"a load of men, a load of women… all doing very unnatural things to each other!" HHA vs. HQ: UK vs. Holland - Greg Brookman vs. Fausto!
Reported by taktikal london
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Submitted 12-02-06 18:59
Usually introducing a mad-as-a-hatter Englishman to an equally unhinged Dutchman is a recipe for mayhem. But when you combine several thousand of each along with 2 of the most successful hard house events in the world you may as well abandon hope, put your head between your knees and just hope that everything is going to be fine.
You would have to have been some kind of hard dance fool not to be aware of the impending ‘clash-of-the-titans’ extravaganza between Hard House Academy & HQ. In its most simple form it’s the little sister of the world’s biggest dance event HQ travelling the short distance across the North Sea to touch down in London and thrash it out over nine and a half hours of Hard Dance bliss with London’s very own Hard House Academy!
The hype surrounding any big contest is always entertaining and often a war of words is exchanged between two elected ‘champions’, one representing each side of the disputing factions. Now this is hard dance and we’re all one big, happy, loving family [yeah right] so we won’t have any of this ‘war of words’ business! Instead we’re going to invite two friends and stars of the show to sit down and have a civil and enlightened chat about their DJ careers, Dutch hardcore porn, stripping off in public places… and a few questions about music if we have time!
The main room at Hard House Academy vs. HQ will be the nucleus of the entire event. A heady cocktail of hard dance superstars from Holland and the UK, 3500 fanatical music lovers, some serious musical hardware and a few bemused looking security guards who think hard house is a reinforced bungalow. Greg Brookman’s A.L.I.V.E. PA and Dance Valley Resident Fausto are two of the main attractions. In a quirky and quickly thought about scenario we thought it would be a clever idea to test their interview skills against one another, rather than having some quivering clubber get all choked up and ask them what their favourite three tunes of all time were... again [we’re so harsh].
Bring it on…The Hard House Academy vs. HQ preview… Fausto meets Greg Brookman:
FAUSTO:
Greg Brookman: So Talone, you’re soon returning to London. When were you last over in the UK?
Fausto: Well Mister Brookman that wasn’t too long ago actually. I played a two hour showcase at Basic at The Fridge in October 2005. Had a blast that night, again thanks to all the people who danced their feet off.
GB: You always say that you love coming to London. Why is it so special to you?
F: First of all because this is the place where the true hard house sound was born. I played at some of the biggest parties in London, if I would tell you all the great memories I have about London, we would still be talking tomorrow. I also got some good friends in London, it’s always a pleasure to catch up with them when I am in town. And last but not least: the London party people can rock like almost no other crowd can. That’s why I can’t wait to get on that stage in the Academy again and see all the guys and girls going wild.
Fausto: To the beat of the drum
GB: London hard dance fans are very proud of our club scene. Who parties harder: London or Amsterdam?
F: There’s not really a big difference between both crowds. They’re both very enthusiastic and driven when it comes to hard dance music. Back in Amsterdam, there’s a small yet very fun scene. The clubbers are also proud of their scene and they’re very loyal to the DJs. The best thing about it, is that everyone knows everyone, we’re like a big family who have all got the same love: HQ style hard dance!
GB: You’re known for your unique genre crossing DJ sound. Have you always played at the harder end of the dance spectrum?
F: No, on the contrary. I started off as a house DJ. After that I played progressive for a while (which I still do sometimes) and I’ve also been playing trance for 10 years now, which I also still do when I’m booked for trance parties. After getting infected with the UK virus, I slowly moved my sound to the edges of the hard dance genre, as where I am nowadays.
GB: You’re busy with your freshly launched label, XSIF Records. How have the first few months been for the label?
F: They have been very exciting, yet hectic. It’s a dream come true, but it also requires a lot of hard work. Which I don’t mind of course, I’m very proud of XSIF Records and of what we achieved so far. The first release, Junior Rodgers — ‘Beatz and Breakz’, was supported by DJs like the Organ Donors, Ed Real, Shaun M, Tom Harding and JP. The second release will be out this month, a collaboration between Tommy Pulse and myself. Fausto vs Tommy Pulse — ‘Pirates’ is a pure hard dance track with a sick acid line in it, the trance mix on the flipside contains a massive melody which still gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. So to go short: the birth of XSIF has been very satisfying so far, let’s hope the future will be just as good.
GB: The label is based in your native Holland. Will that mean it’s going to be mainly releasing more European flavoured tracks or will we be seeing some UK tunage in its release schedule?
F: Our motto is: if a track is good, we want to release it. So also the UK flavoured stuff will be released on XSIF, alongside some good Dutch productions and we have even signed a German act called Inspiration Vibes. We already signed a remix of Shaun M and Abandon, they did a great job on remixing my track ‘Hardcell’. Digital Kid is working on a remix of Inspiration Vibes’ new track, which will be out in a few months.
“Where’s the toilet Tom?”
“Just over there mate!”
GB: Who have you been working with on the label?
