For the first time this year The Hard Dance Awards got together with Tidy.com, 4Clubbers, Gurn.net and us at Harderfaster to find one DJ per site to play at The Third Annual Hard Dance Awards. Each of the communities ran their own competitions to find the best person to represent them, and after lots of voting, sending in demos and canvassing, the four winners were chosen
Leeds lad Steve O Brady was picked to shine the touch for 4 Clubbers. The only female of the four Kym Ayres got the Tidy.com vote while Ben Gomori (or Benz to us HFers) was Gurn’s choice.
For Harderfaster things got a bit more complicated when Andy McCall pipped Seany Sean with only one vote in it. As a result Andy decided to stretch the palm of friendship and share his prize with the Londoner, offering to play a B2B set with him.
The winners will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take over the second room at The Fridge at hard dance’s biggest event of the year, playing alongside a huge cast of hard dance bosheratti including The Tidy Boys, BK, Anne Savage, Ed Real, Rob Tissera, Danny D Andy Whitby, Phil York and The Organ Donors.. With Galaxy also being the official Radio station of the event it’s going to be a great night.
How long have you been a registered member?: 1 year
Why is 4clubbers the best site? All the people on there are pretty friendly & it provides a good service by having a lot of information & competitions for all types of music genres.
How would your Mum describe you? Loveable
Now describe yourself in a way your best mate would describe you? A good friend.
Can you remember your first post? If so, what was it? Yes, it was an advertisement for a night.
How long have you been djing? I have been djing for 2 years and I have been playing in clubs for 1 year.
What is your style? I play a variety of bounce classics, hard dance, hard trance & hard house.
Who is your DJ hero? I could not just pinpoint one but I take inspiration from Eddie Halliwell, Rob Tissera, Andy Whitby, Shan and DJ GRH.
Complete the sentence. When I’m not DJing or clubbing I like to spend time with my girlfriend and my mates. I also like to walk my dog.
Andy McCall
Where are you from?:I lived in North Wales and Southampton when I was growing up. Been in the south of England and London for the last 10 years.
Website: HarderFaster.net playing back to back with Seany Sean. I pipped in a very tightly run contest, so we decided to play together.
How long have you been a registered member? Since August 2004.
Why is it the best? Best way to find out where to go for a top night out?: most comprehensive guide to the London scene about!
How would your mum describe you?: Kind, honest but a bit hyperactive at times.
What about your mates? Nuts!
Can you remember your first post? If so, what was it? I can’t remember I’d had probably been out!
How long have you been djing? I’ve been playing at home for about 8 years and playing out the last 2.
What is your style? Energetic hard dance.
Who is your DJ hero? Paul Oakenfold. My first couple of years clubbing were at Cream when this guy was banging it out! My first inspiration to get on the decks.
Complete the sentence. When I’m not DJing or clubbing I like to watch TV, eat, sleep and shop for new records.
Seany Sean
Where are you from? Wonderful North London.
Which website are you representing at the Hard Dance Awards? HarderFaster.net playing B2b with Andy Mccall.
How long have you been a registered member of that site? A few years but changed my user name a few times.
Why is Harderfaster the best site? Harderfaster rocks because it is full of the most up for it ravers on the scene and their love for all things hard and fast is evident from the babble on the posts and pictures. Everyone at the Christmas party were a quality bunch of friends and ravers.
Describe yourself in a sentence in a way your mother would describe you? A little fucker.
Now describe yourself in a way your best mate would describe you? A little ginger fucker.
Can you remember your first post? If so, what was it? Pfft something world changing I’m sure.
How long have you been djing? Over 5 years, travelling through many genres to get to the wonderful stomping hard house, win!
What is your style? Hard house for the win! I love techy hard house like Colin Barratt and Nick Sentience stuff; but if you ask Matt Pickup and Andy Rise they’ll tell you I like a good portion of filth for breakfast!
Who is your DJ hero? Spencer Freeland is the daddy!
Complete the sentence. When I’m not DJing or clubbing I like to promote my London club 123. It’s the freshest party in London and coming from a TRUE house party, many many many years ago, it still has the best music and vibe around. Come to the next 123 at Hidden on the 3rd of Feb to see the shit! Peace.
Kym Ayres
Where are you from? Good old Bournemouth.
Which website are you representing at the Hard Dance Awards?Tidy.com
How long have you been a registered member of that site? About 4 years I think, maybe 5...
