DJ Mick Boogie will be performing at the Blue Frog today. He told Iknoor Kaur how he goes unprepared on all his tours
Every musician operates in his own way. However, one thing remains constant among all of them when they set out on a world tour — preparation of the set list. They always know what they are going to play even if they pretend to come up with it impromptu. But DJ Mick Boogie has a unique way. Not only does he not prepare a set list, but he also has no idea of what he is going to play until he judges his audience. “I just keep one thing in my mind when I go on tour — it should be one hell of a fun party. So, I go and see what my audience is like and play what I think will make them groove. It makes the job easier for me and more fun for them,” said the mixtape composer who will play at the VH1 Hip Hop Hustle event at Blue Frog today.
Marking his first visit to India, Mick said that there is only one thing that comes to his mind when he thinks of India, “bright coloured clothes on women. I have heard so much of India, it is full of stories. All I have seen of it is through Bollywood. That has kind of built a picture of the country in my head. I have never been so excited to visit a country before,” he shared.
Mick grew up playing the piano and himself wonders how the shift from Western classical music to mixtape deejaying happened. He elaborated, “I was perfect with the piano since I learnt it all through my childhood. But when I discovered DJing I realised that I could combine my music very well. When I went to University, there was a radio station where I used to do a show. So basically from that I went on to playing at parties and then events and finally concerts.”
After all of that, Mick is known as a mixtape genius today and his modesty beholds it. According to him “what is important is that a mixtape should make sense and be in logical flow. The song before and the song after should be collaborated in such a way that it sounds like a conversation.” Mick doesn’t restrict himself to one particular genre when it comes to his mixtapes. He feels that in DJing one can play anything under the sun as long as it sounds good. He explained, “I grew up loving all kinds of music, so I like to club everything to make my music. That is the best part of DJing.”
Through the years, Mick has performed at various countries and of all he loved his experience in Tokyo, Japan. He said, “One of my favourite performances was a couple of years ago in Tokyo on the beach. I was playing at a festival and there were so many people, plus the water — it was amazing.” At present, Mick is finishing up a couple of new mixes after which he will be travelling all over the world. “I love to travel, that is where I get my inspiration from,” he signed off.