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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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Kidding around with the king of hardstyle
Reported by Tara
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Submitted 23-09-09 19:24
One of the most hard-working and high energy guys on the hard dance scene, Alex Kidd has built himself up into being way more than just a DJ and producer. His brand and label Kiddfectious has now celebrated its first birthday, while his Kiddstock events have been going off all over the UK this summer. It's been three years since HarderFaster last caught up with the Kidd, so it was high time for a chat ahead of his set at DHF’s 1st birthday bash at Hidden this Friday 25 September…
How long have you been DJing and producing hardstyle?
I’ve been DJing in clubs for about 12 years. I can’t remember how long I’ve been playing around with hardstyle, I’ve always mixed it up with other elements of the harder spectrum, from techno, schranz and tech trance to hard dance and hard trance — it all just evolves and crosses over, which is the beauty of being a DJ and not being held back by one sound.
What does ‘hardstyle’ really mean to you?
Hardstyle is represented massively by Q-Dance and artists like Showtek and Zany because the events and tunes from those camps are off the Richter scale and define the scene. It’s been said that I’m responsible for bringing hardstyle over to the UK but, just like other British DJs such as Mark EG, we have always just played cutting-edge music and mixed it all up with fresh and different styles. I suppose I was one of the first DJs to play the sound at places like Frantic and Goodgreef but back then it felt natural, it was my way of standing out from the rest with a new sound. Now it has become a movement and a way of life, even for the UK clubbers, which is dynamite — I loves it I do!
You’ve been a major part of Goodgreef over the years. How did you first become involved in Goodgreef and what’s been your favourite event to date? And recording?
The Goodgreef guys and myself go back along way — abut 20 years now! I was the first and longest standing resident as well as being Label Manager for some time. There’s been too many favourite events to mention as they helped me with Kiddstock in the first two years, so we have had close ties for a long time. Goodgreef at Victoria Works, Warehouse Project and Tall Trees as well as the arenas they’ve hosted at festivals have always been a blast.
Over the last few years there have been some pretty major highlights, including playing all over the world. What have been your top memories so far?
Phoenix in USA was quite good but that’s probably because it was recent and still in my mind — I have a really crap memory. Australia, Ibiza, Holland, Sweden, Canada, Germany and Ireland have all been amazing places for me to play in this year but there’s nothing that beats coming back home and smashing it out with the UK crowds. One stand out show was Home in Sydney at the start of the year; that was lethal. Kiddstock Wales was a highlight due to the sheer level of production and scale of the event, Ratpack’s set at Kiddstock Durham was legendary and I really enjoyed the set I did in the hardstyle arena at Dance Valley this year. Kiddfectious closing party with Atomic in Ibiza was a nice way to finish on the island too, we did ak10 sitdowns, re-writing hard dance history!
The last big festival I saw you play was the 2008 GSSS and before that Plant Love 2007 in Dublin. What’s been your favourite festival in 2009 and why?
Can I say Kiddstock? Without being biased I’d have to go for the Dance Valley hardstyle tent, it was going off, having said that I’m paying at Defqon in Sydney tomorrow as my final festival of the summer and that might nip ahead.
You were tipped by Yoji in the 2004 Top 100 DJ Mag Poll as ‘One to watch for the future!’ What are your views on the Top 100? Has it helped your career in any way whatsoever?
Well my highest ranking so far in it was last year, can’t remember the number, maybe 126 or something. Every year for the past four years I’ve climbed higher but never made it into the golden 100. For me it’s nice to just know I’ve been getting higher and although it would be nice to get in there one day I also don’t pay any real attention to it and it doesn’t affect what I do.
Who are you top ‘ones to watch for the future’ right now?
Kaos, Neal Thomas and Endymion on the production front, Argy on the DJing front.
You’ve won a shed-load of awards at the Hard Dance Awards, winning Best DJ and Biggest Party Animal. Where would you like to see yourself and also hard dance going in the next few years?
I really have no idea, I’ve been doing a bit of soul searching and focusing on the different sounds in the scene and I’ve found a real new lease of life and inspiration to kick into place in the near future. For me I don’t think of being some sort of ambassador for the scene, haha, I just try and create a path and direction of where I want to go — I want to always evolve myself as an artist and the awards were a sweet touch in acknowledging how far I’ve come. “But where the future lies, only god knows” as Ronaldo said (don’t worry I won’t be buggering off to Madrid)!
You’re rightly renowned for your technical skills. Are you self-taught, or have you studied at all over the years?
I’ve always had an appetite for the skills of a mixer and digital turntablism. I’m taking time out of the office from promoting Kiddfectious to get back in the studio and suss out a live set project I’ve had on the back seat for a while. I went on a studio course to learn basic production but all the DJing was done in the early old skool days of skiving off school and playing records in my Mum’s house all day and night, bass shaking the living room lights from the floor below and Mum screaming to turn it down every two minutes. Happy times.
Technically speaking, what DJs and producers do you rate the most?
