Always considered a bench mark for quality DJ/Producers, an invite to guest on a Radio One Essential Mix is something that always brings out the best in a DJ.
On Friday April 11th Afterparty celebrate their 2nd Birthday by welcoming the Radio 1 DJ’s Pete Tong and Dave Spoon who along with resident Martin Doorly will record a special Essential Mix LIVE from the Afterparty Warehouse Experience. Their sets will be broadcast live to the world between 3-5AM.
From small Afterparty to big Warehouse party, Galaxy FM’s Best Club in 2008 and Top Ten Club 2007 (Mixmag) ‘AFTERPARTY’ has successfully sown it’s seed in clubland and has now cultivated what is set to be one of the hottest party’s of 2008.
Tell us a bit about Afterparty and how it all began?
Basically four of us (3 DJ’s & a Bongo player) were all playing all over the UK and never got to all play together and basically hang out with all our local friends and people in the industry who worked till late. So we set up a little after-hours party in a tiny bar that we could all gather in after our gigs to catch up and have a jam. It began as an invite only affair, but Huddersfield , at the time had absolutely no clubbing scene so it grew very quickly and we had to upscale our venue immediately!
Afterparty have been asked to play a very special Radio 1 Essential mix. How did that come about and whats going on?
So one day i got a call from Pete Tong’s Management, saying that they would like to do a special essential mix show representing new up and coming DJ talent & club nights and that they thought Afterparty and I were ideal Candidates! That was a fun day!! So basically We’ve scheduled a special Afterparty Warehouse event on Friday 11th April which will be broadcast between 3-5AM live to the world from the mighty Huddersfield. Tongy will play the first hour then i’ve got the second one. We’ve also got Afterparty Favourite Dave Spoon coming over as well.
I believe you will be doing an hour of the Essential Mix. Are you prepared and what sort of sound/tunes should we look out for?
Funnily enough, I’m not at all nervous, just really excited, I’m not going to plan a set because it never works for me when I do that but I’m definitely going to try and include loads of my own material, and re-edits. Also, being a live set as opposed to a pre-mixed one I have to think about the crowd reaction as well, so I reckon you can expect a bit of a party set which suits me fine. Expect Crunchy Techno / Guitars and rave hooks!!!
What makes Afterparty stand out from the rest?
This sounds gay, but it’s definitely our crowd. We’re privileged in that Huddersfield, by clubbing standards is a relatively innocent town and, unlike the major cities, hasn’t see it all before. For most of our crowd it may be their first experience of this type of event (and lifestyle) and we can all remember that feeling!! We have never NEEDED to bring big acts in order to fill our venues, and we still don’t really, but we just do it because it’s fun to give our loyal crowd something they wouldn’t ever get to see on their own doorstep.
What have you and Afterparty been up to recently?
Afterparty is currently on its next step of regeneration. We have just moved to our new custom warehouse venue (Exclusive to us). We launched last month, and with a bigger space and budget we just wanted to put on a silly break even festival style line up so we booked Groove Armada, Annie Mac, The Scratch Perverts, Sinden & Herve. It was AMAZING!!! We will now be hosting our warehouse parties monthly and I’m currently sorting out some crazy genre bending line ups! For the bank holiday Sunday 25th May I’ve just confirmed Armand Van Helden, Sebastian Ingrosso, Krafty Kuts & the Streetlife DJs. I have equally good line ups for the rest of the year!
Personally, My DJ calendar has never been so busy, as we speak I’ve just got back from a mini tour or Poland playing some awesome dates there. I’m pretty much out playing every night of the week at the moment and trying to cram in as much studio time as possible.
What have you got coming up?
Again, Busy times ahead. I’ve got loads more eastern European dates to complete in the next 2 months and a week’s tour of Egypt playing for Ministry over there and a wicked full moon party on the beach. I’m launching a new club night in Sheffield and the ridiculously good carling academy in may and I’m most excited to be supporting Soulwax and 2manyDJ’s again at the end of April in Leeds.
Favourite club to play in and why?
Being emotionally attached I’m obviously going to say our new warehouse venue in Huddersfield because its set up exactly how we want it and Its MY crowd!! But other than that you can beat the box at Ministry in London. You feel like a superstar just being stood in there!!
What do you think of the UK scene?
Well in my experience its sooooooooo much more fun in the north! The crowd just seem to lose it that little bit more. One thing I’m not liking is the way Ketamine & GHB are taking over right now, They’re not the kind of drugs you want your dance floor to be on if you’re trying to Create some energy!
