Dimitri: Can you mention your biggest achievements in your music career in 2015?
Alan Banks: Getting my remix signed to Paul van Dyk's Vandit label and receiving massive worldwide support for it. Very proud moment for me.
Dimitri: Do you like to cook? What is the best recipe that you cooked this year? If you don’t usually cook who is cooking it for you and which is your best food for 2015?
Alan Banks: I can cook a mean chicken with walnuts.
Best of 2015 by Alan Banks
1) Best Track:
Eric Prydz - Opus
2) Best Artist (Dj & producer):
Eric Prydz
3) Best Remix:
My remix of Second Sun - Empire obviously ;)
4) Best Remixer:
Gai Barone
5) Best New Talent (Dj or producer):
Gai Barone -the man is on fire at the minute. Watch for him next year if you like trance and progressive house on a deeper tip.
6) Best Lyrics in an Electronic Music track
Indiana, Mark Knight & Adrian Hour - Dance on My Heart. Something about the whole track works beautifully.
7) Best Vocalist/Singer featured on Electronic Music track:
Tough call, Tricia McTeague, Indiana & Amber Long have impressed in their own way.
8) Best Electronic Music Label:
ZeroThree
9) Best Online Social media for communication with your fans:
Twitter
10) Best Twitter or Facebook message or Instagram message you received from a fan or friend or you have read on someone else’s account:
Too many to mention. Had some truly amazing comments from people in 2015 and I couldn't honestly pick out one. They all have a special place.
11) Best music composition software:
Logic
12) Best Club Event or Open Air Festival:
I've heard only good things about Dreamstate in the US. Something to look to next year.
13) Best personal Dj Gig:
Actually played a really cool intimate gig in London this year in a small room playing mainly house music, but it was a really intense vibe in there with only about 50 people in there. Was really cool though as the crowd were well into it and that just doubled the intensity.
14) Best Dj set of the year from other fellow Dj:
Eric Prydz
15) Best Radio show:
Mine obviously. ;) Followed closely by Eric Prydz's Beats show on Apple Radio.
16) Best Radio station:
17) Best Online Record shop that you purchase your music:
JunoDownload
18) Best music related website that you visit frequently:
Soundcloud - when it works.
19) Best Smart phone/Mobile phone device:
iPhone
20) Best Dj equipment (software or hardware):
CDJ 2000
21) Best new sound or sample that has been used in Electronic Music this year perhaps introduced first by you?
Nothing that springs to mind - yet ;)
22) Best tip that you learnt this year for your Djing techniques or music composition:
Using SSL compressors more on buses!
23) Best piece of advice you got in relation to your career in 2015:
Keep at it, you're on the right path. Now is the time.
24) Best hobby or activity that you spent a lot of time in 2015:
I started back in the gym again this year as music was the sole thing I was doing. So I needed to get away from music 24/7.
25) Best Electronic Music magazines in printed form not online:
Future Music Mag
26) Best Movie of the year that may inspire you to compose a track:
Ex Machina had an interesting soundscape with a well known Sylenth preset patch in it. See if you can spot it!
27) Best joke you heard this year related to electronic music:
Dj Mag Top 100 ;)
Dimitri: Finally, 2016 is ahead of us would you like to tell your plans with your future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations, Dj gigs.
Alan Banks: Loads of new remixes are pretty much all ready to drop in 2016. With a load of new originals. 2015 was the testing ground, now its full steam ahead next year! Keep an eye on my social media for more info!
Many thanks to Alan for finding the time to reply in this interview
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