:: INTERVIEWS :: NIK DENTON

Nik Denton, who is he, where he's come from and where is he heading? Read on to find out.

1). You were a Trade clubber, what was it about Trade that you liked?

I liked everything about it – The Music, The DJs, the way the crowd just moved with the music from the very first minute until the very last. In the first few years it seemed like you walking down the stairs into another world that no one else knew anything about. I loved that about it….

2). How much of an influence has Trade been on your career and your style of DJing?

A massive influence… Trade has always been about taking mainly House Music and Hard House and fusing them together in one night to create a journey for those on the dance floor. I’ve always been a fan of both house and the hard stuff, so it says it all really. I think most people are influenced by their early days clubbing. It’s what you grow up with that makes you who you are… and I was at Trade when I was a wee young boy. (A bit naughty really!)

3). You played the opening set for the Trade room at Tidy’s New Years Eve weekender. Which of the tracks in that set did you enjoy as a clubber at Trade?

Paul Kings remix of Steve Blakes “Expression” used to get me every time. I played the new version from Steve NRG and Riggsy on NYE though… Also E Trax “Lets rock”… Tony’s Mix was played every week without a doubt at Trade… Again, I played a different mix on NYE, it was the Steve Thomas Mix. Great for early sets…

4). What has been your most favourite set of your career and why?

I have so many favourite sets and great memories over the 11 years I’ve been playing out and all for different reasons. In recent years it’s been sets at my own night Recreation in Manchester. It reminds me of Trade and the music is basically built around my own favourite taste. I always play all my own material which is written for the crowd at Recreation. So I’d have to say those sets are my favourite cause it feels like I’m home when I’m playing to that crowd. On a strictly hard house front, one set in particular comes to mind and that was a later set at Insekt (Fire). I’ve been playing early sets recently cause I think I suit them, but I love getting into the thick of things and playing peak time too, so that set at Insekt sticks with me. Especially as the venue is great and the crowd are always up for it.

5). Hard house is just part of the story, you also play house, and which do you prefer?

I don’t have a preference. If the tracks are good, then the tracks are good. It doesn’t matter how fast or hard…

6). As a producer, do you produce material with your DJing styles in mind?

Yes, without a doubt. My tougher house stuff is written for my sets at Recreation and another night that I play and promote called Organic. The harder stuff is written for earlier hard house gig sets because I realise that’s how I’m recognised most and I love that style…

7). You have various alias’s EG Overload, Pip & Pen and Beat Trix, can you tell me more about each of them and the associated styles?

When I’m working with Paul King we often use the Overload name, however apart from “On & On” on Deprivation and our remix of “Alright” on Toolbox, we have not used the name very much in the past few years. I mainly use my own name for both Hard House and the House stuff, but I’ve just started using other names for other projects. Pip & Pen and Beat Trix are both names for house projects that don’t fit my normal tough bass line and choppy hard house-esq tracks. If I’m honest I confuse myself about what name to use for what projects….

8). As you mentioned before, you co-promote Recreation and Organic, can you tell me a little more about these nights?

They are both After-hour events in Manchester that take you on a journey through funky, electro and tougher house grooves. Unless you know about it through someone else or been before, you wouldn’t necessarily know it’s on. Advertising is limited to a small unique crowd – which keeps a familiar crowd each week.

9). You’ve recently signed to Red Management and appear on their roster with some other industry heavy-weights, how are things going since being signed to Red?

I know Kate and Kelly are more than capable of making something very good of Red and the ball is already rolling and it’s going very well. They have some amazing idea’s that involve me for the long term. House of Red has been created with the residents in mind so I’ll be playing a lot of those events and once I free up other commitments that I currently have, you’ll hopefully be seeing more of me on the harder floors. I’ve been playing a heavy schedule of House gigs over the past two years, but the plan is to even it out a bit and to get back on the hard stuff.

10). You are playing at VC.r1, a Vicious Circle night and Red’s launch party held at Stylus in Leeds on 3rd February, and have a set in each of the two rooms, what sort of sets do you have planned?

