Hard House Academy goes global with Danny D from HQ
Reported by benz
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Submitted 04-02-06 19:08
I'm gagging for it. I need my fix. It's been way too long. Thank god then that mine and 1000s of other clubbers' needs are finally going to be satiated at the end of the month with the return of the mighty Hard House Academy to London. It's not just your ordinary HHA though - it's a massive head-to-head battle with Holland's foremost hard dance party, HQ... guaranteed to be absolute mayhem. Don't know anything about HQ? Well it's a good thing then that promoter and resident of the event Danny D is on hand to answer a few questions for the HarderFaster massive and crew!
Danny has been co-promoting the world-famous HQ events for a good few years now, and the story behind his rise to success is certainly a very interesting and entertaining one. He has been one of the key supporters of UK hard house music in Holland, and has done lots of great work to strengthen Anglo-Dutch hard dance relationships in general. Saturday February 25th will see him and his crew bring a little Dutch magic to Brixton Academy for this extra-special edition of HHA, and it sounds like he’s just excited about the prospect as we are...
So Danny, have you been involved with dance music for a long time? How did it all start?
Me! That’s a very short question with a very very big and long answer! All I remember is growing up around music. My parents had great parties when I was young, all types of music that really got me started plus the parties were always kicking off — dancing on tables…madness. Sometimes they let me play my electro streetsounds when they were too drunk to work the deck! But my parents got divorced and my Dad moved to Amsterdam. Then as I got a little older, We had loads of raves in my hometown, sunny Gravesend in Kent (yes, I am English!). Next thing was down at Seduction in Margate when I was 14 ‘avin it to oldskool sounds of JD aka John Digweed. Then to Camber Weekenders, and of course then I got decks, had all my mates round my mum’s in my bedroom jamming on the decks. Then the dodgy hometown club The Slammer opened up, (no even dodgier — Dartford Zens for me!). I missed years off school ‘cause of The Slammer. I was there for years, then worked for Mickey Finn in Biting Back Records back in Gravesend from ‘91–’93. There I met most of the drum ‘n’ bass crew, then went to college… then I finished college!
In the middle of all this I was visiting my Dad who by now owned a coffee shop/bar in the red-light in Amsterdam, and I was checking all the raves in Holland as well, stuff like Evlo, Hellrasier, Multigroove. But then my life-changing moment happened. Dad phoned up me up said; “son I just bought another coffee shop (www.stonescafe.nl) do you want to leave the UK and come live and work for me in Amsterdam?” Well, 17 years old’s living in the hellhole that is Gravesend I was gone faster than you can say “skunk”!
I worked for my dad in the centre of Amsterdam slap bang in the middle of the red-light district, and still continued to buy music and play on my decks in my house, but never really thought about playing out. Ten one night in the Stones, we got a Denon double CD player… I said to my old man, “I bet that’s shite for mixing.” Well as usual I was wrong, and got the hang of them. So every Saturday I would scare off the customers with my mix of dodgy English breakbeats and Dutch house (Fresh Fruit / Work etc). This went on for years, whilst I was going out to every rave going after the coffeeshop closed. Around ‘96 HQ started and Dance Valley followed, plus back then clubs in Amsterdam like the IT, Dinos and the Mazzo where kicking right off!
Then one day this guy who owned the bar up the street from the Stones said: “I’ll pay you more than they pay you here to DJ in my place (not hard as my Dad paid in “buds and love” as he said!). So I DJed there, then a club owner came along, and said the same thing. So I started DJing there, then got asked to be resident there, and at a small afterparty club, the now legendary ZOO (there’s a whole chapter about the place in a book: The Promised Land — In Search of the Perfect Pill... the last chapter is titled; ‘Sundays at the Zoo’). Well the next 3 years were a daze… and they were the best days of my life so far, but like all good things this all came to an abrupt end when the police raided the club, and found a stupid amount of pills in the there… around 600 on the floor! The club only held 250 people!