In hard dance the [Organ] Donors are the only artists that impress me both as DJs and producers. Everyone else I really rate is more proficient in one field or the other. DJs I rate in the scene are Kutski and Mondello. Producers are Kaos, BK, Showtek, Scot Project, Walt, Zany, Activator, Technoboy, Headhunterz , Kamui, ASYS and all the usual crew are still slammin it big time!
You’re always full of energy behind the decks; which artists do you rate the most as performers?
Mark [EG] and Harri Proteus seem to have a good vibe going on.
How did you get into production? What’s your favourite piece of kit right now?
I’m just fixed on Logic and constantly trying to better myself at the software knowledge. I’ve been into production for 10 years, but not developed to my full potential which is something I hope to focus on in the next couple of months right through to the end of my musical days whenever that may be. As much as I love DJing, there is a lot I want to conquer in the studio too and now is the time for me to rise to the occasion.
You’ve just had an intensely hardstyle summer with four Kiddstock events in three different places. How was it for you? Are you planning more events in the future?
Yeah definitely! Secret plans for the moment though, keep checking kiddfectious.com and Kiddstock.com for more details.
You recently headlined Frantic’s 12th birthday at Koko, which had a Master and Servant theme with S&M dress up. Are you a big fan of S&M?
Can’t say I am to be fair.
You’re co-promoting Storm vs Kiddfectious on Saturday 26 September. When did you start the Kiddfectious brand and why?
It’s a platform to encompass everything I do in the hard scene, from events, record labels, other artists — it ties up everything that I’ve experienced and gives me chance to put my own spin on the hard dance world.
On Friday 25 September you’re headlining DHF at Hidden. Given that you’re playing alongside Chris Liberator, Nick the Kid and Wragg & Log:One, can we expect more of a techno set, hardstyle, hard trance or something else?
Yeah maybe some more techno would go down a treat, who knows. See you on the dancefloor to find out!
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Photos courtesy of Joe at Kiddfectious HQ. Not to be reproduced without permission.
DHF's 1st Birthday Bash
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On:
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Friday 25th September 2009
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At:
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Hidden [map]
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From:
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22:00 - 06:00
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Cost:
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Tickets: £7. OTD: £10
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Ticket Info:
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£7 Tickets available from official ticket distributors
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More:
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DHF was born through a trio of motivations: youthful enthusiasm, the desire to ‘create’ something of our own and the profound love of music. Hard trance was a popular, but still underground, form of music in early 2000. DJs like Mark E.G and Nick Sentience (who headlined our first gig) have since gone to vastly successful, globe trotting careers since we first opened our doors at The Grove in Seaton. So, right from the start, I like to think we had our fingers firmly on the pulse of the zeitgeist.
Break out the bunting and time to start lighting those candles, the cake’s been ordered and the party ready to pop! That’s right, the dirtiest, hardest and fastest trance tastemakers, DHF, are celebrating their first London birthday with a blow out of Biblical proportions just wait and see…
Neon-wunderkind, Alex Kidd from Kiddfectious headlines – and is guaranteed to bring the rukus, with a record bag full of boomtasmic build-ups and pimp slapping beats. While free party Don, Chris Liberator, keeps it fresh with a mix of funky acid techno.
DHF resident and Hard Dance Award Winner, Nick the Kid, is being flown in from Ibiza to continue his only London residency – and for those who haven’t seen Nick play, this Kid is a serious prodigy. Up-and-coming producers and djs Log:One & Wragg (DHF new residents), surfing the buzz created by their anthemic track Creatures, continue the South West connection, and look poised to hit the big time in 2010. Support comes from the head-mashing DHF residents, Akira, Curious George and Candyman01 plus others.
All this goodness is being rapped up in the incredible box of Vauxhall’s Hidden nightclub, with and exclusive lazer-light show and big bag of whoop ass. This party is going to go off like gang of chavs on the Jeremy Kyle Show…so get those tickets before they sell out.
ALEX KIDD
NICK THE KID
CHRIS LIBERATOR
WRAGG & LOG:ONE
DEAN ZONE & KITO
DHF ALL STARS
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Flyer:
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Acid Trance. Euro Trance. Hard Trance. HardStyle. Hard House. Techno.
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DJ's:
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Alex Kidd
Chris Liberator
Nick the Kidd
Wragg & Log:One
Dean Zone
Kito
DHF All Stars
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Other Features By Tara:
Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast!
Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project
A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden
Telling Cosmic Tales with DJ Strophoria
Tom Psylicious aka EarthAlien takes 50 Spins Around the Sun: Raising Awareness Through the Power of Music
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: Andy Force on 22nd Sep 2009 17:12.17
Roll on DHF 
From: junky_stepz on 28th Sep 2009 21:32.27
What a brilliant and down to earth dude! met alex for a ciggie outside The End at the last Riot! there. MAAAAD man! maaad. he is true to what he does and that's why people digg him.
Keep it up Alex!
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