Two of the biggest DJs in the scene, Andy Whitby and Billy Daniel Bunter might come from two seemingly separate generations of underground dance culture but remain united in one, fundamental aim; a need to play uplifting energetic dance music. Both known for their intuitive ability to raise arms, smiles and atmospheres with effortless aplomb the pair are teaming up for their first ever back to back at this Saturday's Tasty Good Times at The Mass. No, it aint an April Fools, this world first dual of two of hard dance's most renowned crowd pleasers is primed to set the colourful Brixton rave alight and leave fans of euphoric uplifting hard dance well and truly chomping at the bit. We caught up with the pair as they geared up for their for their opinions on the label market, Ibiza and each other - not to mention details of Andy's eagerly anticipated AWsum label. Check it out!
Whilst certain DJs are renowned for taking things hard, dark and filthy, you two are well known for your love of strong melody hooks and the odd vocal. What is it that attracts you to an upbeat party sound?
BB: It's what the dance floor wants. There's nothing better then seeing people with huge smiles on their faces with their hands in the air. Stringing a set of so called intelligent vibes together is boring. Rocking the party and getting the dance floor jumping, that's what attracts me to party sounds.
AW: For me, music has always been about having fun, be it singing along, throwing your hands in the air or whatever, anything that makes you smile and enjoy yourself basically. I've never been a fan of filth or Techno, as it's not what I'm about on a dancefloor and it doesn't get the reaction I'm looking for. I like to see people going nuts, really enjoying themselves through happy emotions.
My aim when I'm on the decks is to have people going home knowing they've had a good night, so they can go back to their afterparties and feel like they've had their money's worth. I try to give them something to look forward to the next time they come to watch me.
Do you ever get tempted to go all out and knock out a dirty filth or tough techno influenced set just for a change?
BB: I've had my days of innovating, and I've had my days of playing anthems. I played an old skool 93 dark set at Bang Face a few weeks ago, and it was pure nastiness, put me in the right crowd like bang face and I'll go as hard and dark as you want. Put me in Tasty or Hardcore Heaven and I wanna bring on the happy vibes.
AW: I get offers, but for me there's nothing challenging about it. I'd rather stay true to what I believe I and leave the filth stuff to the filth DJs. I go a little harder at the end of some of my later sets, but the kids don't come to see me play filth or techno, they come to see me playing peak-time euphoric hard-dance.
Do you remember the first time you met each other and what were your first impressions??
BB: Not sure when I met Andy. It's only been briefly before and after sets. This is the 1st time we would have worked together, our crowd pleasing styles should work very well together, and with my looks and his experience we should smash the fuck out of Tasty - Good Times!!!!!
AW: I've been aware of Billy Bunter since I was 15! I used to listen to his Helter Skelter tapes during French class in High School. I had the Walkman headphone threaded up my blazer sleeve so it looked like I was leaning on my hand when in-fact I was listening to Dan.
As for in person, we just kept bumping into each other at different events around London. I remember seeing him @ Heaven, he came on after me and opened with a Martin Luther King acapella dropping over Ben Johnson's Come 1 cover track. A great way to start a set and that was when I started thinking about a back2back, as he liked to get things rolling with a good intro, like myself.
Is Tasty Good Times the first time you've stepped in the box together and if not how did the idea to pair you off first come about? How have previous sets together gone off?
BB: We was meant to do back to back at Wild child last year, but I had 4 gigs that night, and Andy was up in Liverpool and it just wasn't possible to hook up. So this is the 1st time. I think musically we are close together so it will work well.
AW: It is the first time we've played back to back, we were booked for a Wildchild Boxing Day gig together, but I had other gigs that night so couldn't get there in time.
What is the most bizarre habit a fellow back to back partner has ever subjected you to?
BB: Jon Doe has gotta be my favourite person to do back to backs with in terms of fucking about and having a laugh. We are always messing about any way, so it carries over to the decks. At a Tasty last year a raver who I have nick named Jon 'mental c^nt' who has an artificial leg, took it off, Jon Doe nicked it and started hitting me round the head with it.
AW: Luckily none. Although back2backs can be fun, I rarely do them nowadays, as I prefer to play on my own. The one's I have had though have been pretty easy and without any bizarre moments.
Dan you've been in this game for year but given the chance to play back to back with any DJ in today's scene, who would it be and why?
BB: After Bang Face a few weeks ago, I would say Nicky Black Market on a 93 Labrynth set, we both used to be resident's there through that 93 dark hardcore & jungle period so it would be a great trip down memory lane.
Andy, your production discography is building steadily but what tracks have you been working on most recently?
AW: The tracks I've been working on recently are all for my own label, AWsum. Driving, euphoric hardhouse with all the usual Whitby-magic thrown in. I'm not finding the learning curve to difficult as I've studied at the Manchester School Of Sound Recording and had a lot of advice and help early in my career from people like Peter Prichard, Lee Pasch and Steve Hill. It's to be a direct outlet of my own original euphoric power hard-dance, the first release being Andy Whitby E.P 1 U Ready? with Bump In The Night on the flip.
Of all your own productions, which track are you most proud of?
Out of all the tracks I've made, each one holds a special meaning to me, but my personal favourite is Neon Lights Youre Not Alone (Andy Whitby remix), as it really gave me a chance to add a whole new way my tracks were sounding, whilst re-visiting a classic record.
Dan, we all know you're not planning on releasing as much music but I hear you've had the odd studio session to make fresh exclusives for your DJ sets. What was the last piece of music you made and have you got any studio dates lined up for the coming months?
