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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 Nik Denton - preview to Toolbox Recording's 5th Birthday @ Spin
Reported by Dan Andres
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Submitted 05-04-06 15:19
It's been 5 years already but it only seems like yesterday that Toolbox Records started to release what now have become classic tunes in the hard house scene. Now not only have Toolbox just released a compilation CD to celebrate their birthday, mixed by their 2 finest djs, Paul King and Nik Denton, they have also embarked on a tour to celebrate this occasion. And yes we have got Toolbox's sharpest boys out of the shed to come down and play for us at Spin to celebrate their 5th Birthday. I cornered Nik Denton to find out a bit more about Toolbox, their tour and future plans for their label.
Tell us a bit more about Toolbox, where and how did it all begin?
The label started back in 2001 when I was writing hard house with a guy called Jay Cox, who is now producing house. We launched the label together so that we had some way of putting our releases out. In those days it was very hard to get a release because Tidy, Tripoli, Nukleuz etc. all had in house producers. Jay decided he didn't want to produce hard house after our fourth release, so I relaunched it on my own in Jan 2003.
You have quite a few artists signed to Toolbox. Who are all the artists that make up the Toolbox family and how do you come about finding new members to sign up to your label?
I like to have some consistency in the artists on the label, but apart from myself and Paul King, there hasn't been any other producer that has consistently been featured on Toolbox. It seems to go in waves. To begin with there was the Testube Babies, then Marc Johnson (who we have just signed another track from). Then there was James Nardi, along with his production partners Nick Irwin and Julian Dwyer. Recently Dave Owens, Toomz and Tim Clewz have all been featured or will be featuring more than once or twice. I don't make any effort to go out and look for artists, it just seems to happen.
Well it's been 5 years of classic hard house tunes that a countless number of people have thoroughly enjoyed. What have been the key factors of keeping Toolbox fresh and alive over the years?
Toolbox has always been about my own personal taste in hard house, and I have always been a fan of both the harder edged tracks and the older style hard house that had hard sounding HOUSE in it. Tripoli used to do the same as what Toolbox has been doing, mix up harder releases and the more house influenced tracks. My own personal opinion is that it's important for our scene to remember its roots and I think Toolbox has done that and I hope that's why it has been kept alive for over 5 years now. There are obviously people out there who like the traditional hard house sound.
Paul King and yourself have just mixed and released Toolbox's CD in conjunction with the 5th Birthday. With the success of the CD, can we look forward to another release in the near future?
Yes, definitely. I have a few ideas for later in the year which all focus around a new project called the Hard Heart (www.thehardheart.com). There will also be a new 'What's your Pleasure' and when the time is right, probably a Toolbox Volume Two. We left off so many great tracks that could easily fill another couple of discs.
Both yourself and Paul King have worked alongside a countless number of big name producers and engineers over the years, is there anyone left whom you haven't collaborated with that you would like to work alongside in the near future?
Paul has worked with a who's who of hard house, including Paul Janes, Andy Farley, Glazby, Ian M, Tony de Vit, Steve Thomas, Jon Langford, and Anne Savage, whereas I haven't really worked with many people at all. Only Steve Thomas, Matc Johnson, Testube Babies, SPX, Dave Owens and George E. But again, I have some ideas for later in the year or maybe in 2007, which would involve me working with a handful of producers. Off the top of my head I would love to hook up with Pete Wardman, Glazby and Maddox.
[b]Digital is a big move for me personally, as a dj/producer, and I am still unsure if I like it or not. I have to agree that it is great for showcasing new tunes you have written that have not or will never make it to a vinyl pressing. Give us your thoughts on the digital era that everyone says were moving into. What are the plans for Toolbox and digital releases?
I've only ever used CDs; I don't think I suited vinyl. I started out when I was 16 and lost patience with vinyl straight away. I then had some CD decks bought for me when I was in bed and unable to walk for a few weeks, so I just learnt on those and used CDs from my very first gig. So I love using CDs and think they are great, but I think vinyl is important too. It's just very worrying when the cost of pressing vinyl means very little money for the artists, once the labels have taken their cut.
We did go through a stage of sending out our releases for download as promos to a few sites, but we found our releases being illegally shared on numerous sites, so I stopped sending them out. People just need to learn that they are destroying the scene by illegally sharing. Once they stop doing it, then it will make a lot of people in the industry a lot happier. I then think more labels will go digital to save the cost of pressing.
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The one thing amongst many that I enjoy about Toolbox is that it has sticked to its classic hard house roots from day one, and in my opinion has never really gone through a patch of bad releases as many other labels do. Has it been hard to maintain the quality and consistency of releases on Toolbox?
Thank you. Running a label and keeping consistency without getting boring is the hardest part. I wouldn't want people to say "It all sounds the same," which I don't think it has.
Along with the recent Toolbox Vol 1 CD and Toolbox 5th Birthday tour, what are the future plans for the company and what can we expect from the forthcoming releases on Toolbox?
Expect lots of great releases and remixes from the likes of Marc Johnson, Dave Randall, Paul Glazby, Paul King, Dave Owens, Toomz and a couple of newies from myself. As for the company as a whole, I'm looking at the Toolbox Music brand and extending our vinyl pressing service, which is currently going very well. The distribution arm of the company is also doing very well, so there is quite a bit to keep me busy.
OK the last few questions we have for you have been submitted by the party people of London on a Harder Faster Forum, here is what they wanted to know about Toolbox...
With Toolbox House now on the go, are we going to see as much harder stuff coming from Toolbox?
