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Insekt preview: interview with Matt Smallwood
Reported by Toomz
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Submitted 10-08-05 01:10
Matt Smallwood is a DJ who has been on the London hard house circuit for many years. Starting out around 8 years ago, it was not long before he was securing several residencies around the capital, including one at the ever popular at the time, Trinity. Now having played at some of the best underground parties, Matt has also had a hand in making some of the tunes that can be heard every weekend. Teaming up with good pal Ali Wilson, the pair have had a string of successful releases on some of the scenes biggest labels, which is no easy task.
With his individual blend of tough, techy beats fused with classic sounding hard house numbers, Matt is all set to impress as he plays his debut gig at August’s Insekt. The team had a few words with Matt leading up to next week’s event, to find out a bit more about him and what we can expect this month.
When did you first start DJing on the London scene? I remember your name about years ago.
I started playing out in London around 1997 when I was 17 with my first residency at a night called Enjoy @ The Collosseum in Vauxhall. I used to get asked for ID at the door because I was under age (and looked even younger!) I had to get the promoter down to the door every week to get the Bouncers to let me in! Haha! Soon after that I secured my residency at Trinity @ The Chunnel Club where I was resident until 2001 and things went from there really.
You started a few years ago playing hard house and from then went down more techy side of things, why did you choose to go that way?
I think because I started playing ‘hard house’ at such an early age, after 5 years or so I hit a point where I was craving change. I was no longer getting that ‘buzz’ you get when you hear a great track, so if I went record shopping I’d come home with maybe 2 records, so I knew something had to change. It was around this time that the techno/hard house hybrid began, and I was hooked from day one! Tracks like ‘Raw 9’ and ‘Hydraulix 9’ simply blew me away, all the energy of Hard House but with a more underground feel. I still get excited thinking about the good old days at Riot, drinking Kronenbourg and listening to BK pushing this new ‘techy’ sound week in, week out! Top stuff!
You are one of the old school on the London scene IMO, who do you look up to and which other DJs give you inspiration?
Cheers, now I feel really old! Haha! Well I was lucky enough to experience the original Trade line up, and that was monumental when developing my style of music and mixing, so obviously DJs like Tony de Vit (RIP) Ian M and Steve Thomas were hugely inspirational to me as a youngster. More recently over the past few years I would say Andy Farley is top of my pile. Technically he’s an awesome DJ, one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet and is so versatile, playing anything from tough house through to hard NRG and pretty much anything in between! Versatility is one thing that I think is really important in a DJ, especially in today’s ever developing scene. Also after various trips to Ibiza over the past few summers, Carl Cox and Trevor Rockliffe have totally done it for me with their fresh and funky techno at Space!
You have produced a number of tracks with Ali Wilson. Are anymore in the pipeline?
Yeah we’ve done a few now haven’t we! Ali and me have been good mates for years now and we get on so well in the studio as our styles and tastes are very similar. We’ve actually been in the studio loads lately and have 4 or 5 brand new tracks finished, covering funky techno and tech trance, a few of which we’ll hopefully be putting out on Ali’s forthcoming label ‘Tec-Elek Recordings’.
What genre would you class your tracks with Ali as... techno/hard house/hard trance?
The tracks we did that came out on Vicious/Nukleuz a few years ago were pretty much purely hard house. Although our sound has developed a lot now and we’re trying to take things to the next level and get people outside of the hard dance scene supporting our sound. I actually found out today that John Askew has been playing ‘IPA’ (which is one of our new tracks) in his sets and on his Kiss 100 show so that’s wicked! As I said earlier, more recently we’ve been concentrating on the funky techno and tech trance side of things and we even made a funky breaks track a while ago, which was a load of fun! Variety is the spice of life and all that!
We hear on the grapevine that a couple of these tracks have made it onto one of the major Hard House labels, Tidy Trax...
Yeah our debut tidy signing! Both Ali and Myself were really chuffed with that! ‘Dynamite’ is a techy trancer, and ‘I’ll Take Ya There’ is a groovy tech fuelled track, both have gained good support and they will be released on tidy in September.
What was it like to get tracks signed to both VC and Nukleuz, two of the scene’s larger labels, near the start of your production careers?