So this brings us round to 2000/2001. By then I’d got to know JP quite well, as I was a HQ regular and I would always come by the store with good tips about tunes. Then he gave me a job buying in music at The Groove Connection (which I still do to this day). That was all going really well. I got approached to do my own party…. which turned out to be a joke (it turned into ilovehardhouse)… and my first party was a joke! But it kicked off big time, just as hard trance and hard style were getting their second breath of fresh air. So for the second party I booked Scot Project… I got 1110 people into the club that night! Gods knows how! And then Scot Project cancelled and The Warp Brothers replaced him, so all was good. This led to quite a few more parties, and I was selling more tickets than HQ! Then along came my chance — the girl who used to run HQ for UDC got the elbow! JP strongly encouraged me to go for the job. but he actually got me the job! All I had to do was turn up and be myself! I was very grateful for this obviously.
JP and I went over the UDC head office and met 2 of the directors. They asked me some questions about music — I came back with millions of DJs’ names and records, and blew them away with my enthusiasm. They then told me: “we want you to do all the programming for HQ, alongside JP.” They wanted me to work on all the festivals where they had an HQ tent. You wouldn’t say “no” would you! I left the building shaking… that’s it!
Well I am still here in Amsterdam, so it all seems to have panned out through all the chaos. ilovehardhouse is going well, HQ is back on, and there is another great night with CB — Bookings that is going very well too.
But that’s how it all started… one thing just lead to another. I am very happy, and I thank my lucky stars that I get to DJ at some the best events on the planet, in one of the best cities in the world.
Bloody hell! Who inspired you to start DJing then? Were there any DJs in particular that made you want to do it?
My parents filled, and still to this day, fill me with music. I think they made me want to share music with people. DJ influences the in early days were, Hype and Krome on Fantasy FM, Colin Dale, Colin Favor for the music on KissFM, the early Lost parties, Carl Cox, Sven Vath, DJ Dag all pre–’98. The DMC comps all got me going, and really turned me on… then Jeff Mills came along and pushed me into the abyss!
The dance music scene in the UK really started to emerge in a big way around 1988/1989…was Holland getting going around the same time or were the developments occurring a little later on?
I was still in the UK then! But in Holland they where getting to the Tony Scott! Aka The Chief and ‘Turn Up The Bass’!
What styles of music do you play in your sets?
Everything! My hunger for music is borderless. Many DJs say they are eclectic to be trendy — let’s see them get a bunch of mad Glasgow Rangers fans going when the all hookers refuse them in the red light district! But seriously for hard dance sets, bits of techno anything above 143 bpm. With some funk and thump… maybe a touch of cheese but anything I think is good I play.
And what sounds are particularly big in Holland at the moment? I heard some Dutch hip-house on Pete Tong the other week, rather interesting I thought!
Lol Pete Tong another Gravesend boy! There seems to be a lot of Dutch cross over hip hop, that seems quite cool and popular, made by Ruben from the Party Squad! Some of it is not bad at all, with some funny lyrics and titles...
Over here this year seems to be hardcore! Followed by harder techno and the minimal techno… (Richie) Hawtin and (Ricardo) Villalobos are massive. But any thing with a harder beat works here in general — seems to be a rule to get mass appeal.
What is your role at the HQ events which you are involved with in Holland?
Short answer! Well for a start I am part of huge team, of which I am a very small part. My role is to try and find and book the best harder DJs for HQ whilst selling tickets for my boss! Whilst keeping HQ fans happy… and keeping the concept fresh but familiar… easy it ain’t! But I love it. It’s been a quiet year for HQ until now… but I can now drop the bombshell for this interview, an exclusive scoop for harderfaster.net
HQ IS COMING HOME! HQ is returning to the Melkweg in 2006!
Good stuff! The company that runs HQ, UDC - what else do they do?
A lot! Of course the monster which is Dance Valley (a two-day event again this year), which is the best party in the world, bar none. It has to been seen to be believed. Impulz Outdoor is also a great event, with a great location on a lake. Armin Only, a new event with naturally Armin van Buuren, took place at the end of last year and was a great event in the same venue in Rotterdam as Carl Cox and Friends, which is a mental event, a must do I think… plus UDC always try to come up with new ideas and concepts so always check www.udc.nl for pictures and videos of the UDC events…
Tell us about some of the bigger parties that go on in Holland…
*Switch to promoter mode*… you just have to come to Dance Valley, it is that simple. Most English people who visit — punters, DJs and promoters — are always blown away by the level of production both in front of the stage and behind it. I don’t think there any other country up to the UDC/Dutch level of doing productions anywhere in the world. The amount of work, effort and teamwork that goes into these parties is outrageous. Musically there is almost something every body at almost every event. As Carl Cox famously said: “a year without Dance Valley is a year without living.” Just jump on the plane, get over here and check it out in the summer. Plus it will be faster than going up North from London and cheaper!
