Dean Marriot born in Sheffield, UK is best known to us as House/Minimalist/Techno Deejay/Producer D.Ramirez.
With 5 top 20 hits under his belt, an appearance on Top of the Pops, the creation of his own record label Slave Recordings, Ramirez has also earned himself an Ivor Novello Award nomination for his remix of Bodyrox's smash hit Yeah Yeah.
Performing under names such as Finger fest, Cordial & most famously as The Lisa Marie Experience, his partnership with Neil Hynde, D.Ramirez is a man of many talents & a well respected & accomplished artist in his own right.
His latest release from Tool Room Records 'D.Ramirez & Friends' is out NOW!
Thank you Dean for taking time to answer these questions. Can you tell us about your first experience with music, & did you know from then that you wanted to make a career out of it?
DR:While I was at school I started to play the drums, I was also quite a decent singer so I started my own band with a few of my mates doing cover versions. I then joined a metal band where I was the frontman but we didn't get anywhere. I then joined a band with Elliot Kennedy who went on to write and produce most of the Spice Girls first album. He's now writing and producing for everyone. My love of house music came about in the 80's when I used to go and listen to Graeme Park at the Steamer in Sheffield, that was 1988. It was then that I started to produce house and my first track was released in 1991. I was called Cordial back then and the track was titled 'Candlelight'. A friend of mine lent me the money to cut 500 white labels and I literally had to hand deliver them to the record stores myself. I also hand delivered promo copies to the DJ's personally following them around (that's how it was back then) it was hard work but it paid off when I was spotted by Pete Tong doing a live PA in Venus nightclub Nottingham and he signed me to his FFRR label. I always knew that I would have a career in music, it was never a question for me and I never thought it would be any different.
Your style over the years has varied, epecially releasing tracks under your variouspseudonyms such as The Lisa Marie Experience & Finger fest. Where does your inspiration for these & your solo projects come from?
DR: I love all types of music so I just use my influences and name my projects accordingly. The Lisa Marie Experience for instance was born from the fact we sampled Michael Jackson back in 1993 when he had just married Lisa Marie Presley. Finger fest Inc came about as a collaboration between me and Barry Gilbey. I was Dino 'Fingers' Ramirez and Barry happened to look like Uncle Fester one day wearing a suit from a certain angle - you can work out the rest.
What is your favourite thing about touring? And what is your favourite thing about coming home?
DR: I used to hate touring because it dragged me away from the studio and I resented it. Now it's totally different and I love it. In fact there's been a roll reversal for me and I consider myself more of a DJ than a producer these days. I'm also single right now and it's so much easier when you don't have the guilt of leaving somebody behind for months on end. I love coming home so I can get back into my studio as it's in my house. I have so many ideas when I get back so I get straight in there to lay them down.
You work quite a lot with Mark Knight. How well do you think you compliment each other, and which other British DJs do you admire?
DR: I'm more of the tekkie guy in the studio whereas Mark is good with the ideas and looking at the whole picture so we compliment each other in that respect. I'm good at synthesising sounds, he's good at putting them into the arrangement that's a great team as we both have our strengths. Other British DJ's I admire are guys like Nic Fanciulli, Carl Cox, Justin Robertson, James Zabiela.
What do you feel about the cross over between House music, R&B/Hiphop and Trance nowadays? And in what kind of way does it affect you as an artist?
DR: In a few words - I hate it! But not to say I wouldn't produce something like that for the money.
I have a couple of questions from Dave from Merseyside ① When you will be playing in Liverpool/Manchester next? ② On FB/Twitter you say you use the train alot. Do you drive and if so, what type of car do you have?
DR: Don't know when I'm back in Liverpool to be honest. I usually play at the G Bar but I've not been there for a while now. And yes, I take the train a lot, not because I drive a shit car, more because I can get work done on the train and it's a bit less stressful than driving. And just because you asked I drive a BMW Z4 Coupe (Hard Top) it's the M4 version and it's a beast so there.
And lastly what advise would you give to someone who wanted to start out as a deejay/producer?
DR: The best advise I can give is this - just stick at it and when it feels like you might not be getting anywhere, keep going. Always believe in yourself, never doubt your ability and just know in your heart that one day it's going to happen. The power of positive thought is your best ally so use it to your advantage.
Editors note : Thank you so much Dean for taking the time to do this interview, its been an absolute pleasure =) I wish you all the best in everything you do, & hope you do make your way up to Liverpool one day again soon...we miss you up here ( or should that be down here lol!)
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