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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - 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 |
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Get your Audio Hedz round Frantic's Hard Dance Showcase
Reported by Ben Gomori
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Submitted 17-09-07 20:26
Is that fresh hard dance blood I smell? It sure is! Audio Hedz are on everyone's lips at the moment, currently being heralded as some of the most exciting new producers in the realm of harder music. They've updated the sound of bouncy hard house for 2007, creating tough hoover-filled anthems that still retain that all important sense of "fun" that have seen the likes of Nukleuz, Carl Nicholson, Andy Whitby and DJ GRH sign them to their respective labels. Furthermore, Mr. Whitby was so impressed with their productions and Mega Mash bootlegs that he demanded some studio time with the burgeoning young duo, known to their friends as Rich and Joe.
No slouches on the DJ front either, Audio Hedz have been taken on to Breed Management, home to talent such as Storm's Garbo, Tidy's Lee Pasch and production genius Digital Kid. Gigs for X-Static and Baby Slinky have helped them to catch the attention of Frantic, who have snapped them up to play in the main room at their new Hard Dance Showcase event, which launches at Hidden on September 28th. We got the lads together so that we could introduce these bright new stars to yous lot!
Would you mind telling us how exactly you first discovered hard music? What did you think first time round?
Rich – Well it was when I was 12 I went round my mate’s house at dinner from school and he banged out The Prodigy really loud. I was amazed and got hooked, then a few years later when I was 14 my mate played me a hardcore tape - Vibes & Livelee. I think, out of the old tape packs I thought “What is this? It’s amazing! I need to know more!” And I’ve never looked back since!
Joe – I used to a true rocker until the age of 17, I walked into a house party one night and a couple of lads I know where on the decks ripping out this amazing track. I had to know the name of it. I remember it like it was yesterday, he told me it was Tony de Vit – ‘I Don’t Care’ – ‘til that day I’d never heard a hard house track before, I was hooked!
When and how did you first meet each other?
Hedz (both) – We first met at a club called The Lounge in Burton-On-Trent, both of us full blooded clubbers by then and we’ve been friends ever since really!
What are the best and worst qualities of your opposite number?
Joe – The best quality is we’re on the same wavelength and we bounce off each other; the worst probably is having to see his face every time I see him Ha-ha. Nah probably his Red Bull addiction and constant rambling after drinking them!
Rich – What do you want me to do Joe, put a cardboard box over my head? Joe’s worst at the minute is when he’s practicing scratching with his headphones on and all I can hear is “click click clickty click click”. But the good point about Joe is that he has the same passion in life as me, and we work great as a duo!
When did you decide to start mixing together? Was it just a bit of fun at first or did you have serious ambitions from the offset?
Hedz – We started mixing together in 2004, but yeah it was all a bit of fun at the end of the day. We never thought that we’d become Audio Hedz! We started producing together and things started to get a little more serious, we both wanted to play the tracks that we were making, so instead of going solo the Hedz got together!
What represented your first “big break” into the hard dance scene?
Hedz – Well our first track Supa Funka got noticed by Ed Real from Riot! and said he really liked it. BK, Amber D and Sam Townend also played it. So with big names showing an interest in ours productions we got our Hedz down and started to create more tracks.
How did you first hook up with Andy Whitby then?
Hedz – That has to be when we started to create the Mega Mash Series, We made Part 1 as a solo project and sent it to Andy, who inevitably played it at Frantic, got back to us and said it literally ripped the dance floor to pieces, the best reaction he had from a track all year! The adrenaline rush that was going through our veins was unreal and the thought of not being there to witness that scenario really haunts us to this day! Then later on in the year Andy got back to us to see if a Part 2 would be considered, so we got on it for 2 weeks of blood sweat and tears and what a project that turned out to be. After tearing up dance floors up and down the country with that track, we got chatting to Andy and he wanted to hook up and get our Hedz together to work on some projects he had in mind. Andy Whitby & Audio Hedz – Rock Ya Body & the Hoovers & Horns Remix was what came out of the studio (the Mega Mash series is yet to continue.)
What kind of stuff do you listen to outside of hard dance? Does it influence your hard productions in any way?
Rich – I listen to allsorts really, all music is good and it’s our generation’s religion, it’s what we live for! I’m always listening out to how producers work and it’s good that each are to their own and got their own unique sound, and yeah it does influence our production in a way.
