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

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.

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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 finally gave him the arrogance to land gigs.

Haskell’s profession as a global rugby participant is now over, however his calling on the planet 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 Data 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 acquired 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 file, and I instantly thought, “We will be mates.” I used to be already a fan of his as a rugby participant and was eager to talk about sport. We began speaking extra, clicked as buddies, after which he got here all the way down to the workplace to become involved with some initiatives.

James Haskell: We first linked on Instagram, again in 2018, throughout 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 workforce. 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 understand you wished 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 once I was in New Zealand throughout my rugby profession. I met the managing director of Serato, who was serving to just a few All Blacks gamers, together with Dan Carter, study 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 just a few classes. After I acquired again to the UK, I discovered Simon Dunmore was a fan of mine, and each Seb Fontaine and Jaguar Expertise gave me some classes.

I ultimately did a course with SubBass and had my first gig at Ministry of Sound on the balcony. That’s once I fell in love with it.The transition, although, has been robust. Rugby opened some doorways initially, but it surely’s additionally created challenges. Folks assume I’m only a “superstar DJ,” which couldn’t be farther from the reality. I’ve put within the work, taking part in tiny venues for little to no cash. I’ve taken a number of programs and labored onerous 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 discovered in rugby applies to music and DJing. It’s about working onerous, going above and past, and breaking down each facet of your craft. In rugby, we’d overview matches to analyse what we did properly and the place we may enhance. I take the identical strategy with DJing—watching my units again, figuring out what might be higher, and continually making an attempt to enhance. Resilience is vital. It’s a must to maintain 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 completely satisfied to share every part I’ve discovered through the years, but it surely’s extra about mutual respect. James has a implausible work ethic and an actual starvation to succeed, which I like. I’ve made loads of errors, and I’m open about them, sharing what I’ve finished proper and incorrect alongside the best way.

What I like about James is his vitality and authenticity. The dance music scene was constructed on uncooked ardour and confidence, however over time, it’s grow to be a bit elitist. James brings it again to that unique spirit, the place ardour and drive are every part. If you happen to’ve represented your nation in sport on the
highest degree, you’ve already confirmed you may succeed beneath immense stress. That type of mindset interprets to something.

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

Mark Knight: Like each file, it began with an thought. Step one was to have a dialog about what we wished to attain. We sat down, performed a bunch of tracks, and landed on a transparent route. 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 grew to become a correct collaboration. James has invested rather a lot in studying from others, and that’s what makes him such a fantastic collaborator.

James Haskell: Out of all of the individuals I’ve met, Mark is without doubt one of the few who genuinely wished to assist. We’re each pushed by a want for fulfillment, and we linked over that shared mindset. I’m at all times eager to study, so when Mark steered 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 stable, Mark joined us, and we labored on it collectively. Gene Farris was the right alternative for the vocal; he’s a legend, and he nailed it on the primary take. It’s been a real workforce effort, and I’ve discovered a lot from Mark all through the method.