Promoter of Tasty and owner of UK Hardcore, the former GBT innovator Billy Bunter is a man that has lived and breathed underground rave culture for the past fifteen years. He started off DJing at legendary raves such as Labyrinth and Raindance, progressed to headline at the likes of Slammin Vinyl and Helter Skelter and these days can be found spinning anything from obscure piano house gems and ruffneck jungle classics through to pumping hard dance and anthemic vocal hardcore with up to five gigs a weekend. As his Tasty promotion prepares to go head to head with the legendary Raindance for this Friday's no expense spared rave Bliss at Heaven, we caught up with Bunter to get the lowdown on his summer of bbq, beats and beaches.

First up Daniel, can you give us the summer of Billy Bunter rundown? Has it been all beaches and bbq's or have you been locked away in darkened studios for the most part?

There have been lot's of BBq's due to the good weather, and there have been a fair few beaches due to an Australian tour but I've not been in the studio that much due to the organization of Bliss, my radio show which believe it or not takes up a day of my time, as well as dj'ing up to 5 times a weekend still. So yeah, as always it's busy!!!

What's the strangest thing you've encountered on your travels recently?

A small outback mining town in Australia called Karratha, only 6000 people live there. I was really skeptical about the gig and town as no one had heard of the place before. When I got there it turned in to 48 hours of fun and debauchery; I played for 5 hours at an awesome beach party. At was 1000 miles from any where, people worked hard all week, and there were only two pubs and one club - which was commercial pop and R&B - in the whole town so people really knew how to party!!!!!

Which parties stick out in your recent memory? Have there been any sets lately that just totally blew you away?

On the hardcore tip the HTID beach party blew me away, without a doubt my best hardcore gig ever. Gas in Sydney where I played a four hour hard dance set was wicked as I got to take the crowd on a proper journey. And on the old skool tip the recent Jenkins Lane room @ United Dance, the crowd were really clued up and I just kept pulling out more and more obscure tracks and they was going down superbly.

In terms of your recent hardcore gigs, what tracks have been causing the most reactions?

There have been loads, but three that really stick out have been In My Eyes by Antix & Tom E,(I got given this about a year ago in Australia and can't understand why it's not getting more support), Getting Better by Breeze & Styles and Jon Doe's 2005 Timebomb Remix.

What are you feelings on the continued strength of the hardcore scene? Do you think there is a danger of certain sections trying to push its growth to quickly rather than letting it run naturally on its own steam?

It's very inspiring how hardcore keeps growing and growing. The dj's, promoters, MC's, Producers, Labels and ravers have put so much belief, energy and determination in to it, that no one could stop it becoming such a cult scene again. All those who put that positive energy in now need to maintain that notion and not replace it with greed and ego or discontentment and envy. If the hardcore scene can stay a close knit community it will keep going and going.

On Friday 26th August, you're taking your legendary London party Tasty to Heaven to go head to head with the original rave experience Raindance. The result is Bliss and you're taking to the decks in no less than four rooms. Do you find it a strain preparing separate record boxes and set programs for four different sets?

Nah, I love it. I feel all the music I play so it all comes as second nature. I have learned over the years to keep my records well organized, and to stay on top of all the new music and artists coming through, as well as keep refreshing my memory on all the forgotten classics I used to play in the late 80's and early 90's. For me, variety really is the spice of life; I can't imagine myself not playing so many different styles week in week out.

What drives you to keep on pushing yourself within all these different styles? Is it hard to keep on top of everything? You must be listening to music 24/7???

What drives me? Passion!!! And I love the fact that I have been DJ'ing for 16 years and no matter what style I am playing in what part of the country or world, there is always some one who remembers me from a certain part of my career or era or even just discovering me and thinks I am an up and coming dj. It's a buzz playing to so many different age groups and genres that I have played a small or big part in making happen along the way. I don't listen to music 24/7 I live and breathe it!!!

How much do you expect the crowd and atmosphere to differ from room to room?

A lot, there is an Old Skool room, Hard Dance room, Hardcore room, House room and Breaks room, each music genre will attract a totally different group of people be it age group, fashion style, dance style etc. It's very exciting for me and Raindance to be putting together, as both of our crowds are so different, but we both have the same out look on putting on an event. Let's throw a huge f***ing party, with the original ethos of raving but in the year 2005. It's gonna be great seeing so many different people in to different musical genres in the same venue.

The Tasty hardcore room has gone from a third room experiment to a second arena phenomenon in the matter of a year or so it's rammed solid with sweat-soaked smiley ravers every time. Do you think it has been a strong exercise in proving just how much passion there is for hardcore within the capital??

I think passion is the key factor to it being so good. London is dominated by House, Drum & Bass and Hard Dance. Hardcore is more of an out of town thing, it was the same in the happy hardcore period as well. The hardcore scene is huge in the midlands with events like Uproar and HTID, where as in London events are less frequent, so when you do get parties like Raindance, Elation and Tasty the atmosphere is always unbelievable as the London crowd have had to wait for a hardcore party to happen on there door step, so they are always very passionate about it.

You've been holding back on releasing records lately but is there a forthcoming release in line for UK Hardcore?

Yes a full vocal track myself & CLSM called Burning, Jess & Spenno's Find Your which will feature a Breeze & Styles remix and finally Body Slam 2005 with Bunter & CSLM and Breeze & Styles remixes.

What sort of directions have you been taking your recent hardcore productions in?

Me and CLSM have been doing a real variety of stuff from underground freeform, we did a track called NRG which Sharkey put on his last Bonkers mix, right through to full on vocal hardcore like our new track Burning. Like with my DJ'ing I can never stick with just one style.

Are there any ambitions to remix or update any more of the GBT back catalogue or do you see that as a moment in the past to be remembered rather than revisited?

Nostalgia is great, and it's every where at the moment, be it in fashion, film, TV and music. We are in an era where it is essential to go back to go forward so for that reason we decided on Body Slam remix on the go. Will there be more in the future? Who knows? Watch this space I guess

Which upcoming hardcore producers have been grabbing your attention the most recently?

Joey Riot, Cube, Petrol Heads, Antix, Bonzo, Fracus, Flyin. Last time I spoke to Gary Vibealite he said he had a 3 hour hardcore set for me which I am looking forward to doing, as a lot of the break's stuff I have been sent by Cube and CLSM has been very interesting indeed and some thing that could be really incorporated in to a longer set.

Your party on 26th August with Raindance is called Bliss, what is your idea of a night of pure bliss these days?

First and foremost Hot and Horny sex with my missus. Second, a night out on it with my mates listening to good music, any genre, any club, it's just got to be vibrant and underground!!!!

What has the rest of the year got in store for Bunter??? More Tastys? More studio?

After Bliss, Tasty 4th Birthday in November, my radio show every week on Pure Dance, studio sessions with Jon Doe, a new TV advertised mix album, and up to 5 gigs a weekend.

Get yourself down to the legendary Heaven this Friday and you can catch Bunter playing any one of four sets at Bliss including old skool anthems, a Jenkins Lane classic house set, pumping hard dance and full-on hardcore.