During the Build up to the Hard House Academy at the Brixton Academy, ClubTheWorld caught up with one of Londons HardHouse DJ's Justin Bourne

Our very own Phil.B asked Justin the following questions ...

Hi Justin, how are things going at the moment? 

Hi, things are great thanks. I'm keeping busy with my DJing, studio work and running Short Circuit Recordings. The new website will be up soon so I've been busy sorting things out for that as well. 

Your label Short Circuit is going from strength to strength, can you tell us a bit about it? What made you set the label up? What can we expect from it in the future? 

I started Short Cicuit Records mainly as an outlet for my own material. I was producing alot of new tracks and having to send around cd-r's and chase up people for money etc all day long so I decided to start my own label and have full control, but it's still the same, I'm sending out cd-r's and chasing up people all day...Ha Ha. After a short period of time I began to sign other artists and things have just progressed from there really. I've been really pleased with the reaction on the past releases and I think the future material is just as strong if not better. The next three releases include these arists as original tracks or remixers - Nick Sentience, OD404, Tara Reynolds, Alex Calver, Casper and Testube Babies. I'll be back for release 16 with a brand new original track. 

When did you start DJing / producing and what got you into the Hard Dance scene? 

I started DJing when I was 15 at School, I used to play the early rave stuff ( at a youth hall ) which progressed into Hardcore ( Not Happy Hardcore) That was thirteen years ago. I then used to have a couple of residencies on the south coast playing House in the middle nineties that progressed into the tougher house sound of the Sharp Boys, Malcolm Duffy etc. I then discovered Pete Wardman and I used to hear him play out all over the country, he was my inspiration to play what is now known as Hard House ( It was Hardbag around that time). Since 1996 I have been playing the Hard House sound. I left my day job nearly five years ago and that's when I had the chance to really persue my career and start work on the production. The rest is history as they say. 

Describe your style and how has it developed over the years? 

Hard and Energetic. I've gone through different styles of music from Early Rave, Hardcore, House and then onto Hard House. 

Which DJs / producers do you admire and who, if any, inspire you in your work? 

Pete Wardman and Steve Thomas for the DJing and Dom Sweeten and Mik Cree for the production 

With many productions of your own and remixes under your belt, what to you is your finest piece of work? 

I still really like Time Is Up on Kaktai. It was made back in 1999. That's my overall favourite and I've produced over 60 tracks now.

Tell us a little about your studio and the equipment you use. 

I do all my work at other studios, although I do have a set up at home but I don't use it. At the studio I use Logic, loads of internal stuff like Pro 53, Vangaurd, Junglist etc, there's some many good programs around it has really changed hings for me. The hardware is kind of gathering dust at the moment. 

Have you any advice to give to aspiring producers ? 

Try and do something a little different to get noticed. This scene can be very disheartening but you have to keep your chin up. I beleive that hard work will pay off in the end. I get sent a lot of cd's each week and there is a lot of amazing talent out there. 

With having DJed here in the UK and internationally, which has been your favourite club / country / promotion to work for and why? 

I couldn't just mention one particular event/promotion as I've enjoyed 99% of my gigs and for all different reasons. We have some wicked clubs over here though Camden Palace (London), The Works ( Birmingham) Turnmills (London), Matrix ( Reading), Brixton Academy ( London) etc. The international work is cool as I'd probably never get to see these countries in my life. I've just recently returned from Australia and that was excellent. I'm looking forward to my return later in the year. I'm also off to New Zealand next week. 

Please tell us your best and worst moments in your career to date 

My best moments include having one of my first tracks played as Big Beat Of The Week on Kiss FM by Pete Wardman around five years ago, I've had loads of awesome gigs over the years that I'd class as my best moments, travelling to the other side of the world. I can't really think of a worst, it'd only be something like a poor sound system that I had to play on or along those lines. I havn't got much to complain about. I consider myself to be very fortunate.

What does a typical week involve for you? 

Loads of e-mails, phone calls, sorting out bookings, running Short Circuit recordings. Quite a few days a month I'll be away working in the studio on tracks. I take and pick up my daughter from school each day so no late mornings after the weekend i'm afraid. 

What can we expect from you over the coming months? 

I have quite a bit of international gigs over the next few months, I'm playing in Australia, New Zealand, U.S.A and I'm in the middle of confirming dates for Japan again. I have some wicked gigs over here to look forward to including Frantic, Goodgreef, Heat, Feeling Of Life, Bedlam, Vicious Circle and Short Circuit parties. Loads of remix work to do and I'll hopefully get to do some more original tracks aswell. 

What is your current top 5 that is rocking the dance floors at the moment?

1. The Captain & Karim - Get On It - ?
2. Testube Babies - Jungle Style (OD404 Remix) Short Circuit
3. Aftermath - Underworld (Justin Bourne & Dynamic Intervention Remix) Toolbox
4. Defective Audio - Execution - Nukleuz
5. Mark Gray - So Powerful ( Tara Reynolds Remix) Short Circuit

ClubTheWorld would like to thank Justin Bourne for his time and would like to wish him the best of luck for the future and for The Hard House Academy at Brixton Academy on 29th May 2004