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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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Interview with Guffy
Reported by tom
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Submitted 12-02-03 15:57
4Clubbers resident DJ Guffy is now a regular fixture on the London DJing circuit after making his debut at Unity in July last year. With a diverse music style encompassing both house and hard dance and with a distinctive energetic mixing style he's definitely a name to watch for the future:
HarderFaster: You're a relative newcomer to the London scene, only playing down here regularly towards the end of last year whereas now you're playing almost on a weekly basis at Frantic events. What's the story there?
Guffy: Yeah, it’s all happened a bit fast with things down south. I’ve been playing regularly for a while up North at clubs such as Sacrilege, Parlez Vous?, Good Greef and Sundissential North but had never really got the opportunity to play further south than Birmingham. Wasn’t really a conscious decision, was just the way things were. However, in August Salvador ( one of the three other guys who run 4clubbers with me ) called me on my mobile to ask me the silliest question I’ve ever been asked – Did I fancy playing in the Frantic/Nukleuz tent at Creamfields! After collecting myself of the floor he told me that he’d spoken to Will Paterson ( Frantic promoter ) about me playing and Will had agreed after hearing bits and bobs about me up North. So I then found myself doing the first two hours in the Frantic/Nukleuz tent which was an amazing experience. I played 2 – 4pm with nobody in the tent for the first 40 minutes due to problems letting people in – however, around 2.45pm people came pouring into the tent and I mean pouring in. I was raking through my record bag for about a minute, grabbed a tune and then stood up to see about 600/700 people just filling the tent within the space of a couple of minutes – it was the most surreal feeling. With 45 mins of the soundsystem and tent space under my belt I’d already got into my set so I was very lucky and all my nerves seemed to make me focus more and become more excited. I played my heart out and just enjoyed every minute, the crowd were so good and the atmosphere was fantastic. I turned around to see Will and Thibaud grinning and looking out at the crowd and I just kept thinking to myself, calm down Guffy or your going to explode!
Anyway, after the success of that I got invited down to London to play at Unity where I played the upstairs room and then was lucky enough to be asked to play in the foyer at Hard House Academy. By then I’d gained a bit more confidence with the London crowds and decided to creep a bit of my chunky, driving sound into the set as well as my well documented workouts for the mixer which really caught Will’s and the crowd’s ears and eyes! I was then asked to play the main room warm up at the next event which was a relatively new sound for Frantic and really went down well. Since then I’ve been warming up in the main room at just about all the Frantic events from Convergence to Chemistry to Utopia and Frantic itself which I still have to pinch myself about to be honest. I mean it was only August when I got my first chance so the last 4/5 months have been a bit of a whirlwind experience. I think overall it’s been a combination of the style of sound I play and the workouts that I give the mixer when I play – I love to work the EQ and faders as hard as I can when I play to see what kind of sounds I can get.
HF: How would you describe the style of music you play?
G: Hehehe – this is a real tough one. I’ve had this conversation with so many people who’ve struggled to give it a tag which is great fun as the most ridiculous names are touted about when people try. I mix all sorts of styles that I feel go together and keep a set changing gear. If I had to put some words down then I’d have to quote the most common group of words that have been said which are chunky, driving, progressive hard dance! Sounds crazy huh but that seems to be the most popular description! I figure this can only be a good thing though.
HF: From your position as a DJ playing regularly North and South, name 3 differences between North and South clubbers...
G: I think the most obvious one has to be the amount of Australian and New Zealander clubbers down South. You’re lucky if you meet anyone from below the Watford Gap up North but that’s what makes it all the more fun.
Second would have to be the age – I’ve noticed that there is a definite older average age with the London clubbers. At least that’s what it looks like, maybe life in London is that much tougher that people age quicker…heheh.
Lastly it has to be the dancing and clothing. People from London love to just let rip as if they were on a trampoline and don’t seem fussed about wearing crazy clothes and mad colours, although having said that the last time I played at Chemistry there was a lollipop man handing out Chuppa Chup lollies to all unsundry! In the North people tend to do the shuffle dance were you look like a chicken flapping its arms and leaning on one leg. It’s great fun looking out from a DJ booth when I’m London as you can spot someone from up North straight away as there is a two foot space all around them for the arm flapping!
HF: As a DJ, which venue do you prefer, the Fridge or the Camden Palace?
G: Tough one that. I’ve played more at Camden than I have the Fridge and they are both very different. Camden is just amazing to witness from the DJ box when it’s really going off. All the levels of people really blow your mind and when you’re out on the stage it’s even more intense with people on all three sides watching you. The Fridge is fierce though when you’ve got it full. It’s more intense than Camden as people are concentrated into a smaller space and you have people watching from all around which for me is great as I tend to get very animated when DJ’ing! If I had to pick then I’d say The Fridge for it’s sheer intense atmosphere but Camden is a close second when you’re hoisted out onto the stage area.
HF: What does Chemistry (the promotion) mean to you?
G: Chemistry is an awesome night – I’ve played both in the main room and in the upstairs bar and both have their own unique atmosphere. Chemistry is a chance to experiment a little and try some things that you may not try normally in terms of tune selection. Frantic bring DJ’s from all over the UK to Chemistry so there are many varying styles from Phil’s full on UK Hard Trance style to Rob Tissera’s bouncier catchy hooks and Eddie Halliwell’s unique blend of energetic hard dance. As a result I get to push things a little further in my sets as the night is more about individual sets being showcased as opposed to a night of pure progression. At the most recent Chemistry I played the upstairs bar and managed to test a few tracks that I’d had on hold and they went down a storm. I’ve never seen that room so busy before, it can really get crazy in there if you time things right.
