For those who may not know what you, could you describe the style that you play?

I would say that it ranges from deep progressive house to driving Trance. It all depends on the time of night and the length of set. I prefer to play longer sets where I can go through different genres and experiment a little more.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Playing in front of 28000 people in one arena on NYE 1999 at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield.

What are your Top 5 tunes at the moment?

• Li Kwan- Point Zero- A+N Mix
• City of Alanis- Unknown
• Matt Hardwick vs Smith and Pledger- Unknown
• Activa vs Aled Mann-
• ATN- Miss a Day

What music do you listen to at home, and do you play anything other than Trance out?

As I said, I do try and experiment with my sound when Im out but when Im at home I try and listen to music other than what i play out. I love Keene at the moment and Snow Patrol are great. I also like listening to Hip Hop- Jay Zee etc.

Trance has been around for a good while now, lots of people predicted its death after '98-99. Why do you think it's survived?

It did die....it became so big as a genre that it could not survive as it was. But out of this death came a new sound - one that has evolved and has a greater connection with more underground elements. The fact that there are so many talented producers out there is spurring this evolution and keeping the scene exciting.

How has your style changed over the years, and is it still changing?

I started playing just progressive trance and deep/trobal house. My sound changed as my role in the scene changed. As I started to play more peak time/ headline slots I needed more diversity in my sound and more energy. I developed the more uplifting end of my sound but was always conscious to keep in touch with my routes.

Would you like to play back2back with an another DJ, if so who would that be?

Im quite a focussed person when I play so I dont really like doing the back 2 back thing. You tend to set off playing in one direction for 2 records then the other DJ goes in another direction, so as a concept it tends to sound abit messy. I have only really done it with Scott Bond at Gatecrasher where we do it for the crowd and for a bit of fun but if we were both given the choice I think we would go it alone.

Which club is your favourite to play at and why?

At the moment- it would have to be either Inside out in Glasgow for the sheer underground feel and amazing energy in the main arch or Promise in Newcastle because of the support I have up there and the fact that I have an amazing night there everytime.

What is your most memorable gig?

NYE 1999 - Don Valley Stadium - Sheffield

Following your very successful productions; Day One, and more recently Connected, what can we expect from you in the coming months?

Im am currently working on a cover of a relatively unknown track by a massive international artist but I'd rather not say anymore about this for the time being. Also, We are currently working on the third Matt Hardwick vs Smith and Pledger single.

When did you first start Djing, and how did that come about?

I had no aspirations to become a DJ. I just used to go to clubs in Sheffield and accompany my mates up to various pirate radio stations that they played at in sheffield- around 1991. I used to have the odd mix and then decided to get my own decks to give it a try. Eventually I got my own pirate radio show and then gradually started to get DJ bookings...

How often and for how long did you practice Djing?

I used to spend 10 hours at a time, now it is more about the sourcing of tracks- this takes alot of time.

Where was your first gig?

A night called Trash in Sheffield. It was a Wednesday night and I filled in for Danny rampling who couldnt make it. Seb Fontaine also played on that night.

What advice can you give to any aspiring DJs and Producers?

Get in the studio and make records...its the only way to break into the scene.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt so far during your career?

It's a very cut throat industry, so I guess it would be to always watch my back and never 100% trust anyone ( I wont go into any further detail)

How long do you think it will take for Vinyl to be completely phased out of club land, given that the Pioneer CDJ's are very quickly becoming the standard for CD mixing in venues.

By the middle of next year I wont be playing vinyl - it's happening that quickly. I play about 25% of my set on vinyl now.

Paul Van Dyk uses Stantons Final Scratch at many of his gigs.  Have you ever used it and do you think it has the potential to become the standard over Pioneer CDJ's?

Never say never, but I perhaps think that the use of lap tops could push us down the road of a pre programmed performance and would have the potential to take away the live element of DJing. PVD used the final scratch software creatively and his performances are amazing and innovative. However, I suspect that others would abuse the facility.

What is your pet hate?

The lack of respect and consideration airlines have for my luggage (records). When a major airline lost mine recently they just didn't seem to care. I did get them back but not until 1 week later and with no form of apology or compensation!

You used to play professionally for Sheffield Wednesday, do you still support them?  If not which football team do you support and why?

Nooooooooo, I support Sheffield United and always did.

ClubTheWorld would like to thank Sarah & Aaron for making the interview possible, as well as thank Matt for his time

Aaron.