F: Junior Rodgers and me founded the label, we handle all the office work and we do all the A&R stuff. Whizz kid Tommy Pulse is working on our website and of course we love his production skills. Charly already handled my personal PR, so we wanted him to do the same for XSIF. Besides those jobs, Junior, Charly and myself are also on a 24–7 chase for unreleased tracks, which has already paid off big time.
Next to our four-headed staff, there are the guys who create the beats and melodies. Digital Kid, Inspiration Vibes, Time Qube and Shaun M & Abandon are already connected to our label and we are working on some other good names to add to that list in the near future.
GB: Tommy Pulse is someone you rate very highly. Is he someone we should look out for in the UK?
F: Definitely. Tommy is one of the best hard dance producers in the country. He created a very fresh, new sound which has been rocking both Holland and the UK for the last couple of years. His tracks ‘The Answer’, ‘Ghosttown’ and his new one ‘Creep’ are amazing, and of course the remix he did on ‘Beatz and Breakz’ was class A stuff. I am very happy to have collaborated with him for the second XSIF release, he is a true studio master![/i]
GB: Which UK producers are you a fan off and who would you like to go into the studio with?
F: Just tell me when you got the time to join me in the studio mate, haha! But seriously, I really like your tracks. I also think a lot of other UK producers are very highly rated. Guys like the Organ Donors, Gaz West, Jamie Taylor, Digital Kid, Shaun M and Chris Hoff are doing a great job at the moment and I wouldn’t mind working in the studio with some of them.
GB: Hard House Academy is fast approaching and you and I are both going to be banging it out in the main arena. Is it somewhere you’ve played before?
F: Yes I’ve played the Academy four times before. I’ve been a resident at the Pendragon parties for over ten years now, I even got to play a Pendragon New Year’s Eve party in the Brixton Academy. It will be my first Hard House Academy though, very exciting.
Fausto
GB: The line up is packed with UK and international stars. Who are you looking forward to seeing play?
F: I’m very curious about what the Donors and Kutski are going to do and of course I really want to see you do your live set, friends of mine visited Timeless and they told me that your live set was awesome. Some of today’s biggest talents will play on the Balcony Bar, I definitely want to catch Wid & Ben, MDA & Spherical and Chris Hoff. Damn, still 2 weeks till HHA, anyone got a time machine?[/i]
HardHouse Academy vs. HQ
GREG BROOKMAN:
FAUSTO: OK my turn Mr Brookman! I am curious about your world exclusive A.L.I.V.E. Timeless PA for Hard House Academy vs. HQ. How are you going to do this?
Greg Brookman: The Timeless PA is going to be a bit different to my other PAs. I am making up the majority of the set out of my own remixes of classic tunes. From 80s electro to 90s anthems and 00s floor fillers!
Greg Brookman
F: There are hundreds of classic tracks from hard dance: how are you going to select the ones to remix for HHA?
GB: I guess from the ones that have influenced me the most over the past years and the tracks that have really got my attention when I heard them for the first time.
F: Will we see you reworking tracks that aren’t hard dance?
GB: Yes, definitely. I’m going to be remixing tracks from past eras too. I’ll be using samples from classic trance tracks, house tracks and even a bit of rock too!
Greg Brookman on ‘the truth’
F: Is it actually live then Greg?
GB: The PA is all based around a lap top running a programme called Ableton. All the parts, samples and loops of tracks are loaded into Ableton and I use two controller keyboards to bring the parts in and out as well as controlling the effects.
F: When are you coming to visit me in Amsterdam then buddy — have you got any gigs in Europe for us Dutchies to come and hear?
GB: Not as planned yet. I would love to come and play in Holland though. The weekend after HHA I’m going to Amsterdam to relax for a weekend… maybe we can meet up then and you can show me some of the sites!
F: I hear you had your record box pinched last week! It seems you are always loosing various DJ boxes and CD cases. Are you forgetful or just unfortunate?
GB: Well I wouldn’t say I’m always losing stuff but I have been known to misplace the odd thing here and there. I guess I’m a bit forgetful and unfortunate!!
F: So fingers crossed you won’t be loosing your Live PA kit the night before the event?
GB: I truly hope not! And don’t get any ideas either mate!
Greg Brookman’s A.L.I.V.E. P.A.
F: For the people that don’t know Greg. How did you first get into producing?
GB: I started producing when I was about 13. My dad designed a studio for someone when I was a youngster and when I saw it, I thought “this is what I wanna do.” I’ve been producing hard dance for about four years now.
F: What’s with the Levi Kid impression that Dickon showed me pictures of recently? You can get arrested for shit like that in Holland.
GB: Now that’s odd cause I once saw this Dutch video of a load of men, a load of women and a load of animals all doing very unnatural things to each other and not a single one of them got arrested!! In fact one of them looked suspiciously like you Talone!
F: How much are you looking forward to playing HHA. Can we have a few beers and a giggle or are you too important now ha ha?
GB: Can’t wait for HHA! And a few beers sounds great! See you there!
Photos courtesy of Fausto, Joeyxx & Steve Blake.
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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