February 25th will see a might battle between Hard House Academy and HQ at Brixton Academy in London. Have HQ staged any other events in the UK?
The UK, yes we’ve done the Tidy Summer Camp which is something that the whole of the Dutch scene, the clubbers and the DJs would all like to do again very much. (anyone at Tidy reading?)
Of course Will (Frantic) was the first one to bring HQ to the UK back in 2000, I believe with the Genesis. There were a few of them I believe in Camden Palace… it was a great night, but these were a little before my time, working with HQ. But I was there! JP still goes on about it, how good it was. I would love to get HQ back in Koko. Plus Hard House Academy 2 years back, and of course Riot! Which were all very memorable.,. with lots unprintable stories!
How did you first meet Ed Real and the Riot! crew?
I first met Ed in 2000 in Ibiza! I was playing for HQ vs Nukluez at Eden (reading it now anyone could see we were doomed) but anyway I bugged him for tunes! Especially Nick Sentience & BK’s ‘Flash’ (love that tune!). Then I booked Ed for 02/02/02 for ilove hardhouse, on the day of the Dutch royal wedding… we had a blast! I took him out to a party afterwards with my mates, again nothing printable, needless to say we had a laugh!
Then I came over for Riot! and heard Jon Rundell play. I booked him, and we got along like a house on fire le old Rumble and me! We are still great friends to this day, then of course I met Nolan aka element 7, the legend, who is just so on the ball, it’s silly. Plus Ed was always asking me for tunes from Groove Connection, so we were always in touch about tunes too. Then of course I met BK. I had met him through the gigs in Holland. Well they all went on to set up trackitdown.net, so when they were in Amsterdam for the dance event there they were crashing at my place. Ed’s quite a well known DJ over here so he is always here. I tag along to gigs if I’m not playing and we have a laugh, plus Ed is one of the few DJs who comes back for my Queen’s Day street rave…
How many Dutch hard house lovers can we expect to see coming over for the HHA vs HQ?
At least 200 of the best party people in Holland, coming with Vince from PartyNight — they’re a wild bunch! Some of them are right characters to say the least… we’ve even got a mini Cally Gage fan club! They are a lot of fun — we all went to Ibiza with 50 of us last summer — great fun!
Gaz West (aka Dark By Design), Ed Real, Danny, Matt, Claudia and Charly from HQ
With all the amazing, large-scale events that go on in Holland, what do you think makes the Dutch come all the way to London for HHA? Why do they find it to be so special?
The music! The DJs. The unique vibe of Brixton Academy, no doubt about it, that’s why it special. Here we are living in a Dutch music scene — it is very different to the UK. In the past the UK had quite a bit of influence on what we do here… but now not as much as before, if none at all, which is a bit of bummer if you are into your UK sounds, so we have to travel to the UK for a fix.
There quite a famous post on a Dutch party website by one of the Dutch mob, a post that gets constantly get referred to that’s very relevant now. It’s about Dutch hard housers... but the line describes Hardhouse Academy as the Mecca of hard house as it be seen once in a life time! Sums it up really.
The event has a massive line-up, spread over 4 rooms. Who will be representing HQ, and which other DJs will you be checking out on the night?
Ah well a lot… for HQ JP & Fausto will be representing. JP is a legend over here, he knows how to work big crowds easily. His set b2b with Mr Steve Hill in Nov 2004 @ HQXL was awesome. But I have to give a slight edge to Fausto who is on fire over here at the mo. His label Xsif is going very well with its second release. I know most of the guys and girls in the main arena, so everybody there, naturally.
I am a huge fan and friend of the (Organ) Donors and Proteus who have never let me down performing for HQ in Holland. I’m curious to see what the Donors will be doing with Kutski and what they are going to come up with. In the foyer Alex Kidd, one of the best DJs out there I reckon, but I will be checking out the Balcony Bar most of the night — Chris Hoff, Wid & Ben, Chyrsus and MDA & Spherical. I’ve had my eye on these guys for a while, love a lot of their tunes but unfortunately have not had the right event to book them on yet. I’ve heard a lot great things about them all, so very keen on checking the new guys out.
What do you love about London which you don’t have in Amsterdam?