Why is Tidy.com the best site? It’s got some really good people on it and it’s always good for a bit of gay banter, often controversial gay banter with twats like London Dom registered (only joking, he is a legend really.)
Describe yourself in a sentence in a way your mother would describe you? Erm... lazy and un-tidy (how ironic).
And your mates? Basically an all round good egg.
Can you remember your first post? If so, what was it? Embarrassingly enough it was some mass rant about where wire coat hangers come from (I’m so cool) — I think it got to about 70 odd pages!
How long have you been djing? 3 years... 3 months... 8 days... I think.
What is your style? A fusion of Irish folk music and 80s power ballards, but in the solitude of my front room I like to let loose and play a bit of uplifting hard dance.
Who is your DJ hero? The Tidy Boys... duh.
Complete the sentence. When I’m not DJing or clubbing I like to provide voiceovers of ethnic slurs in Chinese kung fu movies and fix small electrical appliances free of charge.
Benz a.k.a Ben Gomori (or Ben MORETEAVICAR on Gurn.net)!
Where are you from? Cambridge, but now I live in London as do my family. My parents are Hungarian though — I’m imported goods!
Which website are you representing? The fantabulous Gurn.net!
How long have you been a registered member? I met Meza and Rowan at More Tea Vicar in Cambridge way back in 2000… the start of my clubbing days. I registered in January 2001 I think…
Why is Gurn.net the best site? We’ve had a lot of changes at the site over the last year and it’s looking better than ever, with new content uploaded almost every day now. There aren’t many websites which have such varied content covering so many different styles of music and clubbing. We’ve been around for ages and are known across the world. We don’t just let anyone put up photos on site either so the standard is kept high. And of course we’ve got our secret weapon…. something no other site comes close to…. The Gurn.net Classics Camper Van! A VW Camper Van that has been converted into a mobile Gurn.net DJ booth. We’ve had our own stage at Escape In The Park, Bugjam, Creamfields, Global Gathering, Polysexual, Life NYE and many more, and it’s something that sticks in people’s minds. Last year we had people like Tomcraft, Nick Rafferty, Lisa Lashes and Andy Farley playing on it! How good is that!
Describe yourself in a sentence in a way your mother would describe you? DJing? Vot sort of a profession is that for a Jewish boy?"
Now describe yourself in a way your best mate would describe you? C*nt.
Can you remember your first post? If so, what was it? Ooh I don’t know…..probably “Hi everyone I’m new! I went to More Tea Vicar last night and met Rowan and Meza and it was incredible! Scott Blond played Ratty ‘Sunrise’ and when the riff came in I almost shat myself!” etc etc.
How long have you been DJing?Since the dawn of time. That being my 15th birthday in 1999. So coming up to 7 years!
What is your style? What isn’t my style more like! I really really love all types of music and listen to absolutely everything but when it comes to DJing I have to stick to a few styles otherwise I can’t keep up. On a hard tip, all shades of hard house, hard trance, tech trance, a little techno sometimes, European stuff……and then I also play electro, funky/dirty/tough house, breakbeat, and have some progressive house too. Wish I could afford to buy drum ‘n’ bass and hardcore too though.
Who is your DJ hero? Tough one, it changes so often. Right now, no-one is better than Alex Kidd, the guy is just immense. From the past people who have really inspired me have been Nick Sentience, Bryan Gee, Andy C, Mark Farina, BK, Ed Real… don’t get me started on producers or we’ll be here all day!
Complete the sentence. When I’m not DJing or clubbing I like to have a shmoke and a pancake. Other than that hang out with my mates (big up NW1/N7 massive), watch DVDs, drink beer, eat food, write for Gurn.net and take photos. And chase tail.
Photography credits:
Kym Ayres: Courtesy of Kym Ayres
Ben Gormori: Courtesy of Gurn.net Andy McCall: Courtesy of Hawkeyes
Steve O’Brady: Nathan Parker
Seany Sean: Dafphotography@gmail.com
Tickets are already selling on www.ticketweb.co.uk for the ceremony on 11th February 2006 at The Fridge, in London. Lee Bridle, owner of Most Wanted Events has been overwhelmed:
“I have been promoting events like Extreme Euphoria and Twisted for nearly 10 years and I have never seen tickets sell for an event the other side of Xmas and NYE – it’s unheard of!”
