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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 rising house star Stash: the artist formerly known as Blitzkreig
Reported by Macavity
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Submitted 18-04-06 20:22
It would be easy to think that Blitzkreig (aka Charlie Lyons) has an identity crisis. Loads of you know him as one half of the successful hard dance duo Jez and Charlie, who blasted dance-floors everywhere from Sundissential to tidy Weekenders.
But a driving passion for house has led Charlie to move slowly away from hard house and form a solo project. Starting only a few months ago, his house career, under the moniker Blitzkreig, has got off to a blistering start. Not only has he secured gigs at The Honey Club in Brighton; Audionasty in Leeds and the house rooms at tidy events, but he’s managed to garner some column inches in the dance press, as well as bagging himself a summer residency at an unusual new night on Brighton Beach. To top all that, after his appearance at tidy Vs Extreme Euphoria on Saturday 28th April he’s changing his name to Stash.
Confused? Well don’t be! Read on to find out the latest gossip on the South Coast based houser and why you’ll be hearing a lot more of him in the future.
Many may not recognise you as the house DJ Blitzkrieg but lots of readers will know you are one half of the well known hard house pairing, Jez and Charlie. Did the house side of you evolve out of this, or did you always have a passion for house?
Ever since I’ve been buying records I have always bought house music (the first record I bought was CC Rogers — ‘Someday’). To be honest when I started buying records there wasn’t as much segregation within the music as there is now. The line-ups were great as you would get Sasha, Oakey, Norman Jay and TDV all on the same bill, so the boundaries were blurred. If a tune was good it was played.
With this being the case I found that my record collection would contain all sorts — vocal house, percussive house, trance and early hard house. My first experiences of playing out were all at the harder end of things. This set the pattern of where things were going for me as a DJ. I enjoyed the harder sound (which at this time only about 142–144 bpm for me) and managed to bag myself a residency with Sundissential; and never looked back.
I always made sure I still bought house music as I still had a massive love for it, but the ‘hard’ thing was taking off for us. The Sundissential residency led to us being signed to tidy Management and in the boom days of hard house we got to play all over the UK and the world, including gigs in; South Africa, Japan, Scandinavia and Ibiza (including my favourite set ever inside at Space!).
During this time I used to play house sets where possible. I have always been into so many different kinds of music that I would relish any opportunity to play something else.
So why have you decided now is the time to switch to house?
I have always bought and played house out of a massive love for it. The hard thing was like a whirlwind that we were swept along by. I loved every minute of it — I still love the energy of hard house and had a ball playing back to back with The Boys, Anne, Rob Tissera etc. for the last two hours in the main room at tidy Weekender 9.
Part of the reason I decided to really pursue my house roots is that there is much more freedom with what you can play. My sets now consist of all kinds of house, rock, old rave, whatever — if it’s a good record it’s in!
But I hear that this will be the last time you play under this name. You’re changing your house name to STASH. Why is this?
I knew I didn’t want to use my own name as I needed a production guise so it came down to two choices: Blitzkreig[i] (lightening war for those that need a translation) and [i]Stash. I chose the former, as when I was young I was fascinated with history and studied both World Wars extensively [/b] I always thought that the word sounded mental.
However, I have recently discovered that there is a production outfit that have released some tracks under this guise. As well as this, I have got some gigs coming up in Eastern Europe at the end of the year through some friends of mine. When I explained that I was going to have to change my name they said it probably wasn’t such a bad thing due to the affiliation with The War etc. The outcome is that I will be known as Stash. I kind of prefer it anyway to be honest.
What style of house is Stash (Blitzkreig); and who or what are your main influences at the moment?
There are so many that it is impossible to list them all. I get influenced by so many things from fashion and design, to music and art. DJ wise Carl Cox has always been number one for me and he always will be.
However, Erol Alkan has been a real inspiration to me of late. I saw him play the other week at Chaos Rocks and it was pretty much exactly where I want to be. He was dropping some sleazy real electro and then going into stuff like Rage Against the Machine, ‘Killing in the Name’ followed by Altern8 — ‘Activ8’.
I watched the place go fucking mental, stage diving, moshing, dancing, shouting. It was the bollocks. No boundaries, no prejudice, no pretension, just madness!
The dance music and rock/indie scenes are coming closer and closer together. When I grew up the charts were littered with dance music (Prodigy, Shamen, Capella etc.) and now it’s all amazing bands (Bloc Party, Franz, Kooks, Arctic Monkeys etc).
Events like the upcoming HI:FI festivals are showing that the scenes can co-exist and share the same crowd. Look at Glastonbury for fuck sake, it’s pretty much the best event in the world and everyone just checks out everything; dance, rock, acoustic whatever! Loads of people are into both kinds of music and I really think that this is how it should be. It is obviously down to the dj to make sure they put the set together in a way that works but as soon as I have got the whole live thing cracked this is what I plan to unleash!!!
