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Features
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Phil Reynolds starts the Digital Revolution: Part One
Reported by VinDiesel
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Submitted 17-03-08 09:29
Phil Reynolds has been a name synonymous with the hard dance scene from some of its earliest days. Now a pivotal member, his trade mark energizing, driving hard trance sets have ripped up the dancefloors of parties not only in London but throughout the country and around the world. With an album out now that celebrates the diversity in talent now in the HD scene, it was about time we sent HF correspondent VinDiesel round to grill Phil about the early days, his drive to succeed and the future of hard dance. Read more over this two part special feature.
Through hard work, total dedication and pure professionalism, Phil has gained a reputation not only as one of the legends of the hard dance scene, but also as one of the finest DJs that this country has ever produced.
Along with names such as Andy Farley, Steve Hill, K90, BK and Nick Sentience, Phil has been instrumental in embedding the thundering basslines and relentless hard beats and melodies into the sound that defines hard dance music. While his sets have burnt this into the sub-consciousness of many clubbers, sending them into a frenzy on the dancefloor!
He has also helped to establish parties including Frantic, Heat and Innovate as outstanding hugely popular promotions and it’s no doubt he is one name that you can guarantee will pull the crowds in.
Phil huge success and immense talent has also equally being applied within the production field and he is behind some of the biggest hard dance classics of the past few years including (Instru)Mental, Pounding Senses and Wanna Go For A Ride. His great drive has seen him move into other previously unventured areas of music including his first ever live PA set last year at Innovate and the launch of his first album Digital Revolution this month.
He is one busy chappy but he kindly took time out from a very busy life of work and DJing to chat to us about his distinguished and highly successful career, the highs, lows, laughs and life outside of hard dance including following his beloved Arsenal football team!
Background and mixing styles
Phil first of all, thank you for taking time out from your busy work and DJing schedule.
What made you get into DJing in the first place? Was it stumbling onto a pair of decks at some crack on, having a go etc or were your mates into it as well?
I started DJing in 1992 around, 5 to 6 years after I first started clubbing. I was buying DJ mix tapes from the stalls at Camden Palace. I didn’t like all the music on these tapes much, so I decided to buy some decks. I could then buy and listen to the records that I wanted! I had some mates who had been DJing over in Turkey and that persuaded me to have a dabble myself!
I had to spend a whole month’s wages on my new decks, which meant no going out for that month, but it was worth it!
You are renowned for your driving, uplifting hard trance sets but you also have played music within other genres including funky house. Describe the different styles that you mix in, which your favourite is and why?
I mix trance, hard trance, tech trance, hard house, house, funky house and some electro. I obviously love trance and hard trance as that’s what I’ve always loved.
How long did it take you to mix properly and how long was it before you were confident enough to take on your first gig?
Very soon after getting my decks. In fact it was 2 months! I got my first gig DJing on a radio station. Even though it was a short space of time, at the time there were only about 10 other hard dance DJs in London. I had to serve a sort of ‘apprenticeship’ and prove myself even playing opening sets at gigs. Then I was able to move on to playing at different time slots.
When did you think, ‘Hey I can make a full time living out of DJing?’
Well I was only a full time DJ for a period of 2 years. Around that period, it was always a hobby for me. But it's difficult when you go full time. The money you earn from gigs becomes very important to pay the bills and rent. You rely on being paid on time for gigs but you don’t know how much you will get, if gigs are cancelled or there are fewer parties.
It was never a problem for me going back to work because I could still take on my DJing gigs and enjoy them, without having to worry about how many gigs were coming up for me.
Is there a genre or style that you’ve found hard to get into?
The house scene is a difficult one to break into. Especially when you’re well known for playing harder music. Playing house is very different to playing trance and in the past I haven’t always played it right. So I’m not really seen as a house DJ and maybe never will.
Has becoming a DJ enhanced or reduced your enjoyment of clubbing?
