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Features
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Interview with Grant Thomson
Reported by Leía
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Submitted 12-09-02 15:18
Turnmills, Friday night, 5 years ago a young South African gets his first taste of clubbing. Years down the line, he's boasting a residency at what was to be known as the hottest Sunday event of 2000 & 2001 and having also played for the biggest, best and largest running parties all around London on many occasions. A force to be reckoned with on the decks, I am talking about none other than Grant Thomson.
 Leía: So Grant, tell us briefly how it all started for you.
Grant Thomson: I was 17-years-old when I first came to London from South Africa. The first club I ever went to was Turnmills, and my interest in dance music pretty much started from there. One day one of my flatmates offered me his set of decks he had locked away in the cupboard, along with a mixer and speakers. Some time later I moved into a house in Willesden Green with a guy called George who was friends with Eamonn Fevah and Riki Shane. George ran the ‘Turbulant Wake’ boat parties on the Thames. I gave him a demo and my first set ended up being on one of these boat parties. A week later I also scored a set at Fevah and Just Groove.
L: Can you tell us a bit about your Solid Sunday residency, where it all began for you really, putting your name up in lights - ‘Grant Thomson’, Super Star DJ
GT: 'Solids' had already held their first party. I called after seeing the advert in the TNT, and told them where I had played -- I ended up playing at their second party in the Crown, and have been a resident ever since. It has been a pretty mad 2.5 years, and has been the foundation of my DJ career. Being the resident for a great club is far better than being a DJ trying to play in clubs. Solid Sunday had its own unique vibe compared with the other parties going on at the time. The fact that almost everybody new each other in the club gave it a great atmosphere. Plus The Mean Fiddler is a perfect set up for a club, with its booming sound system and the decks set up on stage -- completely different to pretty much 90% of the clubs in London.
L: Success of Broken Boundaries & Total Supremacy and how it all came about..
GT: We sold 1000 copies of Broken Boundaries on the first day which is quite good in our scene. It has been signed to the Frantic compilation CD, Reactivate Compilation CD, and it has also just been signed to the BBC Choice. They’re doing an hours' documentary on Global Summer Clubbing and have decided to use our tune. The last time I spoke to Fevah they also mentioned another label wanting to buy the rights. Before this I had made a few tunes myself -- Steve Ryan produced Cut The Jive, which did really well. Steve and I decided that we wanted to make a tune because we’d been playing for so many years together we felt that we new what people wanted to listen to. We eventually booked some time in the studio with Steve Blake. We made ‘Total Supremacy’ in 2 ½ - 3 days. It was supposed to be a Trance tune but eventually ended up coming out on Fevah House. We gave it to Eamonn and he advised us to do a remix. So in we went again to do a new tune on the B side. After 2 days, we came out with Broken Boundaries. Eamonn decided it should be a new release, as they were both good enough to be A sides. So we had one on Fevah House and one on Fevah Trance. I then went and did a remix with Dave Parkinson, who is just the most insane dude to work with, he is amazing at what he does. We did the B side to Total Supremacy and then Dave Parkinson did the remix of Broken Boundaries.
L: What was the reaction from the clubbers first time Broken Boundaries was played?.
GT: We caught the last train back from Steve Blake’s house, I was playing last set at Solid Sunday. We had a rough copy on CD but I played it anyway. The place erupted!
L: With regards to producing, do you have any releases in the pipeline, what can we expect from Grant Thomson in the near future?
GT: No releases as of yet. Production wise, I’m in the studio with Steve Blake to do the first release for the Heat label. Watch out for the Heat label! There are some big plans ahead involving the likes of Spencer Freeland, Daniel Ro, Marc French, Steve Blake and myself. The Heat Label is one to watch for in the near future.
L: Tell us about the first tune you made in the studio.
GT: The very first one I did was a remix of ‘Eye of the Tiger’. I had no idea what was going on. I went into the studio with Banga Matt. I’ve done quite a few tunes with Banga. It’s a whole new learning experience going into a studio and learning about the production side of things. It takes many years to build a career as a DJ. Then you go into the studio to make your first tune and realise you've gone straight back down to the bottom again. Production is a whole new world. The upside is that it's a whole new challenge. The main thing is to be able to get over what’s in your head to the engineer so is able to produce the sound you require. I enjoy working with Steve Blake. Dave Parkinson is also an awesome engineer.
L: What do you enjoy most about DJing?
GT: I love playing to people, and I enjoy the competition. I really take pride in playing after a well established DJ. Before I get up there friends will come out with comments like: ‘You should be ok, or I hope he doesn’t play too hard’. They try to pump you up but the reality is they see you as the lesser person. I love that, because my aim whenever I get behind those decks is to blow my competitors out of the water!
L: As Solid Sunday being your only residency, you're still in ‘public demand’ and I’ve noticed you’re a regular guest at a variety of quality club nights. For all those Grant Thomson followers can you briefly tell us where one can see you play these days?
