Kissy's Last Stand

Guys, I just heard the FUNNIEST thing. I’m not sure I should spill the beans here, but I really wanna tell you… Ok. I just found out that a certain frontman has now turned hand model when he’s not on the road.

You heard me. Hand model! I’ll give you a few clues as to who he is. Dainty fingers, well manicured nails, soft and silky palms… Sorry couldn’t help myself. He’s actually better known for his energetic stage presence (very good at jumping as I recall), is from the north of the UK, shares the same name as a clothing designer. Mmmmm: I think I’ve said enough.
Still keeping things cryptic, a certain unique and colourful artist whom I interviewed for Hot Press recently and revealed that he had just gotten engaged now tells me that his wedding will be in my summer hometown of Ibiza. How considerate! This is one wedding I would be extremely happy to DJ at. Not that I’ve even been invited... yet!
And speaking of DJing, this week I caught up with superstar DJ, Kissy Sell-Out – who is one of the most energetic creatures I’ve ever met. Well, I say caught up with – we were supposed to hang out together in Preston, where he had a show, but at the last minute the gig was cancelled. So we had an online chat instead, before he did his last broadcast for BBC Radio 1.
Now Kissy and I share some mutual pals and have hung out in Ibiza on more than one occasion. Avid Hot Press readers may recollect a story I told about abandoning Kissy on the decks at one of the private aftershows at the Ibiza Rocks House last year. Luckily for me he doesn’t hold grudges…
Kissy! How the devil are you?
“All the better for speaking to you!”
Why the cancellation of your Preston gig today?
“I’m not sure, I never cancel gigs so there must have been a problem with the venue or something. It’s a cool place to DJ – such a shame I couldn’t be there”
As DJ, artist, remixer, producer, record label boss, and graphic designer, you’re always juggling a lot of balls. You even design t-shirts… am I missing anything?
“Space fanatic! I’ve managed to self-educate myself to astrophysics degree level by reading particle physics and quantum mechanics books when I’m on the road. I’d love to tell you about it. I’ll save it for when I see you in person, perhaps!”
Are you a workaholic? And are you ever worried about, ahem, dropping one of the many balls you juggle?
“Despite my distinct lack of spare time, I wouldn’t really class myself as a workaholic at all. There’s nothing I love more than electro – so being able to do it every day is far less like work than say, cooking breakfast or doing the hovering, haha!”
I’ve seen you in action on the decks, DJing with 4 CDJ’s: do you feel naked using two like your average DJ?
“Not really. Rather than purely showboating with four decks, I just like the idea of making the performance more difficult. I’ve dreamed of being a DJ since I was a kid so I’d much rather work for the crowd’s appreciation and do something that’s far more risky and challenging. I also have a habit of breaking decks – it got so bad during my San City High tour that I broke one deck a night from working them too hard, haha! In fairness, that was around the time when clubs were just about to move over from CDJ 1000s to CDJ 2000s, so the equipment was often pretty knackered before I dropped my Kissy jams on em!” 
You’re looking incredibly buff and have been for a while. How do you maintain the physique? Do you do a lot of protein and weights...
“Aww shucks... to be honest I’ve just cut out all the shit I used to eat when I first started DJing! Literally chocolate Hob Nobs for breakfast –although I still do that sometimes! You have to bear in mind that my career started while I was still at university so no matter how posh the clubs were, I was always coming home to my student accommodation with my two dirty flatmates! When I started my label however, I got a bit of a kick up the arse because all my producers and DJs kinda looked up to me like an older brother. I decided to sort myself out, so I was actually capable of looking after the people around me – and also performing without fainting, which happened a few years ago in Warwick. I’m not one of those protein shake addicts but I do make sure I get some press-ups in everyday.”
Everyday! Beefcake! Being into your fitness are you excited about the Olympics coming to your hometown?
“Well, bizarrely I’ve already had my Olympics adventure when, as an East London local, I was asked to compose and produce all the music for the 1 Year To Go! ceremony in Trafalgar Square. It was quite a surreal experience, not least because I had to make the music for the mayor to walk on stage to... which, by the way, didn’t get played in full because Boris talked too long during his speech, haha!”
