Greg Downey is a name to look out for this year, and with Matt Hardwick predicting that Greg will be the breakthrough DJ of 2008 you'd better pay close attention.

If for some reason you haven't heard of Greg, you should really check when he's next in your area, or tune into his radio show on Digitally Imported. Over the last couple of years he has been steamrolling forward to reach his fans across the world sharing music and producing up a storm.

Some of his recent productions include his banging remix of Bedrock's 'Heaven Scent' that made rounds across the globe in 2007, topping charts along the way and more recently his track 'Once Again' on Discover Records.

DanceNode had a chance to catch up with Greg while he was in Australia back in February for the Airpot Tour presented by Pharmacy to chat about the tour and what we can expect from him this year.

Hi Greg, Thanks for taking the time to speak with DanceNode. How have you been enjoying your time in Australia?

My stay has been great so far and all the crowds that I've played to in Brisbane and I've played in Melbourne those are the two places to date and both places have been really good. I'm going to play at Home in Sydney on the weekend then I'm going off to play in Auckland after that so I'm looking forward to all the gigs.

You're spending a week in Australia for the Airport Tour over two weekends does this kind of gap happen often ? 

No, this is actually the first time I've done this usually when I'm playing in a country its usually out for weekend then back in the UK for monday *laughs* this is the first time I've been away for so long.

Have you had a chance to relax or has it been go go go ? 

Well I have been relaxing for the last few of days, I went to see one of my friends that lives in Sydney and went surfing yesterday. I've been pretty much taking it easy and having a look around not really going too crazy.

When I spoke to you on Friday Night you were edging to get on decks, are you always ready and waiting or do you Like to sit and chat with the punters ? 

Yeah well I like chatting to people, but I always want to get on the decks *laughs* I love DJ'ing and I always want to play for as long as possible, that's what I'm all about.

You closed the night out on that occasion, is that your preferred time slot?

It depends, sometimes I like playing late, and other times I like to play in the middle of the night. It doesn't really matter so long as there is a crowd there. I don't really do warm up sets, it's usually middle of the night or closer to later in the night because I play a more sort of driving trance and a lot of dj's play a bit softer than me so that's why I usually end up playing that bit later.

Apart from home, which has been your favorite city to visit?
 
Let me see, I like Shang Hai its a really nice place, I like going to china. I like vancouver its really nice too over in canada, they'd have to be my two favorites.

I've been following you online for a quite a while and I've seen you get more and more international recognition. Was it this recognition that helped you decide to become a full time DJ & producer ?

I've wanted to be a full time DJ and producer for years, thats been my aim. It's just been a constant working process I've just been working hard for a long long time and its really only been in say the last 12 to 18 months where I've been getting a lot more recognised abroad which is great that so means everything is coming together and all the hard work is starting, well is really paying off now.  Im just gonna keep building and keep making my tracks and playing gigs and just doing my best and hopefully it'll continue the way its been going.

Do you have any advice for the bedroom/internet DJ that is trying to get noticed ?

The best advice I can say to anyone, well there is a few things, try and be original, try and have your own sound, don't try and copy everybody else, because there is so many DJ's out there now you really have to be offering something that stands out. You also need to produce music if you're not producing music now days then you just will not get dj gigs, so production is so important so get producing. and the other thing is, don't give up if want something and you've got a talent, just don't give up.

I noticed you've got a Apple laptop, what makes up your studio gear ?

My studio is all run by an Apple Mac, so I've got an Apple Mac desktop computer and I've got a laptop for when I'm on the road. When I'm DJing I use a program called Serrato, its not the same as Ableton, Ableton you're sort of mixing from the laptop so to speak but with Serrato I'm using the CDJ's exactly the same, so  all it really is is for storing my music when I'm DJing cause it means I can still DJ exactly the same but it means I've got everything organized and with me on my laptop.  

It also means you won't loose your CD wallet either.

Well exactly oh jeez if I lost my laptop it would be worse, but I've got it all backed up just in case.

What can we expect from you this year production and DJ wise ?

Well this year I've got two new tracks that are just about to come out on Vandit one is called Stadium and the other is called Alpha, Paul Van Dyk signed those which is good news. I've got a remix coming out on Armada (Armin's label) which is a vocal thing, its called 'Please Don't Go' so keep an eye out for that. I've got a techy single called Grade A coming out on Discovered Dark in a few months time and I'm working on a new Discover single for the summer. I'm trying to put together my first vocal track as well this year, so I'm just gonna keep working away in the studio. And then gigs, I've just got my USA visa so me and my management are working hard on USA gigs and just basically other gigs around the world. I'm gonna to be going to Argentina, I think I'm going to India, I'm going to Indonesia, sometime in Jakarta, Bali. I've got lots of gigs around the world and stuff so its just gonna be continually building my UK and international profile and working hard on making my tracks.

Of late, a lot of producers are starting up their own labels or joining a larger label conglomerates, do you see yourself doing something like this?

Yes I'm definitely going to be starting my own label I don't think its going to be in 2008, but its already in the process, I have the name for it, I have the idea for it and hopefully I'll have the music for it. It's just timing, I mean I don't need to be starting a label right now because I have lots of other news and lots of other things that I'm doing. I want to start my own label when the time is just right so I can really make a big deal of it, it'll be in the next year or two.   

Finally, name something you always have with you when you travel?

Something I always travel with ?  My laptop I couldn't go anywhere without it, either my laptop or my ipod, I couldn't live without them but especially my laptop cause its for everything.

What kind of tunes do you have on your Ipod thats not dance music related?
 
Hmm nothing actually I listen to lots of different types of dance music all the time, I just don't know oh actually I've got some Guns N Roses so I listen to all the old Guns N Roses stuff, thats about it really it's mostly dance music unfortunately.

Thanks for taking the time to have a chat with us.

No problem, you're welcome.