An interview with Kate:
" The world of instant celebrity via tv, newspapers and the internet is a game of snakes and ladders.
The physically attractive and talkative Kate Lawler won UK reality tv show Big Brother in 2002 only to see beaten contestant, the implausibly dense Jade Goody, go on to make millions in an unlikely media career. Half a decade later and Jade's name is mud and Kate's career is reaching heights every aspiring dj would steal music for.
Ms Lawler has landed a residency at the well-respected Sankeys in Manchester and has also played gigs at top London venues the Cross, Pacha, Egg, Honey Club in Brighton and more. Last summer also saw Kate extend her wings internationally with a slot at Privilege, home to Manumission and Meganite, and further afield.
This impressive list of achievements hasn't silenced the haters, but Kate's response is robust.
"People have this pre-conception that my music collection consists of commercial pop, r'n'b and party anthems," says Lawler. "It gets on my tits that some people don't take me seriously because of Big Brother. But I love to surprise people with the music I play and I always get positive feedback."
In Kate's corner is Toolroom Records boss Mark Knight, who has toured more than 40 countries around the world with the Ministry of Sound.
"In my opinion, Kate Lawler is on the way to becoming the biggest female dj in the country, with passion, musical credibility and understanding of how to rock a party. She is my tip for the top. Go to one of her gigs and draw your own opinion."
While her talent is now undeniable, a trawl thru online media reports shows Kate's done more than court publicity, she's given it the big come on.
In no particular order, she's fought fellow celebrities in a disastrous tv series under the name Kate "the Brawler" Lawler, flown to Fiji for yet another goldfish show Love Island, dated comedian Russell Brand according to an unauthorised biography of the former smack addict, extricated herself from out of an engagement to controversial footballer Jonathan Woodgate, modeled for lingerie manufacturer Ann Summers, and earlier this year lost her drivers licence after speeding in Essex.
All of which should assist her in an industry where attention-grabbing behaviour and an addiction to the many thrills of clubbing are prerequisite.
Naturally we wanted to give her a call. Kate talked to us about wrestling with technology, speed and her knicker-wearing habits.
http://www.clubtickets.com: How's it going? Where are you?
Kate: I'm sitting in my living room. I'm having a fight with my computer. The computer is wining, but I will be when I throw it out the window. The only thing I can do is get on MySpace and download music.
http://www.clubtickets.com: How was your weekend?
Kate: I've been very ill. On Sunday night I went out to Sosho. Me and my friend didn't get in till five on Monday morning. But I feel better for having a weekend out.
http://www.clubtickets.com: What's it like partying outside London?
Kate: Inside London there's nobody from England. I went to Sosho which was full of Italian, French and Spanish people. I quite like that because they just leave you alone. Outside London it's very different. Musically they're not into dark, upfront stuff. They want stuff they know but I still enjoy going out of London. Sankeys in Manchester is really into their cool djs. The clubbers there know what they're on about.
http://www.clubtickets.com: Have you been to Manor Club before?
Kate: Never. It's proper Kent. Some of Kent's quite London, but Chatham isn't. I'm a Kent girl but I don't really go out there. An old friend used to go so he's coming with me for a nostalgia trip.
http://www.clubtickets.com: How do you choose which gigs to play?
Kate: My manager Chris just asks the promoter who they've had in the past, and what their music policy is. Most people are well aware now of what I like to play.
http://www.clubtickets.com: Are you expensive?
Kate: No. I'm cheap as chips. I'm not expensive at all. But this year my fee's gone up.
http://www.clubtickets.com: Do you travel with an entourage?
Kate: At the mo I'm having to travel with a friend as I lost my licence because I was speeding. So I've had to get my friends insured on my car.People always think it's drink driving but it wasn't.
http://www.clubtickets.com: Do you require special treatment - flowers in the dressing room, that sort of thing?
Kate: Scented candles, flowers, a dressing room that's exactly 21 degrees, copious amounts of drugs and alcohol... No, nothing just lots of water.
http://www.clubtickets.com: How do you feel just before you go on?
Kate: If it's something like Sankeys, absolutely nervous. Being the person I am, people think I'm going to be rubbish. Playing after Kurd Maverick was nerve wracking. He'd just smashed it for two hours.
http://www.clubtickets.com: What track will really blow them away on Saturday week?
Kate: Dunno. I really like Shlomi Aber 'Crop Duster'. At Sankeys it took the roof off. I've got a really cool mix of Josh Wink's 'Higher States of Consciousness', Mark Knight's 'Drug Music'. Trentemoeller is cool becase he's doing lots of stuff that's rocky and edge and weird. At the moment there's some really cool tech stuff, I don't like minimal minimal. Claude von Stroke is just clever, 'The Whistler' and 'Deep Throat'.
http://www.clubtickets.com: Will you be playing any original productions?
Kate: I haven't got any. I am going to the studio after Miami with the Hoxton Whores.
http://www.clubtickets.com: Do you read about you stuff on the internet? Are there any false assumptions you'd like to correct?
Kate: I don't go on forums. But I used to. There's this thing on Holy Moly. It's a gossip website that says stuff like Britney Spears is on GHB and K. There's this thing on there that I asked this interviewer out for a drink after the interview and that I was wearing no knickers. I always wear knickers!
http://www.clubtickets.com: Have you ever been linked romantically with someone when it didn't happen?
Kate: Nick Knowles, the DIY guy who's about 80. He could be my dad. There's thing in the paper that I was seeing him!
Buy tickets to Random at Manor Club in Kent of March 17, featuring Ibiza legend Jonathan Ulysses, Tristan Ingram and more"
