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Features
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| Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! | | N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! | | Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna | | A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! | | 'The Maestro that is Tristan talks barn owls, Shazamming and keeping it Psychedelic ahead of his upcoming performance at the Tribal Village 4 Day Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! | | DJ talk with Psyrenzo ahead of his debut set at Tribal Village, the Steelyard this Friday 14th January 2022! | | TENZO aka Overdrive talks freely about launching his new act which will be showcased at Tribal Village, Steelyard on 14 January 2022! | | A long overdue catch up with JourneyOM ahead of his next Tribal Village party this Friday 14th January 2022 at the Steelyard, London! | | Goa based party animal and artist extraordinaire Nirmal talks punk concerts, metal sculptures, flying and rippin' it up on a High Tide! | | DJ Wired talks to us about the Rise of the Hope and parties, ahead of his upcoming set at Tribal Village on 14th January 2022! |
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New Years Eve Preview - Heat & The Gallery - Interview with Fergie
Reported by Paul Stix
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Submitted 23-12-04 19:14
What immediately strikes you about Fergie is his smile. He’s one happy guy. And well he should be you might say with the kind of rare success that has befallen him over the past 3 years. But his is not a smug smile it’s a genuine one, which is a trait that truly characterises FERGIE. He exudes a child like energy that permeates everything he does. His raw talent honest attitude and youthful exuberance are the key ingredients that have got him where he is today.
Fergie is a unique character in the fickle world of dance music. When he first arrived on the scene in 2000 he was heralded as the future of dance music and his face appeared on the cover of the biggest dance music magazines out there. His fresh face and tough new sound was a tonic to everyone who heard him play. As his appeal grew so did his success He secured a residency at the UK’s top club Godskitchen, appeared at No.8 in the prestigious DJ magazine Top 100 chart, (the highest new entry ever), and landed his own show on Radio 1, now on the new look Saturday night rostrum. Which is where he is now, a radio presenter, DJ, producer, champion of new talent and headliner of the massive New Years Eve event at Brixton Academy for The Gallery & Heat, alongside Tall Paul, Eddie Halliwell, Andy Farley, K90, Marc French and Ian Betts. In short, Fergie is a consummate professional at the tender age of 25 and with the launch of his new night ‘Excentric’ at The Gallery in 2005 together with a new record label – Excentric Music, he really has come a very long way indeed.
This New Year’s Eve, you’ll be headlining The Gallery’s massive event with HeatUK at Brixton Academy in front of 4,500 people. Are you looking forward to the gig?
Yeah, I’m really looking to playing it; I love New Year’s Eve!! In the past few years I’ve done between 3 and 5 gigs on the same night, so it will be nice just to be doing one party this time, especially at Brixton and with all the boys. I’ll be getting a few nice tracks together for the night and I plan to spend the whole evening down there with everyone. It’s great that Paul (Tall), Eddie (Halliwell) and Spartacus (Gavyn Mytchel) are also playing, so it’ll be one big family bash!!
Have you ever played Brixton Academy before?
No never, so I’m well up for it!
What are your plans for Christmas?
I’m playing Ministry of Sound in Taipei (Taiwan) on Christmas Eve and then flying back on Christmas Day. Then on Boxing Day, I have Carl Cox on the radio with me, doing a special 1 hour mix and then I’m doing Garlands on Boxing Day night, which is a great club to play – I’ve been playing there for years and years.
On Friday 11th February 2005 you’ll launching your own event “Excentric” to be run in conjunction with The Gallery at Turnmills. Tell us more?
I just wanted to something than was more about me and my interpretation of what my perfect night in a club would be all about. We’re talking about quite a few weird and eccentric things going on throughout the club and I’d like to get people like the Cuban Brothers or (Sean Rowley’s) Guilty Pleasure’s to host the VIP Room, where the punters can bring their own records down to play on the night!
You’re programming the whole “Excentric” nights yourself at The Gallery, so how do you perceive the night to be and what guests can we expect to hear?
The main room will be quite full on, which is the way I like it!! I’m also doing something on my Radio 1 show called “Jack Le Future”, where I’ll be supporting a number of excellent up-and-coming DJs like Towie from Blackpool, who plays metal-sounding house, not heavy f*cking metal – but, good tough housey stuff! There’s another guy called Jusphil, who’s at the Technics DJ Academy, who I’ve known for a long time. He doesn’t play techno, but borders on the funky techno! Then I’ve got a guy called Tyler Lee, who we’ll be putting on at the end of the launch night, alongside Towie and Jusphil. These guys will all feature heavily on this “Jack Le Future” part of my show with mixes and stuff and they’ll also play with me at some Radio 1 events next year.
You’ll also have Jel Ford and Col Hamilton down as your first guests on the night…
Yeah what I’m gonna do with the line-up is pick a DJ who’s resident at their own night and get them down to play. Col is resident at Lush, back in Northern Ireland. Jel Ford is a big producer and I’ve been doing quite a lot of stuff with him in the studio of late. He’s also a phenomenal DJ to watch and to listen to.
So you’re looking forward to it then?
Yeah definitely. It’s great to be doing the whole club at Turnmills, because in order for Excentric to work I need to carefully programme each room.
