With 100 original productions, innumerable remixes for over 40 international labels and two decades in the game under his belt, Wally Callerio is a hardened veteran of house music. And he’s showing no sign of slowing down, with ten new releases on his longstanding label Dufflebags Recordings as well as his debut release on DFTD just about to drop. Yet things haven’t always been plain sailing for Callerio. Here he talks candidly to Defected’s Hannah Thomas about the trials and tribulations of forging a career in the music industry. But first things first, who is this Poncho Warwick dude?
DFTD hits London's XOYO Saturday 1st February - click for more info
“Poncho Warwick is actually my porn name…you know, my first pet’s name and the street where I first lived. He evolved from a time when I was coming out a long period of production where I was listening too much to the voices around me. In 2009, after being in this business for almost 15 years I really needed an escape and he grabbed my hand and taught me not to give a shit anymore” .
Musically speaking, Poncho Warwick is the second half of Wally Callerio’s split personality; a hero of sorts who offered Callerio a way of staying true to himself rather than leaving him worrying about what was trending or what was going to make him the most money. “He was my escape. He gave back to me the attitude I had in the first part of my career, when I was happiest: when making money to survive was secondary and the art came first. At some point in this industry you become overwhelmed by what’s selling and forget how to just make music that inspires you and others. And there were and are always some that frown on sampling, but to me sampling is the basis of what house music is. When house was born they were sampling disco, but they did it with some honour by bringing something to it. This is what I try and do with Poncho.”
It is strikingly apparent that Callerio is a man of principles; honour and respect at the forefront of all that he does. Yet this integrity and undeniable talent hasn’t guaranteed a straightforward pathway to success. He laments on how greed got the better of the industry as a whole, making it difficult for him and others like him to survive financially.
“Many people at the top making the most money have the least amount of talent and least amount of struggle to get there” he offers. “When I was coming up there was a ladder you could climb if you worked hard and you were good. You respected those that came before you and looked to them for inspiration. A lot of talented people earned their right to move up back in the day. I feel I earned my right to move up and at one point the whole middle ground got washed out. If you weren't on top you were struggling.
“For a lot of us that were coming up in the late 90s early 2000s, it was devastating and incredibly hard to hold on. It’s like being a janitor working your ass off to make executive, then having your boss say ‘hey grab that mop over there and get back to work’”.
In such a seemingly capricious and ruthless environment – one where talent and success do not always equate – it’s admirable that Callerio persevered. For him, making original music that inspires others is something that lies at the core of him as an artist and one that keeps him going regardless of the money involved. “If I make a lot of money or no money great, but I must leave something behind that will inspire. I want my great grandkids to be able to listen to my music and connect with me. My music is my documentary they will be able to tell who I was by what I leave behind. That is the true goal.”
Callerio often finds inspiration outside of house music because he feels like it’s the only way he can bring something new to it and this approach to the creative process was no exception with ‘Split Personalities EP’. “I heard this track by Melody Gardot when I was driving with my girlfriend and I am a sucker for a great vocal. When I heard it, I instantly said “that’s me”. I went home and went to work. I guess the element I bring is generally listening to other genres to get inspired. I don't want to be a carbon copy of another producer. I want my personality to come out when I make music. When you take from a different genre you really have to make it yours. I have always loved bringing in some sort of Jazz element to some of my music. I have done it many times in the past.
In many ways then Guti, given his penchant for jazz, was a natural choice to do the remixes on the EP. Was this something Wally suggested?
I honestly just trusted Defected to do the right thing and get the right person for the remix and I believe they definitely did pick the right person for this track. All and all when I found out not only that Guti was doing the remix but he decided to do two mixes on his own, I was giddy like a school girl. I still am!”
Wally’s genuine excitement and enthusiasm for his debut release on DFTD and his obvious excitement with his association with Guti, is telling of a man who feels that the all of the hard work and sacrifices he has made have all been worth it.
I put a lot of hard work in. Starting a label in the 90's meant having to come up with money and to risk it. Everything had to be right or you just lose every time. Today it seems like people just throw shit at the wall and hope for it to stick. I think the key to my success has always been perseverance. I love what I do and I have always been willing to starve for it. And I have starved many more times than I would like to admit. Some of the people around me that have "normal" day jobs have always looked at me like I was crazy. They would tell me that I am a smart guy and that I could get a job. In my heart I just knew that I don't want to spend my life doing something I don’t truly love. I love music more than money. And I love the fact that I am leaving something behind that my ancestors can connect with. I love making music I just hope this helps me to continue doing what I have loved for more than half my life.
Maybe we could all do with a Poncho in our lives…
Words: Hannah Thomas
Split Personalities EP is out now - buy from Beatport and Traxsource
