M&A #10: William Gore

William Gore is no stranger to improvising in front of a packed room. His early appearances on the Cambridge music scene came as a rapper, freestyling at Hip Hop Soc Exhibition Nights, but after serving on the HHSoc committee he moved from spitting bars to spinning records. He has taken the controls at Rudie and last term’s Hip Hop Exhibition Night After Party, while showing off both his DJing and spitting ability at the Hip Hop jams in Catz bar. William is clearly someone who has music flowing through his veins, and here he delivers a dynamic, unabashed hour of hip hop, techno and house bangers.

How did you record the mix?

I used a Numark Party Mix DJ controller and Virtual DJ (and used Audacity to correct a technical hiccup near the beginning).

What were you trying to do with it?

Just wanted to record something fun. Obviously, it’s a bit of a stressful period at the moment and I’ve been listening to a lot of dramatic and/or over the top 90s-00s house, so I thought I’d bring in some of that high energy fun sound. Wanted to do a mix that didn’t take itself too seriously (and hopefully would lighten the mood when you’re listening/dancing to it!).

You feature a really wide range of music, with 29 tracks spanning Mariah Carey to HDMIRROR. How would you describe your music taste? Has it changed or grown since you took up DJing? Is there a constant that you look out for in listening to new music?

I go through phases with music where I’m very into a certain sound. I think when I was younger the phases lasted longer, but over time, and especially from when I had a show on Cam FM and more recently started DJing, the phases switch super quickly. I think in terms of mixes; I like when DJs reference familiar songs or styles and then take it somewhere else in really interesting ways. When I’m looking for music, I think I’m often listening for something that’s good to dance to, but also kind of unexpected. This means I end up downloading a lot of Jersey club remixes and music that sounds like video games or anime themes – most of which I never end up using. More recently I’ve been very into disco, and before that afro-house, which I think has been nuancing my ear a bit, but this mix was definitely a return to being all over the place. Was especially excited to try and mix in a little bit of metal/punk near the end because, before uni and before I started DJing, moshing around my room was my go-to way to relieve stress.

I’ve found that a lot of this stuff isn’t on Spotify, where do you do your digging?

I used to have a music show on Cam FM called Sainsbury’s Basics which had a different theme each week (like ‘An Hour of Morrissey Covers’ or ‘Hip Hop Songs about Vegetables’). To get an hour’s worth of music in quite a short time I’d trawl through YouTube and Soundcloud, clicking on music I liked and then opening all the related tracks in loads of tabs. I still basically do that for DJ mixes but maybe with slightly less urgency. I get older music from YouTube algorithms, and newer music from Soundcloud, and then artists I know better I might pick up a song from an album I listened to on Spotify. Most of the time that means that I don’t really know much about any of my music except for the one track I use!

You’ve previously been a very involved with Hip Hop Soc, which is undoubtedly one of the most loved societies in Cambridge. You used to perform there, but not so much anymore. Could you talk us through that switch, from rapping to DJing? Do you think they fill a similar space in your life, with the opportunity for off the cuff improvisation, or do they do something different for you?

Yeah, I think they’re quite similar. I enjoyed freestyling because I like improvising and seeing/hearing people improvise. I got a bit bored of my voice, accent and what I had to say, and I’m not a big fan of writing lyrics, so I thought I’d try out DJing. I like how when you DJ, you’re kind of performing but you’re kind of not, and how people aren’t really there to see you, it’s more like you’re working with them to make an amazing night. Dancing is my favourite thing to do and I love being in an atmosphere where people are working together to make spaces where everyone can be comfortable, free and have fun.

The arrival of a Hip Hop Soc After Party brought a new flavour to student-run Cambridge night life. Do you think that kind of thing has been missing up to now? Do you see CUHHS growing further in the future?

I hope so! I think the committee this year has been really amazing and put on really great events which have given students opportunities to get together and explore their creativity. Without Rudie and CUHHS, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity or confidence to try out DJing in front of people, and I think the work that groups like Playtime, CUHHS and Women In Media have been doing this year to broaden access, safety and inclusion behind the decks and on the dancefloor is super important. Also, the nights are just awesome. The more student-run nights the better!

I couldn’t go the whole interview without mentioning the Mortal Kombat Theme Song. An arguably unconventional selection, but also a great trance tune when heard in this context. How did that find its way in?

I used to love Mortal Kombat so much. When I was really young, I accidentally watched the film in Nigeria because it was recorded over an old Barney VHS. After that, I was always pestering my cousins to let me play Mortal Kombat Deception on the PS2. The films are so bad but in that really good way – like if you type into YouTube ‘Worst Line Ever’ one of the first things that comes up is a scene from Mortal Kombat 2 – and the games are very nostalgic for me. I also noticed that there ended up being an accidental recurring theme in the mix of songs related to fighting and feelings, so it kind of fit that. If it’s not too tacky, I would love to drop more theme tunes into DJ mixes in the future (like maybe ‘Kaneda’s Theme’ from Akira or something dramatic from Street Fighter).

What is your musical guilty pleasure?

I listen to the Steven Universe soundtrack a lot.

What is the last song you listened to?

‘And He Shall Purify’ by Tramaine Hawkins

Who is your favourite producer/performer at the moment?

Rico Nasty!

What is your go to tune to bring a party up/banger?

Booo! – Sticky, Miss Dynamite

What was the best party you’ve played?

CUHHS Afterparty.

What have you got planned for the future?

Graduate, keep messing around with music and hopefully get more opportunities to play!

William’s track list:

00:00 Fantasy - Mariah Carey

2:30 Outside! - Vince Staples

4:15 Hardcore Vibes (XXX DJ Team Edit) - XXX Tuning Club

5:30 Man to Man - Dorian Electra

8:00 Thousands - RYKT

10:00 Enjoy the Silence (Hands and Feet Mix) - Depeche Mode

11:45 If Madonna Calls (X Beat Mix) - Junior Vasquez

15:00 Golem (Zutzut Remix) - 33EMYBW

16:00 Pull Up (Mina Remix) - Afro B

17:00 Blow Ya Mind (Club Caviar Remix) - Lock ‘N Load

19:30 Costa Del Rush - Tommy Holohan

21:45 Sento no bico da glock (King Doudou Remix) - MC Lucy

24:10 Oh Sheila - Ready For The World

26:40 1999 (Easyfun Remix) - Charli XCX & Troye Sivan

28:30 Running in the 90s - Max Coveri

30:50 OVERHEAT BOOTLEG - FALSEBOI

31:30 Jump - TAYE//PAL

32:30 Speakers R-4 - RP Boo

33:45 Mama Dey Party (Prod. Mina) - Bryte

34:50 CHORAL (feat. AAMOUROCEAN) - HDMIRROR

36:50 I, Me, Mine - Godflesh

38:55 Techno Syndrome - The Immortals [Mortal Kombat Theme Song]

41:00 The Weekend (Extended Version) - Michael Gray

42:45 Big Ole Freak - Megan Thee Stallion

45:35 Zero Degrees - Matt Ox

47:15 No games (Serani remix zouk kizomba 2013) - Fidinho

49:15 RECONSIDERATION - DJ Delish

50:10 Dembow - Joey Montano

52:15 Solo (feat. Don Sinini) - Mina

55:10 swae lee nvrland Carol Edit.wav - nevrland