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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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Therapy Preview: Meet Sonny Wharton
Reported by Lee McCaW
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Submitted 01-06-05 20:49
Since heading to Ibiza in the summer of 2002 Sonny Wharton hasn't looked back. He won DJMag's Terraced House Competition, which saw him play both the opening and closing parties for Renaissance @ Amnesia, complete a full season as resident at the infamous Manumission and feature live on air during the Radio 1FM Ibiza weekend.
Lee McCaW (aka Dj Law) interviews Sonny to find out a bit more starting with some cold hard Sonny facts...
Where ya from? Deepest darkest Mid-Wales
Age? 25
Years mixing? Professionally 3 but had my first mixer when I was 10 years old so it's been a while!!
Style? House with a hint of breaks
Largest crowd performed to? 3000+
Number of records/cds? About 5000 records/2000cds approx.
Job before DJing? Audio Engineer
Website? www.sonnywharton.co.uk
Sonny Wharton
How has the icy winter been and what are your plans for summer?
I'm not one for bad weather so have been looking forward to the sun coming out for ages!!! Had a lot on gigs wise with my Trashed! Tour at the beginning of the year and my second mix for Radio 1 which was great fun! I've also been flat out in the studio working on some hot remixes due to surface in a few months so watch this space!!
As for this summer - I've gots loads of exciting stuff coming up including Godskitchen Global Gathering and gigs in Barcelona and Morrocco! It’s a really exciting time for me right now :o)
Moving to Ibiza for a summer is something most djs dream of but simply don’t have the balls to do. You didn’t have a problem in that department. Tell us a bit about the experience and how winning the DJ Mag’s ‘Terraced House Competition’ impacted your career.
I went out there at the beginning of the season and trawled around everywhere giving out cds to djs and promoters and just got nowhere. It's a dog eat dog market and everyone seems to be a dj nowadays, so getting a break can be easier said than done. I got lucky when I entered the competition run by DJ Mag with my mix winning the main terrace set at Renaissance's opening party which was a dream come true... I got to play my first gig in Ibiza to 2000 people on Amnesia’s Terrace!!! I've not looked back since to be honest – that summer I landed a weekly residency at Manumission and recorded my first mix for Radio 1 so it was all a hell of a lot more than I'd ever dreamt of doing when I originally jetted off there for the summer!!
Would you recommend an Ibiza season to Joe Bloggs who wants to take the next step in his/her career?
I'd recommend getting gigs with some clubs over here first if you can and then go over there with them! Ibiza’s not easy – you could get lucky but just be prepared for some knock backs. If you want it bad enough you'll get your chance out there - good luck!
Living the life of a Manumission weekly resident I bet you witnessed some bizarre shit, did you enjoy your time there and would you do it again?
Ha Ha - yeah some very funny things went on over the season - especially in the music box room where I played every week! I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it and would definitely do it again if I the time was right – it was a long LONG season definately not one for the faint hearted!! I'm surprised I survived to be honest!
The term ‘Mixology’ is thrown around by many whilst referring to your sets, are you constantly refining you skills?
I don’t believe in just sitting back and letting the tune do all the work – I'm there as an entertainer and cant help but play around throughout my sets… I'm always trying out new things and have fully embraced the latest advances in technology with the likes of cdjs playing a HUGE part in my sets. It's much more fun to interact with the crowd and let them experience the enjoyment I'm getting out of playing.
I'm always inspired by other djs. If I see a dj do something I'vnever done before I'll go home afterwards and practise like hell till I get it cracked!! I just hope people enjoy the results as much as me :o)
You appear so comfortable with the cdj1000s how important have those little gems been to your mixing?
The CDJ1000 was something I wanted to master as soon as I first saw them in action at the hands of Eric Morrillo. I've now got to the stage where without them I feel naked…. It's great to be able to remix and edit tracks on the fly and even more so gives people something to watch while I'm djing too!!
How has the ‘Sonny Wharton’ sound evolved over the years?
I’ve always had an eclectic taste in music and so never wanted to be pinned to one style - there's so much great music about a the moment that it's hard to choose what to play! I suppose I'm playing a lot more dirty than I used to but still with the same enthusiasm I’ve always had!
Djing aside you have been busy producing and remixing tunes with Mango Trasher and had your first release this year, THE BEATMONKEY'S 'Jackin' (Sonny Wharton & MangoTrasher Remix.) Are you enjoying producing and can we expect more in the near future?
It's something I've always aspired to do and so it's been great fun over the last year or so since I hooked up with MT cos he's coming from the breaks scene whereas I'm predominantly on the house circuit – it makes our sound more fun in my opinion!
We’ve been working hard in the studio this year and done a couple of remixes that will be out over here towards the end of the summer. Also keep your eyes peeled for a couple more booties due to surface shortly!
Russia, Barcelona, Morocco, MTV Spain, clothing sponsorship your international resume is moving from strength to strength, where to from here?
Total world domination - if I can pull it off! haha
Any plans for an Australasian tour?
Would love to if I had the chance – you up for coming along?
Law: Sure am mate!
Away from the clubs and the studio, how do you spend your chill time, if there is such a thing?
Don’t get a lot of spare time to be honest – this is a 24:7 job in itself…. I'd probably just go to the beach if I got the chance :o)
Tell us one thing we don’t know about you.
My Dad signed The Moody Blues to Decca back in the sixties and produced their first number one single ‘Go Now’!!
Cheers Sonny!
You can catch Sonny mixin' up a storm at Therapy @ The Colloseum in Vauxhall London this Saturday morning 4th of June from 7am to 9am in the main room. Sonny will also be performing a two hour set for charity at Altar Ego @ the Play Bar in Old Street from 11:30pm. to 1am
www.altarego.co.uk
Pics supplied by Sonny Wharton
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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: Jacob on 1st Jun 2005 21:00.36 wasn't aware of Sonny before reading this- sounds good!
From: Kushdi on 5th Jun 2005 06:02.57 Nice one Sonny! Wicked set at AltarEgo bro you kicked ass!
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