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In December 2015 I had a chat with the Greek Axel Karakasis. “When you’re that young and you attract a lot of attention, it’s pretty flattering.”
“The first time I played as a DJ, I instantly was the resident DJ instead of a guest DJ. This was quite special, since I was only 17. The gig took place in an Athens’ club, at the end of the eighties.”
Well-balanced boys-to-girls ratio
“Luckily I wasn’t too nervous. On the contrary, I was looking forward to it and very excited. The audience consisted mostly of, on the matter of sexes, a well-balanced boys-to-girls ratio. They were the type of people that was open to the electronic music of those days.”
Vibe
“Did I prepare my set at home? Nope, I never do that. I do listen to all my music very well before using some tracks. But in the end, I always go with the flow and the vibe of the crowd.”
Uncle
“I did have a mentor: my uncle. He guided me while I was taking my first steps on the DJ-path. He wasn’t present during that first gig, but lots of my friends were. They were super happy for me and supported me totally.”
Attention
“As far as I can remember, there was no specific girl at the time whom I wanted to impress. My motivation for playing stemmed completely from my love for the music. On the other hand… when you’re that young and you attract a lot of attention, it’s pretty flattering.”
Comfortable in your skin
“That first gig went great! In hindsight I was very happy about it. The club was full when I played and the people were happy. Of course, I made a few small mistakes, but nothing dramatic went wrong. Everything was just fabulous! What I did learn that first time, is that you perform better when you’re comfortable in your skin.”
“My first performance will always be a treasured memory for me. That positive experience has taught me to build on that. Every single time you perform you learn something new, so it is all a learning curve. Every gig is unique, so the experience is unique, whether it is good, excellent or brilliant! When you do something you love, you give it your 100%.”
