Family members: Steve Wakley (DJ Macaroon)

Meeting members of the Balearic Breakfast Family is always a favourite moment of mine on the blog! Let's chat with Steve (DJ Macaroon) today!

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1) Hi Steve! I am so happy you joined us here on the Balearic Breakfast blog! I wanted to take this opportunity to talk with you about our beloved show and about our commune passion, Music! So tell me, how do you select the songs you request for the show? 

Hi Artur, thanks for having me! I select the requested tracks in different ways in fact! They may be the latest piece of vinyl to come in the post, or a track I’ve heard elsewhere that excites me at that moment, or tracks from the past that I had on CD, or perhaps a song I’d forgotten I had in my digital collection and which I rediscovered recently! Very often I'm surprised as they still sound so fresh and exciting! Hopefully, they fit in with what Colleen has in mind for the show!

I also have an idea of what won’t get played and it’s always worth the effort of making the request more interesting with a bit of personal blurb about what the track means to me.  

It’s an honour and a privilege that over 22 of my requests were played by Colleen since Anga Diaz ‘Love Supreme’ in April 2022!  I’ll gladly admit that getting a shout-out from Colleen and hearing my request played is always a thrill!

2) And do you have a never-ending list of tracks or do you simply go with the flow every Saturday?

I’m always chasing that next musical thrill, that shot of endorphin that comes with finding and then obtaining a new tune, especially if just released on vinyl - I’m a sucker when I see ‘limited stock’ appear on my favourite supplier website (Juno.co.uk - other websites available!). I will buy a digital version if unavailable on vinyl or else added to my Apple Music playlist. I expect most collectors of music do the same, we’re all junkies!  This year I’ve had to cut back on my spending, though my want list grows and grows!

3) A radio host and a DJ, can you take us back to your younger years? 

I grew up with disco and never left. My Dad’s music selection consisted mostly of Elton John, Barry Manilow, some classical and big bands (Count Basie), crooners like Jack Jones, and a few the odd old and worn-out party compilations from his younger married days. We later shared, in my mid-late teens, a love for Abba, Jean-Michel Jarre and Eurythmics. Through my school friend Jo's collection, I discovered other artists like David Bowie, Talking Heads, The Doors, J. J. Cale, Van Morrison, etc.

Then, During University in the late 80s, I went further back in time with Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, and Joni Mitchell, who were big favourites.  I’ll admit that Phil Collins ‘Face Value’ became the go-to album to console myself from yet another broken heart! Ah those big saxophone solos…

Returning home to Bristol in the early '90s I found Purple Penguin Records (now closed, sadly) and so many great compilation CDs - including the very important (to me) ‘Rebirth Of Cool’ series, amongst many others. I’ve been going through my old CD collection recently (resurrected from some dusty corners of my attic), many of which are no longer available on iTunes, rediscovering forgotten albums and tracks, and those songs my wife Alli and I used to sing along to on our many many trips to North Devon when our kids were growing up! I will be doing a show or two with tracks just from this period, so won’t spoil the surprise more than that, laughs!

I later discovered Gilles Peterson, who was and remains a HUGE influence on me.  I discovered SO much through listening to his Radio 6 music shows, and of course the hey-day of Worldwide FM through which I found Colleen, Collin Curtis and Coco Maria. The Covid epidemic and the spontaneous purchase of some old Berlinger decks and mixer resulted in my dipping my toes into the world of vinyl.  This started with seeking out albums by artists that have been featured on the also very influential compilation ’Strange Games and Funky Things’, and a recording of a DJ set by Jazzy B at the Brixton Academy from the early 90s. During Covid, being able to collect, play and stream music via Mixcloud was a life-saver. Although my regular audience was quite limited (usually Alli, my close friend Carolyn and occasionally my son listening in with his mates at Uni, bless him) both Alli and I loved the time to turn up the volume, put on the disco lights and have a good-old dance.   

4) Can you tell us how you work your way through when doing your live shows on Mixcloud?

For my sets at home, I try and play as much vinyl as possible.  I have a growing collection but still quite small compared to many people, so this does limit things.  I much prefer the feel and sound of vinyl, the whole experience in selecting and playing is so much more satisfying.  I also prefer the control being able to quickly select a track from an album if not sure what to play.

The resulting set is then a mix of older vinyl that have great tracks I’ve not played before, new digital music finds that I feel will blend in well and new vinyl hot through the door - more often than not a great dance 12”. Usually, I’m quite spontaneous and the set list is pulled together about 2 hours before the show.

The pattern of the set is often very much the same each week, starting off with something cool, laid back and jazzy, something spiritual and mellow to get the ears working and to warm me up as well as my listeners. The tempo and energy lift as the evening wears on, matching the number of cocktails I have drunk by then (mine’s a Negroni or Margherita, thanks, laughs!), ending with a full-on dance party and trying not to bump into the decks. I’m now adding a few comedown tracks at the end for me and my dear listener to slow the heart, sip the last of the drink, maybe put the kettle on and pop some bread in the toaster. It's always nice to have a few Balearicans join me on the stream, so please come and say hello next time!

5) You have a nice musical flow, very effortless, keeping music vibrant, not trying to mix at any price. Do you feel a DJ should behave differently on radio vs during a live set?

That’s very kind of you to say Artur! A DJ should be creative in their own unique way, there are no rules for either a live set to a crowd or a broadcast show, though what the audiences are looking for are very different.   

I can’t yet beat match vinyl and it’s not that important on a radio show. I like to mix up styles, genres and tempos, whatever I feel inspired with and excited to play in the moment - that’s Gilles Peterson’s influence, as well as Colleen. I have felt constrained to play only what people recognise and can sing and dance to at friend’s parties mostly. That’s of course essential to have a good time, but I prefer an audience that is willing to dance to familiar and unfamiliar music!

6) We all know how much Colleen means to the whole Balearic Family (I did a tribute mix too and it’s clear we love to celebrate her!). There is that lingering question: Why?

Colleen’s history, knowledge and experiences shine through in every show. She's like a bright ray of sunshine. The range of music is always appealing and it's always great to discover new sounds!

The feeling of family in the chat is special, and I love and am honoured that you and a few others (shout out to Anna and Rick) have become regular listeners also to my humble efforts!

7) What’s next for you musically speaking? I heard you may be about to secure your first residency as a DJ at a very local new Japanese music bar. Congratulations! Can you tell us more about it?

Earlier this year the very local ‘Lonely Mouth’ Japanese listening cafe run by the wonderful Liv (The food there is excellent by the way) opened up and Liv called out to local Bristol DJs to come and play, and I jumped at the chance. What's great is that I get to play just about anything I think is good to chill and eat to (all vinyl of course!). I now stream these sets live on MixCloud and record them to allow the staff and customers to listen back to them.  The great feedback I get from customers and staff means a lot to me and helps me connect to the world again after the isolation that I’m sure everyone felt during Covid. 

I am on the fence at the moment about asking to try out at one of the many venues in Bristol. There are SO many DJs in Bristol and it’s hard for me to find the confidence to go out and give it a try. I guess I don’t have the ego to think that enough people will enjoy what I have to offer? Maybe when I’ve grown my vinyl collection? I do need to invest in my digital music collection outside Apple Music, so I can use digital DJ software (that I also need to learn to use) to add to vinyl.  

Through Lonely Mouth I’m meeting more local DJs and am being inspired by how to put sets together, what goes down well, and of course new music discoveries. One day soon… Until then I’ll keep enjoying my sets at Lonely Mouth and my shows from home!

We wish you the best of luck Steve and you can count on our support!