Laidback Luke was born in Manila, the Philippines on 22 October 1976. The first time Luke was confronted with making electronic music was at a friend who owned an Amiga computer. He showed Luke that he could make songs with bits and pieces of other songs. It was then that Luke realised he wanted to make his own music.
Equipped with only one of the first soundcards in his PC he made his beginner tracks. One day Dobre (Good Men, Trancesetters & Basco) had to dj at Luke's school. Luke went up Dobre and asked him if he could send him a demo-tape. After sending the tape and getting some feedback from Dobre, Luke bought himself a synthesiser. Dobre and Luke kept in contact and planned midnight sessions at Dobre's studio, listening records. Dobre pointed Luke in the right directions and at the early age of eighteen Luke got his first record deal.
Going out to parties inspired Laidback Luke. It was here that he got to know about "dance floor energy". Being a house music freak, Luke got influenced by MK, Todd Terry, DJ Pierre and Carl Craig. The urge to search for harder stuff came when he got confronted with Relief Records. He became a real fan of that funky hard Chicago sound. Along came also Paul Johnson, DJ Sneak, Neil Landstrumm and Thomas Bangalter. By that time Luke had already made his all time classic "Act The Fool" on Touché.
Luke grew quite an image for his hard techno sound, his new work is miles away from the abstract, minimal techno. Luke found this part of the dance-scene being too limiting, and eventually not very inspiring anymore: 'That's the reason', he says now, 'That I didn't produce that much in the last two years. I needed to find a new sound. Something that would inspire me again.'
Weteringplantsoen, Amsterdam
Powerzone, Amsterdam
Powerzone, Amsterdam
Off Corso, Rotterdam
Escape, Amsterdam
Escape, Amsterdam
Patronaat, Haarlem
Powerzone, Amsterdam
Stadsblokken, Arnhem
Winkel van Sinkel, Utrecht
Patronaat, Haarlem
Paard van Troje, Den Haag
P60, Amstelveen
Paradiso, Amsterdam
De Effenaar, Eindhoven
Club Stalker, Haarlem
Panama, Amsterdam
Paard van Troje, Den Haag
Boerderij, Zoetermeer
Powerzone, Amsterdam
Gigant, Apeldoorn
Sloterparkbad, Amsterdam
Starlight, Nijkerkerveen
Club Stalker, Haarlem
Paradiso, Amsterdam
Maasplassen, Roermond
Now & Wow, Rotterdam
Thalia Lounge, Rotterdam
Delirium, Haarlem
Off Corso, Rotterdam
Wilhelminakade, Rotterdam
Club Las Palmas, Rotterdam
Muzinq, Almere
Paard van Troje, Den Haag
Panama, Amsterdam
Delirium, Haarlem
Asta, Den Haag
Now & Wow, Rotterdam
Paradiso, Amsterdam
Club Stalker, Haarlem
Poema, Utrecht Centrum
More, Amsterdam
Powerzone, Amsterdam
Boerderij, Zoetermeer
Club Stalker, Haarlem
Hotel Arena, Amsterdam
Now & Wow, Rotterdam
Panama, Amsterdam
De Lichtfabriek, Haarlem
Mazzo, Amsterdam
Now & Wow, Rotterdam
Hyper Hyper, Rotterdam
De Kust, Bloemendaal aan Zee
Julianapark, Venlo
Stadhuisplein, Eindhoven
Java eiland, Amsterdam
Club Silly Symphonies, Den Haag
Poema, Utrecht Centrum
Now & Wow, Rotterdam
Delirium, Haarlem
De Rechter, Eindhoven
Mazzo, Amsterdam
Starlight, Nijkerkerveen
Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam
Cruise Terminal, Rotterdam
Off Corso, Rotterdam
The Bowl, Hampshire
Megaland, Landgraaf
Club Silly Symphonies, Den Haag
Boerderij, Zoetermeer
De Lichtfabriek, Haarlem
More, Amsterdam
Off Corso, Rotterdam
Club Silly Symphonies, Den Haag
Sinners, Amsterdam
Mezz, Breda
Nighttown, Rotterdam
More, Amsterdam
Matrixx, Nijmegen
De Kust, Bloemendaal aan Zee
Fenix, Sittard
Club Industria, Antwerpen
So what, Gouda
Gigant, Apeldoorn
LVC, Leiden
De Rechter, Eindhoven
Doornroosje, Nijmegen
P60, Amstelveen
Nighttown, Rotterdam
De Lichtfabriek, Haarlem
Paard van Troje, Den Haag
Powerzone, Amsterdam
Off Corso, Rotterdam
UDC Dome, Amsterdam
XS2, Den Haag
Atak, Enschede
Off Corso, Rotterdam
De Rechter, Eindhoven
Club Stalker, Haarlem
Weteringplantsoen, Amsterdam