Ooh I'm able to enjoy it very much. As soon as I finish my sets, I like to get on the dancefloor and have a good stomp!
Feedback and criticism
Describe the experience of your first ever gig? Where did you play? Who else was playing that night? How did it feel? Do you remember the line up?
My first gig in a club, was at a party called Storm at the Soundshaft. The initial comments were good and positive.
What was the reactions from clubbers and promoters to the music you played in the early days of your career? These would have been the days pre clubbing forums no doubt?
On the whole they were good and encouraging for me.
Was any of it quite harsh, did you ever think of packing it in or did you feel that you were destined to make a career of this?
In the early days, some of it was but you learn to distinguish between that and constructive criticism.
When it is personalised type of comments rather than constructive criticism about my sets, it’s hard to accept. However, you can’t please everyone and not everyone has the same taste in music, so you are bound to get criticism at some point.
A lot of clubbers these days are extremely knowledgeable about the music that is played in clubs, not like in the day when you would go out clubbing with your mates and have a bop for 8 hours not really know who was playing. Now they know who is playing and what they are playing! From a DJs perspective does it make your job harder or easier?
I think clubbers have always been clued up on the music and what we play. It makes me keep on top of my game and keep it fresh, not play the same old tunes. It spurs you on to always play top notch sets full of good tunes.
I know that people like James Lawson and Matt Williams have played musical instruments from a very early age. Did you have any musical education or training prior to the start of your career?
No. I had 2 guitar lessons during my childhood and that was it! I can play a riff on the keyboard by knowing the sequence of keys to hit now. But I don’t read music.
Frantic
Now let’s chat about your developing career. Describe the parties you were getting hired for?
When I first started playing, I normally just played at house parties for mates. They were great experience and gave you the confidence to play in front of a crowd. It wasn’t until we started Frantic that I started to play regularly in clubs.
Right from inception, you were instrumental in building Frantic into a nationwide success. But how did you get involved with this hugely successful promotion?
I was involved with it right from the start. I was friends with Will and we used to go out to parties. Will heard one of my DJ mix tapes and wanted to book me for the first party.
What was your first Frantic party like? Did you ever envisage that it would achieve such immense success and continue to this day?
I played at the very first party in a club in Chinatown, Central London. It was for 75 people, actually a birthday party and sold out very quickly. From the success of the very first party, things mushroomed and Frantic soon grew in size. But I never knew that it would be such a huge success, especially as the first few parties were make or break.
The current Frantic parties are tending to follow a different music of hardstyle and freeform. What are your thoughts on this?
Well I think it’s a different crowd, a much younger crowd who are now attending Frantic parties. And one thing good with Will, is that he is good at reading what the crowd likes listening to and as a result, keeping his parties busy and well attended. Therefore the music the crowd listens to has had to change to cater for them.
Heat, Innovate and other parties
How did you get involved with Heat, were you at the very first party? Obviously Damo is one of those characters… a total party animal, you never forget the first time you met him eh?
I don’t remember where I first met Damo and Anton from Heat, they knew of me from various hard parties that I played at. I wasn’t at the very first backyard parties but I got involved after I started playing for them years ago at The Rock and Camden Palace. I’ve since become really good friends with Damo and admire everything that he has done. SW4 is an amazing event.
It must have been quite something playing for two hugely successful hard dance promotions, Frantic and Heat, the latter with a hugely close knit Antipodean crowd. Compare and contrast the crowds at the parties when you played?
Before Heat I was resident at Fevah, which started about 6 months after Frantic. I was very lucky to be involved with both promotions, as back then they were two of the biggest in London. Both parties attracted the same sorts of crowds. The only difference was that Fevah was a weekly party, so I got to play in front of the same people every week. Heat came along as Fevah was coming to an end and a lot of the same people moved on to Heat.
I remember first seeing you play the main room at Hard House Academy. Were you playing mainly hard house, hard trance or both (forgive me… those days I wasn’t so clued up on the music)?
