The legendary trance producer bringing back the magic
Welcome to DMCWORLD dude, where are you living at the moment?
“Hey Dan, great to hear from you…currently 50% of my time I am in Inverness DJiing and marketing the Highlands most popular nightclub Miami and 50% in Sherfield, Hampshire where I live with my partner.”
Lost Witness are smashing The Buzz Chart yet again – this time with the stunningl ‘Our Suns Rising’. Talk us through the history of the tune…
“Yes this is EPIC news…so pleased I have made the chart. Well the majority of my songs have featured fantastic female singers. For this album I wanted to work with some male talents and was over the moon that Adam from The Stereophonics said he would get involved…he’s really made the track. I wrote this with ‘Amo’ and Ray Curran co-produced with one of my studio partners Christian Davies, part live part electronic – it just gelled. As an opener I’m very happy with it…”
Writing vocals for trance music has it’s own technique which yourself and Ed Barton have undeniably mastered. What is the key to writing a great trance record?
“Well I think the credit lies with Ed, he has an amazing way with lyrics. I think if you want to do trance it has to be emotive. But 10 years on it’s just not enough to have a great hook and melody, the songs are becoming much more intelligent – if that’s the right word? Well, certainly not throwaway. A lot of thought goes into the songs I produce and those I hear from my peers…”
You created Lost Witness in 1997 and announced yourself with the mighty ‘Happiness Happening’ at the perfect time as trance was dominating the dancefloors. Can you remember where you first road-tested the tune and the reaction it received?
“I remember it like it was yesterday. I was DJing in Reading at my home club RG1, the introduction happened after bootlegging Ed Barton’s ‘It’s A Fine Day’ under the guise ‘Dusk Til Dawn Fine Night’…that’s when Ed approached me with a song called ‘Everything Will Be Perfect”. It could not have been timed better. In my opinion this song epitomised what Trance was doing in the UK at the time…this huge euphoric sound with floaty dreamy vocals. I changed the name to ‘Happiness Happening’ because it captured what I was seeing on my dancefloors…exactly that…happiness happening.”
Why did you choose Lange for remix duties – it turned out to be an inspired choice…
“I am soooo glad you asked me this. PLEASE let me set the record straight. The overnight success of Lost Witness was due to Stu (Lange’s) mix – no doubt about it. I have been a DJ all my life since the age of 14 and I created a career in producing after the death of my father. Sometimes Lost Witness gets a bad rap because at times the remixes are better than the original. But every big artist gets remixes, opinion does not matter to me at all. I commissioned Lange as 1) He is an exceptional producer and 2) Simply because I asked Judge Jules who was one of my favourite remixers at the time – and he said Lange. I would have been mental not to commission Stuart who in turn created seminal classics Happiness and Red Sun which I paid for from my own pocket. And whilst I’m at it, the same can be said of Darren Tate (Angelic) who remixed ‘7 Colours’…again my choice and my money – another great choice even if I do say so myself…”
Can you remember where you were when you heard your record on Radio 1 for the first time?
“Yes. I was at my then girlfriend’s house in St Albans. I was jumping up and down and we were all screaming. Good times.”
You had been DJing for ten years prior to this release, take us back to the beginning and how you took your first steps in clubland. What were the first clubs you earnt your dancefloor stripes at?
“Ha ha. Well it’s funny, but DMC actually played a part in my early career. I started to DJ at Foxes in Wooburn Green which was THE actual building where Fawlty Towers was set. I won a mix competition at the tender age of 14 in 1984, but it wasn’t til 1987 when I was offered a residency at Cinderella Rockerfellas in Maidenhead where I met the new DMC WORLD CHAMPION Chad Jackson. Chad had a night at the club as did Paul Oakenfold…music was really peaking, it was an amazing time. Well Chad being the World Mixing Champ and all and having beaten DJ Cheese, he taught me scratching and mixing to die for, all on vinyl. it took me to another level…seriously. I then got poached by a rival club called Valbonnes on the River Thames just down the road and was resident there and met the likes of Danny Rampling who played on the Sunday night called ‘Passion’ with the likes of Andy Weatherall, Nicky Holloway and co. Back then in Bucks and Berks we were spoilt for choice. It was madness. From then on it was dance music all the way…”
Passion huh? Andy Weatherall playing Chris Rea ‘On The Beach’ was a defining moment for me. What is the record that changed your life?
“Gosh just one? The one that got me straight away has to be Frankie Knuckles ‘Your Love’ ft. Jamie Principle.”
When I mentioned to my mum that I was interviewing a producer who used to live where we used to live, she asked me to thank you for her discount! What on earth is she on about?
