Boring, arrogant, rude, mean. These are adjectives used to describe people. None apply here.

Any of those office-based motivational posters trying to kick you into gear with words like inspiration, dedication or perseverance, could all be replaced with just a photo of one man: John ‘00’ Fleming.

Over the years, John has had releases on record labels such as Ministry of Sound, Deconstruction Records, Logic Records and 3 Beat Music. He has worked his magic behind the decks at many clubs including Cream, Gatecrasher, Ministry of Sound and Godskitchen. Adding to this, he also owns and runs Joof Recordings. So now that he’s been introduced, I’d like you to meet John 00 Fleming.

The other day, I had the pleasure of chatting to one man that made October 2009, that little bit more more exciting. What was meant to be a 15 minute chat over the phone, turned into a 30 minute session about Facebook, bacon, bottled water, Dental Hygiene and not a great deal about music. The conversation soon turned dark with John sounding terrible with a bout of the flu. “It’s not swine flu!” he declared, “even though I filled out a form on the Internet and all the red lights were flashing, helicopters overhead and SWAT Team at the Door, given what the website said, I couldn’t do anything about it as technically I wasn’t allowed out of the house to see a doctor.”

But it was that start to the conversation that really said more about him them anything else. John 00 Fleming is testament to a strong personal belief that you should not just do what’s expected of you, but rather be modest and humble about doing it; “just be yourself”. Here I was talking to a man that when you read about them, it details how they’ve done it all; you’d want to squeeze any piece of advice from them. But not today, we were both more interested in how to beat the international epidemic that is Swine Flu. In his professional DJ opinion - eat more bacon.

At one point, John did get on his high horse gently apologising as he dismounted; that just because society or the charts say one thing “don’t just play what you think people want to hear just to make you famous, it seems so one way”. Feeling as though he harps on about it (in reality he did only mentioned it twice) DJ’s, whether you are starting out or been playing for years, should play what they like, want makes you move, what makes you excited. For John, it is looking for new, fresh and ‘different’ sounds that are often considered underground is what gets John’s motor running.

“That’s what makes me so excited about October”, he chirps for the Australian attendees of the Godskitchen Boombox Tour, “is that for all the other guys on the line-up, I play nothing like them. I will be playing a totally different sound.” As much as it might not be for everybody, there will definitely be many attending Godskitchen that will love what he plans to deliver.

There has been the odd occasion when people haven’t gotten what John is about. “I remember this one guy” he starts, “that asked me for a beer while playing a set.” Although John tried to explain that he was a DJ, not a bartender; in a booth and not the bar, the more he refused to serve the club-goer, the more agitated he got. “He just wouldn’t leave me alone! He didn’t seem to get why I wasn’t giving him a beer!”

I dare you to find someone who can say he hasn’t done something right. With over 10 million records sold worldwide and now not able to have anymore friends on Facebook, his way with the tunes and the crowd is a recipe for success. His fresh, bouncy and healthy outlook could make anyone feel like they should do more with themselves. John is an inspiration. Apart from travelling the world while being incredibly modest, down to earth and hilarious John hasn’t had it easy.  Through Fleming’s early 20’s, instead of partying hard and occasionally going to a day job, he spent over 2 years fighting lung cancer. It’s something that, even though it sounds like a reading from a fortune cookie – made him who is his.

His lifestyle has meant that he has built himself to handle travelling all over the world, play a solid nights session, head to bed and being able to just jump straight back into it the next day. His style of music is a direct reflection of his personality; quirky, bubbly and if reviewed in a clinical sense, probably a little bit nuts; “It sounds clique” he admits, “but getting up in the morning looking at each day like it is a gift” keeps him striving to do more.

One thing that he attributes to this philosophy and undeniable success is a long love of drinking water, “it keeps my youthful good looks” as is obvious from press shots. “As well as being sponsored by celli-tape, which holds the skin back” he jokes. Surprisingly, John was someone who seemed shy to accept a compliment that now in his late 30’s; he looks about 25, laughing “it’s digital retouching.”

More information can be found out about John through:
http://www.john00fleming.com http://www.myspace.com/john00fleming http://www.joof.co.uk