London City girls! Of course the whole hard dance scene, HHA, Riot!, Twist… if we had enough people to have a party every week I would be very happy. But for me personally I would love to get my family living here — my brothers and my Mum — I’d love that.
And what do you love about Amsterdam that we don’t have here in London?
Too many easy answers here, but I go for the shameless plug! HQ & DANCE VALLEY! And of course the Stones café! London needs it!
You know prostitution is being semi-legalised soon in the UK…!
I will bring an extra tenner!
Thanks to Danny for the pics.
Frantic Presents: Hard House Academy
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On:
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Saturday 25th February 2006
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At:
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Brixton Academy [map]
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From:
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2030 - 0600
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Cost:
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£14/£17/£20
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Ticket Info:
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Frantic HQ 07949 618 035/ amanda@franticuk.com (No Booking Fee/ Group Discount of 1 FREE for Every 5 you buy!)
Ticketweb: 08700 600 100 / www.ticketweb.co.uk
Clubtickets: 0870 246 1840 / www.clubtickets.co.uk (Group Discount of 1 FREE for Every 5 you buy!)
Vince Coach/Tickets in the Midlands 07835 626 226
4Clubbers www.4clubbers-shop.net / 0870 0423 581
Never Enough Maria 07813 684 399
Cyberdog Camden Markets 0207 482 2842
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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Frantic presents:
HARD HOUSE ACADEMY
@ Brixton Academy, Stockwell Road, London
Saturday 25th February 2006
20:30 - 06:00
This is what we’ve all been waiting for! The biggest Hard House event in the world teams up with the people behind biggest dance music festival in the world for one unforgettable night! Hard House Academy goes GLOBAL!
UDC are the Dutch super-promoters behind the massive Dance Valley Festival, and also the immense HQ - Holland’s most successful Hard House club which hosts a 15,000 capacity arena at the festival itself. If there’s any Hard House club in the world that knows how to party like Frantic - then HQ is it.
Frantic in 2006 is all about diversity. We are committed to bringing you only the finest Hard House, Hard Trance, Hardstlye, House and Electro on the planet, and will strive to keep our line-ups varied, exciting, and on the cutting-edge of electronic music.
In an intense battle of UK Hard House against pounding European Hard Dance, HQ and the CB Bookings DJ Agency will bring only their biggest and best DJs to HHA:
• Stomp your heart out to the true showman Fausto’s hardstyle rhythms and listen to HQ Resident JP’s eclectic blend of tough beats as he goes head to head with Frantic Resident Steve Hill.
• Experience Hard House 21st Century style as the superbly talented Organ Donors and Kutski go head-to-head for an exclusive 4-decks, 2 mixers, FX + Scratch set that will be the most exciting thing Hard House has seen for years!
• Andy Whitby return’s to the HHA Main Stage for an exclusive 3 Decks, 3 CDJs, Pioneer EFX Unit to show why Frantic is number 1 alongside a show-stopping live set from Nu Energy Collective!
• Catch Greg Brookman present his A.L.I.V.E PA set as well as Lisa Pin-Up and her Classic FREEDOM set!
The Foyer brings you the best in NuBreed UK Hard House talent alongside legends of the scene including Spencer Freeland and Phil Reynolds with an exclusive Classic Frantic Closing Set! The Balcony Bar is looking unmissable, with the resurgent Oblivion Recordings bringing you the finest producer/DJs in the land, such as Steve Blake, MDA & Spherical and the cheeky duo Wid&Ben. Meanwhile those sexy Brazillians from Never Enough will be dishing out slick, dirty House and Electro grooves all night long in the Corridor!
We will once again be using the mighty festival-standard Line Array Soundsystem in the Main Room alongside punchy Funktion One systems in the rest of the venue. Plus we’ll be teaming up with Halo to create the ultimate stage and lighting experience! HHA will feature our most powerful laser ever!
HHA is known across the world as the be all and end all of Hard House and Hard Trance events. That’s why we’ve got 300 Dutch nutters coming over from Holland especially for the event, our Brazillian massive, hundreds of party-mad Japanese, and all types from across the UK - from glammed-up girlies to cybergoths - HHA is for everyone!
For all you HHA fans in continental Europe we will holding HHA Holland on Saturday 18th Feb with Cally Gage, Andy Whitby, Proteus and many more!
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