From Rugby to Raves: How James Haskell's Mentorship With Mark Knight Led to "Go Deep"

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It could sound far-fetched for rugged rugby gamers to swap scrums for turntables, however former England player-turned-DJ, James Haskell, says that is precisely what occurred when he started studying the craft of DJing 11 years in the past.

Haskell, together with different rugby gamers in New Zealand, would alchemize their post-match adrenaline into energetic DJ units, selecting up new expertise and that in the end gave him the boldness to land gigs.

Haskell’s profession as a global rugby participant is now over, however his calling on the earth of digital music continues to choose up pace. He has carried out throughout the globe from Dubai to Ibiza and continues to host his personal radio present and podcast about DJing.

Haskell has now joined forces with Mark Knight, the influential Toolroom Information boss and recipient of the 2024 EDMA Icon Award, for his first launch on the label, “Go Deep.” Mixing groove with grit, the home monitor is primed to warmth up any dancefloor, as vocals by Chicago home music legend Gene Farris carry a soulful invitation to bounce the evening away.

EDM.com caught up with Knight and Haskell to debate the collaborative course of behind “Go Deep.”

EDM.com: How did you two first meet?

Mark Haskell: It felt prefer it was meant to occur. James obtained concerned with the Toolroom Academy early on, which I actually revered as a result of he understood the worth of beginning on the backside and studying for himself as a substitute of anticipating others to do it for him. We first spoke on-line a few report, and I instantly thought, “We’ll be mates.” I used to be already a fan of his as a rugby participant and was eager to speak about sport. We began speaking extra, clicked as associates, after which he got here all the way down to the workplace to become involved with some tasks.

James Haskell: We first related on Instagram, again in 2018, in the course of the very first Toolroom Academy course. I did the course, posted about it, and Mark commented and messaged me, saying to get in contact if I ever fancied a coaching session. After that, I’d usually drop into the Toolroom workplace to say hello to the group. One time, whereas working with Luke Hemmings within the workplace, Mark and I hit it off, and it’s been like that ever since.

EDM.com: James, when did you notice you needed to pursue DJing and what has the transition been like from worldwide rugby participant to DJ?

James Haskell: I’ve been DJing for about 11 years. It began after I was in New Zealand throughout my rugby profession. I met the managing director of Serato, who was serving to a couple of All Blacks gamers, together with Dan Carter, be taught to DJ. I believed it sounded enjoyable, so I gave it a go. Adam Thomson helped me get began, and I used to fiddle on a controller after video games. P Cash even gave me a couple of classes. After I obtained again to the UK, I came upon Simon Dunmore was a fan of mine, and each Seb Fontaine and Jaguar Expertise gave me some classes.

I finally did a course with SubBass and had my first gig at Ministry of Sound on the balcony. That’s after I fell in love with it.The transition, although, has been robust. Rugby opened some doorways initially, however it’s additionally created challenges. Folks assume I’m only a “celeb DJ,” which couldn’t be farther from the reality. I’ve put within the work, enjoying tiny venues for little to no cash. I’ve taken a number of programs and labored laborious at producing music. I need to earn respect for my expertise, not my profile.

EDM.com: James, do you draw any parallels between music and sports activities?

James Haskell: Completely. Every thing I realized in rugby applies to music and DJing. It’s about working laborious, going above and past, and breaking down each facet of your craft. In rugby, we’d overview matches to analyse what we did effectively and the place we may enhance. I take the identical method with DJing—watching my units again, figuring out what could possibly be higher, and consistently making an attempt to enhance. Resilience is vital. It’s important to preserve pushing, studying, and honing your expertise.

*Mark Knight (L) and* James Haskell (R).

c/o Press

EDM.com: Mark, inform us about your mentorship of James.

Mark Knight: I don’t actually see it as a mentorship within the conventional sense. I’m pleased to share every little thing I’ve realized through the years, however it’s extra about mutual respect. James has a improbable work ethic and an actual starvation to succeed, which I love. I’ve made loads of errors, and I’m open about them, sharing what I’ve finished proper and fallacious alongside the way in which.

What I really like about James is his power and authenticity. The dance music scene was constructed on uncooked ardour and confidence, however over time, it’s turn into a bit elitist. James brings it again to that unique spirit, the place ardour and drive are every little thing. For those who’ve represented your nation in sport on the
highest degree, you’ve already confirmed you’ll be able to succeed beneath immense strain. That sort of mindset interprets to something.

EDM.com: How did your music “Go Deep” come to be? When did you two determine you needed to work on a monitor collectively?

Mark Knight: Like each report, it began with an concept. Step one was to have a dialog about what we needed to realize. We sat down, performed a bunch of tracks, and landed on a transparent path. James led the manufacturing and actually rolled up his sleeves. It was my idea initially, however we labored on it collectively. We introduced Gene Farris in for the vocal, and it turned a correct collaboration. James has invested lots in studying from others, and that’s what makes him such a terrific collaborator.

James Haskell: Out of all of the folks I’ve met, Mark is among the few who genuinely needed to assist. We’re each pushed by a want for achievement, and we related over that shared mindset. I’m at all times eager to be taught, so when Mark prompt we work on one thing, I jumped on the likelihood. He guided me closely—fairly ruthlessly, in truth—which I appreciated.

EDM.com: What’s the collaborative course of like between you two?

James Haskell: The method began with Mark sharing some reference tracks. He despatched me away to do my homework and construct a loop. Then I sat down with our engineer, James Hurr, to develop it additional. As soon as we had one thing strong, Mark joined us, and we labored on it collectively. Gene Farris was the proper alternative for the vocal; he’s a legend, and he nailed it on the primary take. It’s been a real group effort, and I’ve realized a lot from Mark all through the method.