Murat Kilic - I don't compromise anything on music style

 
Murat Kilic - Australian DJ, producer, club and record label owner and booker. This multi-talented, succesful, very open-minded and warm person will host BEEF Records Showcase night at ROXY on 4th May where he's invited by BEEF Records owner DJ Schwa who also asked him few questions before his show here. So, here we go...
 
 
Hi Murat, how're you doing?
Things are going grand, I travel the world and do what I love for a living, things couldn't be better.... Thanks for asking! 
 
 
How long ago is it since you opened your club Spice Cellar in the centre of Sydney? How hard is it to manage a venue? What is the most difficult part that you learned on this journey?
We opened in September 2011. It is difficult but if you hire the right people things get easier! The most difficult part of running a venue is managing all the small aspects, like cashflow, accounts and all the boring stuff especially if you are not good at these things like me, I just want to play music and see people having fun but obviously there is a serious financial side to the business, that is why it is important to hire the right people. 
 
 
When booking acts for your own club do you have to compromise a bit? Or are you totally free to do what you want?
I don't compromise anything on music style, just on price we have to negotiate hard to convince the bigger acts to play in a smaller club like Spice Cellar.
 
 
Do you still enjoy doing morning sets at Spice after all these years?
Yes, absolutely, this is what I was born to do. I think I have a few more years in me, haha.
 
Recently you also started a restaurant at the same venue and I must say that the food there is simply amazing. How did you guys achieve that? Is it all about what chef you hire? Or is there any other secrets?
Having a good restaurant is about having a good vision and a good plan. The chef is also important but the plan is the most important, knowing what you want to create and creating it within a budget without going broke. 
 
Managing club, restaurant, djing, producing music and being a parent. All at the same time… that's Murat Kilic in 2013. Well... pretty hectic life style, no? How do you master all these things? You must be really good at finding the right people to work for you and having great and understanding business partners, right?
Yes that is right, pretty hectic. Hire good people who you can trust and then only the sky is the limit. 
 
I almost forgot about you hosting a radio show at community radio FBI. When did you start and what's the concept behind this show? Do you enjoy being a radio Dj? I guess it something completely different compared to mixing in a night club.
I started doing this show about a year ago and it's a really nice change from club DJing. In fact I rarely mix on air, we always talk about music and play tunes that are new. It's a nice change to have a voice! 
 
A new track for Oliver Koletzki's label Stil Vor Talent popped up on your Soundcloud just a few days ago. Really nice and warm track I must say.  What's the story behind this tune?
The story behind this track is Marvin Gaye! I started it with a Marvin Gaye sample from "Sexual healing" and built all the instruments around this vocal. At the end I took the vocal sample out and was left with a nice housy summer track. The track gets released on the 24th of May as a part of the 100th release for well known Berlin Label "Stil Vor Talent". 
 
You have been working with Oliver for quite some time now… you are also good friends. How did you meet Oliver and how you guys started working together? Besides him releasing your music on SvT you also do quite a few gigs together, right?
Yes, that's right.  I met him when he played in Sydney one night and then we ended up hanging out for 3 days! It was a really nice way to start a friendship and we have been now working together for 5+ years. My trips to the EU are usually working around the gig schedule from Oliver because he organises parties in some nice venues like Watergate where i play on the 2nd of Mayt!! 
 
Your European tour is about to start. Your gig list is pretty impressive. How did you manage to hook up all these nice shows? Is it mostly through your connections with people you book for your own club Spice? 
Well the gigs in Berlin are through Oliver via his label, in France I have a booking agent that does this region, same in the Netherlands, I have a booker who helps me whenever i tell him I am coming to the EU. So it's a combination really.    
 
What is the gig you really look forward to on your European tour?
Of course I am looking forward to coming back to Prague and playing the ROXY on 4th May, this will be my 6th time in Prague!!!
 
Isn't your wife Rebeka upset that she has to stay in Europe and look after May? Are you planning to bring them with you to Europe maybe next year?
I will be doing another EU tour in late August/September when my wife & baby will come with me. The weather is warmer in August so we will go to Ibiza for a few weeks and chill out at the beach!!!! 
 
And what's coming up next on Reckless Records - your record label? The first EP by Shades of Gray was a great success but that more then a year now.
Next release is from an Istanbul producer Kaan Duazarat, some great remixes on there too. Stay tuned for more info soon.
 
How long is it since your last Prague visit? You played at Roxy before, right?
Yes I played at Roxy 3 years ago.....that was also the last time I was in Prague.
 
Are you also planning to visit your favourite after-hours club Le Clan?
Of course, Clemence and Patrick are dear friends of mine.
 
Text by DJ Schwa