HF: What tune never leaves your box?
G: The track that hasn’t left my box for months is Jay Walker’s ‘Equinox’ – this is an amazing track that can be played early or late in a set. It’s a real chugger and never fails to tear the place apart. It’s got everything from a big kick drum to a monster bassline and great, subtle trancy riff. It’s so full of energy and a typical track that I’d play.
HF: What are the top 3 tunes in your box at the moment?
G: Always hard to answer these questions as you always have new favourites every week. Right, I’m just riffling through my box to pick the three that are making smile. Has to be:
Marrz - 'Orbiter' on DETOX
Syntone - 'Can't believe it' on CLOSET ('Scott Mac Remix')
DJ Spoke and Vespa 63 - 'History' on PSR
HF: Which DJ's do you most admire and why?
G: There have been a few over the years. When I first got into the scene I was a huge fan of Paul Oakenfold and his ability to create mythical and legendary set’s – at the height of his domination he really could tear a place apart. Other’s I have looked up to are of course Tony De Vit for his energy, idea’s and the way he let his music do the talking and Sasha for his journeys and truly god like productions.
More recently I have to say that Lee Haslam’s relentless sets and ability to piece together tracks that are so full of energy you can’t help but smile. The last year has seen him come into his own and really push the trancier sound of hard dance. And then of course there is Eddie Halliwell. There isn’t anything left to say about him really. Eddie is what I call a ‘DJ Package’ great to listen too and great too watch. I haven’t seen anybody work as hard as he does and this is testament to where he has elevated himself to in the last 12 months.
HF: You play both Hard Dance and Funky House. Why?
G: There isn’t any real story behind this other than the fact that I like house too. As well as the harder end of music I also collect house, techno, progressive and many others – anything that I like really. As for playing house out in clubs that came about when I was asked if I wanted to do a house set at Good Greef and I thought why not? I’ve got shed loads of house tracks and it would be fun to play them out loud and see what happens. Since then, I’ve done a few house sets at Sacrilege, Good Greef and more recently Frantic events. It’s all great experience and exposes you to the different styles and techniques that are used in different genres. I’m most definitely a hard dance spinner but it good fun to drive someone else’s car from time to time isn’t it!
HF: Who is your favourite producer and why?
G: If you want consistency and A1 production then you have to look no further than BK – he’s usually first on the list of many a hard dance DJ’s top producer list and quite rightly so. Just when you think he can’t possibly dig out another anthem he does. His styles are so varying that he can produce real tough ass tracks and then shock you with a big trance anthem. Consistency is the sign of a great producer. James Lawson of recent times I feel should also get a mention who has been producing some fantastic stuff lately and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with later this year.
HF: What's your favourite record label?
G: Well with me playing the more chunky, techy, driving stuff I’d have to say Silver Premium at the minute. They are really breaking the moulds with where they are taking their sounds right now. Big kicks and killer basslines are the order of the day and breakdowns take a back seat. This is ideal for warm ups and also later slots if played correctly.
HF: Please recommend a new DJ and a new producer that you think will rock the spot in 2003.
G: On the production side I’d have to say ‘Kidd’ who has been bubbling under recently with tracks such as ‘Who am I’ and ‘Epic’ getting plays from none other than Paul Van Dyk. Although more of a euphoric trance producer Kidd has recently been experimenting with the harder sounds and I can’t wait to see the results.
The DJ that’s going to tear up 2003 is the little wizard ‘Shan’. I’ve been friends with him for over a year now and watched him really develop as a DJ and a personality. Having recently bagged a residency with Good Greef the sky is the limit ( excuse the pun ) for maybe the smallest DJ in Hard Dance? When we get the chance we double up on a back to back set and he never fails to amaze me with his cheek mixing and use of snippets from genre’s you wouldn’t dream off!
With thanks to Guffy for his time. Guffy plays at the Frantic Valentine's Ball this Saturday and at Utopia: The 60 Minutes Edition next weekend.
To view Guffy's past and upcoming sets click here.
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Other Features By tom:
Interview with Energy Dai
Interview with Tara Reynolds
Interview with Anne Savage
Interview with James Lawson
Interview with the Knowwhere crew
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: The Scene on 14th Feb 2003 14:07.12
Nice feature. And nice to see such a welcoming and respectful tone to your bitter 4Clubbers rival Tom  
Will have to try and check out one of Guffy's sets soon - does he play any non-Frantic events?
From: tom on 14th Feb 2003 16:45.29
Not in London that I know of...
From: Diesel Steve on 15th Feb 2003 14:19.15
Once again Tom, you've come up with the interviewing goods.
Guffy is most definitely a welcome addition to a Frantic evening, with some much needed diversification in their sound (as mentioned in the review "Chemistry No.5: The Sweet Smell of Success" by Bunny). On the Frantic (or Southern Hard Dance) scale I would call his style deep and dark and that sits very well as the opening set of Convergence.
And a cool bloke to boot.
From: bunny on 17th Feb 2003 17:12.12
I second all the above DS, a very talented DJ + lovely guy too.
(+ thanks for the plug!)
From: AbFab on 30th Mar 2003 13:20.41
...after getting started a bit too soon and ending up completely bolloxed a bit too early at Convergence last Friday, a big "hear, hear!" to that DS, and hope you enjoyed your birthday! So when does Guffy get the chance to interview you for 4Clubbers, Tom?!
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