Carlsberg don’t do DJs. But if they did, they’d make Guyver!
Reported by MostWantedJc
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Submitted 17-01-07 21:51
If you don’t like being green or sick with envy then we suggest you stop reading immediately. Guy Mearns, or Guyver as he’s known to the masses, has already had 10 single releases. Those releases have notched him up an impressive 250,000 single sales. He’s about to unleash his first ever artist album for tidy as ‘The Producer Series: Volume 002’ hits shelves across the UK on February 5th....
On Friday 26 January he takes to the main stage for the massive tidy vs Extreme Euphoria party at London’s biggest superclub Heaven. With one of the greatest sound systems in the world and possibly the most atmospheric main room in the country, he’ll play alongside some of the latest and the greatest names in hard dance. The Tidy Boys, BK, Andy Whitby, the Organ Donors, Trevor McLachlan, Mark Sherry, Technickal, JP & Jukesy, Kim Ayres, The Colonel, Shaun M — they’re all lining up for a party of absolutely monstrous proportions. It’s got to blow your mind… especially when you’re only 22.
So Guy, you’re set to play at Tidy Vs Extreme Euphoria at Heaven in London. How close do you hold tidy to your heart?
Tidy will always be close to my heart, I have had some great memories with tidy and they have helped a great deal with my production and djing career, so they will always have a special place in my heart (awww).
Before we go any further, tell us your New Year’s resolution. Honestly.
To get fit, and eat more healthy. After the New Year weekender I was getting palpitations in my heart, which got me worried and acted as a good springboard for a new lifestyle! I went swimming with my girlfriend straight away and started eating more fruit and veg. I feeling amazing already! Let’s hope I can keep it up!
You’ve achieved a massive amount, already notching up a substantial 10
releases and achieving 250,000 singles sales to date. Did you ever think it would get this big for you?
It’s a weird thing, I don’t put massive expectations on myself, and continue to work with music because of my love for it, but it’s great to be successful. I didn’t have many doubts that I could make it, as I knew with enough perseverance it was possible, but I didn’t have any setbacks initially, everything happened at once and snowballed. If I’d had a few setbacks then I might have been a lot more negative about my future within the scene.
This album is yet another big step for you. What else would you like to accomplish in 2007 and over the coming years?
Yeah, the album is great to finally get done, that was my next step on the ladder, so now it’s a case of expanding my production to different genres. I’d like to establish myself as an artist in the breaks, house, and trance scene primarily, but drum n bass also interests me. I love the energy in some of the tracks, and the recent rise of Pendulum has helped make the scene more accessible to people like myself who aren’t into the overly grungy stuff.
You’ve become such a major influential player in the hard dance and trance scenes. Was there any particular moment when you realised you had a certain amount of dance music fame?
Probably when I got asked for my autograph and photo at events, it was more weird for my friends i think, seeing all these people want my squiggle on a piece of paper. I’m still a down to earth person, though. You have to see things from other people’s perspectives, I still have a poster with Amo and Andy’s autograph on, so I was in that position at some point too.
Is there anybody particularly special in your life at the moment?
My girlfriend Rachel, she has helped me a lot in getting to gigs and puts up with me working on my tunes all the time.
There are so many tracks on this album which spark emotional responses — you seem to have taken inspiration from many avenues of musical influences not heard before in hard dance. What is your favourite track on the album and why?
Haha, yes that’s a great question, and it’s a tough one to answer as I have a few favourites, but the one that stands out for me (and seems to stand out for most people) is ‘Jazz Hands’, simply because it’s such an energetic track, and sounds different to all the generic hard dance you hear today.
What’s your worst habit?
My worst habit is definitely being unorganised, I like to leave things to the last minute (just like this interview! haha).
The Producer Series is a relatively new concept, designed to inject new music into the scene. Do you think it will be successful in doing so and change any elements of the workings of hard dance music as a result?
Well I certainly hope so, and I don’t think it can do any harm. I think it’s a great concept, because it gives producers like myself an opportunity to showcase their production skills, while Tidy present the compilation, therefore undoubtedly increasing interest as Tidy have the reputation, skill, experience and what not to make the series successful.
What do you tend to do in your spare time? Are you a hardcore clubber at heart, a TV junkie, or perhaps prefer to catch up with some cross stitching?
Definitely not a hardcore clubber! I’m a lightweight! Haha, I love a good DVD, I’m like a DVD rental place for my mates, I’m always buying them, I probably have about 10 in my collection now that I haven’t watched yet. I’m quite into my computer games as well, especially one game in particular, Pro Evolution Soccer. I’m a big football fan and a massive Liverpool supporter, so games, football and movies pretty much sum up everything I do away from music.
