Serge Santiago has arguably done as much as anyone to draw attention to the joys of early electronic music, and more specifically italo disco. From humble beginnings playing pubs in his home town of Brighton, Serge's career as a DJ started at pretty much the same time as he started producing with the DJ'ing providing a platform for his own productions. With more remix work than you can shake stick at and gigs the world over, he has also gained cult recognition for his highly sought after coloured vinyl series released on his own Arcobaleno imprint. And if that is not enough dancefloor action for one man, in 2008 he has also held a residency at "We Love" in Ibiza.
Hey Serge. I first became aware of your edits with your cut of Kano - It’s a War, which is still one of my favourite's. What is it about italo that holds this fascination for you?
It’s just down to the journey it takes. It’s often written with films or movies in mind so it’s got a sense of something taking you somewhere embodied within the music.
The early to mid eighties are generally not held is such high regard as later or earlier periods in dance music, but for me they are possibly the most important, because it’s from the of this time that building blocks that built house / techno / hop hop and electro were created. Is this something you feel?
It was a really experimental time for anything analogue. A lot of people won’t care about this though, because maybe it was too simple or basic, but it holds the reason why we listen to the music we listen to today. An amazing breed of disco with electronic synthesizers came out at this point that has never been recreated. So yes, an important time, but you could say all music has its important time.
Editing is, well, a hot topic at the moment. Any opinions you want to offer?
Music has been edited and copied since the beginning of time, how else could it evolve? Someone putting down a 4x4 kick is copying/editing it for the first person that did it. We all have a track we love to recreate; it’s why we all love music in the first place!
Does it get harder to find original italo / euro / new wave disco songs to work with, or is it a case of reinterpreting some of the “cannon” for a modern audience?
The fun is finding the track that no-one else has touched or heard for a very long time and bringing it light. There’s no sense of easy or hard, it’s just the way that it is. That’s why there are so many searchers and hunters out there.
Do you feel that understanding the past holds part of the answer of where the future is going to take us? Right now seems a very decisive time, with people often having a pretty negative point of view.
Of course. This is why change is so important within music. One minute you’ll be dancing like you’ve never danced before to a music that just blows you away and the next it’s done. Over. You’re bored and need something new. But you’re never listing to something new, just recycled music from the past. People only start getting a ‘negative point of view’ towards the end of genre cycle.
How was your space residency? Were you dropping "Fun Fun"?
Space was, and is great - as it always is. I’m trying to build something different over time down there. Giving it a sound that no other act has done down there or will come in with... If you’re talking about Fun Funs "Happy Station", then no. That wasn’t me. But I do love that record!
What are you feelings about the disco influence that is permeating the poppier or less underground areas of dance music? Does it affect you?
A little, as it dilutes what we’re trying to do down here. We’re just trying to have a little fun making and playing the music we love. The commercial side is about the money, plus its produced on mass and has no soul of love injected in. It’s poor, but that why we stay underground and that the way we like it.
Are you a collector when it comes to music, or are you driven by finding music that speaks to you?
You can’t be a geeky collector without being driven on to find music that speaks to you, they go hand in hand. That’s what being a geek with music is all about!
Are you playing live at all, or planning to? I know you have an artist album coming soon.
With the album almost done and the promotion starting in March, the live act is next on the list. I’m praying we’ll be ready for a big one in summer for We Love.
You are obviously not just influenced by electronic disco (or are you?!). Where else do you find inspiration outside music?
I get influenced by everything that happens to me; I try and make sure it’s not just disco, even though that’s hard sometimes. It’s whatever comes my way.
What’s the future hold? Susses... It’s what everyone and anyone wants in their chosen profession. I need to be the best at what I do. And earn loads of fucking money!
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