I’m in the studio quite a bit in the weeks leading up to the event, so certainly fresh, definitely fierce and a good portion of funky too…

11). As a DJ, producer and through Toolbox, dance music is your life, how did you get into dance music in the first place?

Playing the Saxaphone when I was at School was probably the catalyst for it all… I always played instruments and loved Music.. So I guess it was always in me.

12). How do you see hard-house evolving over the next few years given that its been in something of a lull until recently?

My own personal opinion is that it needs to get back to basics and for producers to start injecting some house elements into the harder stuff that is produced. Slow some of the material down a bit. The House scene is currently getting much harder and if we slow down and include elements that are recognisable to House Fans/DJs, they might just jump on board for the ride. We do also need to keep the harder stuff and the NRG. Variety is the spice of life after all!

13). What has been the most unusual request you’ve had as a DJ?

Speed Garage in the middle of a hard house set! Strange!

14). Are there any shameful moments as a DJ or clubber you care to share with us?

Just the usual – Stopping the wrong track is a classic. I do have other shameful moments that are probably best kept secret.

15). How would you describe the Nik Denton sound when playing hard-house?

Fun, funky, groovy and energetic…. I like to keep tracks sounding as they were written, so I tend not to be a DJ with tricks up my sleeve. I’m probably quite old fashioned like that, but I just like to take tracks that consistently flow and mix them together with a lot of love.

16). Some DJs prefer certain sets (IE, warm-up, closing etc) – do you have a preference?

Based purely on what I’ve been doing in the studio recently, I would choose to play earlier rather than later. But overall I don’t really have a preference.

17). What are your views on random back to back sets?

I think it depends on the talent of the DJs involved. If they are professional and try their best to work together then it can be great.. I think that is the test for DJs in that situation.. working blind, not knowing what the DJ is going to play before you and coming up with a track that flows and works to follow it. I can’t get my head around the idea of putting on random DJs who’s styles don’t match, back to back, just to get more names on the flyers with the hope that more people will come to the venue.. I would rather listen to less DJs with a better flow of music.

18). Is there one promotion or one venue that you’d kill to play at?

I would love to get behind the decks at Storm… I was booked to play in 2006 as part of the Toolbox 5th Birthday tour and didn’t make it in time for my set. I’ve been pissed off about that one ever since. So it would be great to get back there. Also Roxy in New York…. It’s a gay club that plays House music just the way I like it, so I know I’d enjoy playing.

19). If you were to host a night called “Nik Denton – a retrospective” and the DJs on the line-up represented influences in your career, who would the DJs be and what particularly makes them influential?

Paul King (Because it’s his work that got me hooked on producing. My sets back in the day consisted of mainly his work)

Steve Thomas (The man who made Tripoli what it was and Tripoli influenced me enormously)

Sharp Boys (The Masters behind some of the best chunky tough house music that I would say acted as the glue between House and Hard House each and every week at Trade… They didn’t play that often, but their work was always bouncing off the walls in Turnmills and their sound influences everything I do in the studio. I never copy their style, just remember what their music used to do and use that to guide me)

Gregg Holden (This is a guy who plays for me at Recreation and Organic and says I have influenced him the most. This then influences me to keep doing what I do cause I know how much it means to him.)

20). When not working, what is your perfect night out?

A night in! I think I had two weekends off last year and I spent them at home on the sofa. I have had quite a few Fridays off recently though and I tend to just go out with my friends for a few drinks. I can’t party like I used to.. I’m a light weight. So going for a few drinks is perfect.

21). If you did not work in the music industry, what do you think you’d be doing?

I used to work for British Gas and moved through the ranks quite quickly – I imagine I’d still be doing some kind of office job, but I’d have to be in management again.

22). If you could change any aspect of the hard-house scene, what would it be?