Joe – Yeah I totally agree, I enjoy all types of sounds, I never get bored with music – it’s my life. With some of our recent projects we’ve taken sounds from different genres and incorporated them into our tracks, I still listen to bands from time to time as I love how a band works and the chemistry that’s involved into making their music.
Do you think the Midlands is the strongest part of the country for hard dance?
Hedz – We think the whole of the UK is strong for hard dance. We’ve played a few places up and down the country now, even Wales, and they’re all up for it. The main reason why people probably think the Midlands is strongest is because of the super clubs like Emporium, Air, Sanctuary, NEC and even Global Gathering which have all held some amazing and unforgettable events.
Which events have really blown you away this year?
Hedz – Nu–Religion’s 1st birthday was awesome. We didn’t play there but went down for a good old stomp. The atmosphere was electric and the packed out crowd were well up for it, the Coliseum is a really great club. Our 1st time at Hidden London playing at Frantic pres. Chemistry was unreal, probably one of the most enjoyable sets we’ve ever played. It was the first time we’d played “Rock Ya Body” too and it went down a treat with everyone singing along to the lyrics.
Also we have to say Escape in Swansea is insane and Audio Deprivation in Newport is rocking too,come and check out our new residency if you have a chance. The Welsh are proper up for it! You know who you are, we love ya!
You’re playing for Frantic at their new Hard Dance Showcase event at Hidden on September 28th. What have you got planned for us lucky Londoners?
Hedz – Now that would be telling wouldn’t it? You’ll have to be there to find out. We’ve got some real treats lined up for you guys with fresh new beats, and we can’t wait to play them out to ya down at Frantic HDS!
How do you find playing in London compared to the rest of the country?
Hedz – London is awesome, we always enjoy are sets down there and get a good vibe from the crowd. Also its home to Frantic, so what more can we say!
What’s planned for the next of the year for you guys?
Hedz – Tunes, Tunes, and more tunes ha-ha, let’s see what we can contribute to the hard dance scene with our productions and label Presence – Hard Wave and just maybe, just maybe Mega Mash Part 3?!
Do you think hard dance will ever be as big as it once was?
Hedz – Well how big was it? We think that the scene is just as alive now as it was 5 years ago, there’s just more variety, more genres and quite a lot of new talent seeping into the scene now!
What was the last track that really blew you away, and what was so special about it?
Hedz – That’s easy! Anything by Technikal really, his remix of Believe with Stacey Kitson on the vox is unreal, the calm, emotion and just plain upliftingness (is that even a word?) is second to none, the guy at the minute is on fire and we have so much respect for Alf!
Have you ever had any major catastrophes while DJing?
Joe – Rich - pressing eject on the wrong CDJ was that? Ha-ha
Rich – The sound systems in a couple of clubs not working properly and yet still we were having it with the monitors in the booth.
Much Luv Audio Hedz x
Oh by the way...Frantic NYE be there or be an ugly shaped kumquat!
Photos courtesy of Audio Hedz, Gavin Bionic and Marc Ryan. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Frantic presents Hard Dance Showcase
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On:
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Friday 28th September 2007
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At:
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Hidden [map]
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From:
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2200 - 0600
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Cost:
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FREE before midnight / £8 after
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Website:
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www.franticuk.net
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Ticket Info:
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FREE! Email names to elvis@franticuk.net for free entry before Midnight
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More:
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FRANTIC PRESENTS: Hard Dance Showcase - The Launch Party
FRIDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 2007
@ HIDDEN 100 TINWORTH STREET LONDON,
SE11 5EQ 2200 - 0600
FREE BEFORE MIDNIGHT! EMAIL FULL NAMES TO ELVIS@FRANTICUK.NET £8 AFTER MIDNIGHT
Frantic is proud to present H.D.S. - the party dedicated to pushing the nu wave of DJs and producers!
The Main Room is proud to accommodate the one and only....CALLY GAGE! Alongside her are rising stars Frisky, Elvis, Audio Hedz and up and coming producing whiz-kid Scot Fo-Shaw!
Room 2 is hosted by our good friends from Brighton "Harder" with support from rising hard house legends Matt Pickup & Andy Rise.........
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Flyer:
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Other Features By Ben Gomori:
HF exclusive SouthWestFour preview: Sasha vs Digweed
Scott Attrill aka Vinylgroover: The Bass Junkie
The Bluffer's Guide to Detroit Techno
Riot! memories as hard dance returns to The End
The King is back! Andy Farley finally returns
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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Well done!