I used to play a bit of both. Probably more trance than house.
There have been so many big hard dance promotions that have taken place in London and the UK over the past 10 years, have there been any parties that have come and gone and you thought ‘damm wished I played there!’ ?
I think I’ve been lucky enough to play for all the big promotions over the years. Maybe Trade was the only one. But you have to remember I always played trance and Trade was the original hard house club, so that’s probably why I never played.
2004 saw the launch of Innovate, a new party which was to be a residency for Nick Sentience. Quite early in its history, you were announced as another main resident. Having two of the best hard dance DJs as residents for this party must have played a pivotal part in its immense success. How did you first get involved/approached about getting involved?
I’m very good friends with Nick and Nicki Sentience. They wanted to do a quality party with Most Wanted, who were doing Twisted at the time and wanted me as resident with Nick. I jumped at the chance as the concept was all about pushing new music and playing different styles.
I have so many, many fantastic memories of Innovate as the music was just so good but what were your favourite Innovate parties, ones that really got you ‘busting some moves on the dancefloor’?
There were quite a few that were excellent. I always really enjoyed playing there. The party that me and Nick playing 3 hour sets were really good. I like playing longer sets as it gives me a chance to play a few more different styles and mix things up a bit.
Afterparties and parties around the world
I see that you have mentioned the well known and respected afterparty Provacation on your Facebook page. Have you played at a lot of afterparties?
I used to be a resident at Provacation. It used to be very hectic because soon after on the Sunday afternoon, I would then be playing at Solid Sunday in Harlesden. Sometimes I would come back from a Saturday night gig and get some rest for Sunday morning and afternoon!
Then I stopped playing for Provacation and I suddenly got my Sundays back to myself! I had a great time playing at Provocation, I have so many good memories. But I don’t miss having to be somewhere every Sunday morning.
After playing out do you like to have a bop at after party, sit down and have a few drinks and a good natter at the crack on or get some zeds for the week ahead and that Monday morning feeling?
It depends, sometimes I’d like to crack on if it’s a special party or occasion. But a lot of my friends haved moved on to different music. Your priorities in life change, so I mostly like to play my sets and then come back home and enjoy the rest of my weekend!
You’ve played around the world including places such as Brazil among other countries in South America, New Zealand, Ibiza and Australia. Of all the countries you’ve played in, which was your favourite?
I’ve really enjoyed Argentina, Japan and New Zealand.
You have played around the country including parties like Storm in Coalville. I have sampled crowds in clubs outside of London at places such as Hard South in Brighton and they seem to be more relaxed, more up for the music, with less attitude and more friendly. Do you find this to be the case as you play around the country?
Storm is one of this country’s best clubs that I have played in. It’s in a village called Coalville on the outskirts of Leicester. And people do make the effort and travel to it, from all over the North and Midlands as well as from the South. The club is great because it’s always packed and the crowd are up for a good night.
You have hosted your very own parties including the Heat Evolution event last year and Frantic's Phil Time back in 2004. Have you enjoyed these parties and would you like to do more of them in the future or are they tremendously hard work?
They are always good to do. I actually want to do one where I can play loads of genres of dance music. Starting off with house, the music would move into electro house, then tech trance, trance and hard trance before finishing off with hard house. It would be a real challenge, but I’d love to do it!
VinDiesel’s interview with Phil Reynolds continues next week. Digital Revolution is available now from all good stockists
Photos courtesy of VinDiesel and the HarderFaster archive. Not to be reproduced without permsiion
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Other Features By VinDiesel:
Bioshokk Triplicity: Matt Melody speaks to Webbo, with VinDiesel taking notes to make the magic three
Across the divide - It's Alex Mac and Zeebra Kid
Alf takes the Technikal View
Cheers! ReFre5h is 2
Get attracted to Magnetix
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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![[HarderFaster] - Work Hard, Play Harder!](/images/mainbanner_top1.gif)
a good indepth read 
go phil!