I’d remove those who find it enjoyable to rip other people apart on message boards. This is one of my pet hates. A lot of people work very hard on what they see as their interpretation of a good track, good club night so on and so forth. I think they should get credit for trying or at least some constructive criticism. I know this isn’t just a hard house scene problem, but we do have a relatively small scene – so we should be working and sticking together.

23). Where does Nik Denton go from here?

To bed cause I’m always shattered…… Seriously, all I know is that I’ve promised myself more time in the studio this year instead of sat in the office at Toolbox…

24). So what can we expect to hear from you in the coming months, anything you can tell us about?

Quite a bit actually, I don’t know how I’ve managed to fit it all in. First up is my new track for Toolbox, “Keep rockin on”. This is my first solo track on Toolbox for over 2 years. It’s had really great reviews and been getting a lot of plays from the likes of Glazby, Farley and Bourne. Following that I have a double A side coming out on Vicious. The tracks are called “Freak right out” and “Over Heated”… I’m very happy with both of these tracks and the response to both of them so far. I’ve also just finished two remixes for Toolbox with Dave Owens. We have remixed “It’s my beat” and Paul King’s “Turn it up” for the 40th release on Toolbox. I also have a tracked planned for release on Flashpoint and have remixed a track called “Make some noise” for Club Concrete.

On the house front my new single under the Pip & Pen guise with Gareth Chapman which is called “I love what u do” has just hit the shops. This hit the hype chart last year, so I’m hoping it will do well. Following that is a house remix of 99th Floor Elevators “Hooked” on Toolbox House and a remix I’ve just finished of a track called “Raise the alarm”. I believe it has been picked up by Clubstar. Later in 2007 will also be the new Beat Trix single which is called “You got me” and a Nik Denton remix of an Angie Brown track called “Heart & Soul”.

25). What CD are you currently listening to in your car?

The recent Hard Heart Beats CD… there are some great tracks on it that I cant stop listening to.. Before that it was Farley’s live mix from Tidy X.

26). As a hard-house and house DJ/Producer, is there anything in your CD collection that might surprise me?

Some camp stuff – like Kylie and The Scissor Sisters. I like lots of different artists.

27). What has been your biggest career achievement to date?

Keeping Toolbox running for 6 years is the biggest achievement in my life to date, not just career. It has grown from a passion into a record label, into a distribution company and now promo CD service for DJs… Every day is different and most days are stressful because the work load is immense… but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

28). Can you tell me more about the Promo CD, Hard Heart Beats?

Hard Heart Beats launched this month as a service to DJs who want to get their hands on promo tracks before they are on general release. It’s a subscribed CD and you need to become a member.

At the moment we are taking tracks from the labels that we distribute and their associated digital labels, basically as a way to help promote the tracks for the labels and give DJs an opportunity to get material early. Each monthly CD that is mailed out at the end of each month will have ten or more tracks on that will not be available anywhere else for at least 2 to 3 weeks. Most tracks we have signed for the first few CDs are actually months ahead of release or exclusive, so it’s started very well thanks to the labels involved.

29). If I was to ask one of your mates to describe you, what would they say?

My closest friends who know me best would say that you always know what I’m thinking… you can tell by looking at me what I’m feeling… which I should admit is mostly likely to be stressed. LOL. They’d say I love a laugh but that I’m also very sensible. I’m normally the most sensible person when out in a group… Boring I know! I think they would say I’m very honest, sometimes too honest.

30). Manchester is famous for giving us Manchester United, Oasis and Coronation Street, but what does it offer in the form of secret treasures? [could be restaurants, bars, parks, niche shops etc]

You can be who you want to be in Manchester… It’s a diverse and well thought through city. The secret treasures are everywhere you look – If you know they are there!!!

31). As if I needed to be convinced, how would you encourage me to come to VC.r1?

I don’t think anyone needs convincing… so I’ll be stupid and say I’d promise to get all the DJs to sign your T Shirt and record their sets especially and exclusively for you. Would that make you attend?

32). Finally, what are your words of wisdom?

To remember that if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got. Something like that anyway !