You’ve been working on this album for eight months now. You hear of some producers taking a few hours to lay down and complete an entire track, why have you taken your time with this one?
Well, I actually made a previous album, which I ended up scrapping because I thought I rushed it, and I didn’t want to end up regretting it once it had been manufactured, so I took my time on the next attempt (the final version). It doesn’t take me long to make a track, but I like to listen to it for about a week and gradually add stuff. I’m a big perfectionist so I prefer to spend time on a track, rather than rush just so I can boast I made it in a couple of hours.
Did you know from an early age that you wanted to be in the music industry, or did you want to be something else instead, like a fireman?
I wanted to be a policeman when I was younger, but that dream was soon blown apart when I found out I was colour blind (seriously), so maybe it was a blessing in disguise? I was never into music until I reached about the age of 15, and started clubbing with my Dad and brother, then I found a whole different world!
What do you find most annoying about the world?
Most people who know me will probably guess this, double negatives! Argh!, I hear them all the time, my Mum and girlfriend say them all the time, and while I’m not the best at English in the world, I can’t help but correct them when their wrong, I have like a double negative radar going off all the time.
You’ve remixed a long list of tracks with some pretty big names in dance music, is there one which sticks in your head as a favourite for any particular reason?
Erm, JX — ‘Restless’ would have to be up there. To be able to work with such an influential (and successful) man in dance music was fantastic.
Given the choice of any artist in the world, who would you most like to collaborate with and why?
At the moment, Pendulum, I’d love to make some amazingly euphoric drum n bass with them, trance and bass, some of their stuff is quite trancy anyways, so I reckon we could make something great. Nowadays you see, I’m after breaking boundaries, I find it pointless to make ‘just another track’. I want to make music that will turn people’s heads and make them remember them.
It’s remarkable that you have accomplished so much at the age of 22. Do you ever find your age to be a hindrance in an industry that can be riddled with politics?
I’ve never found it to be a hindrance to be honest; it’s probably helped me a lot, due to the fact that a lot of people are a similar age to me, trying to get into the scene the same way I did, so in that way people have said to me I have been a big inspiration to them. I think it’s good that we have a wide age range when it comes to producers and DJs in the scene.
On your album, is there any track which has influenced you the most or holds any personal significance?
Not really, if there is one thing I don’t like doing it’s listening too much to one track and trying to copy its style, it hardly ever works. I find it’s better to let the track write itself, and go with the flow of the track.
At what moment did you realise you’d made it as a successful producer and DJ?
Hmm, I think the big moment for any aspiring producer is hearing a big DJ play your track in their set, so for me it was probably when I heard Dave Pearce play my tracks on Radio 1, that was a great feeling!
Heaven is London’s original superclub. Have you any memorable moments there?
I haven’t ventured into London much over the years to be honest, although I do have some great memories from down there. I have said this before, but I hate London as a city and I’d hate to live there, but I love the nights down there, and the atmosphere is always great. The last event at Heaven was a great night, and I loved every minute of my set. I played earlier than normal, so got to play out some really groovy tech trance and chunky music. It’s always nice to be able to play something different, it can get a bit boring playing ‘Man on The Moon’ all the time, haha.
Gone are the days when you can simply rock up to a venue, play a decent set, and expect your fans to follow you. Nowadays you have to keep up with your self promotion on the internet, the fluctuating popularity of hard dance and trance, and the ever changing trends of clubbing. With all these barriers to overcome, how do you think you remain so successful and popular?
I agree, it’s a lot harder to be successful these days. I try to remain myself, and to be honest, I probably don’t push myself enough, but I don’t want to get to the stage where I’m not enjoying my music, and it feels more like a job, because that’s when the standards slip, and you become more concerned about how many hits you’re getting on your website than how proud you are about your new track. That’s why I’m so grateful for tidy being able to do that job for me, to be able to promote me and allow me to do what I do best and just make the music! I’m alright at the internet promotion but I don’t like to blow my own trumpet too much, I’m far too humble for that.
How do you feel when people call you “The UK’s leading hard trance producer?”
Flattered, obviously, but it’s subjective, some people might agree with that statement, some will disagree, it’s nice to be recognised, but I’m not going to go around boasting I’m the UK’s leading hard trance producer.
You’ve performed all over the world in such a short space of time in your career. What has been your most favourite venue to play, and why?
