibiza nights at Eden, packing in the crowds with her superb technical skills and explosive musical style.
According to Lashes, “Whatever style of house it is, I play it hard and dirty; it’s my favorite way!”
In this exclusive interview with Synthtopia, DJ Lisa Lashes talks about current tracks, her equipment preferences and the surprises in her music collection. Prepare to get Lashed!
DJing:
Synthtopia: Lisa, you’ve had top-selling CDs, you’re one of the most popular DJs in the world, and you’ve performed around the globe. What achievements or events stand out for you as highlights of your career?
Lisa Lashes: Performing in South Africa in front of 33,000 was an incomparable moment.
And I always enjoy doing the mixed albums. But the most exciting project I’ve ever been involved with so far has to be my Lashed parties. We’re actually about to tour the UK & Ireland, I can’t wait!
Synthtopia: It takes a lot of hard work and great sets to get to where you are. What do you focus on when you’re playing?
Lisa Lashes: What the crowd wants, I try and give them. It’s really important to feel the vibe so that you can produce a good set.
Synthtopia: For somebody new to your work, where’s the best place for them to start?
Lisa Lashes: Come to one of my Lashed parties. You have to see it to believe it!
Synthtopia: You help set the trends in house music. What do you look for in a great hard house track?
Lisa Lashes: It has to sound different to what is being played at that moment. I like to play hard and dirty tracks.
Synthtopia: What tracks have you found recently that you’re excited about?
Lisa Lashes: On The Roll by Nick Sentied and BK’s Razor Babes are two great hard dance tracks and at the moment I also love Orbital’s One Perfect.
Synthtopia: Your success attests to your DJing skills. Who are some DJs that impress you?
Lisa Lashes: I think BK is the best DJ around at the moment, though there is a lot of emerging talent with the likes of A-Star and Max Cooper.
Synthtopia: Do you have equipment preferences? What do you think about the digital DJing revolution?
Lisa Lashes: At home I have Technics 1210, a Pioneer mixer and Trackmaster needles. I prefer vinyls, but I guess one day CDs will take over eventually.
Getting Personal:
Synthtopia: Is it true that your idea of a wild evening is playing chess with your friends? What makes chess appeal to you?
Lisa Lashes: The wild thing about chess is that a game can go on for days!
Synthtopia: What’s in your music collection that fans might not expect?
Lisa Lashes: Barbara Streisand. I’m her biggest fan!
Synthtopia: What’s the biggest misconception people have about you?
Lisa Lashes: Because of my sexy image, blokes think I’m easy to pull. Sorry, but I have standards!
Gender Issues:
Synthtopia: What issues have you had to deal with that are unique to being a female DJ?
Lisa Lashes: Actually, everyone has always been supported. I’ve never experienced any negative attitudes towards me neither from the clubbers nor the promoters.
Synthtopia: What do you think about being a role model for young women interested in DJ’ing and electronic music? Does that ever enter into your thinking?
Lisa Lashes: Role-model is a big word. I just hope that I inspire other girls to do what I do because it’s the best job in the world.
Synthtopia: You’ve developed a sexy and provocative image. How do you use your looks and style as a tool without having it distract from your talent as a DJ?
Lisa Lashes: When you’re a female DJ, obviously the way you look is going to have more importance than if you were a bloke. There is definitely an extra dimension added to the job. But at the end of the day, if you’re a good DJ and you give the crowd a good night out, it doesn’t really matter.
Current projects and upcoming work:
Synthtopia: Tell us about the Lashed project.
Lisa Lashes: I can’t believe the success it has had. We started off in Ibiza after years of talking about it, then we took it all around the world, and now we’re about to tour the UK and Ireland. It’s kicking off on November 5th at Heaven in London; there will be five rooms with some of the best DJs in the world playing hard dance, trance, house, electro and breaks. You can check out the website http://www.lashedworld.com/ for more information.
Synthtopia: In addition to DJing, you’ve gotten into production work and artist management recently. What direction do you want to take with your career?
Lisa Lashes: DJing is what I like to do most, so I don’t intend to stop. But it’s important for me to broaden my horizons. Recently, I’ve been in the studio with BK and that’s been great. Artist management is something I definitely want to develop.
Synthtopia: What’s coming up for you in the next year?
Lisa Lashes: The new Lashed album will be out in January 2005 and we will organize a tour to support it.
Synthtopia: What’s the best way for fans to keep track of what you’re up to?
Lisa Lashes: Check out my official website http://www.djlisalashes.com; I try to update it as often as I can. Or you can also go on http://www.lashedworld.com to find out about our Lashed events.