Such is the demand the Hard Dance Awards team has decided to announce the names of the hard dance high achievers ahead of schedule. Leading the charge will be The Tidy Boys and BK who will be supported by Nu Energy Collective Live, Paul Glazby, Amber D, Andy Whitby, Organ Donors, Danny D and Phil York. All the artists have been hand picked to represent a cross-section of the genre and the players within it. Together they’ll form an incredible powerhouse of explosive music, experience and personality.
Returning once again to host and announce the winners and top-runners will be London’s unofficial party monster Ed Real, and the very official Queen of the Clubs Ms. Anne Savage. Both of whom will also be gracing the decks on the night to present the ultimate hard dance line-up any of us can remember!
From: Kukion 5th Feb 2006 14:56.58 Rock on. STEVE OBBRADY. is 2006 gonna b the year of the OB? i hope so, he deserves it so much. i shall be in supporting attendance! WOOP WOOP!
From: Element7on 5th Feb 2006 14:59.57 Well done guys and girl. Bring on the party!
From: Glyn Waterson 5th Feb 2006 21:04.19 Yes Seany doing it for HarderFaster
From: steelo kuchikion 6th Feb 2006 10:09.56 seany sean for the win
From: Stevi Don 6th Feb 2006 10:38.17 Well f**king done lads Get in there Benz!
From: benzon 6th Feb 2006 12:58.52 All about me and Sean
From: Mariaon 6th Feb 2006 13:03.18 Congratulations to all!
From: ~deleted5662on 6th Feb 2006 13:49.59 for benz you make me laugh you do!!
Well done
From: Hankyon 6th Feb 2006 14:44.52 Christ on a bike - I havent seen princess tidy in years!
From: mattpickupon 6th Feb 2006 15:20.28 Congratulations to all of ya!
Good to see steve representing the north!!!!!!!
Seany and benz speak for themselves quality guys and quality dj's
hope you all have a good one :o)
From: Neatson 6th Feb 2006 16:06.33 well done everyone!!
girl power ;-)
From: gazwon 6th Feb 2006 16:21.07 STEVE OBBRADY HOPE THIS IS THE YEAR FOR YOU MATE !!
CLASS DJ, IF ANY ONE DESERVES IT STEVE DOSE ....
goodluck steve all the best mate ....
From: jamie fisheron 6th Feb 2006 17:33.14 Gongrats to every1, looks like its gona b a gud un down there. rock on o'brady!!!!!!!!
From: scousemouseon 6th Feb 2006 18:36.58 well done everyone!
STEVEOBRADY KICKS ASS! looking forward to your debut down south (and the messy bus of fun and wrongness!) should be a night to remember!
congratulations steve you deserve it x
From: Mrbishi™on 6th Feb 2006 19:34.22 Congrats to everyone been listening to the likes of Benz and Sean now for a while Steve O'Brady I heard only a few weeks but like his style very much I chat to a fair few dj's n such added Steve to my MSN chatted away for ages top lad in my eyes deserves this chance very much but Im from Yorkshire so bound by law to say such a thing lmao. Anyway good luck to everyone for the event if it wasn't in London I'd defo join ya oh well back up North next year lets hope you never know Steve may get best new comers award hehe
From: C00KIEon 6th Feb 2006 20:24.43 Well done steve o'b,rounding off an excellent year in style!!
From: Ayresyon 7th Feb 2006 10:06.46 thanx everyone really lookin forward to it.
hanky don't speak such a name on here ha ha
go team!
From: steve obradyon 7th Feb 2006 12:11.34 Well done everyone who won i look forward to meeting you all.
Thanks for all the support as well guys its gonna be good to have u all there (50 seater coach coming from Leeds pure madness) the hard dance awards are gonna rock.
Dont forget to come get your free cd in room 2 during my set i have got 300 copies to give away first come first served. See u all Sat
From: Tina Martinon 7th Feb 2006 23:53.57 hehe Ben you look like you're just bout to play the piano in that pic.. Roll on Saturday lookin forward to seein everyone play!!
From: benzon 8th Feb 2006 10:19.35 hahah that's cos I was! I was playing a classic trance set at Global and doing some air-synths
looks a bit camp but cool photo I think!
From: raving.looneyon 8th Feb 2006 22:39.25 cant wait to hear u bang it out andy!!!!! ;0) x
From: Ed Realon 9th Feb 2006 19:18.41 if it was a battle of looks then benzo every time!!! nice pic son! ;-p rah! can't wait for saturday and seeing all this talent in action...
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Roll on Saturday lookin forward to seein everyone play!! 
