8 DJs tell us how they stay sane on tour

"I always make sure I eat, nothing too heavy, before I go out. But that depends if I've been out the night before. If I haven't slept and I'm on the way to the next gig, it can be anything like a Burger King. When I first started touring America, I'd have these massive steaks before I went out and I'd feel it hitting the bottom of my stomach during my set. I try to have fish pasta dishes, like crab spaghetti. I remember doing a gig in Amsterdam years ago with Mala. We went to this steakhouse and ate the biggest steaks. You could see us all flaking on stage about two hours later.

In terms of routine, if it's a long car journey we'll just play a decent mix on the way to the show, to get us in the mood for it. I always try to sleep once I'm in the hotel room, but I normally end up sitting there listening to tunes, buying tunes and making folders. It feels like it takes me forever to do that and to gut stuff out, like tunes I've been playing too much. I always attempt to watch a film before I have to go to the gig as well, but usually fall asleep and waking up to my tour manager Dave or the promoter saying "We've gotta go" on the hotel room phone. That nearly happens every time!

I can't make tunes on the road. I went through a phase of really trying to do it, but it felt forced. It never really worked out. My missus always keeps me in a positive mindset. She keeps me sane – she's almost like a safety blanket, as weird as it sounds. However crazy it gets, she sort of has these eyes that calm me. Also, she's not from this whole music thing – if a set wasn't that good, she won't just mince her words to keep me happy or anything."