Paul Van Dyk:Gatecrasher's New Musical Policy Is A 'Poor Choice'

Recent announcements by Sheffield superclub Gatecrasher, that they're to
'return' to house music, specifically the sounds of this year's biggest new producer Timo Maas, reflect a year in which 'trance' music finally appears to have peaked. For Berlin DJ Paul Van Dyk, who first pioneered the style in the early 90s before helping it crossover with his famed Gatecrasher residency of the last few years, such pronouncements are disappointing. "I just play what I like, I have never been into labelling music", Paul told mezzmusic this week. "I play electronic music, which incorporates elements of house, banging techno, trance and breakbeat . All I can say about Gatecrasher's decision is: Poor choice. They are only going to limit themselves." Benedetta Ferraro asked the questions.

mezz: How important has ambition been in reaching your level of success-

Paul Van Dyk: "You have to do what you believe in, it's the only way you can win people's trust. Ever since my first record I've always done 100% what I liked and never compromised. I wouldn't change one note on any of my tracks even if no one would buy them. Obviously, though, I'm extremely glad and excited about the appreciation people have towards what I'm doing."

mezz: Is self belief what separates premier league DJs from the rest-

Paul Van Dyk: "It's definitely a major ingredient. I'm also really glad to have a like minded team of people behind me, who believe in the same things I do. The success is reflected onto me of course, but a lot is due to those behind-the-scenes people who make it possible."

mezz: You must hate being called a 'trance' DJ...

Paul Van Dyk: "I've actually given up fighting it, after having said so many times that I don't like to be labelled. My music is about much more than trance."

mezz: You're well known for never taking drugs, how do you cope with being straight in an industry which is so often fuelled by drugs-

Paul Van Dyk: "I think it's so unfair to always view the music industry and especially the entertainment industry as being a bunch of drug addicts. There's so many people and so many different sectors working within this industry, that it's not objective to lump them all together into the same category. Drugs are everywhere, look at what happened at the Olympics... I think kids should be informed about what drugs are and what they can do, rather than have drug-taking shoved in their faces as a cool thing to do. Look at the UK music magazines; they forgot their main purpose should be to write about music. Instead, they fill their pages with 'top caners' or 'top ten drugs taken at the weekend' and so on."

mezz: Are you pro drugs legalisation-

Paul Van Dyk: "To a certain extent, yes. I believe that when you decriminalise something, it always becomes less interesting. Don't ask me why the human psyche works this way, I wouldn't know."

mezz: Do you ever consciously decide not to speak to someone because you know they're on drugs-

Paul Van Dyk: "I don't base my decisions on such things. Sometimes people who are completely clear headed get on my nerves, so..."

mezz: You grew up in East Berlin behind the Berlin Wall, would it have been easier to become a DJ if you'd born in West Germany-

Paul Van Dyk: "It probably would have been the same. I never really wanted to be a DJ, it just happened. I was always very focused, though, and I always wanted to make music. That's all I wanted."

mezz: You said recently that East Germans are often treated as second class citizens by West Germans, have you ever encountered such attitudes yourself-

Paul Van Dyk: "Not really, but then again, I'm not your typical East German, since one of the biggest criticisms I have towards my fellow countrymen is that they're not able to find solutions to their problems for themselves. For 40 years the Tags

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