A lush excursion in ambient and downtempo recorded live at audamus 001.

Simon Caldwell is a Sydney institution. With almost three decades behind the decks, his versatility and silky smooth mixing is what makes him one of the city’s most in demand DJs. Simon has supported countless international DJs and is resident/co-promoter of Mad Racket - the much loved underground party that’s been running since 1998.

Needless to say, we could endlessly wax lyrical on Simon’s accolades, but we’ll let the music do the talking. A special entry into the Lazydaze series, this mix was recorded live at Audamus 001 - a special evening on Sydney Harbour aboard the HMAS Vampire. Enjoy.

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You’ve been one of Sydney’s most trusted DJs for as long as we can remember! What do you enjoy most about your profession and what’s the most important lesson you’ve learned throughout your career?

I've been DJing for about 28-29 years (since the early ‘90s). It's a great thing to be able to share music you love with people in different contexts, whether that's on a sweaty dance floor, on radio or somewhere else. Playing to a locked in dance floor on a great sound system can be very special and lots of fun. As for lessons learned, I'd like to think I've picked up a few tips on how to play music to a crowd and how to survive the sometimes brutal hours. I also learned lots of not-to-do's. You can only live the ‘lifestyle’ for so long.

You’ve also been manning FBi’s Monday Sunsets program for just many years. What do you love about the medium of radio?

Radio is where I first found a lot of music and made connections and learnt about certain artists and styles. As a teenager I'd tune in late at night. I think it's a great way to share music with people and put it into some context. I've been doing radio for as long as I've been DJing, so it's something that is very important to me.

How did you decide to approach your Audamus set? Did you have any plans going into it?

I did plan quite a bit - I picked through a lot of records and files. I had certain spoken word bits I wanted to use, such as from Apocalypse Now or the moon landing. I wanted to shift between moods and tempos using ambient sections, and try and keep it interesting.

What is your all time favourite home listening track, album and mix compilation?

Too may to have a favourite. It really depends on my mood, at home I might listen to jazz or hip-hop, soul or weird electronics.

Whatever happened to the chill-out room in clubs and is it due a comeback?

Good question! It would great to see this come back and offer some real alternative rooms. I think it's partly due to lack of spaces and the need for venues to maximise ‘excitement’ (and takings). Also you could talk about what drugs people take and how open minded venues and punters are. Perhaps a missed opportunity in 2020?

What’s on the cards for Simon Caldwell in 2021?

Oof! I wish I knew! Hopefully a return to some sweaty dance floor action and the odd interstate flight.