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In his own
words.....
Why DJ'ing?
I've always
been into dance music and have been part of the club scene since
the late 70s and early 80s
A coach trip to London for the opening night of Heaven, introduced
me to the innovative Dj'ing skills of Ian Levine and eventually
led to a move from my home town of Swansea to London in 1982. I
was fascinated with the journey that Ian was able to take the crowd
on with just a box of records, two decks and a mixer.
Like many other clubbers, the changes to the scene that happened
in the late 80's and early 90's also changed my life. Around this
time we were going to clubs like Spectrum, Land of Oz and Trip.
We were also heading down the M4 on a Sunday afternoon to Full Circle,
a legendary club promoted by Phil Perry and the Slough crew. This
is where I first heard the deeper side of the new genre of house
music.
It was late
I990 when I bought my first pair of decks so that I could make mix
tapes for myself and my friends. I never dreamed at the time that
I would become a professional DJ. I started purely as a hobby. My
first real break came with Trade in 1992 when I was asked to play
at a one-off bank holiday party. For me this was beyond belief,
my favourite club, the place that inspired me, the dj's I looked
up to had asked me, little Alan Thompson to play at their club.
Of course I accepted, this was my chance to play to my friends in
THE club. The week leading up to the gig has to be the most terrifying
time of my life. I swear I was a nervous wreck for the whole week.
I remember clearly how my hands were shaking when I put my first
record on. My set went very well and I was offered a weekly residency
that night which lasted for 10 years until I left in the summer
of 2002.
Another club
which opened in April 1993 and was to have a big impact on my life
and career was DTPM. Held on a Sunday between 12 midday and 8pm
at Villa Stefano, Holborn. The club was for the die hard clubbers
who wanted to carry on after Trade. I was offered a residency later
that year. It wasn't long before we outgrew the venue and moved
to Bar Rhumba in Shaftesbury Avenue for a period of 18 months. Again
outgrowing the venue and shifting the opening times to later in
the day we moved to the then new venue, The End. This move catapulted
DTPM in to the big league. The residency at The End lasted for 4
years when it got to the point when there were more people outside
trying to get in than there were inside, which was full to the rafters.
Lee Freeman, the promoter was offered a new Sunday nights at the
new ground breaking venue, Fabric. This was a chance for DTPM to
grow and we started our residency there in October 1999 and continue
today. DTPM is now my main residency in the UK each and every Sunday
night at Fabric, London.
Since
that first Trade gig I've travelled the world DJ'ing taking in many
countries including Australia, America, Japan, China, Russia, Canada,
Israel, Lebanon, South Africa and every country in Europe. I have
also played in some of the top UK and International clubs including
Ministry of Sound, The End, Passion, Progress, Gods Kitchen, Twilo,
Zouk, Allenby 58, Le Queen, The Palace, Pacha, Space, Ku, Privelage,
Amnesia and El Divino. I consider myself very lucky to be able to
do what I enjoy most, play house music to like minded people. I'm
at my happiest when I'm behind the decks dj'ing. For me there is
nothing more exciting.
Describe
your sound
Essentially house, sometimes vocal, sometimes deep, sometimes tribal
but always funky…. I've always had very diverse musical tastes
and what I play largely depends on the crowd I'm playing to or the
club that I'm playing at. I play funky house and deep house at my
London residencies DTPM and Discotec and underground house at Ministry
of Sound and Defected In The House. I am a house DJ!
Who
produces the music you play?
I'm a big fan of Jason Jinx, Mojolators, Richard F, Kid Crème
and Junior Jack. My favourite labels are Defected, Fluential, Illegal
Beats, Azuli and of course Subliminal. I like my house music funky
and dirty.
What
about your own productions?
When I go into the studio I don't like to be too prepared as that
can take the excitement and spontaneity out of the track. I usually
take just a one bar loop, get a groove going, build on that with
a bassline and finish off with the arrangement and vocals.
I enjoy producing
and the day I stop getting excited is the day I stop doing it. Although
I admit that I get more pleasure by playing the finished product
to a room full of up for it cheering sweaty clubbers.
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Guest
DJ