Creamfields is returning to Abu Dhabi with a fantastic line-up, promising nine hours of non-stop electronic delights at the du Arena on Friday, 13th December. Headlining the night are the pioneers of electronic music The Prodigy, with electro-house chart topper Calvin Harris, Above and Beyond, Disclosure and many more also set to rock the house. Ahead of the event, Abu Dhabi Week caught up with Prodigy founder Liam Howlett.
Hi Liam. Welcome to Abu Dhabi. What’s your motivation; what gets you up in the morning?
Lots of things – the want to make a killer tune, family, the live gigs, alarm clock! The music is our lives. We spend a lot of time together in the studio which is important if you want to make it work, that creative process can be a pain and tests your head but when you hit upon a good tune it’s all worth it.
You’ve been churning out great albums for decades now; ever thought of another greatest hits album?
We have done one hits album (‘Their Law’) so there’s no point in doing another. We didn’t really want to do that one but we were going through a tough time together as a band and it helped to bring us back together, which then went on to us writing ‘The Invaders Must Die’ album. We are proud of the Law album though, we put time into it to make sure it felt like a real thing and not some record company thing.
Fans praised your last album ‘Invaders Must Die’ as a shout out to your old days. How did the album come together and where did the inspiration come from?
We never saw it as a shout out to our old days, we just believe that if a band has a sound then that’s your sound, that’s what you work with. We wouldn’t want our favourite bands to change their sound; you just try and write a good tune. Like all Prodigy records it took a while because we are not interested in doing it for the sake of it and sticking it out because somebody says we should. It’s got to mean something to us. I remember swapping studios half way through to a small room and that’s when it started to flow. We were all in there throwing stuff about, always exciting.
Can the Prodigy inspire a new generation of dance music lovers/makers in the Middle East?
If they get inspired enough to produce this music then good, that’s what I did, I felt like I had to do it. Also I was listening to some of the stuff back then and I thought I can make better tunes than this so I kind of rebelled against it in a way. You don’t have to be any great musician to write this music, you’ve just got to have the drive and an idea. Punk rock-style, we just always wanted to make cool noise and still do.
What’s your take on dance music in general at the moment?
It’s fully mainstream now, it has seeped into every type of music. It always annoys me when I hear rappers from hip hop suddenly pop up on a dance tune and it was obviously made for the quick buck. That said, a tune is a tune, there’s always interesting and exciting music being made under the surface, so people have just got to open their ears.
How are you feeling about headlining Creamfields Abu Dhabi for its fifth year?
We played in Dubai a few years back but we’ve never been to Abu Dhabi. It’s always exciting to play new places. We have played the Creamfields festival in various places across the world so we can’t wait to rock it again; Creamfields always do an amazing job.
What is the best thing about being on tour? Coming to places like the UAE?
We love touring and doing gigs, that’s why we make music. It’s the one thing that can’t be downloaded, that feeling of playing it live, seeing peoples reactions to the music. We always have a laugh on the road and are lucky we get to go to places you would never usually have chance to go to.
What’s the best thing about playing live?
The crowd and hearing the music loud and in the place it was written for. Our fans are so diverse; it’s not just one type of person. Playing to a live crowd means we can be spontaneous, try new things and feed off the crowd’s energy. It helps with writing the music. The Prodigy wouldn’t exist if we didn’t do the live gigs. It’s where we get to present the core of every Prodigy track: original body-shaking bass!
How long will The Prodigy keep going? Are you better than ever?
We will keep going until we ain’t got any more love for it or we feel it ain’t happening.
Tickets start from AED 275 for General Admission along with a VIP standing option for AED 595 (21+). Tickets on sale now at www.ticketmaster.ae and selected Virgin Megastores or call 800 86 823