GT: I’ve got a few good sets coming up. I'm practically a 'guest resident' at Heat these days. Sets coming up soon are Fevah’s 5th Anniversary Sept 20 and Heat Presents – The Usual Suspects at the Fridge, Sept 21. I’ve most recently played Heat’s 1st Birthday at Turnmills. There hadn’t been a Hard Dance night at Turnmills ever, it was groundbreaking for the scene. I also played at Logic at the Fridge and I also got a gig at a club called Base in the south of Corsica. They throw these huge beach parties. I think Roosta, Marc French and Matt Clarke are also going over to play.
L: Who in the scene has inspired you the most, for you to be where you are now?
GT: Steve Ryan. He’s the most awesome dude alive. I met him while I was learning. I used to make these most shocking demos, go round his house and ask him to listen to them. We eventually moved in together for about 2 years. We built each other up so to speak. Guys who are DJing in the club scene are so competitive. I don’t care what anyone says, your best mate, anyone – they’re all competitive. No matter how nice they are, at the end of the day it’s all about is being competitive. With Steve and I, there was no competitiveness at all. Instead, we used to help each other out.
L: Do you still find yourself getting nervous before or during your sets?
GT: No. It was probably about a year into Solid Sunday when I stopped being nervous. Honestly, I used to be so nervous getting up there, hoping that I wouldn’t make a mistake, and knowing there were people involved in the scene watching. I tell you it’s a really big thing for someone to stand up there and do something to the best of their ability. It's the most intense experience. Then, the rush that you get from it knowing you’ve done it well.
L: How would you best describe your sets/style of music?
GT: I used to play Hard House. Everyone in London was playing Hard House at one time. About a year into Solid Sunday I started changing what I played, the reason for this was that I noticed clubbers were getting bored with it. So, I started playing a bit more Hard Trance combined with Hard House until I reached a point where the material was almost new energy. It took a while to find my feet but in the end I received compliments for playing a different style of music. I think now I can say my sets are generally more uplifting hard driving trance.
L: What's the best Club/Crowd you’ve played at/to ?
GT: The Phoenix in Wellington for Fevah NZ end of 2000. That was an awesome crowd. It’s difficult to pin point as I’ve played to a lot of different crowds, which have all been good, but in their own unique way. If I had to pick two crowds in London, they would be Solid Sunday and Heat. At present Heat is the best club in London. First and foremost the biggest thing about a club is the background. It’s the guys who are running it, the people that stem the tone of the club. These guys have got so the right attitude and energy. For them it’s not about making money at all costs. It’s about throwing a wicked party that’s a little bit different in a quality venue. It's about a good time from start to finish. Heat are doing different venues, with wicked DJs who are followed by a great 'up for it' crowd. It’s more like an intelligent clubbers haven. People dress up nicely, girls feel safe. Plus Heat is trying to keep a Hard Trance policy which will work any time all the time. If it’s got energy and it’s uplifting it will move any crowd. Which it is exactly what it is achieving.
L: Which DJs do you enjoy listening to when you're out Clubbing?
GT: I love listening to Phil Reynolds. Besides the DJ-ing I think he is a great dude. For someone who is where he is, he has very little or no attitude. Phil also plays the music that I would love to produce one day. Right from the beginning he’s always played Hard Trance. I also enjoy Roosta as he really knows how to get a crowd going. Then there is Steve Blake who is a total perfectionist.
L: What advice can you give to all the aspiring wannabee DJs out there?
GT: I think at present it’s quite difficult for anyone to come through. However in saying that, as DJing moves on in London, as more and more people want to learn to play, it becomes more accessible. However, learning to play is one thing – playing a kick-ass set in a club is another. Just being able to beat match and mix a couple of records together. You’ve got to be able to build a set, and excuse the cliché – take the crowd on that musical journey. A lot of beginners find this concept hard to grasp.
L: Where do you personally see the Hard Dance clubbing scene heading?
GT: To be honest with you, I don’t know. Five or six years ago, you’d either go to a Hard House or a Hard Trance club. You did not mix the two. When you bought a record, it was either Hard House or Hard Trance. There was no in-between. Over a period of time it has slowly integrated and created Hard Dance. The next stage of evolution is happening while we speak.
L: Give us three things which annoy you the most in the Clubbing Scene.
GT:
1. Whistles
2. Bars that stop serving alcohol after 2.00am. I’m not a big drinker but I like to sip on my beer over a long period of time.
3. People who party without respect for those around them.
L: And finally your top 3 Favourite Tunes ?
GT: Mind Over Matter 2, Broken Boundaries and French Kiss.
L: Any comments you would like to add?
GT: Music is its own reward. So when you're out, don’t take the piss out of the DJ even if you don’t like his music.
With thanks to Grant Thomson for his time.
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Other Features By Leía:
Interview with Weirdo
Toasted Frog Interview
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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