DJ Philip Traikos - Educating with Music

DJ Philip Traikos has a story like many others. He came to visit his dear friend for a couple of weeks vacation but fell in love with the island. So, he ‘accidently on purpose’ missed his plane back to Europe and is now busy arranging his way to stay here…

Philip, can you explain what attracted you to Phangan?
Because of how I found people here, I see smiles on every face, people are so kind, so different with no stress and no agro.

So tell us how you began djing 25 years ago?
It was early in the beginning of the electronic music scene and at that time Belgium was really on top!

I was really lucky as when I was 14 or 15 years old I met my best friend who produced records and he was a big hit throughout Europe. He gave me the chance to make my own record and so I produced one and this went on to be a double gold record with me and my friend.

So this is what started my career internationally, I already was doing Belgium but with this big hit I went to most european countries like Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, UK, etc... and outside europe from USA to Hong Kong. I played most of the major clubs in Europe and the very first rave parties. I had the great honour to share line ups with DJs such as Carl Cox and Sven Vath aswell as many other international DJs.

What style of music was it back then?
At that time it was early House, Acid House and New Beat was typical in Belgium stuff, it’s good for a specific audience but not for all. I was mostly playing New Beat myself.

What got you interested in music initially?
I just love to share emotions with people. I started djing at the first ‘after club’ in Belgium, the opening was at 5am and I would finish sometimes 12 hours later, me playing alone, so it’s a very long trip, you have to catch people and make them trip with you.

You couldn’t just do all the same single beat and change rhythms, you had to make some transitions, quite different from today. Now DJs come for sets of one or two hours but I don’t think you can tell stories in this time, I like to tell a story and take people on a journey.

What style do you play now?
I can adapt myself to all kinds, mostly electronic apart from EDM! I play Deep House, Techno, Progressive, Tech House and Minimal.

I just want to play quality stuff, no matter what kind, I listen to all kinds of music but in all music you have good and bad.

What do you think of the music on Koh Phangan?
I have just been here for one month so far so I have not experienced everything yet but I just love the Jungle Experience, concerning the music that was the best place I have visited.

Something like Full Moon is world famous but it was a big deception, it’s just many people on beach and each bar wants to just want to play louder. I also like the music at Loi Lay.

Where has been the best place you’ve played?
I cannot answer this question I will make people jealous! Ha-ha.

Ok, any gigs that really stand out in your memory?
One place would be ‘Boccaccio Life International’ in Belgium. It was the first major Techno club, a mega temple, a temple of House.

There were ten thousand people weekly in that club but I have also played major rave parties, gay pride in France with half a million people.

No matter how many people there are sometimes I have more fun in small clubs with 200 people than in some big clubs where I don’t catch the vibes.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Until now honestly the weather has not been on my side Haha but I help my friend working in his shop for the opening and go to secret beach, that was a really lovely place.

Leave us with your music philosophy…
For several years my philosophy was to ‘educate people’ in Belgium, although I don’t like the word ‘educate’.

Nowadays in most clubs people come to the DJ and ask them to play songs, songs you hear in other clubs etc, big hits that are played everywhere and I’m not with this philosophy.

I’m out to give new sounds, new vibes and feelings but the last few years been difficult as lots of people in major cities around the world want big hits which I don’t like. I prefer something new and fresh, if it becomes a big hit then I stop to play it.