Louis, Ozzy, the Osbournes and Cracking America

Whether being Ozzy Osbourne's son turns out to be a blessing or a curse, for Birmingham techno DJ Louis, all, at least so far, seems saintly. While his Dad's been taking tea with President Bush at the White house, Louis has been busy transforming himself into one of America's upcoming star DJs, not bad since he started spinning techno at Birmingham (England)'s ultra shabby venue, The Q Club. And though Bush seems intent on outlawing club culture altogether, as far as Louis is concerned, it's unlikely to happen.

"It's exactly the same as what happened here in the UK with the Criminal Justice Bill," he told Skrufff's Benedetta Ferraro this week.

"It's the same model; raves get big, drugs get big, the government cracks down, but the scene carries on going. Eventually it always does, where there's a will there's a way. It's just a few years down the line."

Skrufff (Benedetta Ferraro): Recently we've been hearing your name popping up everywhere…

Louis Osbourne: "Well, I have been ridiculously busy lately. I spend most of my time bouncing back and forth from the US, where most of my work is."

Skrufff: What has made America embrace you so wholeheartedly-

Louis Osbourne: "That's the way it's turned out. I've always said that I would go wherever my work is and I've always put myself about. I've played in Australia, most of Europe, Ibiza, and tried to break the American market and there's where the hooks have caught. This country (Britain) is so over saturated that often you need to go further afield to progress with what you want to do."

Skrufff: Being Ozzy Osbourne 's son, one of the biggest and most respected rock stars in the world, must have helped open the US door . . .

Louis Osbourne: "That might have given me a bit of a helping hand, but there's no reason why it shouldn't have given me a helping hand over here as well."

Skrufff: Sure, Why do you think it hasn't-

Louis Osbourne: "I always find that the further you go away from home the more interest you create around yourself. That's the way it has worked out for me, anyway. I've got many friends in the States and I can easily base myself over there if I need to. Surely I could do the same here, despite this being a very competitive market place, it's just a matter of putting the time into it, but ultimately you take the opportunities that you're given. My opportunities have fallen elsewhere."

Skrufff: Do you like the States- Do you spend more time on the East or West coast-

Louis Osbourne: "I do like it there, yes. I travel everywhere, I played 26 cities last year, some of which I visited twice. My dad lives in LA, so I spend a lot of time over there, but I like to move around as well."

Skrufff: Considering how busy you are, would you say dance music has finally cracked America-

Louis Osbourne: "It depends on what the media mean by 'cracking' America. Do they want 'Stardust' to get to number one- Well, that's never going to happen I think, because hip hop and rock are so rooted in the US. Also you cannot say dance music hasn't cracked America when Paul Oakenfold gets $ 25,000 a gig, which incidentally he can't get over here. Surely something is going right over there. It's just that is a big continent, don't forget that it is a big market for a lot of people."

Skrufff: Are American ravers still sucking dummies at the shows you play-

Louis Osbourne: "I try not to play raves in America. I prefer playing over 21's clubs."

Skrufff: Dave Seaman recently suggested that New Metal will take over from dance music, how likely is that in your opinion-

Louis Osbourne: "I actually agree with him. I was at Ozfest last year, my dad's festival at Milton Keynes, which was happening on the same night as Homelands. Homelands didn't sell out, Ozfest did, with 44,000 kids going. That's a big telling sign. I was also talking to Phil Alexander (Kerrang's long term editor) the other day, and he told me that for the first time in years the sales a Tags

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