I’ve never said this before, but I’ve got my sister to thank for getting me into the scene. She’s older than me and she played all the disco tunes and rare groove records while I was growing up. Disco was an extension of R&B, and when acid house came out, well, that was something else. We were both right on it — “Love Can Turn Around”, Mr Fingers, all extensions of that disco, soul and funk sound. Then all of a sudden “Voodoo Ray” and Inner City landed and it was whoosh. Here we go.

From there the rave scene just exploded, and I remember my next-door neighbour playing LFO’s “LFO” about twenty times in a row. There are several epiphany moments, but it was always hearing a tune for the first time — 808 State’s “Pacific State”, “Talking to Myself” by Electribe 101, Joe Smooth’s “Promised Land”. The feeling was the same every time: euphoric, and this was without the aid of illegal substances.

I progressed from DJing school discos and parties to setting up the college radio station, running it for five years and playing every day of the week — which gave me the chance to meet and interview everyone from the Lighthouse Family to Mr C and Paul Oakenfold. Then came studio production and making my own tunes, with notable mentions from Steve Lawler and the dance music press. My biggest influences run from Ben Watt, who redefined deep house with his Buzzin’ Fly label, through Danny Howells and his “deepfuturisticfunkytechhouse”, François K always on the cutting edge, and Jem Haynes, whose technical skill and ability to read a crowd leave them wanting more — to Kevin Saunderson of Inner City, who is probably the reason I’m doing this in the first place.

I have a deep-rooted love of music, whether it’s deep house, tech house, progressive, garage, techno or drum and bass, and I’m not afraid to play those tunes. Spending my summers in Ibiza revitalised me in ways I couldn’t begin to describe. Whether it’s a set of 1210s, CDJs or these days a laptop, the goal is simple: lock people into a groove and create a feeling of happiness and togetherness. One nation under a techno groove. A typical DJ Kupus set is an emotional journey of deep grooves and cosmic disco — and the feeling, be it a smile, a tear or a scream, must be natural.