Some Words with Lee Osborne

We had the chance to talk with Lee Osborne about his music, his ‘The Gallery’ residency and his plans for 2014! Enjoy reading! 😉
 
TranceAttack: The start of 2014 has been very promising for you with your releases “Rise” and “End Of The Line”. What can we expect from you in the upcoming months after such a great start?
Lee Osborne: I’ve literally got about 8 new tracks signed and ready for release over the next few months and more forthcoming. It’s all quite diverse material as well, from big vocal trance tracks with Roxanne Emery to the more forward thinking big room stuff at 138 BPM. I will be releasing most of this material on a label who I would consider one of the biggest in the game, so it is very exciting times!
 
TranceAttack: Are there any ideas for an album?
Lee Osborne: There are, but not for a while as personally I can’t see the album being completed until the end of next year. I want it to really represent and be something different from the norm, there will be some exciting collaborations as well!
 
TranceAttack: As well as your hectic production schedule, you are resident for one of the most famous club promotions in the UK (and even Europe for the matter!), ‘The Gallery’. What do you prefer – being in the studio or playing out?
Lee Osborne: My production output is far higher than most DJs. Over the past few years I’ve put out over 100 tracks on some of the leading imprints worldwide such as In Charge, High Contrast, Armada, Garuda, Monster, Lange and many more, but I always feel more at home when I am behind the decks, especially with such a wicked residency to road test new material. That’s where it all started for me and that’s where all of us all wanted to be when we began!
 
TranceAttack: What other gigs do you have aside from your ‘The Gallery’ residency forthcoming?
Lee Osborne: As well as playing at Ministry Of Sound, I am also the International Tour resident for the Gallery so that keeps me busy away from London. I’m looking forward to hitting the US again and Europe, there are also numerous gigs around the UK forthcoming, just last month I played in Birmingham and Eastleigh.
 
TranceAttack: The sets you are playing as resident at ‘The Gallery’ are normally far longer than the sets of guest DJs. What is your preferred length of a set when you play?
Lee Osborne: I’ve played warm up for Paul Oakenfold, main set after Dash Berlin, fillers between W&W and Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren and more…there isn’t anywhere in the world that gives you the ability to play along the biggest artists in the World week in week out, as a DJ you grow every week. I’d say the length of the set really isn’t that important but you have to put a lot of work into what you are doing when constructing the set. Each week is different and more exciting than the last. My personal preference as a DJ is to be pushed and to jump in the deep end as they say.

TranceAttack: With DJ equipment that has evolved greatly over the last few decades, what is your preferred set up to spin with? Do you prefer using CDJs or a USB Stick?
Lee Osborne: I haven’t played from CDs for 4 years, high quality USB gives me the ability to take a track out of the studio from mastering straight to the best sound system in the business without having to wait for the CDs to burn! As a resident I never fully pre plan a set like most do, as I have to come armed with the ability to read the crowd and do something different to the guests each week.
 
TranceAttack: The biggest rise of the EDM scene is happening in the USA. What do you think of this development?
Lee Osborne: America is the biggest market that’s a fact and it started with the under 21 raves with Spundae and so on. When you operate in a market which is so huge it’s like trying to turn around a super tanker, once a trend starts it needs to manoeuvre around this massive state. I’d say The UK and especially London is the heart of dance music and obviously not just trance. Music here, moves quickly like a speed boat, it ebs and flows with creativity that leads the scene and moves it forward. And EDM wasn’t born in America it was born in Europe, America just had the stage to make it grow on a massive scale. Remember EDM mean Electronic Dance Music and we’ve been making that for over 40 years.
 
TranceAttack: There are a lot movements in music which focus back on the roots of the trance scene – like Solarstone’s “Pure Trance” or Armin van Buuren’s “Who’s Afraid of 138!?”. What do you think of these movements?
Lee Osborne: The good thing about music is undoubtedly creativity, the unstoppable pursuit of the new and sometimes the nostalgic. Music is here to make people feel something and affects every one in different ways, some seek nostalgia and others seek change, both have their good side!
 
TranceAttack: What is your opinion on the future of EDM?
Lee Osborne: It’s ever evolving and progressive. EDM doesn’t mean one style of music it’s the whole scene in general. It will never stand still.
 
TranceAttack: Thanks for the interview and we wish you all the best for the future!
 
Connect with Lee Osborne:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeOsborneMusic
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/leeosborne81