Planet Notion - Babycream DJ competition a success

25/07/2007

The final of this year’s Babycream’s DJ competition was an exciting one, with sets from highly skilled contestants that ranged from straight up techno to classic house. After much deliberation from the Liverpool judges, a clear winner emerged in the form of Cler ‘The Rabbit Catcher’ Lever. PlanetNotion.com was granted with the privilege of her very first interview as we predict great things to come from her new Friday night take over at Babycream...

Congratulations on winning Babycream’s DJ competition! Good on you girl! What’s coming up next for you?

Cler: Well I've started my weekly residency at Babycream, which is really exciting and I’m getting the opportunity to make the night my own. I've also got other gigs lined up - including Cream later this year.

You go by the name The Rabbit Catcher… is there a story behind that?

Ha ha! Yeah, there's a long drunken story behind that. I was at an after-party one night and got into a long-winded conversation about names and family history, randomly. I remember my Dad years ago telling me that our name Lever came from France and meant ‘hare catcher’. I'd mentioned this to Danny Woods - a great DJ in Liverpool and all round local legend - who turned to me and shouted “Cler the Rabbit Catcher! That’s now your DJ name!” and it stuck.

You played Gossip and Daft Punk in your winning set. Do you think the job of a DJ is to play tunes that people know and love or to educate people about new stuff?

I've never thought it was the job of a DJ to educate. Who goes clubbing with the intention to learn? I think that musical education can be the result of a night out, but should never be the goal. I play a lot of obscure music as well as a lot of commercial tunes. However, I never play something because I think I should or with the hope it'll get people thinking. I play stuff that I want to dance to at that moment in time, regardless of what it is or how it will be perceived.

What do you think made the judges like your set?

To be honest I have no idea. I wouldn't even hazard a guess. I think that everyone that played that night did really well and I enjoyed all of the sets. I know why I like my sets, but it would be very arrogant of me to say why other people like them. I'm just glad that they do.

Did you have your set planned for a while or did you just go with the moment?

I planned a set that night for the sole reason I knew how nervous I was going to be. I never plan more than the first few tunes in but I thought on this occasion it was better to be safe than sorry.

Dance music has always been quite a male dominated industry. Do you feel that being a female DJ is still novelty to some people?

I don't think it's a novelty as much as it used to be. There have been occasions where I've had to fight against misconceptions and been asked to play all female line ups, but they have been few and far between. With great female DJs out there like Annie Nightingale, Jo Mills, Lottie, Miss Kitten and Tania Volcano, anyone that thought women couldn't DJ as well as men would be a fool. I've seen all the above DJ's give any bloke on the same bill a run for their money.

What do you do when you’re not DJing? Have you DJed at many other club nights?

When I'm not Djing, I’m working, promoting or sleeping - the job is relentless! I like to spend all my free time with my friends and the people that I love.

Your set was quite ‘housey’, which fits in with Cream’s traditional music policy. Have you always been into house or are there any other types of music you like to experiment with?

I've been into house since the first club night I ever went to, which happened to be Cream! I appreciate a lot of other genres, for example breaks, drum and bass etc, but I love house music miles above them all.

Where do you find most of your music?

I actually find most of my music through my friends and the people that are around me. My friends love music as much as I do and are always coming to me with new things to hear. Other than that, I listen to a lot of music through the Internet and local record shops on a regular basis.

Do you go out clubbing often? Where is your favourite club and why do you rate it so highly?

I go out clubbing every week. I couldn't be a DJ if I wasn't a clubber! My favourite clubs are Cream and Chibuku (Shake Shake). Cream because I've been going since I started clubbing and have always had an amazing night and Chibuku because of its diversity of top quality music.

Part of your prize is a set at Cream. This must be really exciting! Have you given much thought to the tunes and style you’ll be playing?

Not really, whatever I play it'll be my style - I can't really escape that. As for the tunes, it'll be what I enjoy listening to at that moment in time. It's impossible to plan what you're gonna play at a gig in the future, it's as easy as deciding what you would have for dinner in two months time.

Last year’s winners Cassette Jam have gone onto great things (touring the world, Ibiza, residencies etc) - Where would you like to be this time next year?

I'd like to be where they are. I really respect everything they've done in the past year and I hope I can do the same. Any advice lads, I'd greatly appreciate it ;-)

Catch Cler ‘The Rabbit Catcher’ Lever at Liverpool’s Babycream every Friday.
www.babycream.co.uk