Obviously getting tracks signed to Vicious and Nukleuz at such an early stage was a real honour! I remember when Ed Real and Nolan kidnapped Ali and myself after a very heavy weekend and took us up to Sundissential in Leeds where he was playing. We played ‘Let The Games Begin’ (Our first Nukleuz signing) to him in the car on the way and he really liked it! He called during the week and said he wanted to sign it. I can also still remember the day when Ali called me at work to say that Glazby had just called him, saying he wanted to sign ‘Devastation’ and then the most excited conversation that followed! Two moments that will stick with us both forever I’m sure! So yes, we are both really proud of those earlier signings.
Have you got any plans for solo work?
I’d love to get some solo stuff out eventually yes, as production is something I’ve always really enjoyed, so having my own stuff out would be amazing. There’s a great deal to learn with regards to producing, but I am learning more and more all the time, especially working with Ali so much, he’s a bit of a legend on the Mac! I’ve also worked with Mark Maitland, Chris Hoff and Alex Parsons recently, they’re all wicked engineers and that’s definitely good experience to see how different people work. Unfortunately I don’t have a great deal of time at the moment to give it the 110% it requires to concentrate on engineering my own stuff but I hope in the not so distant future to get some ‘Solo Smallwood’ tracks out there for sure!
Those that have watched you behind the decks have seen you keep a record in time using the 33/45 buttons, where did you pick up this unique method?
Ssssshhhh! Don’t give away my secrets! Haha! It’s quite unorthodox I know, and can be a bit dangerous, but it works for me! Not quite sure where I picked it up, it may have even been from Ali, but I’ve never been a fan of pushing the record when it’s in the mix so I purely use the pitch control and the cheeky 33/45 method if I need a bit of extra help!
Are there any DJs you really rate, technically spoken, these days and who’s the next big thing in your opinion?
Colin Barratt is one that springs straight to mind here. I’ve been playing his tracks for a few years now but had never heard him play until he played Blast @ The Fridge a few months back, and he was awesome! A real mixture of techno and hard house all mixed spot on as well. Put this together with his A1 productions and his youthful age and we have a winner in my opinion!
Do you think there hard house is well & healthy in a struggling hard dance scene?
I guess it depends on whether you’re looking at record sales or how busy the clubs are, because although record sales aren’t great these days, the clubs are as busy as ever! A big reason for the drop in record sales though is the whole MP3/Digital stage we’ve entered recently which was bound to happen really. But all the time people are still packing out the clubs and enjoying the music then yes, I’d say the scene was still healthy!
What are your views on the MP3 revolution, do you think that the ease of release (thus making more material available) is a good thing, or do you think it can drown out the really good material?
Well as I mentioned earlier the move to Digital/MP3 was inevitable as technology is paramount in our scene and is what moves our sound forward and develops it. I remember when DJs first started playing CDs in clubs, and other DJS were like ‘Urgh! How dare he play a CD!’ And now it’s probably impossible to find a DJ who doesn’t play CDs in their set, it’s just the way things progress. Call me old fashioned but I still prefer the buzz of mixing two records into each other any day! With regards to weather I think the ease of release is a good or bad thing, it’s hard to say really. I think it’s a good thing that there’s more material available, as people have a varied and wide selection of music at their fingertips, although as you say if there’s too much selection it may drown out the really good releases so I guess it’s a bit of a Vicious Circle really! (No plug intended!)
Name your dream line up for a night or your choice?
Ok, although this line up is not possible anymore, we can still dream! The venue would have to be Amnesia in Ibiza and DJs in this order…
Marco V
Carl Cox b2b Trevor Rockliffe
Steve Thomas b2b Matt Smallwood
Tony de Vit
Andy Farley
If you won a million what would you do with it?
Oh god, that’s a hard question I could be here all day! First of all I guess I’d take my family and close friends on a massive holiday and enjoy a few cocktails around a pool somewhere! Then when we got back I’d throw the biggest party, and pay Jessica Alba and Brittany Murphy to be my dates for the night!! Get in! :o)
Now, onto your hotly anticipated set at the forthcoming Insekt. The event has a policy of only booking the big players who have contributed to the hard house scene. Be that, DJs, producers or record label owners. What do you think about what Insekt is trying to do for the clubbers who like the harder side of music?
