Always smiling and with his trademark floral shirts giving him a stand-out appeal, Brian Mole is a figure recognisable to many in the Horsham District. Given his impressive DJ credentials stretch beyond the confines of Sussex, it was not a case of do we interview him, rather when.
When did you get the DJing itch?
Music was in our family forever. Indeed, my Moroccan mum’s maiden name was Benzimra, which loosely translates as ‘son of music’. No surprise, I found a deep passion in music. This, together with a love of electronics, led to the idea of me building a mobile disco as a teenager. My dad was a scientist, so he fuelled that side of things, and before long, the Mole in the Hole Disco was born! My first experience of a mobile disco was as a roadie for an established DJ in Leatherhead. I was just 16. When the DJ needed a break, he would let me play some of my records. After passing my driving test, I started getting bookings of my own, and a residency at a local club gave me significant exposure. Despite early success, my parents told me to get a proper career. I could not be a DJ all my life. So, I embarked on a career as a computer engineer, which was also successful, but I continued to DJ as a hobby.
Fast forward to 2009, and my computer career ended with redundancy. The amazing company I’d been with for 10 years offered me a year’s severance pay, and an open-ended training course to find a new career. The conclusion of my course tutor was that given I had a good financial buffer, why not go full-time with my hobby? 17 years and counting, I haven’t looked back. Since then, I’ve won several national wedding industry awards for my customer service, presented seminars on DJing and weddings at national DJ events, and served on the committee and as chairman of the UK’s most respected DJ association. And for the last few years, I’ve been on the judging panel of The Wedding Industry Awards.
Were there any DJs or artists that influenced your early style?
My personal music tastes are incredibly diverse. For example, I love Ella Fitzgerald, but I also love electronic dance music, fun, soul, and rock. In my early years, I used to see bands like AC/DC, Status Quo, and Marillion in concert. Obviously, not everyone’s cup of tea, so I play what my audience likes to dance to. I used to listen to music radio shows all the time, and I bought most of the music in the charts. DJs like Robbie Vincent, Tony Blackburn, Greg Edwards, Peter Young were always on my radio.
Could you describe the music scene when you started?
In the early eighties, the charts were full of amazing pop songs which have stood the test of time on today’s dance floors. There was a mixture of pop, rock, new wave, jazz funk, soul, punk, ska, and dance music. As the 80s drew into the 90s, hip-hop and house started having a big impact on me.
Then and now – how has DJing changed and which do you prefer?
You hear many people say, “music isn’t what it used to be”! They must be living in a time capsule. There’s so much new music which is more accessible than back in the day. You only have to see how many festivals run in the summer months, showcasing fresh new talent. In the early days, if someone gave me a big request list, it would be a logistical nightmare trying to buy everything on it. Nowadays, it’s easy, I can buy any music in seconds. I started DJing using records, then moved to CDs, and later, as soon as the tech was good enough, I transitioned to digital DJ’ing. I loved crate-digging in a record shop, but I prefer being able to get and play the music I want in high-quality digital formats on my system. The Pioneer decks I use allow me to be creative in my mixing techniques, and the inner geek in me is amazed by the new technology.
Describe your most memorable gig
There are many! DJing online back to back with my son, Simon throughout Covid was incredible. DJing in front of a few hundred DJs at the NEC in the Gatecrasher Arena are two. Closer to home, a wonderful lady hired me to DJ for her 50th in her garden in Horsham on a hot summer’s day. Her remit was for me to play some carnival beats, funk, soul, disco, house, ska, and not to make it “wedding cheesy”, which was a perfect complement for my skills and musical tastes. She shared a list of her favourite tracks, and based on this, I mixed live an epic 9 hour set non-stop. To say that I enjoyed DJing this party would be a huge understatement. I was playing the music I really love, and everyone joined in.
How do you read a crowd?
By people watching. The subtle cues of feet tapping, nodding to the beat, etc. are a great indicator they’re ready to step up to the dance floor. I can see the energy levels change, and I play accordingly to match the vibe.
Do you plan your sets or go with the vibe?
For my wedding and birthday party clients, I ask them to think about the songs they want to dance to, and those they don’t. Armed with a must play list, a play if possible list, and a don’t you dare list, I can understand what moves them musically. Of course, I’m always open to requests from the guests too, and together with my expert knowledge of music, I can rock the party. If it’s a corporate party or a cool DJ set, I totally go with the vibe.
What keeps your passion for DJing alive?
I am blessed to play music with people who are celebrating a significant event, such as a birthday or wedding. I love music, I love seeing people dance to music with all their friends and family. These are special moments in life, and I always put my fabulous clients at the centre of everything I do as a small business. What better job is there?
What are the top five songs that fill the dance floor?
I want to dance with somebody – Whitney Houston, Dancing queen – Abba, Mr Brightside – The Killers, Freed from desire – Gala and Proud Mary – Tina Turner.
Share your top 5 favourite tracks that you would sing to or dance to. Or both!
Insomnia – Faithless. Dark and Long (Dark Train) – Underworld. Le Freak (Dimitri From Paris Remix) – Chic. Everybody loves the sunshine – Roy Ayers. They can’t take that away from me – Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
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