iQ: DJ Marky

We capture a mental fingerprint of some of our musical and cultural heroes and preserve it in cyber-amber for the wonderment of future generations. This is the Insomniac Questionnaire.

What was your favorite toy as a child, and when and why did you stop playing with it?
Playmobile. I stopped because I got an electric train… From there on, I started to play other electronic equipment.

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Don’t plan your sets—and I took it. I won a DJ competition; first prize was 10 vinyl records and a mixer, and because I won, I could play in a club for six weeks. At that time I was planning my set, and every weekend I played the same sets, so the owner got really sick of my sets and fired me. He told me on my last day that “the mission of the DJ is to educate people.”

What part of your day do you look forward to most?
Dinnertime with the family.

What’s the best time you’ve ever had without spending money?
Seeing my kid playing football, because he is a fantastic goalie.

What is your most treasured possession?
My records.

What is your favorite word?
Mom.

Do you owe an apology to anyone?
No.

When is the last time you were really scared?
In the London tube, Victoria line. It was very busy, and I was there with two friends, and I got claustrophobic and had a panic attack.

What is the last thing you googled?
Which musicians played on “Make It Funky” by James Brown.

What’s the last sound you would want to hear before you die?
The voice of my kid.

Do you have any recurring dreams or nightmares? If not, what’s the last dream you remember having?
Last dream I had was a fight with the mom of my son telling her not to drink and drive, haha!

How do you measure success?
Keep doing what I’m doing. I enjoy success, saying thanks to my fans all the time. I always say thanks, and I hope to do next time better.

If you could have one magical/super power, what would you want?
Teletransport, so I can get home real quick to my son and family after the show.

Have you ever had a brush with the paranormal or supernatural?
No.

What do you remember about your first kiss?
I remember that I had a fantastic sensation, and that her name was Andrea.

What four words best describe you?
Honest, sincere, fun, emotional, dedicated. [That’s five, but ok. –ED]

What’s the last impulsive thing you did?
My impulsive thing is buying trainers and records, so it was one of these two.

Do you have a pet? Tell us a story about it/him/her.
I had a dog, Linus, and he lives at my mom’s house; she gave him to me 14 years ago. The first thing Linus did at that time was pee on my favorite record.

What is your strongest (or best) personality trait?
Honesty and loyalty.

Do you believe in any conspiracy theories or urban legends?
No.

After more than two decades in the game, DJ Marky, one of drum & bass’ most funky and pivotal acts, will finally release his debut solo artist album, My Heroes, in June via his Innerground Music imprint. Pre-order here.

Follow DJ Marky on Facebook | Twitter | SoundCloud