‘I DO A LOT OF NERDY STUFF THAT PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT'
networking phenomenon. Having tried a move to London only to return with his tail between his legs it was looking like stacking lettuces might be all that life was willing to offer until he unknowingly added someone from EMl to his friends list.
‘I sort of gave up towards the end. All my friends had finished uni and were getting proper jobs. and l was still arsing about on tills. It just sort of happened at a strange time when I‘d half given up and wasn’t really making music anymore. suddenly everyone started getting interested.‘
This sudden interest has enticed him back to the big smoke but you no sooner utter its name and he‘s straight down your throat with ‘l..ondon‘s rubbish. I hate it. I‘ve lived here for maybe three weeks now and I‘m actually hating every minute. I can‘t wait to get back. It‘s not so much Dumfries that I miss. but I'm naturally quite socially awkward so London's probably not the best place for me. being a very densely populated city. Also I like fields and there aren't many of those around here.‘
By now you might guess that while the young man is undoubtedly delighted to have found such recognition for his music he is under no illusions. his patented fly-eye spectacles aren't rose tinted. When pressed on his work with Kylie Minogue he is similarly demure.
'lt's very boring A&R stuff.’ he says. 'Basically her A&R dude heard my demo Cl) and got me to remix an All Saints single as sott of a test. Two weeks later I was sat there writing songs with Kylie. It was all very strange.‘
Word of this working relationship would then lead the Nmrs oft/w llbr/(I to claim a rather more intimate connection. ‘Yeah it was well funny. This was just the funniest thing that had ever happened to me in my life.‘
Though Harris is unanimously tipped for greatness. when questioned about his future. he is happier to focus on the job in hand. ‘When I wasn‘t looking I was booked for all these gigs. so I‘ve got to get them out of the way and then I can get back to doing what I enjoy most. which is sitting on my own. not speaking to anyone and making music.‘ But does he feel any pressure as the world anticipates his next move‘.’ Not likely.
‘l've already done a good album. I don’t feel any pressure at all. If people think I've suddenly gone shit it’s probably because I have. so I've only got myself to blame. If they're still comparing me to Mylo then I can just do what he did and do nothing else after one album. which is absolutely disgraceful. If he‘s going to be the benchmark then there‘s even less pressure. I don’t have to do anything. I can just go and do 1)] sets for four years.‘
Calvin Harris plays the King Tut’s Tent, Sat 7 Jul
Pl Jun -:'5 .Jul 200/ THE LIST 13