The word veteran is not one to be used lightly on the music scene, but when it comes to KID KENOBI few other titles seem to fit. On the dance scene for well over a decade, Kenobi's rise to fame has been a long journey. "It's only been in the last couple of years that I've started thinking of it as my profession," he concedes. "When I started I wasn't filled with aspirations, it was just solely for the love of it and I guess that's never changed, so it took a while for me to realise the situation had."
With a long running collaboration with Ministry of Sound, and the unforgettable shows with MC Shureshock that have covered the nation several times over, it seems Kenobi is never one to tire from the scene. "A lot of my friends don't go out anymore," he laughs. "But even when the scene changes, it's still the same. The faces and the music change, but that essence that people chase, that always remains the same; that's why people go out and that's why I play. There's been this influx of DJs in the last couple of years and some of them are coming from an angle of just wanting to be famous or impress their friends; and it's not about the music or the crowd, it's about them and just playing chart music to get a crowd. But, if they're just waiting for the next song and they don't know where they're coming from, how will they know where they're going?"
With all the wisdom of the industry, Kenobi has no intention of resting on his laurels. Recently starting his own label, Klub Kids, Kenobi is turning to a completely new side of the world he's known for so long. "In your own career you can forget where you come from and how hard it can be to get there," he says. "I'm finally in a position to start using that and start helping people. Discovering new artists and seeing this blossoming talent and being in a position to push that and foster it is just amazing. I'm not into elitism or criticising; it's just good to be in a position where I can be positive about what I promote."
With Klub Kids coming to fruition, Kenobi is busier than ever. "I always wanted to do something more than be a DJ," he reveals. "This is starting all over again; it's awful, but in a really nice way. I thought it would be pretty straightforward and easy, but of course it's totally different. I feel like I haven't stopped moving in months." As the background noise is filled with the beeps of a supermarket, I see what he means. "It doesn't mean I won't still be playing though, I love it so much and playing at Parliament House is always great. You grow up watching it on the news but you never expect to play there."
Katch Kid Kenobi (ooh, too many Ks...) at Old Parliament House on Sunday.
