DJ Plugsy interview: grounded – what’s it like for an EDM DJ in lockdown?

Forthcoming NME Instazine cover star/NME Instazine guest editor/documentary star DJ Plugsy speaks to electronic music specialist, Arthur Pinger, about life in lockdown as a helmet-wearing EDM superstar wannabe

Alright, we’re gonna start off with the obvious question: why the plug?

“What plug? Ha, only J-ing your D. It’s cos my face is butters.”

Why a plug though?

“Why does Deadmau5 wear a mouse helmet? Why does Marshmello wear a marshmallow? And why can’t he spell marshmallow?”

Cos they’re like Daft Punk but less original?

“Yeah, and I’m like them but British, and there’s nothing more British than the 3-pin plug. Have you seen those weeny ones they use in the States?”

OK, well, moving on: how’s 2020 been for you? When we spoke in January you said you were gonna be the world’s biggest superstar DJ by the end of the year.

“Yeah, then the Cortina virus lockdown happened. So instead of conquering the world one festival at a time, I’ve been chillin’ out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool at Plugsy HQ – and no, I’m not telling you where it is.

“I’ve been keeping busy – I finished my second album, ‘Socket 2 Me’, and I’ve been live streaming these Plugsy Unplugged live sessions from home.”

If you play ‘unplugged’, doesn’t that mean there’s no music?

“That’s the point, Pinger – you just get to see my technique. The Plugsy fans can’t get enough of it.”

And you’ve been filming a documentary for NME too?

“It’s called DJ Plugsy: Locked Down, Plugged In, which is a shit title but you lot thought it was clever.”

You were supposed to do it weekly but in the end you just supplied three tiny episodes all at once – all of which are gonna go live next week.

“Yeah, well, I got into playing this new video game, Fuser, and that’s been eating up my time ever since, so you won’t be getting any more.”

What a… er… shame.

“For you, yeah. I’m playing Fuser – I’m as happy as David Guetta getting a set and blowie in a poodle parlour.”

How’s it work?

“It’s from the people who did Rock Band but it’s all about thrilling a crowd on the ones-and-twos with your mixing skills.

“As someone who once had a party in Bognor Regis shut down cos it was going off so hard, I can tell you the thrill is realistically recreated. And you don’t even have to leave your house, which is good cos right now you’re not allowed to leave your house except to do ‘key’ work and the letter I had from the police says DJing isn’t ‘key’ work. But feds don’t rave, do they?”

What do you say to people who say DJs get paid a lot for doing very little?

“I say nothing. I just quietly light a Cuban cigar with a burning Queenie, you know? Although the new plastic notes are a bit chesty on the lungs to be fair.”

You were once described (by us) as Britain’s dumbest DJ. Did that hurt?

“All the way to the bank! Which is quite a long way from mine, actually.”

That’s probably all we have time for today, Plugsy.

“No worries. Written media is dead anyway – you’ve made me 15 percent less cool by making me do this. Watch the videos next week, yeah?”

DJ Plugsy is playing Fuser, the game that lets you live out your DJ fantasies, out now in shops and to download

The documentary series, DJ Plugsy: Locked Down, Plugged In, launches on NME on November 20, 2020