Best gig ever?
Without doubt last year when I played at the southern fried mobile disco party in Brighton, sandwiched between Fatboy Slim and Armand Van Helden and being asked to go back on at the end for an encore glory hour at the end!!!
What's the strangest or most unusual place you`ve ever played a gig in?
I once did a Tutoring Scheme teaching kids how to mix in a school. As part of the course I had to perform a DJ set in an assembly with loads of kids just sitting down and a teacher stood next to me clapping!! I still cringe now as I write!!
What DJ tunes feature in your sets?
Anything distorted and guitar based so obviously loving Soulwax / Justice and the Ed banger crew, anything by Daft Punk, Boys Noize, Digitalism, SMD. I also tend to play loads of electronic band stuff like The Presets, Late of the Pier and the Whip.
Do you have plans to produce your own records?
Yes I’m absolutely caning the studio at the moment trying to get loads of stuff finished for my essential mix. I’m on with remixing some awesome bands right now which is exactly the kind of stuff i want to stick to. Some of my completed stuff is on my new myspace site @
To make it in this industry do you think DJ’s have to produce nowadays?
I’d like to think not, especially in my case as I wasn’t chosen by radio 1 for my productions but it is certainly a shortcut to the top and it’s hard to name many A-list DJ’s that have gone global purely based on their technical DJ ability. I believe that all DJs should at least have a foundation in production because being able to even make simple re-edits can liven up your set massively.
Do you tailor your sets to particular venues or play it by ear?
Unfortunately I’m not organised enough to tailor anything!! I just tend to take far too many records and just pay the excess at airports so I have everything with me, then I just freestyle to whatever crowd i have in front of me. I actually prefer it that way because its more challenging and my sets can be so varied Its easy to find something said crowd will be interested in.
What are your top 5 tunes right now?
In no particular order:
- Midfield General – Disco Sirens (Them Jeans Edit)
- Justice – DVNO (Justice Remix)
- Trip – Who’s That (Jack Beats Remix)
- Does It offend You Yeah? – Rockstars
- DJ Medhi – Signatune (Doorly & Only Ten Left Remix)
What`s the dodgiest situation you`ve been in playing out?
I once played a gig in Poland at a mafia run club, they kept giving me these huge shot glasses full of ridiculously strong Vodka and making me drink them. I was nearing the end of my set when I uncontrollably projectile vomited into the screaming crowd. The owner was very upset and I thought I was going to have my legs sawn off!!! Needless to say we made a sharp exit from the club!!
DJs are renowned as having a glamorous life, if I was you for a day, what would be the most disappointing thing I’d discover about the reality of a DJs life?
Probably on a Tuesday night when all your mates and girlfriend are settling down for the night and you’ve got to set off down the motorway to a town you’ve never heard of.... and its dead..... but you have to stay and play anyway because they’ve already paid for you. All night you have a chavvy girl telling you that you’re shit because you don’t have anything by the pussycat dolls. Then on the way home you are day dreaming and you run out of petrol...... again......and spend 2 hours trying to hitch a lift to the petrol station and back. By the time you get home everyone’s getting up for work and you have a meeting in 2 hours! Rock & Roll!!!
First record u bought?
Ha HA! I got my first set of decks and went to HMV as it was closing, I was really into the French filtered sound at the time but the closest I could find was a Phats & Small tune called ‘Tonite’ which i proudly cained for my first year!!
What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen in a club?
I once bumped into my old maths teacher Mr Crump dressed as a Lady on the pull that was strange.
What do you like to do away from the dance scene?
Its non-stop late night partying in what we do so when i do get a night off i like to just do the things other people take for granted like, cook a decent meal, watch TV and get an early night.
What`s your most prized possession and why?
Probably my Macbook Pro I spend more time with it than my girlfriend!
Which four words best describe you?
Peanut Butter Jelly Time
Last thing you regretted?
Putting myself on after the scratch perverts at Afterparty last month, they were possibly the best DJ set I’d ever seen and the crowd were in awe. How do you follow that!!!
Finally who would be on your ideal DJ team?
Other than those already mentioned of course (2manydjs / Scratch Pervs / Fatboy etc) I reckon to create the best party I’d have to draught in Annie Mac (Who is Ace by the way!), my good mates Cassette Jam and I’d love to play back to back with Zane Lowe.
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TO LISTEN TO MARTIN DOORLY'S ESSENTIAL MIX PLEASE VISIT
bbc.co.uk
