In a career that spans several decades, Lee Burridge has developed a distinct and eclectic style that fills in the space between techno, house, and breakbeat. His unique sound and skills on the decks have made him one of the most respected veterans on the international DJ circuit.

Lee earned his first taste of success in Southeast Asia during the 90's. Realizing that the DJ scene had become overcrowded in his native England, Burridge moved to Hong Kong in 1991 to hone his craft and find a new audience. He quickly became one of the most popular DJ's there and also held a few legendary sessions at the Full Moon Parties of Ko Phangan in Thailand. Lee found his way back to the UK in 1999 and started a famous residency at the London super club Fabric with Craig Richards. The duo became known as Tyrant and released several mix CD's that showcased their signature sound.
In recent years, Lee has become a fixture at San Francisco's Love Fest, where his style has been well received by the City's free spirited and open-minded dance community. Metrowize managed to catch up with Lee before the non-stop mayhem of this year's festivities.

Metrowize: When did you first start DJing and how did you discover and get involved with electronic dance music?

Lee: It's been forever. I first played vinyl (7" vinyl!!!) back in 84. My father owed a bar and wanted some cheap labour so he cajoled me into being the entertainment. I'm very thankful he did. It's somewhat depressing to have been playing longer than some of the new DJ's have been alive but hey, someone has to be the dinosaur I suppose. I was playing 80's music in a club back in 87 when someone mentioned that people were dancing in fields all night on the outskirts of London (I was living in a super small boring village at the time in the countryside). It was to something called acid house. It peaked my interest. I went to see what it was all about and have never looked back.

MW: You've become a regular at San Francisco's LoveFest and have played here many times over the years. What do you like about playing in SF? How does the dance scene here compare to other cities in North America?

Lee: I love San Francisco. It's got so much going on right now. The underground scene is awesome. The local DJ's are fantastic and I feel it really does have the potential to become the Berlin of America. Everyone is looking to Berlin still but it feels to me there needs to be something new. I think with a little work and encouragement that it could also become an electronic music Mecca as Berlin has. I'm staying here right now (until the end of November) but am working on coming back here full time. This is such a creative city. Obviously there are good producers and DJ's here right already but I want to help encourage more and more of them to move here and build on an already rock solid foundation. There needs to be a load more music coming out of the city and inspiring others to want to be a part of it. I guess in answer to the actual question I love the creativity and the way people think about things here. There's a really great vibe here in a lot of different forms.

MW: Describe the Get Weird parties for me. What sort of vibe are you aiming for musically? Are these parties going to be semi-regular throughout the year?

Lee: I hope to throw Get weird parties every few months when I move back here next year but I don't really have a rigid plan. I want to do them in all sorts of venues and some outdoor events. The music itself doesn't really have any walls. It's not really anything in particular but words such as wonky, wobbly, trippy, hypnotic, techy, minimal, techno and bouncy would go some way to describing what you might here during the night. The name and the idea really refers more to a state of mind I hope people will adopt. I'm a real fan of burning man and love the effort people put in. The first event we did out at the compound had an amazing response in regards to the effort people made. Almost everyone dressed up or brought a weird prop which was fun. Even if they didn't I think people got into it vicariously. It was a really special night. I love the fact we also had Nikita, Mike Khoury and Hac Le play all of which did a fantastic job. The next event is going to be Halloween weekend. I think we are aiming to do a Saturday night party with a sort of freakshow/carnivale theme and then an after-hours during the day Sunday (as it's also my 40th birthday. Ouch!).

MW: What are some of your favourite cities/clubs to play in?

Lee: Outside of San Francisco I have a bunch. I always say Kristal and La Mania and Kudos in Romania. It's always amazing there. Buenos Aires is great. London @ fabric, New York, Hardpop which is in Juarez, Mexico ...the list is endless!

MW: Have you been playing out with any DJ software programs like Traktor or Serato or are you keeping your sets mostly vinyl based? What's your opinion of the digital DJ trend?

Lee: I still prefer to play vinyl. It's a familiarity thing really but I feel it more. I really do think it has a warmer sound to it. I find digital ( at this point I must add that I do play some CD's) to be a little more harsh. I love playing records and think I play far differently than if I'd play off a computer or only with CD's. I personally find reading a list of names on a screen rather uninspiring. Looking through hundreds of identical CD's with Sharpie written words all over them the same. I've always identified my records through the sleeves and all the crap I write all over the front. If I buy twenty new records and all there are are titles on a screen I don't always remember which one was which. That fucks with the flow of my set. I'm playing music I'm unsure of.. The visual prompt of the sleeve makes adds to each records individuality. At the end of the days though it's much of a muchness for the person dancing. The music is either good or bad. They like it or they don't. The DJ plays well or doesn't. I love great sound but not all clubs have that and everything just sounds loud. I think I might try out Traktor soon as I'd actually like to add something new to what I do already and it seems like something that I could run effects off of.

MW: Do you have any upcoming productions or mix CD projects?

Lee: I'm currently chatting with a few companies regarding a new mix comp and have been in the studio a little with a friend of mine called Tim Green (TG). I'll be releasing some new music next year for sure. I think my next release is entitled ' Finders Keepers Losers Weepers'.

MW: Describe your creative process in compiling mixes or composing. How long does it typically take you to put a mix CD together? What kinds of gear are you using in the studio?

Lee: I have always mixed my CD's live. I spend a month or two working out what fits with what and whether or not the flow is right and then make as many attempts as it takes to get it as near perfect as I can. These days you can cheat a little though and add stuff later or sort out issues with Ableton. I tend to do the mix and if it isn't that great I'll stop and do it over then edit the whole thing back together later. I put a bunch of different loops, sounds and effects under certain parts of my last mix (Balance). It's a little more subliminal and you might not ever notice some of the stuff unless you listen to the mix a few hundred times. I pulled out certain parts and sounds from tracks and put them in other places on the three discs. It sort of brings the whole thing together and gives it continuity. I always mix my CD's through my Allen and Heath V6 as it sounds so phat. The mixer has filters and I have some other EQ's racks to drop the bass out and do the other usual fiddly twiddly bits DJ's do!. As for the studio, predominantly I'm a DJ not a musician. I always work with other people as it would take me a decade to write a tracks alone.( I've actually just described most DJ's there!) I'm better at idea's and direction. You drive, I'll read the map is my philosophy!

MW: You've always had an eclectic style and you must own a shitload of records. How has your style evolved over the years?

Lee: I own some horrible trance records from the 90's that I used to play on the beaches of Thailand (they were great at the time though!) but my sound has really gone through all sorts of twists and turns. I always looked for the music no one else was playing. That is a little more difficult these days as everything is so available. When you play a record in a club someone can ask the name and most times it will be available download it as soon as they get home. Anyway I've played all sorts of house, techno, progressive, breakbeat and will continue to if I think it sounds good.

MW: What are some of your musical influences?

Lee: Dead can dance, Phillip Glass, Bette Middler, Ryan Seacrest, Bill Lazwel, Color me Bad, Bel Biv Devoe, Spagna, The Orb, Adrian Sherwood, Mozart and Dolly Parton.