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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! |
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Interview with Shan
Reported by Technikal
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Submitted 20-01-04 15:16
At only 21 years of age, 'Shan' has already appeared alongside many of the UK's and Europe's most respected trance and hard dance DJ's such as Tiesto, Paul Van Dyk, Ferry Corsten, Scot Project, Marco V and Yoji Biomehanika to name a few. Playing a unique mixture of trance, techno and hard trance, Shan has made a massive impact nationwide this last year and continues to do so with his residency at 'Goodgreef'. Shan was also given the nationally acclaimed 'Mixmag Future Hero Award' this year, and appeared in Mixmag's 2004 Special Feature.
Alf Bamford: Hi Shan, first off congratulations on being selected as a Mixmag Future Hero this year. How did it feel?
Shan: Thanks Alf. I feel extremely privileged, as I’m sure all the others do too. I’ve had quite a bit of coverage in Mixmag throughout the last year, and when they got in touch to say they’d picked their Future Heroes of 2004 and that we were to be the main feature for the January issue I was well chuffed! 2003 was a great year for me and it’s good to see it’s not gone unnoticed through getting this kind of support from Mixmag and it’s readers.
AB: With a lot of Future Heroes in the 2004 special, it is obvious that a lot of talent is being recognised and finally getting exposure in the scene. Do you have any pointers or tips to budding DJ's who are also trying to break through?
S: Originality is a key factor. There are that many DJs out there trying to break through that you really need to be able to offer to stand out amongst the rest and offer something new to the scene. You’ve also got to get yourself out and about to meet the right people, especially if you’ve got demos at the ready. It’s good if a promoter can put a face to a name as it shows you have an interest in their night and know what their club is about. Other than that production has proved to be a big fat foot in the door for a lot of producers/DJs.
AB: How did it all begin for you?
S: Throughout school I was mostly into indie as it’s probably the most accessable when you’re young, apart from pop…plus I wouldn’t have liked to admit to being into Take That or East 17! I liked dance music, though at the time the only exposure I’d had were artists like The Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, and my Technotronic LP from the early 90’s! I was a big fan of the Prodigy too and when they were headlining the V97 festival in Leeds, me and mate got our tickets and went down. At one point I ventured into the dance tent to check out Daft Punk, though we’d just missed them and a guy I’d vaguely heard of was playing, Carl Cox. I loved what I heard and was hooked on the concept of mixing.
AB: Did you find it difficult making the big step from amateur DJ to professional? Was there anybody you looked up to at all when trying to break into the scene?
S: It was hard work like it is with anything if you want to succeed. When first breaking into the scene I got a lot of help off a good friend and fellow DJ, DJ GRH. He helped me meet a lot of the right people, taking me round his gigs with him. I’ve been very fortunate to have had support like this along the way, the guys at 4clubbers have always been fully supportive of me, then when I got involved with Goodgreef, they instantly put a lot of faith in me making me their newest resident since Eddie. Then came the difficult decision of how committed I was to making DJing my profession. I was at university, but with the DJing getting increasingly busier, I was falling further behind with my work, failing to meet deadlines, and getting more and more sidetracked. I came to the conclusion that my course was something that I could go back to in years to come, whilst the opportunities I was receiving through DJing might not come around again if I didn’t take them whilst I had the chance.
AB: What was the first big event/party that you played at?
S: I wouldn’t call it big, but it’s definitely a party….Parlez-Vous?. It’s a small, intimate, underground club up here that’s based on word of mouth and entry by invite-only.
AB: What's been the highlight of your career so far?
S: I’ve had some amazing experiences so far and I’d find it too hard to pick out one. But one thing that stands out was the first time I saw my name in large letters on a huge poster whilst travelling on my local bus route! Ever since I was young I’ve travelled this bus route into the city centre, then all of a sudden one day, I’m peering through the window and my own name catches my eye! It was quite surreal.
AB: And is there anything that has gone particularly wrong in your career? Anything that you would change?
S: Life’s too short to keep looking back in regret. What’s done is done. As long as you learn from your mistakes the future is always bright!
AB: You've done some production work with Good Greef's secret weapon, Gaz West (Dark By Design). Do you have anything else planned production wise for the new year?
S: I’ve been working with Todd Tobias down in London on some material. We’re making more crossover material, stuff that doesn’t strictly fit into just hard dance but appeals to a broader range of tastes.
AB: What were your favourite tunes of 2003? And do you have any tips for any big tunes of 2004?
S: Three that spring to mind instantly are …DK8 ‘Murder Was The Bass’, it was so fresh at the time, and took the roof off everywhere! Max Walder’s remix of Tiesto’s ‘Traffic’, it added all the right elements to the original and kept the right ones intact for us harder DJs to be able to drop it. Ricky Fobis ‘No Regular’, as it was just big and eery! (a bit like Prince Charles) For 2004, Gaz’s Dark By Design monster ‘Severe Punishment’ is already becoming an anthem. Also look out for Adam Sheridan’s follow-up to ‘Lektrik’ as well as any of his forthcoming material, he’s going to blow up in a big way this year! (It was always going to happen)
AB: What's your big tune of the moment? One that no matter when you drop it, the place erupts?
S: Dark By Design ‘Blackout’, hard trance on a massive scale! Since we put this on our album I get asked to play this nearly everytime I’m out. The build-up goes nuts, then drops into silence to which I usually stop the tune, shout something obscene, then let it go again!
AB: Who have been your favourite three DJ's and producer's of recent times?
S: Three DJs would have to be…Carl Cox is amazing to watch. Plus he’s got such a huge personality, especially when he gets on the mic, everyone’s glued to every word he says! Fatboy Slim as he brings a party atmosphere to everywhere he plays, you know you’re going to have a good time to big time party tunes. He always has a trick up his sleeve! Eddie Halliwell never fails to amaze me either, he’s got the wow factor that clubbers love with what he can do on the decks. You can always guarantee that he’s going to work off a few calories too! Three producers would have to be Marco Bailey for his consistency, I very rarely dislike anything of his. And Hybrid and BT, purely because I just love all the music they make.
AB: What have you got planned for the near future?
S: I’m back in the studio with Todd in February to continue working on things. I’ve got my debut at Garlands in Liverpool too, where they’re giving me the perfect welcome by naming the night ‘Shantastic’, haha, where it’s just myself headlining. I’m also doing the Godskitchen event @ Nation, my first time in the main room @ Frantic’s Hard House Academy at the end of February, as well as Slinky, Polysexual, Frisky, Inside Out, R.O.A.R., Wildchild, Dance Academy…over the coming months, not forgetting my Goodgreef residency.
AB: And finally, what can we expect from you on Sunday 25th January 2004, when you appear for the first time at London's clubbing event Riot! ?
S: To get sweaty!
AB: I myself will be there, I am looking forward to it immensely. Thanks Shan!
Big thanks to Shan for taking the time to be interviewed.
Alf Bamford
www.technikal.co.uk
Shan plays at Riot on Sunday 25th January. Share this :: : : :
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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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