On the assumption that this night really takes off, what would be next for Excentric? A tour? Record Label?
Well the February date will also be the Official Launch Party for Excentric Music – the record label, and we’ll be giving away a load of singles, records etc on the night! A lot of these guys that I’m going to be supporting will also feature on the label. It’s not going to be a techno label, it’s not going to be a trance label and it’s not going to be a house label. It’s just going to be an output for really good, strong music – Excentric Music. On the touring side of things, there might be a possibility of doing Excentric over in Ibiza next year.
We’re coming to the end of 2004 now, have you had a good year?
My Radio 1 show is going really well and I’m really looking forward to starting up this Excentric night next year. The figures for the show have doubled, going from a Friday night to a Saturday night. Not only are more people listening, but they’re listening for a longer period which is very important. You know, that’s a great confidence boast as much as anything for me, cos I still find it weird doing the radio!! I feel so much comfortable and I look back on things I’ve done and can’t believe most of it!! I’m really enjoying it and so into the music, crossing over all genres of music before the last half hour is basically the type of music that you’ll hear me playing in the clubs.
How is clubland these days in your eyes, with various genres of music merging together like never before?
It’s going back to how it used to be. What f*cked clubs up for 3 or 4 years anyway, was people would pigeonhole certain DJs with certain genres and therefore limit the clubs the DJs could play at. For example, Carl Cox with techno nights, Tony De Vit with Hard house and Paul Oakenfold with Trance. I’m not saying that The Gallery was ever like that, because they have such an open-minded musical approach and like to mix it all up, but it was hard, especially when I was pigeonholed as only playing Hard House, because it limits things. Nowadays it’s so different, especially when you think that I’ve been playing techno at The Gallery for years!!
What can we hear expect to hear from a typical Fergie set these days?
Just exciting, f*cking electronic music. Very energetic. The stuff I’m playing at the minute, is the most exciting stuff I’ve ever played.
Would you say that you’re sound is more ‘mature’ or grown up now you’re a bit older?
Yeah I guess my sound has grown up a bit, you know what I mean? I’m trying to add in a little bit of other genres together in my sets without making it sound sh*t and I’m really excited about all the new music that I’m hearing at the moment.
It must be a great feeling, knowing that having first come over to this country in 1996 to hook up with Tony De Vit, and then all these years later you’ve got your night, Radio 1 show and are able to work with your peers and idols?
It is a great feeling and I’m very proud. The best thing about doing my new Excentric night is that it’s at Turnmills, where it first started for me all those years ago. The first time I played at Trade, Tony was there with Lawrence (Trade Promoter) and loads of other guys, who Tony introduced me to. I was just this little 16 year old from Northern Ireland standing in a room full of the queerest people you’ve ever seen in your life - I mean that in the nicest possible way!! You know, coming from Northern Ireland, I’d never met a gay person before and I was sh*tting myself!! Anyway, I was on the decks, and the needle kept jumping on every record. I thought that was it for me. So, to now have my very own night at Turnmills is very special. Actually while I was waiting for you sat up in the Anexo Bar (Turnmills), I was reminiscing about the first time I ever played Trade. I was playing the last set in the main room and I got here at about f*cking 2.30am and I wasn’t on until 12pm! I just sat upstairs nearly falling asleep!! It’s really nice that it’s now gone full circle for me and Turnmills has always been at the very top of its game. To be a part of that family is a great feeling and you know that they always do things to be the very best of their ability. I’m just really looking forward to it.
And finally, where do you want to see yourself, let’s say, this time next year?
Hopefully preparing for an Excentric New Year’s Eve party at Turnmills!!! I’d like to have been in the studio a lot more. I’m doing some stuff with Mauro Picotto next year, for the label and with him at Meganite. Also I want to keep on pushing the label, my Radio 1 show and the club night. Obviously I’d like to keep travelling all over the world and bringing those influences and cultures to my sets and music. And that’s what it’s about. For me next year I’m going to be getting my head down and putting my total concentration into the music.
Photos courtesy of Turnmills
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Other Features By Paul Stix:
A Quick Interview with Tall Paul!
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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Comments:
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From: Danny Gilligan on 23rd Dec 2004 20:38.08
Love ya work....legend
From: Darz on 23rd Dec 2004 23:29.07
I not wanna go FAAAAAAAAAAST!!!
From: paul jack on 24th Dec 2004 01:05.03
legend!
From: ~deleted3566 on 27th Dec 2004 13:07.35
woo !
From: The_Squirrel on 27th Dec 2004 21:41.20
An excellant interview, love your work... well done mr stix
From: Neil English on 28th Dec 2004 22:06.13
he's the man!
From: london dom on 30th Dec 2004 19:01.13
what a complete load of bollox!
i just purchased the fergie "mixmag live" CD and you have just copied, word for word, the whole inlay as your introduction.
this is pathetic journalism at its finest.
if you can't be bothered to do a proper, original article, dont bother.
From: tidypacman on 2nd Jan 2005 17:28.45
was really looking forward to seeing him at heat nye, but wat a pile of wank, sorry but was crap set
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