Toolbox House is a new label for house that tough, not hard. So I think the main Toolbox label will stay as it is. However, Glazby is about to remix for us, Ben Stevens has just remixed 'Alright' and Marc Johnson has a couple of bits coming up on Toolbox, so things will be a little harder than they have been. Hammerheads will always be home to our hardest releases.
How long have you been producing tunes for, will we be seeing any more Nik Denton & Paul King collaborations in the near future and what hardware/software are you using at the moment to produce your tunes?
I first joined Paul in the studio back in 1998. Our first project together was 'You'll Know', which was released on Tidy under Paul's Trauma guise. So it's been about 8 years. We slowed down working together over the past year and half as we have both been busy doing other things, but we recently finished our first track together since 'Turn up that Stereo'. It's called 'Rok the Discotek' and will be coming out on Toolbox later this year. We also remixed 'Alright' which is the next release on Toolbox. As for hardware/software, when I'm working with Paul we use Cubase for the sequencing and up until very recently used an Akai sampler. When I work with Dave Robertson, who engineers all my solo work, it's all about Reason.
Does Toolbox have any more events planned for the year?
My commitments playing for Recreation and Federation (both house nights), means I'm pretty busy every weekend, so it's finding the gaps to put events on. The idea of the current tour was to do five nights, one for each year of Toolbox. We are at Storm (Coalville) on Sunday 23rd April and that is the last Toolbox event we have planned at the moment. There has been talk of us doing something with Sinergy (Manchester).
Finally, where do you see yourself and Toolbox in 5 Years time?
Toolbox will still be here in some shape or form, be it a hard house label or otherwise. It's been my life for the past five years, so I can't imagine it won't be in another five. As for me! I can only hope I'm still getting to play out in all the wicked places and playing all the different types of music that I am right now. That would make me happy.
Thanks for your time Nik, we look forward to having both yourself and Paul play for us at Spin on Friday April 21st.
Thanks to J Tempo & Norris for their input and contributions to this interview.
Images courtesy of Nik Denton. Not to be reproduced without permission.
"SPIN" FREE ENTRY B4 MIDNIGHT-TOOLBOX
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On:
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Friday 21st April 2006
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At:
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CLUB 414 [map]
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From:
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22:00 - 06:00
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Cost:
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£10/£8 Guest List
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Website:
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fp.club414.f9.co.uk/
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More:
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SPIN PRESENTS TOOLBOX 5TH BIRTHDAY
Are you up to the 14HR challenge???
FREE ENTRY B4 MIDNIGHT!!
Oi Oi, this is one top night not to be missed..
SPIN is proud to present TOOLBOX RECORDS 5TH BIRTHDAY
celebrations, and to helps us do so we have got 2 of Toolbox's
sharpest boys out of the shed and ready to give it some for us at
SPIN.
PAUL KING, undoubtedly one of the top producers in the Hard House
scene who has given us soooo many top tunes through his own label
TOOLBOX, will be joining us to celebrate their scuccess of running their
label for 5 years..
NIK DENTON will be joining us alongside our regular residents to party
on all night to the sounds of TOOLBOX...
And to top it all off we are offering you this super line up all FREE!!
FREE ENTRY B4 midnight or get your names in for guestlist entry after
midnight please email: gcppresents@yahoo.com
**Vinyl AND CD Give-aways courtesy of TOOLBOX RECORDS**
**Party on with SPIN ON & on & on Recovery 6am - 12 Midday @ The
414 with MAD PHIL joining us for the first time @ SPIN ON**
People already @ the Club for SPIN need not pay again for SPIN ON
RECOVERY
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Flyer:
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 - 
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Hard Trance. Nu NRG. Hi NRG. Bouncy House. Hard House.
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DJ's:
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Paul King (Toolbox Records)
Nik Denton (Toolbox Records)
Dan Andres (Resident)
Macey (Resident/Spin)
April (Guest)
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Share this ::  :  :  : 
Follow HarderFaster :: 
Other Features By Dan Andres:
Warped’s 4th Birthday: the inside story
We get Torqueing with Macey: preview to Torque's 6th birthday
We get up close & personal with Madam Zu — preview to SPIN @ Club 414
Up close and personal with Ben Kakoschke — preview to Torque’s Red Planet Encounter
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: TEK-DJ Management on 5th Apr 2006 16:29.10
Wicked interview Nik! Keep up the good work, onwards and upwards!
From: karl davis on 5th Apr 2006 18:47.26
great stuff top dj, top bloke, i had track out on toolbox as Audio Trippers and was great to be part of such a fantastic label, keep it rocking dude
From: Marc Johnson on 5th Apr 2006 19:42.08
Good Interview Nik, well done for sticking to your guns with the label and excellent work with the distribution side of the firm, clappity clap clap!!!!!
From: Toomz on 5th Apr 2006 21:38.46
Nice one Nik! 
From: James Nardi on 5th Apr 2006 22:11.06
Much respect, one of the nicest guys in the scene.
From: George-E on 8th Apr 2006 10:38.33
Top guy, top I'view...its a non-stop-rock!
From: dannyoldham on 8th Apr 2006 19:08.10
nice 1 nik.,.,.,. fit as
From: Kamora on 9th Apr 2006 12:18.51
Good read, one of the more consistent labels on the scene.
From: DaveFrayne on 10th Apr 2006 13:28.41
Top Geezer!
From: Devo on 11th Apr 2006 08:40.10
One of the best HH DJs on the scene at present IMO. We had Nik and Dave over with us for the Toolbox B'day tour and they didn't disappoint. Best of luck with the label and the gig.
From: space sentinelz on 16th Apr 2006 21:44.59
good stuff
From: space sentinelz on 16th Apr 2006 21:45.11
good stuff
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