Behind the decks: Meet the DJs from Brookes’ best nights

Your night out wouldn’t be the same without these music maestros, but how well do you really know the people behind the decks? We spoke to some of Brookes’ best loved DJs to find out what they’re really all about.

Dom Booth: Fuzzy Ducks

What kind of music do you play?

It really depends on the gig. I try to play as diverse as I possibly can, I think it keeps everyone more interested. However, my preference is underground house music.

How did you get started?

When I was studying at Brookes I would try and play at pretty much every house party that was on. Eventually, a promoter offered me a set at Emporium (Camera at the time) and from there I met one of the head honchos of Fuzzy Ducks, who offered me a weekly residency with him. We still play b2b every week at Fuzz.

What is the best part of your job?

Being a resident DJ for brands like Fuzzy Ducks has landed me two unforgettable holidays. I was lucky enough to fly out to the Alps last year where I played at Rise Festival. I had a little residency at the Umbrella Bar out there, which was a popular après ski spot.  I also played at El Dorado this past summer under the Lost In the Zoo brand, which entitled us to a free ticket to go and watch Craig David and the rest of the headliners.

Has it ever all gone Pete Tong?

I think the biggest shocker was at Bournemouth 7s. We had a dodgy mixer that kept cutting out, every time we called the tech team to come and take a look, it decided to work flawlessly. We had to rely on the crowd to finish off the lyrics of the song each time it cut out.

Favourite club?

It was Warehouse before it sadly closed down (quite a worryingly growing trend at the moment…) I was one of the residents for KANDY and I think a lot of people miss it. Everyone wanted to be in that DJ box, sometimes it felt like it was even busier than the dance floor in there!

Ollie East: JTs, PT, Wahoo, Lola Lo

Weirdest thing that has happened while you are working?

Once a girl stripped for a tenner. I don’t know if it was weird but once a guy sat on a chair passed out and fell forward and knocked his teeth out.

How did you get started? 

I worked for a club on a Monday handing out flyers.  I said to the manager that I had headphones and liked music and he gave me the dead nights at the club and it went from there. I’ve been a DJ for nine years now.

Favourite club in Oxford?

Junction before it was Warehouse

What is the best part of your job? 

Making people happy, making people dance.

Has anything ever gone Pete Tong?

I got booked to DJ at Brookes Students’ Union, Pleasure Dome, and no one turned up but the promoters still paid me.  I played for two hours before they told me to stop and go home.

Chris ‘I can’t live without Brookes’ Dukes: Wahoo, Atik and Lola’s

How long have you DJ’d for?

Do you want the truth?…30 years.

Favourite event? 

Fuzzies.  You can’t beat Fuzz, I love it so much I’d pay to work it.

Fave club?

Wahoo, it’s a part of my life.

Weirdest thing that has happened while you’ve been working? 

I had a couple kissing from start of the night to the end of the event taking the mick right in front of the decks.  Another time the club opened and within ten minutes the security guard found a couple doing oral in the loos.

What music and what style do you play? 

Across the board from cheese to classics… anthems, anything you can think of. I use the mic a lot, generate the crowd into an explosive atmosphere.

A bit about yourself? 

I’m old, Greek and from London.

Has anything ever gone completely wrong?

One time at Wahoo, the equipment completely shut down and I started a footie chant, everyone joined in while fixing it was great, everyone was singing non-stop.

Jake Harris: Cellar, O2, Emporium

What music do you play? 

I play quite underground stuff at some nights and then really commercial stuff at nights like Fishies, so a mix.

What is the weirdest thing that has happened during a set?

I ran to the toilet quickly mid-set at Emporium and came back to a girl passed out in the DJ booth.

How did you get started?

I’d liked the idea of DJing for a while, bought some decks just before starting uni and started out just playing in my room and at house parties. I’ve been properly doing it now for two years.

Favourite club?

Bullingdon or Cellar for the atmosphere you get at some nights.

Dream place to work?

I’d love to play a set in, Motion, Ministry, Fabric (don’t think that one will ever happen).