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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 | | A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! | | 'The Maestro that is Tristan talks barn owls, Shazamming and keeping it Psychedelic ahead of his upcoming performance at the Tribal Village 4 Day Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! |
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Dave Pearce goes mad for Delirium
Reported by Hands_in_the_air
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Submitted 06-11-07 07:08
Dave Pearce might seem to some as a more commercially orientated spinner but as a Radio 1 DJ he is an vital figure in getting the sound out to the masses while his night Delirium is going from strength to strength attracting some of the scenes leading luminaries and crowds of happy clubbers. We think if you’ve yet to sample it you might be in need of your own head check.
Don’t worry though as you’ll get another chance to go crazy on Friday 16 November as Dave returns to the Ministry of Sound for this hugely popular trance night alongside Cosmic Gate and Richard Durand in the main room and Recoverworld and Discover host the bar with Greg Downey, Bryan Kearney and Activa.
But before that, to wet your whistle, you can catch Dave’s show Dance Anthems on Radio 1. With its tenth birthday just past and a new Friday night slot, 23:00 – 1:00, in the bag change and evolution has become part of the fabric of the show. No more so than in the “Trance Anthem In The Making” section each week, where exciting new bedroom and unsigned artists get the opportunity for their tracks to be heard.
We spoke to Dave about his forthcoming night at Ministry, starting out, his Radio 1 show Dance Anthems and why he feels trance is such a great place to be at the moment with a new generation of fans.
Tell us more about Delirium at Ministry of Sound. How did the night come about?
The event came about because I wanted a night in central London where I could play pure trance and loads of upfront and new artists. Because of my radio show I get asked to play anthems all the time (which I also enjoy) but this is a chance to share all the great new music that is around with fellow trance fans. It is also an opportunity to play alongside some of my favourite DJs as well. I was delighted to have Sean Tyas at the last party and I am a huge fan of the work of Cosmic Gate so I’m looking forward to playing alongside them in November. If you love trance then come and join us! We try and make every event feel like a party.
So, how did you start out?
I started out doing pirate radio stations in South West London. I had a real passion for music and it was a really exciting time. I had been an avid record collector so had a fairly good selection of tunes. Many of the records I was playing were on import from America so every spare bit of money was spent on tunes. I was broke the whole time!
At age 17 you were DJing in Bombay, India. How did this come about and what did it teach you?
I saw an advert in the Evening Standard for DJs to work abroad. I thought it would be in Greece or Spain or somewhere like that. When I got to the audition they said it was to work in Bombay! I had never really given India much thought – I was 16 at the time – but flew out to work a few months later. It was a complete culture shock because Bombay (or Mumbai as it is now known) was a busy, bustling frenetic city of extremes – extreme poverty alongside extreme wealth. It was a great adventure and I found India to be quite a spiritual place. The locals were all very friendly and I have a lot of respect for the people. I found myself DJing at Bollywood parties and at Bombay’s ‘in place’ Studio 29 which was a kind of society hang out.
When did you host your first dance show?
My first dance shows on legal radio were on a station called BBC Radio London. I had a hip hop show called A Fresh Start To The Week and a dance show called The Funk Fantasy. It was on my Thursday night show that I started playing new music from Chicago called house music. There were only two house music labels in those days and a handful of producers. The show championed a lot of this new music so it was an exciting time.
What brought you to the attention of Radio 1?
I was part of the original line up of Kiss FM in London which was granted the licence to be Britain’s first dance station. I did the drive time show then moved on to hosting the breakfast show and became known to Londoners as Dangerous Dave. It is hard to believe but in those days Kiss was dance music all day. We were allowed to play our favourite records alongside a play list (unlike today where a computer tells you what to play). Kiss was a massive success and we quickly had an audience of over 1m, even though we were breaking all the rules of conventional radio. At that time I also hosted massive weekly raves at the Astoria at which acts like the Prodigy performed live. I came to the attention of Radio 1 who were changing direction with more of a music focus and were looking for new people.
How did Radio 1 Dance Anthems come about?
Dance Anthems came about because when I was at Radio London, a DJ colleague Steve Walsh (who was a London clubbing legend) had a fantastic Sunday night dance show. I had seen the reaction to that and always thought what a great time to have dance music on the radio when people are feeling a bit down and the telly is shit. I had a meeting with the then Controller of Radio 1, Matthew Bannister (who was something of a visionary), and persuaded him that a Sunday night show would work particularly if we filled it with big feel good tunes. I had already been hosting a Sunday afternoon segment called The Recovery Session which had done well in the ratings.
You have recently celebrated 10 years of the show. What has it been like?
It has been a bit of a rollercoaster really. What was exciting was that when we launched the show trance came along. Through a combination of Dance Anthems and my drive time show I was able to champion artists like Ferry Corsten to a massive audience. Many of the tracks I played on Drive and Dance Anthems were then added to the station’s playlist and became big hits. Sunday night Dance Anthems felt like a club where everyone was in the same boat, some wrecked, some not so, but everyone up for a good tune and an uplifting end to the weekend.
Do you have any particular stand-out favourite anthems?
Favourites include Paul van Dyk – For An Angel, Delerium – Silence, and Push – Strange World.
As well as Dance Anthems, you are known for your love of trance. When did this passion start?
When I first started playing trance it was underground. The records I was playing came straight from Holland and were not signed to major record labels. It was only when we started playing them they got signed and became hits.
In all my time at Radio 1 I have always been fighting to play my favourite new music and with the new time slot on Fridays I now have a full hour (12-1am) to play pure trance. It has been a battle but worth fighting for. I am particularly excited by the opportunity to play new trance from as yet unsigned artists making music in their bedrooms and eager to hear their tracks on the radio. The entries we receive for this part of the show reflect the amazing and exciting talent among our listeners.
Earlier this year you mixed an underground trance album – Delirium – featuring the likes of Sean Tyas, Greg Downey, and Filo & Peri. What was it like putting this together?
It was great doing an album like this especially as I had free range on the track list. All the artists were very happy for us to use their tracks and I was really pleased with the result. It has done very well for a non TV album and features a great selection of the fantastic trance which is around at the moment. It was also exciting to give artists like Sean Tyas and Ian Betts a platform. We are planning another album for the new year.
What do you think makes an outstanding DJ set?
I like a bit of a journey through the set. Personally, I like to slow things down and speed things up with a few twists and turns. I also like to have a bit of proggy, a bit of techy, some banging stuff and something a little bit euphoric. Another thing that makes a great set is a good sound system in a good venue. I love the Ministry because we can create a total blackout in the Main Room and really create an impression with lights and music. I get a real rush playing at the Delirium parties because everyone is feeling the music and at one. It is an impossible feeling to explain but very energising.
Photos courtesy of Dave Pearce, wkd photos and the HarderFaster archive. Not to be reproduced without permission
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Trance. Tech Trance. Tech House. Electro.
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DJ's:
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Dave Pearce, Cosmic Gate, Richard Durand, Greg Downey, Brian Kearney, Activa, Simon Eve, Chris Hampshire, Carl Whicker, Sleazy - G, Tomasuchy, Stevie Vibes, Rob Marchant, Neri
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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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