Poul-Erik Jensen the venue DJ for EHF EURO 2010 at the MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark talks to ehf-euro.com about the songs that have been the soundtrack of the tournament in Denmark, but first explains his unusual route into handball and eventually becoming the official Danish Handball Federation (DHF) DJ.

ehf-euro.com: How did you get involved in handball in Denmark?

Poul-Erik Jensen: I met Anja Andersen back in 1996, when I was introduced to her through my work with Danish football legend Michael Laudrup when I used to be a salesman for Sting Police sunglasses.

Before the 1996 Atlanta Olympics she asked me if I could get some for her and he squad so I did and the whole team went there and won the Gold Medal she was a very big star and it was such a great side.

About ten years ago Anja asked me if I could play some music at a handball match in my home town Grenå  so I went along and played and my son did the PA.

Then a club nearby asked me if I could do their game the following day, so I did that and then at that match there was someone from the DHF and the next day I was their official DJ!

ehf-euro.com: Why is there music at handball matches?

Poul-Erik Jensen: About 10-12 years ago it started to come into the game from ice hockey, so I went to the matches to find out what everyone was talking about.

The fans and the players themselves are very interested in what I am playing. They are coming to me asking ”˜can you play this one?´ and ”˜can you play that one, or can you find it?´.  They email me, come up to me and we are always getting mail asking us to make CDs.

ehf-euro.com: Were you a handball player or just a fan?

Poul-Erik Jensen: Just a fan - I never played handball properly.  My son writes about handball for the BT newspaper in Copenhagen and my daughter used to play it in Grenå . Actually I became a grandfather for the first time during the Denmark v Russia match on Monday night.

ehf-euro.com: What is your job inside the arena?

Poul-Erik Jensen:  Well, I am a DJ, but in 2002 we had a EHF EURO here in Denmark and the TV channel showing the games gave me the title of ”˜conductor´ in a caption, so it´s just stuck since then.

In handball, the players, the crowd and the DJ are a combination and we all want to put on a good show for them so they want to come back.

They come to the arena for the handball of course but it´s also important to make it nice for them. I want people to sing to the songs I play and if they do, I turn the music down and they sign back.

I am constantly looking for new music and at a tournament like EHF EURO 2010 it is especially important to look for all the best music - the Top Tens - from each country so when they make an entrance, they feel at home as the teams are coming from across Europe.

ehf-euro.com: Do you have any interaction with any of the officials or teams?

Poul-Erik Jensen:  For example, the Croatian delegation came up to me with a song the team wanted to run out and I usually get it passed to me on MP3, CD or DVD which I then feed into the computer - the only team I didn´t get a song from was Russia.

ehf-euro.com: Do you have to follow any official rule or guidance when playing music?

Poul-Erik Jensen: I can´t play music when players have penalty shots and I won´t play music when a player is on the floor injured, as it is better to wait until they are getting up and the applause from the crowd can be heard which is much better than music.

Of course, when there are attacks I never play music as it is unsporting, no matter who is playing - playing anything can have an effect on a player on court.

I play music for both teams, but of course there are some songs specifically for the Danish team, but I just play good music.  For example, when the Spanish team play I have a particular song for them which is Shakira - Loca ft. Dizzee Rascal and they danced to it in their warm up and asked me to play it a little bit louder, so we have a connection, even some of the staff here were dancing - it´s a great feeling.

ehf-euro.com: What is it like being so close to the court and the players?

Poul-Erik Jensen: I can hear, smell and feel the action on the court here really well, especially when the poor Romanian goalkeeper went down screaming really badly with her injury she picked up.

I know a few players and coaches like Evgeny Trefilov I´ve known for about ten years and we always shake hands, and I can tell you, he has very big hands! I won´t be telling him what to play.

I also make sure I say hello to all the coaches so they feel welcome and comfortable to approach me if they want to play something to warm up.

I haven´t been hit yet at EHF EURO 2010, but I have been hit in the head a few times during my handball career - it´s inevitable as you are so close here.

ehf-euro.com: You exclusively revealed to ehf-euro.com last week your Top Ten, talk us through some of the songs:

Die Höhner - Så ka ´ de lære det
Poul-Erik Jensen: There is a story about this song!  I asked my friend Keld Heick who is a famous Danish songwriter, musician and singer for a song for EHF EURO 2010 and not a copy of the EHF EURO 2008 Austrian song - DJ Ötzi - Hey Baby.

So Keld was at a club on holiday in southern Germany with his wife and heard this song being played. He asked the DJ what it was, got permission from the record company to produce a different version and then sprinkled his magic production over it.

It is dedicated to a goal Laerke Moller scored from behind her back. I received the final version on the Saturday before the Tuesday that EHF EURO 2010 started and it will be officially released in January.

Unknown Artist - Ra Ta Ta Ta (Remix)
Poul-Erik Jensen: This is from Sweden and is a song we always play, I have some songs that are very special for the EHF EURO 2010 and this is one of them.

Clive J Lonie - Ka ´ du Mærke Gulvet Gynger
Poul-Erik Jensen: Gulvet Gynger means the ”˜floor is moving´ or ”˜the floor is swinging´. I had to go to the producers through Warner Music to get permission to remix the original tune by Laban (called ”˜Give Me Your Name, Give Me Your Number´) and it was only completed a month ago - it´s not available yet.

Duck Sauce - Barbara Streisand (EHF EURO 2010 Edit)
Poul-Erik Jensen: We first edited this with an unknown man saying ”Hi Jan Pytlick” and then some player names - it was mainly done to get people smiling, and I think it´s worked.