Running your own record label, you love to champion up and coming artists. You strike me as an artist with a lot of love Kissy! So are you a ‘Wild Romantic?’
“Well, I am very sensitive. I’m the kind of guy who will randomly buy flowers for all the girls in the office at Radio 1 one day, but I’ll be trawling the petrol stations for a last-minute card on Valentine’s Day!”
Back to the music: what tunes can you not get enough of at the minute?
“Since I’m doing a collaboration with her at the moment, I got to hear Saint Saviour’s debut album and it’s the best thing I’ve heard in a long time.”
She’s one of my good pals! She’s amazing. We DJed together for quite a few of the festivals before she hit the big time with Groove Armada. Who else?
“I also currently love pretty all the moombahton tunes that ETC! ETC! and Paul David are pumping out. And there’s an electro producer I found on Soundcloud called Valymo from France who is very talented. I’m very lucky to be sent so many demos and pre-release CDs, but you’ll always find me rooting for the under-dog artists that have a harder chance of making it. That’s why I enjoy running San City High so much.”
A little birdy told me something highly exciting is happening for you in the US of A. Can you spill the beans yet?
“Hmmmm... I wonder what you heard? I wish all interviews were as fun and cheeky as this one! I have indeed been back and forth to the USA constantly over the last few months and with new tours planned in Asia and South Africa over the following weeks it is, at least, easy to explain why I’m leaving Radio 1.”
Are you sad to be leaving?
“Although I was offered a new time slot by the BBC, I decided that now was the right time to walk away. If anyone reading this interview has heard the show then they’ll understand how special and unique it is, and I genuinely think the best way of celebrating the success we’ve had with ratings and fan-base interaction – big up the Kissy Klub Crew! – is to call it a day before the ideas get old, or even worse, I lose interest in the show format.”
So what’s the next chapter?
“I’m actually filled with excitement about leaving because as I mentioned I can finally travel the world and make tracks with people overseas without having to check-in every Thursday night in London with two days’ worth of studio time put aside for every radio show – yup, it really took that long to make each show! It also became so personal (fictional characters named after my family members, regular listeners who stayed with us from the start, etc..) that I truly would hate myself if the show started to go rotten as time passed. I’m completely happy with everything that me and the producers achieved. It feels great to be leaving on a high! Tonight will be emotional though!”
I saw on your Twitter you’ve just returned from Miami without a tan! I’m guessing you were performing at the music conference. I hear it’s one big party. Kind of like Ibiza right?
“Miami ain’t a touch on Ibiza! It’s a cool place but Ibiza is really special to me – as I bet it is for most dance music fans. Last summer saw me playing a record seven sets on the white isle, which I was super-happy about. I’ve managed to avoid getting stuck to one club night over there, I guess mainly because of my eclectic music style, which means I’ve played many of the club nights I dreamed about going to as a teenager. I fucking love Ibiza!”
If our hotel events manager Jordan went against our resident DJ Doorly in a game of mud wrestling who do you think would come up trumps and why?
“Well, apart from the fact I went to school with Jordan, I woke up on someone’s floor in the Ibiza Rocks hotel last year with no room key or money and he snuck me into the bar area with a V.I.P. pass so I could jump into the pool with all my clothes on – so I owe him one! The thing I love most about Ibiza Rocks is how cool and friendly everyone is there, and Doorly is a lovely guy I’ve known for many years now... he says trying to avoid answering the question!”
Any standout memories of gigs you’ve done in Ireland?
“I played that big festival you have over there, Electric Picnic, many years ago with a live band which was cool. My favourite Irish gig was at Cuba in Galway. I still have the poster on one of the walls in my apartment.”
When are you over next?
“Oooh, you’ve assumed that I’m capable of remembering what’s happening in my diary more than one week ahead with that question! I’m not sure, but I hope it’s soon. I think the nerves are starting to set in about my last ever Radio 1 show in a couple of hours! Wish me luck!”
Good luck Kissy, break a leg.
“Thanks Gabs, see you in Ibiza!”