I think the scene needs nights like Insekt that caters purely for the harder edge of music. The same as I think that we need trance nights, techno nights, and for the really open minded crowds out there, nights that fuse all three! Obviously there’s a lot of different sounds within the ‘hard dance’ scene nowadays, but Insekt gives the clubbers that aren’t really into these other sounds, the chance to go to a night where they’re guaranteed a good time and good music that’s to their taste. Another good aspect of Insekt is that it gives London clubbers the chance to catch their hero’s every month. DJs like Paul Glazby, Justin Bourne etc, who don’t play in London week in week out. It’s nice for the clubbers who buy their records every week to be able to hear their favourite DJs playing them out.
What can we expect to hear from you @ Insekt on August 20th?
Well as I’m playing really early, I’ll play a bit of funky techno, throw in a few classics and build up to some hard house before the talented ‘Jimbo Nardster’ takes over and steps things up a bit! I’ve always really enjoyed my nights out down at Insekt, always a wicked crowd and it’s run by people with a genuine love and passion for the music, so it’ll be nice to be part of that team and be on the other side of the decks for the night!
And what can we expect from Matt Smallwood in the future?
Well, I hope to continue with what I’m doing production wise, trying to push a few boundaries and experimenting with different, fresh sounds and eventually get those ‘Solo Smallwood’ projects off the ground. Myself, Ali Wilson and Lee Osborne are now recording under the name ‘Electrilogy’ and will be working on techno and tech-trance releases, so that’s an exciting new venture that we’re all looking forward to. We are also launching an event in London called ‘Audio Virus’ in a few months time, I can’t say too much at the moment, but we’ve had a few meetings and it’s all looking good so keep your eyes and ears peeled! DJ wise I’d like to continue on the London circuit and concentrate more on International gigs for the near future. My trip to New Zealand a few years ago was probably the highlight of my career so far and I vowed to get back there whenever I could as it was the most incredible place, so I’d like to arrange another tour over there at some point. I’d love to get over to Australia too. So all in all there’s plenty to keep me out of trouble for now, well, I’m not sure about that actually but there’s plenty for me to be getting on with!
Photos courtesy of Daf, Amy Anders and *cheeky chick*.
Insekt
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On:
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Saturday 20th August 2005
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At:
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Fire [map]
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From:
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10pm - 5am
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Cost:
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£8 advanced tickets, £9 Paying Guestlist, £12 on the door.
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Website:
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www.insekt.co.uk
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Ticket Info:
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For £9 paying guestlist please email:
insekt_guestlist@yahoo.co.uk
Advanced tickets available from:
Maria 07813 684399, neverenoughmaria@hotmail.com.
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More:
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August’s Insekt sees Vicious Circle’s main man Paul Glazby headline, hot on the back of the release of his new compilation CD: ‘I Love VC!’
Special guest of the night is Matt Smallwood, best known for his tracks: 'Samba!', 'Gimmie All Ya Got', ‘Devastation’ & 'Just Listen'.
Crystal-clear soundsystem, chill out area, colour laser.
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Flyer:
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Other Features By Toomz:
Insekt preview with Simon Paul & Housewives Choice.
Insekt preview: crowd rockin with Ben Stevens
An interview with Flash Point's quiet man Jupe.
Insekt preview: interview with George E
From Oz to AM: a look at the past year & 2006 with James Nardi
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: James Nardi on 10th Aug 2005 08:16.50
Chamone Smallwooood!!!!
From: George-E on 10th Aug 2005 09:20.30
Go on ya nutbag...looking forward to having you down INsekt dude! 
From: Jennie B on 10th Aug 2005 09:23.53
 classic love that last pic!!!!! Looking forward to seeing a differnet kinda warm up from Matt..
From: Toomz on 10th Aug 2005 09:48.36
Gonna be a wicked night... cant wait!
From: bennett on 10th Aug 2005 09:59.19
shlag!!! 
From: carl nicholson on 10th Aug 2005 10:04.01
Go on the smallwood! Top bloke!
