Like most people with ears, DJs and producers have specific songs tied to events throughout their lives. In Crate Expectations, we extract a playlist from their memories to tell their story. This week's subject is Drumcode and Cocoon-releasing techno DJ Alan Fitzpatrick. In between back-to-back gigs this weekend at TomorrowWorld in Atlanta and Decibel Festival in Seattle, we got the techno ambassador to dig deep into his past.
THUMP: What is the first song you ever loved?
AP: I'd say "Magic Dance" by David Bowie. I was only 3 or 4 when this was released, but it featured in the 1986 film Labyrinth, which I must have watched thousands of times. I absolutely love the film. It's certainly an all time favorite of mine and I went on to become a huge Bowie fan so there is a lot of my history wrapped up in this song.What were the first two tracks you mixed together?Oh wow, I have absolutely no idea. I first got turntables when I was 14 and my memory isn't that good but I guess that it would have been some old old soul, funk or disco records that I would have borrowed from my parents collection.What is your worst guilty pleasure song?
I don't have just one, I have loads! I'm a big fan of 80's music and Ive built up a huge playlist of all my favorites on Spotify. There are over 1200 songs in the collection and a lot of them are bad! If you are going to make me pick one, then I will go for John Parr's "Man In Motion." Its got everything. Big drums, big synths, big sing-along chorus, and even bigger hair in the video! Love it…Is there a track of your own that you dislike ?Oh yeah. I get sick of most of them eventually after Ive heard them thousands of times. Ha!Which track of your own do you like the most?
Good question! From my recently releases, I would say the track I like the most would be the remix I made of Leftfield "Bilocation." I went for a very different to my usual sound, which was a bit of leap of faith but it just felt right for the track and it was loads of fun to do. It was also a real pinch-yourself moment in my career to get the chance to remix an artist like Leftfield. I grew up with their music and never even dreamed I would get to work with them one day.What song have you had on repeat during the last month?I'm actually really addicted right now to a Ben Howard track called "I Forget Where We Were." I love Ben's music but this track is particularly special. I was lucky enough to see him live at Alexandra Palace in London back in April which was an amazing experience.Is there a specific track that has been especially massive for you during your festival sets this summer?
I think there have been some amazing tracks released this summer, but the one track I played the most at festivals and which always got a great reaction was actually my remix of "Without You" by Argy & Mama which is coming out soon on BPitch Control. I first played it at my first festival gig in May and it is still killing it now.What track are you most excited to play in the Drumcode arena at Tomorrow World?
I would say "Love Siren" from my recent EP for Drumcode. It has been a huge track all summer and went to number 1 on Beatport for a few weeks so it always gets a huge reaction with everyone going crazy. It's perfect for the big stages.What's the last song you want to hear before the lights go on?
I am sad to say that my uncle passed away recently, taken from us decades too early. As a tribute to him I played Kate Bush "Running Up That Hill" as a last track at a recent gig in Ibiza. That was a real hairs-standing-on-end moment.
AP: I'd say "Magic Dance" by David Bowie. I was only 3 or 4 when this was released, but it featured in the 1986 film Labyrinth, which I must have watched thousands of times. I absolutely love the film. It's certainly an all time favorite of mine and I went on to become a huge Bowie fan so there is a lot of my history wrapped up in this song.What were the first two tracks you mixed together?
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I don't have just one, I have loads! I'm a big fan of 80's music and Ive built up a huge playlist of all my favorites on Spotify. There are over 1200 songs in the collection and a lot of them are bad! If you are going to make me pick one, then I will go for John Parr's "Man In Motion." Its got everything. Big drums, big synths, big sing-along chorus, and even bigger hair in the video! Love it…Is there a track of your own that you dislike ?Oh yeah. I get sick of most of them eventually after Ive heard them thousands of times. Ha!Which track of your own do you like the most?
Good question! From my recently releases, I would say the track I like the most would be the remix I made of Leftfield "Bilocation." I went for a very different to my usual sound, which was a bit of leap of faith but it just felt right for the track and it was loads of fun to do. It was also a real pinch-yourself moment in my career to get the chance to remix an artist like Leftfield. I grew up with their music and never even dreamed I would get to work with them one day.What song have you had on repeat during the last month?I'm actually really addicted right now to a Ben Howard track called "I Forget Where We Were." I love Ben's music but this track is particularly special. I was lucky enough to see him live at Alexandra Palace in London back in April which was an amazing experience.
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I think there have been some amazing tracks released this summer, but the one track I played the most at festivals and which always got a great reaction was actually my remix of "Without You" by Argy & Mama which is coming out soon on BPitch Control. I first played it at my first festival gig in May and it is still killing it now.What track are you most excited to play in the Drumcode arena at Tomorrow World?
I would say "Love Siren" from my recent EP for Drumcode. It has been a huge track all summer and went to number 1 on Beatport for a few weeks so it always gets a huge reaction with everyone going crazy. It's perfect for the big stages.What's the last song you want to hear before the lights go on?
I am sad to say that my uncle passed away recently, taken from us decades too early. As a tribute to him I played Kate Bush "Running Up That Hill" as a last track at a recent gig in Ibiza. That was a real hairs-standing-on-end moment.