I also need to give a special mention to my good friend Filthy Rich who is making some awesome minimal house and electro at the moment. I really believe that he is a DJ who will be breaking through to the big league this year — he is awesome;and definitely an influence on me!
I know you’ve got lots of very exciting plans in the pipeline which you can’t reveal just yet, but one that you can talk about is about a new venture you’re playing at in Brighton which I’m told is going to be an indoor/outdoor club which has permission to open its doors onto the beach in the summer. This sounds pretty cool. Tell us more.
Yeah — I have got some cool stuff going on through the back end of the year (you will have to interview me again then to find out what it is!). In the mean time you can expect some productions by the summer as well as my new residency at Mash[b] in [b]Brighton. Mash is going to be weekly at the legendary Zap. I had my first ever gig here so it always holds a special place in my heart.
The situation is going to be as follows: The Zap will shut as normal at 4am when the main room will be transformed with sofas, bean bags cushions and loads of other bits designed for chilling. The arch will house the djs and the music will be loud, electronic madness with a few surprises thrown in for good measure.
The twist to the party is that the Zap is situated on the beach in Brighton and as soon as the sun comes up the front doors of the club will be opened and the music will be pumped out for people to dance on the front. Therefore the party will be inside and outside with a huge chill out zone as well.
When does it start; and do we need to bring our bathing suits? It starts on the 16th April and is weekly so I expect to see you all there… bathing suits are optional but an open mind and lots of stamina are essential.
As well as this pretty special new venture you’re also very much a forward thinking DJ and you’re hoping to play all your sets via computer within a few months. What equipment and software will you use?
I have been spending as much free time as I have (which is never enough) leaning Ableton. In order to be able to play stuff from different genres effectively I really see Ableton as the future. I am not in a position to use it at the moment as I am still learning but by the end of the year I am hoping that I will be playing exclusively Live. I will be using a G4 15” Powerbook, Evolution UC-33, a M-Audio soundcard, a toaster and a small hamster in a wheel with some cymbals between his knees.
DJing from computer has, till now, always been associated with the big guys such as Paul Van Dyk and Sasha. Many of the younger djs, although being able to use it happily at home appear to be are afraid of taking it to clubs due to risks with technology. How do you hope to overcome crashing PCs and overheating etc?
If you don’t use cracked software and have good kit than you should be cool. If you are using a laptop bought off a shady eastern European from Tower Hamlets then you could be in trouble (oi I live in a flat in Tower Hamlets!).
Will we get to see you playing live when you plan in the house arena at the third tidy vs Euphoria which takes place at Heaven on 28th April?
No. For the reasons explained above — I am not quite ready yet. When I am you will be the first to know!
Pete Tong cited in a fairly recent interview that he’d met young DJs who’d never played on vinyl. Added to this Bill Gates of Microsoft has already predicted the ‘imminent death’ of CD and DVD? How long do you think it will be until most DJs are playing via computers, and do you agree with Bill Gates?
I think that all of the Pioneer kit is phenomenal so I would imagine that CD’s will be around for a while yet. If you think about it, it is only recently that CDs have fully taken over. To ask all those djs who were slow to convert from vinyl to now ditch CD’s and turn to a laptop is optimistic. I think that the future is definitely computers but it will take a while for this to happen. Having said that, Bill Gates knows far more than I so maybe there is something around the corner that will change everything??
Do you think this will present DJs with a new pressure to become more creative and be more like musicians, whereby the instrument is the computer; or do you think it’s will just make DJing easier?
The main reason for me getting into Ableton is to be more creative. I don’t see it as pressure, I see it as natural progression. Anyone can mix two records or CD’s together — that is the easy bit. The part of djing that is most fun is what you do with you records.
Ableton and the Pioneer kit have allowed avenues to be opened that were never thought possible. It’s an exciting time for djs, it really is. I go and see more bands than djs by a mile. I am much more impressed by someone that picks up an instrument and blasts out a riff or melody and then sings over it.
DJs just play other peoples’ records (as well as their own productions obviously) but now through some of the technology available we are able to at least stamp some of our own creativity on to things.
Thanks Charlie, now some fun questions about you…
What was your first pet and what was it called?
Harry
What’s currently in your fridge?
Greek yoghurt, blueberries, raspberries, cheese, apple juice, pate, a few body parts, pasta, a kinder egg and the key to the universe.
Which comedians make you laugh at the moment?
Julian Clary, Peter Kay, Jack Dee
Which dance tune has you reaching for the off button as soon as you hear?
Bodyrockers — ‘I Like The Way You Move’ — awful, awful record!