The Gallery in Cape Town, South Africa — fantastic venue, fantastic clubbers, fantastic atmosphere. I have great memories from South Africa, and I’ve been lucky enough to go out there a few times in my career. I love the country, the people and the lifestyle out there.
You remixed a Tony De Vit track, something which I’m sure you knew would be an important move for all those who know dance music. Did it hold any special sadly passed away?
Of course it was an honour, and it’s nice that i was given the opportunity to remix the single. Unfortunately I’m too young to properly appreciate Tony De Vit, but with such a high reputation, you can’t help but know it’s a big thing when you are asked to remix one of his tracks, so for that reason, yes it was a special remix.
Are there any gigs or venues you have always dreamt of playing?
I’d love to play Dance Valley, I can’t imagine what the feeling must be, playing in front of that many people.
And finally, are you a tidy person?!
Of course I am! It’s all about being tidy!
Guyver is releasing his next groundbreaking album ‘The Producers Series 02’ on Tidy Trax, out February 4th. Watch Guyver in action as he commands an entire superclub at the infamous tidy vs Extreme Euphoria at Heaven, on Friday January 26th.
tidy & Extreme Euphoria @ Pure Sessions
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On:
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Friday 26th January 2007
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At:
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Heaven [map]
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From:
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23:00 - 06:00
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Cost:
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£15 advance / MOTD
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Website:
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www.tidy.com/london
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Ticket Info:
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www.tidy.com/london
www.ticketweb.co.uk / 08700 600 100
www.viewtickets.co.uk – Tickets To Your Mobile
www.heaven-london.com
Info Lines & Tickets:
Tidy HQ – 01709 71 00 22
Extreme Euphoria – 08707 45 49 40
London – Never Enough (Maria) – 07813 684 399
Camden – Cyberdog – 0207 482 2842
Coaches:
Picking up in Cardiff, Newport, Bristol & Swindon – Call Jon on 07900 055
090
Websites:
www.tidy.com/london
www.harderfaster.net
www.dontstayin.com/parties/tidy
www.dontstayin.com/parties/extreme-euphoria
www.myspace.com/tidycom
Heaven, the only club in Westminster with a 6am bar licence!
info@heaven-london.com
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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You’ve got rid of the Christmas flab and that mega New Year’s Eve
hangover has finally passed. You’ve just been paid and you’re in the
mood to party. So where are you going to go?
For party animals there is only one option!
On Friday January 26th London superclub Heaven opens its
doors once more to two of the biggest names in hard dance, tidy &
Extreme Euphoria – and have we got a line-up for you!
In the Main Arena, those titans of hard house the Tidy Boys will be
doing what they do best – ripping it up and throwing it out on to the
dancefloor! Fresh from the huge tidy NYE Weekender you can be certain
they will roar into 2007 with what will undoubtedly be a mammoth set to
remember.
Supporting the Boys are a host of the world’s finest main room acts.
Clubbing icon Mr Rob Tissera is joined by everyone’s favourite
upstart Andy Whitby, the fearsome Organ Donors, the
hugely talented Guyver and the quite frankly on magnificent form
Trevor McLachlan! Excited? We should damn well think so! But
hold on because there’s a whole lot more to come!
Up in the Star Bar it’s the turn of the next generation of hard house
hitters to get in on the act. Mark Sherry, Technkical, JP & Jukesy,
Shaun M, The Colonel and Kym Ayres will be strutting their musical
stuff. Over 2006 these guys have really made names for themselves.
Well you can bet your ass they’ll be looking to start the new year faster
and fiercer than ever before!
Boundless play host in the Dakota Bar. The mighty Lee Haslam
gets in on the action followed by [b]Anthony Dean, Jurrane, Paul Mayes,
Sly One and Stu Cox. At our last event this room went through the
roof! With a line-up like this, expect more of the same!
Last but certainly not least it’s the Departure Lounge. The Dirty
Cowboys, FilthyFunkFunk, Jamie B, Dave Aldershaw and Alex Shmitz
get hold of the 1s and 2s to give you a severe lashing of grade A, top
quality, pure groove house.
The last time we took over Heaven it was one of the best hard dance
nights London has ever seen. This time we’ve raising the bar even higher.
Tickets are already on sale and are flying out of the window. As we
speak! To get yours, just log on to www.tidy.com/london or
www.ticketweb.co.uk.
Tidy & Extreme Euphoria Heaven – it’s going to be a Pure
Session!
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Flyer:
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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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