Egyptian Lover

In anticipation of Egyptian Lover’s headliner set for Shake! this Saturday at the Good Life (Boston), we caught up with the man himself to talk about throwing electro parties in early ’80s Los Angeles, the origins of his sound, and his upcoming album, 1984.

Interviewed by Dev/Null and Ali Berger


SHAKE: You got your start throwing parties with Uncle Jamm’s Army in the early ’80s. How did you guys get thousands of people to come to those events and what advice would you give to people throwing parties now?

EGYPTIAN LOVER: Those Uncle Jam’s Army Party’s were well thought out and promoted very precise. From DJing lunch dances at high schools, to putting up posters all over L.A., to passing out flyers at every hot spot, to radio spots on every station. Wherever you were, you saw or heard something about Uncle Jamm’s Army. We even did mix shows to give a sneak preview of what was coming. Every single thing we did was to promote us. Until we reached the pinnacle of parties… THE L.A. SPORTS ARENA with 10,000 people. Then we start all over and do it again.

SHAKE: As a DJ who’s been touring regularly for about 30 years, how do you keep the experience fresh and exciting for yourself?

EGYPTIAN LOVER: Every city is a new beginning for me. The crowd is the same crowd I played for in 1983. Just a new one. All young people wanting to see a good DJ. A DJ that can take a record and mix it like a tape edit and play it backwards with his hands and scratch so smooth and keep the hype up with up-tempo beats. I just keep on doing my thing and showing the new school how the old school rocked the house. And they love it.

SHAKE: Looking at your back catalog, it’s obvious you’ve stayed 100% true to yourself and your style over the years. Being around this long though, have you ever felt pressure from other people to change up your sound or jump on some new music styles? For instance, when gangsta rap first hit it off in LA, was anyone trying to push you to do beats for some of those artists?

EGYPTIAN LOVER: All the time, but I didn’t see myself doing that. That would be like Frank Sinatra singing for The Partrich Family. I always saw myself a certain way and I will always remain that person. Just as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Kraftwerk, Prince, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Barry White, James Brown and so many others stayed true to themselves. You should do what you love and then you will always be happy with it.

SHAKE: Could you tell us a bit about your upcoming album, “1984”? Is it new stuff, old stuff, or a mixture?

EGYPTIAN LOVER: “1984” is an all-new album recorded the same way I recorded my first album On the Nile back in 1984. Using the same equipment and the same studios, I created the same sound as I did back then. I have always wanted to do this album and now it has come. October 30th you’ll be able to buy it. And yes, there will also be a double vinyl album, C.D.’s and even a cassette tape. People are already losing their minds!

SHAKE: You played a set on BoilerRoom.tv last year, which some people still mention as a favorite. What do you think of that online format for a set? Does having live video help showcase the work you put in: cutting up records, reversing them, running the 808? Or is it still just a pale imitation of an in-person Egyptian Lover show?

EGYPTIAN LOVER: You must see the show live to enjoy the vibe and electricity in the room and through the speakers is incomparable to hearing and seeing me live. That 808 sounds ridiculous live!

SHAKE: Back in the 80’s, a new scene, Miami Bass, popped up which seemed to share a lot of your early influences (Kraftwerk, Planet Rock, the 808 itself) and many of the artists seem to have been heavily influenced by you. Did you ever play shows in Miami back then? Or were the LA and Miami electro scenes pretty much separate?

EGYPTIAN LOVER: I actually played Miami in early 1984 and rented an 808 and programmed it full of beats and showed the promoter at the time “Luke Skywalker” how to program it. My shows in Miami were very much a part of what happened next with the Miami Bass sound.

SHAKE: Running a record label back in those days, you kept a pretty tight-knit crew – releasing a lot of tunes by friends, friends-of-friends and people you saw locally who seemed to be doing great stuff. Is there any one release in particular from back then which you think never got the full props it deserved? A long-buried Egyptian Empire jewel waiting to be dug up?

EGYPTIAN LOVER: Tee and Jozee were a duo that had so much talent and never were given what they deserved. They were the group I wish I had millions to promote back then. I still listen to their single entitled “Each and Every Day”.

SHAKE: You spot an irresistible freak you just have to talk to. What’s your opening line?

EGYPTIAN LOVER: Want to go to Paris and be in my Video?


See Egyptian Lover on Saturday October 10 with Nick Minieri, Dev/Null, Damian Silva at Good Life. For more info, check out our website or the Facebook Event.

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