BB: I'm just making exclusives for my Ministry albums .. I've not actually been in the studio for some while, but am getting loads of offers from people from all different scenes.
Do you have any studio collaborations on the cards?
BB: Eamonn from Liquid who made Sweet Harmony wants me to go in and make some tracks for my Old Skool sets. Clsm has been on me to make some hardcore. Pk wants me to go in and do some house, and Roosta wants me in doing Hard Dance. They will eventually tie me down, but I am so busy it's hard for em to lock me in the studio.
Dan, you're well known for your label exploits first with the pioneering GBT and then your much loved Honeypot stables. Are those days long behind you now?
BB: I love running labels, there is a real art to getting it right. At the moment dj'ing and running nights is my passion. I achieved every thing I wanted and more with running labels so I have no real desire at the moment to get back in to it. But never say never!!!!!
In terms of your own sets, how much of your own sets are comprised of vinyl these days? Do you miss the hands on feel of vinyl or is it simply a case of embracing new formats with open arms?
BB: Always embrace new technology, but the bottom line is, a good track is a good track no matter how its played.
AW: I was the first hard-dance DJ to turn completely to c.d's. I just thought with all the options available to CDJ users why would you want anything else? Looping, hot-cueing, reverse all these features plus the fact you can play tracks you finished earlier that day made it a no-brainer to me.
I think new formats should be embraced with open arms but at the same time in with the new shouldn't automatically mean out with the old. I only turned 100% to CDJs because it was time to take my DJing to the next level. The things I do now are unachievable on vinyl alone.
Summer isn't too far off the radar now. Will either of you be making the trip out to Ibiza this season and have you got any other trips planned away?
BB: I have loads of trips planned Canada, Poland, Amsterdam, Oz. Believe it or not I have never been to Ibiza. The 2 times I was meant to go, I didn't make it due to other commitments.
AW: I won't be over in Ibiza this year, I've been 5 times before and played @ Eden and a few smaller nights but I'm too busy this summer to go over. I'll be touring Australia again for a month to promote a new compilation, plus sorting things for the label, a dvd and a new special mix to give back to everyone who's supported me in the last 2yrs.
What is the most random situation that you've found yourself in whilst on a foreign DJ mission?
BB: Playing in an illegal gambling den in Taiwaan that turned in to a rave. It got raided whilst I was playing. The promoter got put in prison, I was 24 hours away from home, not knowing a single person or the language, where I was staying ect ect. The trip was a nightmare at the time. I look back now and think what a great experience.
AW: Being mobbed by Japanese clubbers in the middle of Australia was random (huge fan of my c.ds apparently).
From the Brixton Academy to Koko club, you've both played some of most epic venues around. As a DJ, does the adrenaline rush you get from the crowd increase in proportion to the size of it or is it nice to play to more intimate offerings? What floats your boat the most?
BB: Both equal but for different reasons. I love the intimate underground vibe. But I love the buzz off getting 5000 people in the palm of your hands.
AW: I used to enjoy playing smaller clubs just as much as I did big but I can't lie there's no place like Brixton Academy! At the same time however, in a small club you can really concentrate on your crowd. In places like Tranzaction in Truro, Tall Trees in Newquay and Oh My God in Leeds you have a much better feeling of how the crowd are feeling and where they want to be taken. In places like HHA, you've got 4000 people looking back at you, so it's harder to gauge what they're feeling but generally it's like a snowball effect in any size club; you rock the majority and the rest come with you!
You've both mixed album in the last year from Andy's Frantic Residents CD to your Hardcore Classics album Dan. Do either of you have any more album projects in the offing?
BB: Yeah my next Ministry album is in the planning process as we speak. I'm also waiting for my gold disk from the last one .. Aiiiiigggghhhhhhhhhttt / Bling bling baby.
Talking of CDs, what's in the players at the moment? You been caught up in the Artic Monkeys hype or got some classic jazz in there? We know Steve Maynard has a bit of a soft spot for some good jazz.
BB: Soul to Souls 1st ever album featuring back to life, feel free, fair play - Proper!!!!!
AW: I listen to a lot of hip-hop when I'm at home, anything from Busta Rhymes to Eminem to the older stuff like Cypress Hill. I mix for at least 2hrs a day, plus go through new tracks and mixes, so when it's not hard-dance that's shaking the house it's hip-hop.
On the road to gigs I usually leave it up to my driver what we listen to. Usually he either supplies his own mixes or we go through stuff I've been given to at clubs.
Clubbing is all about good times with good people, memories that will never fade. If you could pick out one memory in your clubbing career above all others what would it be any why?
BB: Just being here is the ultimate thing I take with me. 17 years down the line and I'm still here doing what I love doing. Right now is the highlight of my career. I love it.
AW: Clubbing-wise, I'd say 1998, Insomniacz in Sheffield. Illogik dropping Bounce 1 Time and the whole club pretending to ride around on imaginary horses. Think you had to be there to be honest.
DJ-wise, anything that's happened in the last 2 years, it's all gone off to be honest. One minute I was playing smaller nights, trying to make a name for myself, working a part-time job and spending all my wages on records. Now I'm playing to thousands of clubbers a weekend, mixing albums and even having babies named after me! I wouldn't change it for anything in the world and will never forget how fortunate I am to be in such a position.
Dan, we'll leave things to you to sum up the Tasty crowd in three words?
The Fucking Bolloxs!!!!!!!
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