From: JC-TAKTIKAL on 10th Aug 2005 10:49.10
absolute Top DJ in my opinion - if you havent heard him play out make sure you do - proper legend
From: paul jack on 10th Aug 2005 11:14.35
Nicwe one Geeeeeza - i remember listening to Matt play at Trinity a long time ago - he was wicked then and he even better now! - booooooooooooooowai
From: onthebass on 10th Aug 2005 11:15.12
Nice work geezer. You've had some quality tunes out over the years...and remember you're only as old as you feel. Shlaaag it up!
From: Zoelee on 10th Aug 2005 11:52.58
Matt played at my very first event 2 yrs ago and I rate him as one of London's top DJs! Great stuff Matt 
From: Richard Launch on 10th Aug 2005 12:22.10
Nice one Smallwood....!
From: Stevi D on 10th Aug 2005 13:51.23
Rocking "Solo Smallwood" Pure bred nutter, where ever we are.....................
From: Marc Johnson on 10th Aug 2005 14:14.44
chamoooooone he heeeeee
good one smallwood, try and stay awake this week though!!!!!!
From: Toomz on 10th Aug 2005 15:17.14
As long as he looks like what he did in that photo... and not what he looked like after, he'll be fine :
From: little Em on 10th Aug 2005 15:18.03
ah your the best matty
From: Ali Wilson on 10th Aug 2005 16:02.55
Nice interview son, get fook reeet in!
From: Type 1 on 10th Aug 2005 17:45.08
Dude ya A Leg End! wikid interview!
From: steelo kuchiki on 10th Aug 2005 18:07.48
yes yes matt, big up. nice interview mate
From: Lunar chic on 10th Aug 2005 18:31.12
Bowai Centada Smallwoodious! Nice one babe, you are a legend! 
From: ~deleted1390 on 10th Aug 2005 19:38.05
Nice one Matt.
From: Matt Smallwood on 10th Aug 2005 20:13.08
Thanks for all the kind words guys, very much appreciated! Hope to see some of you down at Insekt next weekend for a few jars! Cheers!
From: Ickle H on 10th Aug 2005 20:23.16
Nice one Pelvis! Be good to meet up soon babe!
From: Gordon Darley on 10th Aug 2005 22:29.55
nicely done mate. Keep up the good work
From: Maria on 11th Aug 2005 01:04.19
Well deserved interview. I remember Matt from XLR8...its was ages ago...OH MY GOD...we getting older babe!!! I'll see you at Insekt and will wait for SAMBA. Did you made this track for me? hehehe
From: Alex Parsons on 11th Aug 2005 10:08.49
Top stuff ruuuudeboy!
From: Kamora on 11th Aug 2005 13:05.39
Good interview Toomz. Il be there early for Insekt for Matt's set
From: El Capitano Pete on 11th Aug 2005 14:36.50
Top stuff!
From: Lana M on 11th Aug 2005 16:25.08
U are a diamond in the rough Matt aint ya. Bout time u got your own big page on HF hopefully ill see u around soon!
From: Martin Begley on 11th Aug 2005 17:18.02
Go on, the Smallwood!
From: Steve Maynard on 11th Aug 2005 21:43.40
Good read mate, C u on the 20th
From: Nikki S on 11th Aug 2005 22:14.45
Boowaii central!!
Nx
From: *cheeky chick* on 12th Aug 2005 10:42.43
looking forward to hearing your set Matt
From: ~deleted5181 on 12th Aug 2005 12:33.58
Looking forward to seeing you play at Insekt
From: *charlie*! on 12th Aug 2005 17:49.45
Wicked stuff babe, its about time you got the recognition that you deserve honey.
looking forward to this new event
and I'll see you down the front nice and early at insekt, 
GTFRI smallwood man schlagathon 
From: TEK-DJ Management on 13th Aug 2005 21:36.21
Nice one Matt!!!! Respek....!!!!!
From: K.A.R.L. on 14th Aug 2005 15:30.14
Wicked read. Matt is a top dj and a top bloke....
From: Dave Austin on 14th Aug 2005 19:55.09
Cool interview Matt.
Rave safe & see you soon mate.
From: Steve Gillen on 15th Aug 2005 20:35.46
nice one matt. great interview
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