“Ha ha. Well a young boy has to eat Dan! I was working at Habitat back in the day and I used to hang around in a big group with your sister. She came into Habitat one day with your sis Gabby and so I gave them a discount, I think it was for a coffee table! Tell your mum she’s welcome!”
I will dude. So, your second release ‘Red Sun Rising’ was one of the summer’s biggest Ibiza anthems. Have you always an eye on the Ibiza market when making a record?
“I think that Trance at that time came hand in hand with an erupting white isle… it just became THE place where anthems would either rise or fall…I was lucky to have the support of Judge Jules, Dave Pearce, Boy George and many others as well as the right mixes to carry the releases into the charts.”
When you returned after a 2/3 year sabbatical and delivered the world the stunning ‘Wait For You’, Trance had taken a mighty dip in popularity. Had you any doubts that this genre was waiting to explode again and how had your approach to making a record changed in any way during that period?
“This record just baffles me…more so because I just cannot get my head around the fact how we didn’t get Radio 1 playlist. This was a collab with the talent that is Ricky Simmonds (Space Bros/Chakra/Lustral) and the blissful vocals of Andrea Britton. If I remember correctly, this made The Buzz Chart the Cool Cuts and an unprecedented 15 weeks play on Jules show – but Radio 1 wasn’t interested…again! I had already commissioned the mixes and it was Lars and Soren pka KEVIN that smashed the track to pieces, as well as Ricky’s original mix…I wasn’t too preoccupied with how the track was produced although it came out more techy. But with most of my releases it’s all about the songs and I think ‘Wait For You’ is exceptional.”
You have collaborated with many genius producers over the years and used some amazing vocalists on your tracks. Who are the people that have really stood out over the years in the studio?
“Well I always harp on about this, but very early on I had the pleasure to work with Nick from Chicane..and that man is a genius. However, the one that got away who I managed for some time and worked with, is Miguel Sassot. That lad is on another level. As you mentioned before, Trance wasn’t really at the forefront for a while and regrettably I couldn’t convince him to stay in the scene. He became and still is a great friend, but he’s now a Spanish helicopter pilot for the fire service of all things. But I don’t care, Miguel would give any Trance producer a run for their money and if I was gambling man I would have backed him. Mostly I love singers, a strange super talented breed as without them my tracks are nothing, so may I thank Tracey Carmen, Nina James, Tiff Lacey, Kate Smith, Andrea Britton and of course latterly, Penny Foster, Darren Barley, Adam Zindani and Abi Phillips.”
Where can we find you DJing these days?
Well working in Inverness as a Marketing Director, i’m lucky to play out to my home crowd week in week out. Of all the places around the world I would love to revisit again, Melbourne and Rio stand out. They just blew me away.”
Who are the producers from around the world that you are giving high fives to at the moment?
“Well music is so eclectic nowadays and I have become a much more diverse DJ in my young age (!!). I really like Sick Individuals and Sam Laxton, not just because they feature on my new release. DJ Fresh is amazing, big fan of Dave Aude, Alesso, Michael Woods and I love Tommy Trash.”
What do you think are your great qualities that make you a great producer?
“Dan, I don’t think I’m a great producer. I do think I’m a good DJ, a good writer with a good ear and a pretty good businessman with an insurmountable passion for music. Accolades for production have to go to Christian and Mat my studio partners. They make my shit epic. To still be in the scene after10 years shows I must be doing something right..”
What has been the anthem of the summer for you?
“Swedish House Mafia ‘Don’t Worry Child’.”
What is the craziest request you have ever had whilst DJing?
“The best was from a guy in Vietnam. The request was could I stop playing as he thought I was shit. It was last September and the police were basically running the clubs there. I was drinking with the Area Police Chief in the VIP room and then went to do my set. Thirty minutes later he came up to me and said ‘you stop now, you bad. Come and drink instead’.”
What can you tell us about your mini album you are working on?
“Yes excited! The album is all but done. it’s not purist Trance BUT it has some great songs on it. The second single I can reveal ‘Satellite’ has Abi Phillips on vocals…she plays Liberty in Hollyoaks and has a beautiful voice. The third single is ‘Fly’ much more back to a Lost Witness euphoric anthem. Then ‘This World’ has a more acoustic feel…other tracks are being written as we speak… but I’ll give you heads up sir when done.”
And finally, what’s all this about you and your impressions?
“OMG damn Wikipedia…yes it’s true. I’m a bit of a phone jacker…in my youth and still today I am renowned for my Frank Spencer impression…also George and Zippy from Rainbow…I even had to play Frank Spencer in a school play… damaged goods for sure lol.”