All photography and design work courtesy of Jamie Bugler at Jamie@controlfreek.com
Tidy & Extreme
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On:
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Friday 28th April 2006
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At:
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Heaven [map]
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From:
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22:00 - 06:00
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Cost:
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£15
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Website:
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www.tidy.com/london
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Ticket Info:
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TICKET INFORMATION:www.tidy.com/london / 01709 71 00 22 www.ticketweb.co.uk / 08700 684 399 Never Enough Maria - 07813 684 399 Cyberdog Camden, The Stables, Camden Market - 0207 482 2842 Kinetic Records, Little Portland Street, Oxford Circus - 0207 323 5303 Mad Records, Silver Place, Soho - 0207 439 0707
INFORMATION: Extreme Euphoria - 08707 45 49 40 / lisa.b@mostwanteduk.com / craig@mostwanteduk.com Tidy - 01709 71 00 22 / www.tidy.com/london
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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Tidy & Extreme Euphoria takes you to Heaven on Friday 28th April
With spring in full swing it¹s time for another bout of tidy & Extreme Euphoria. This will be our third outing in London since October and we¹re able to tell you at this stage we¹ll be back on the last Friday of every 3rd month!! We¹re more than happy to call Heaven our new London home, having produced 2 incredible parties in succession. Let¹s face it; NO event is possible without you, so give yourselves a thumbs up for making tidy & Extreme Euphoria a firm fixture in the clubbing calendar.
Friday 28th April is when we next throw open the doors of Heaven and this time round we¹ve got a too many excuses to party. First up is the launch of the Tidy Weekender 9 Live album. 3 stonking CDS mixed by 3 of your favourite tidy jocks. Lisa Pin-Up, Paul Glazby and Alex Kidd. Both Paul and Alex will be holding an exclusive signing session for anyone who picks up a copy of the album on the night! Next up is the moment so many of you have been crying out for full details and launch of our 2006 Ibiza sessions! Tidy & Extreme Euphoria London on April 28th is the only place you¹ll get the FULL low down on this year¹s Balearic madness. So, if you¹re planning a trip to see us where the sun doesn¹t stop shining, make sure the first flight you book is with us at the end of April.
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Flyer:
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Trance. Acid Trance. Hard Trance. HardStyle. House. Bouncy House. Hard House. Techno.
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DJ's:
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Main Arena
Edison Factor Live,
Tidy Boys,
Anne Savage,
Paul Glazby,
Kutski,
Jason Cortez,
Shaun M
Arena Two
Phil Reynolds,
Kevin Energy,
Alex Kidd,
Paul Maddox,
GRH,
Wid & Ben
The Lounge with Miami Calling
Ian Hadassi,
Dave Lambert,
Lee Dagger,
Blitzkreig,
Lee Louda
Trance Arena
Lee Haslam,
K.A.R.L.,
Jurrane,
Markus Buhmann B2B Matt Dahl
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Other Features By Macavity:
Ben Coda Gets Ready for Glade Festival
The Tidy Boys are Back To Clean Up London
David Minns Tells Us Why South London is The Place To Be!
Russia's No 1 DJ, Bobina Springs into London
Ali Wilson - From Harderfaster to Carl Cox's Favourite Producer
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: Hanky on 18th Apr 2006 22:55.48
The guy is an absolute legend. I am going to say one thing - tw4, balconies, thongs and broken feet. He had a hand in it all...
From: *Vixstar* on 19th Apr 2006 03:45.53
Well, well, well, if it isn't Charlie Lyons. Ha! Remember me, Vicky from the good ole Rhythm Station days...ah yes, those were the days. Sounds like you're having a ball mate, good luck with everything xx
From: tidyrichard on 19th Apr 2006 09:27.18
Nice to see ya still rockin the dancefloor Mr Lyons ....
From: Stash on 19th Apr 2006 10:42.15
Thanks guys - ah the memories!!!! ;-)
If any of you are coming to Tidy next Friday come and say hi - I will get the round in!!!
xxx
From: Stash on 19th Apr 2006 10:43.16
Thanks guys - ah the memories!!!! ;-)
If any of you are coming to Tidy next Friday come and say hi - I will get the round in!!!
xxx
From: danj on 20th Apr 2006 01:43.26
Terrific interview of a truly fantastic individual.
Roll on Tidy Extreme 
From: Aaron_Moorish on 21st Apr 2006 17:38.22
 you @ the tidy`s i saw you play at.
From: karl davis on 22nd Apr 2006 18:24.51
good interview thats some line up
From: Tara Reynolds on 23rd Apr 2006 11:57.38
Charlie you hottie! Such an interesting interview. Good luck with everything mate. Hope to see you when I'm over in October xxx
From: Stash on 24th Apr 2006 14:04.11
Tara!! You say the nicest things babe - hahahaha - I really hope I will defo catch you in October. I presume that you will be playing the weekender so I will defo be seeing you there. xxxx
From: Stash on 24th Apr 2006 14:09.16
Tara!! You say the nicest things babe - hahahaha - I really hope I will defo catch you in October. I presume that you will be playing the weekender so I will defo be seeing you there. xxxx
From: Becka on 27th Apr 2006 17:32.00
What a good looking man, lol. Great interview too :-)
From: dj lestat on 28th Apr 2006 15:47.48
hey charlie, mike here (farleys x) how u doin mate? wicked interview :-)
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