Page 21 - Zone Magazine Issue 008

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Traffik in Lithuania. Oh my days these guys know how to party!!! An unbelievable crowd to play to - I cannot wait to go back in the summer. Vitalij Litvinenko has done a wonderful job there, so big props to him.
Vinyl, CD or digital? And why?
Oh here we go cats and bloody dogs, ha ha!! Right where to start?! Of course I am a huge vinyl fan, I absolutely I love it. I’ve lived and breathed the stuff for half of my life. The problem these days is getting the right set and available choice to construct one to stay individual - obviously you can also rely on your back catalogue to fill, which also helps.
There are many labels still releasing on vinyl and that’s great but when it comes to performing in the venue have they got turntables? Have they been properly sound checked? Do you bring your own?
You know, us small guys are not Sven Vath, who can demand almost anything he wants, lol (quite rightly too by the way, he has earned that respect). So as a smaller guy there is loads more to think about to make sure everything is perfect. I went down the road of using Traktor for some time, as many of the new techno music was released on digital format but I found myself frustrated: a) you would turn up at the event and you try to set that shit up around the DJ before you – it’s not healthy for you or him, it’s a nightmare and b) I found myself constantly looking at the laptop instead of the mixer,becoming a bit lazy and pre occupied if I am being honest.
Sooooo that had to stop! I had to look at the bigger picture and get with the programme. What are club standard and let’s try to get back to being a DJ like I used to be, hence why I invested in Pioneer Nexus 2000s and I haven’t looked back. Now with my awesome Allen & Heath Xzone 92, I have added various studio FX modules through the sends and finally yes I am happy again - like I used to be with two turntables and a mixer. This Pioneer Rekordbox
nonsense. Just lock, load, play. Perfect
I’ll let you into a secret, before all the nexus products, I approached various companies with my own design and was ignored. I asked them to make a turntable with A rekord box style technology or touch screen built into the deck with Traktor or Serrato programmed, which you could also design your own branded Vinyl Control disc. This was a good few years ago now - maybe eight or nine. You look around today I wasn’t far off - should of put a patent on it ha ha! Hindsight aye...
Can you imagine a Technics deck like this? Usb flash drive in, you have your own Branded Vinyl plates, (for me that’s a winner). The main thing is get rid of that laptop - no one wants to see this in the DJ booth unless used for live performance. I could see my proposed design as a big hit in the DMC mix world. I am sure the Cdj was banned for some time in that comp. Who knows we may see my design one day see it – err...that idea is copyrighted here and now by the way, ha ha!!
Anyway, back to the original question, lol – yes, given the choice it would be vinyl all day for me. My two Technics 1200’s here will go to the grave with me. However as hard as it is, sometimes we must move forward and embrace new technology too but it has to be cool.
What do you think of your local scene in Wales, North & South?
Wow! Incredible! North Wales has long been the hub of international electronic dance music.
This place is like a breeding ground for talent. look at Sasha for instance, or more recently Jamie Jones, a good lad from down the road in Caernarfon or Tom Demac, one my close friends.
I could go on, however the license laws restrict us here in these parts to further the scene, hence why most of our talent spread their wings and move on to greener pastures.
South Wales is Lucky with two major cities Cardiff and Swansea , so in that aspect they would lead the way regarding events and
self on the road to Liverpool, Leeds, or Manchester which surround the area with of course huge brands like Cream , Sankeys and Warehouse Project .
The local scene, however, will always be alive in North Wales and that’s how it should stay. Like I say, it’s a breeding ground of talent, bursting with life to get out and break out the mold. People have it a bit harder than most round here and want it more, absolutely 100 % passion goes into artists in North Wales - we love it.
We have some great events running up here from Jon Scudamore’s excellent Manipulate that’s been running many years now, to new boys on the block, Strictly Underground, making huge waves and Creamfields. Cream resident and close friend of mine Ed Mackie, who also works the Ibiza circuit with me , and of course the infamous Got wood festival held on Anglesey. We have some major talent here right now it’s great to see.
Tell us about North Night, and your award?
Possibly one of the most memorable times of my life Paul.
My friend AD-J wanted me to enter a competition which I was a bit reluctant of at first as I’d only been playing in clubs a year and a half. Anyway, I thought why not I will throw a tape in (oh my god tape ha ha!!! When was the last time we all saw one of those, ha ha haaaa). I thought I wouldn’t get anywhere with it so I just forgot about it until the phone rang one day and it was Andy Vortex, (great guy who helped the harder side of Uk underground expand in the UK with his legendary brand North Radical Technology). I spoke with him and he invited me to the finals in Stoke at the legendary Void night club in Hanley .
I think I was against two Italians and a few UK guys who all were considered at the time best of the best upcoming DJ’s in the UK. The judges were a mixture of Vortex, Mark EG, Ribbz, and I the think DJ Epic at the time.
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technology is perfect for me, none of this laptop festivals . Most North Wales clubbers find them After picking our names out of a hat our set
" North Wales has long been the hub of international electronic dance music. This place is like a breeding ground for talent. look at Sasha for instance, or more recently Jamie Jones, a good lad from down the road in Caernarfon or Tom Demac, one my close friends. "
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