Page 20 - Zone Magazine Issue 008

feature interview - uk
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For something different to bring to your party, look no further than 'Jon Connor'. A man who lives and breathes techno, making his mark internationally with many accomplishments and a huge devotion to the genre to go with it. Hailing from Wales, he is regarded as a shining light in the resurgence of underground techno, a purist crusading against the soulless watered down modern interpretation of the genre that is often regarded by many as authentic.
Having DJ'd and produced for 15 years, breaking into the UK Warehouse rave scene in 1995, it didn't take long for Jon to become famed around the country with his energetic and cutting edge sets, seeking the most underground white labels, and lesser known B Sides, ever concentrating on a floor shaking meticulous groove.
A residency soon followed at the legendary North night, which was the first night to bring some of the highest regarded international techno DJs and producers to the UK. With Jon spinning alongside Andreas Kraemer, Kay D Smith, Marco Cucchia, Joy Kitikonti and numerous others. In 2001, Jon's DJing prowess lead to him being crowned the Turntable Champion at a North event, which lead to him receiving an award at the Welsh Music Awards.
No stranger to the studio, and with aliases 'Lundstram' and 'Code Breaker' to concentrate in other aspects of Electronic Music, Jon has released on various international labels such as Subcult, Technodrome, Central Music, Valvula, Choooose and Supertech, to name but a few. As well as this he has frenetically toured many countries and entertained crowds at some of the biggest events and festivals Europe has to offer.
2016 sees him launch his Bubble Jam events
brand and concept with a Record Label to follow. Keep an eye out and be sure to check out one of the most dedicated techno enthusiasts the UK has to offer!
Having known Jon from the time I spent in Wales, and my shop Redbox Recordz. I thought, after a re-introduction some short time ago, I would catch up with Jon to see what he was up to!
Tell us about your first venture into electronic music?
I suppose it must have been the early 90’s. We used to attend free parties here in North Wales. They were huge gatherings in some of the most spectacular venues for a party - mountains, caves, forests, and disused quarries set against the incredible landscape of beautiful North Wales! It’s probably the reason Hollywood films here so often, we are lucky to live in such a wonderful place.
I remember my first rave like it was yesterday, I was 16 years old on the beach in Bangor alongside Menai straights , a place we used to call the white house . We would all gather for a weekend party after a huge student night at Bangor University called Transience. I can only describe it as something like steam punk, almost like a scene from Mad Max movie, ha ha!!
The music would play for days , from various made up rigs ranging from converted library vans, old Military vehicles, to cars with neon lights and trailers with make shift sound systems - incredible scenes really, like stepping into the future.
I remember watching a DJ who stood out like no other taking the crowd through a journey that ebbed and flowed as if we were on some sort of
flight of emotions. He was truly incredible. From that moment on, watching him, I knew that was what I wanted to do. That man was a very young Sasha , he is from my way - I still see his sister now and then and his parents live down the road... I always look to that as inspiration how he managed to come from a beach party in North Wales amongst other things, to becoming one of the most respected artists on the planet.
The music back then was all one thing really it wasn’t really pigeon holed into categories. You would be listening from anything like goa trance/ tribal house to techno acid and psychedelic. It would be stuff like Jim Clarke on Global Ambition, Early Noom Records like Superspy (who is of course the hugely talented Oliver Lieb), through to the massive R & S Records, huge tracks like Plastic Dreams, Joey Beltram Energy Flash - of course LFO ha ha!!
I could go on and on here but you get the drift. I was lucky enough to be a teenager where shit was going down on the music scene and absolutely spoilt for choice before everything branched off into other genres. It was a fun time to be alive. Electronic music in all its fruition.
You play Europe regularly. Tell us about where and what clubs?
Ibiza is, of course, one of my favorites. I have appeared many times over the years at various clubs like Eden, Es Paradise and once made an appearance at DC10. It would be amazing to play the larger venues such as Space or Amnesia - I would love to emulate Carl Cox or Ritchie Hawtin with their huge brands at Space with my own take on things with Bubblejam. I have so many ideas bursting to get out it’s frustrating sometimes!
Other places to mention in Europe would have to be Fabbrikka, oh and just recently Sound
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