Frantic's Hard House and Trance classics night is just days away (Saturday 28th January in fact!). Benz interviewed one of the DJs from the night, David Murtagh, who will be laying down some tasty trance anthems on the night.

Please introduce yourself David

Hi my name's David Murtagh!

When and how did you first get into clubbing and dance music in London?

Proper clubbing would have been Peach at Camden Palace around 2000.

When did you first become actively involved as a DJ or promoter?

As a DJ would be around 3 years ago at my local pub formerly called Laurel & Hardy's, now called The Bar Inc. I'd play there weeknights and get paid in beer and get cash for the occasional weekends I've done there. Got some great memories of lock-ins there playing till 4am. That's where Prehab first started on Thursday nights, I'd get in local DJs to spin allowing me more drinking time. Its only since last Summer that I've got onto the London club scene playing events such as Trancegeneration, The Gallery (in the Cheeky People room in T2) Timeless and Heat & The Gallery at Brixton Academy New Years Eve.

So you run your own night eh? What's it all about? When and where can we find it?

Well the night's called Prehab and as a London Club night (aside from Thursday events) has been going since October 2004 and the first one was at Sublogic. It moved to The Southside Bar January 2005 and is still there on the last Saturday of the month. For those of you that don't know it's a free event featuring some of London's freshest talent as well as a few you haven't heard of yet.

How do you decide which DJs to book? What criteria do you use?

How drunk they get me, how fit their mates are and how pretty their demo CD looks. I also take bribes.

Have you got any plans for any bigger events?

Yeah definitely. The first big Prehab event was back in March last year in association with MPFS records at The Copyright Club featuring Guy Ornadel, Ehren Stowers, Matti Kittala(of ALT+F4 fame making his UK debut) Hooked, PK and Steelo. I'm looking to so something again very soon and am sorting out details at the moment. Expect to see Prehab hosting rooms at some events coming up in the next few months before some main room action around May time. Watch this space.

If you had unlimited resources to put on a party, where would it be, who would be playing, and what extras would be available for your guests?

Wembley Stadium would be something great when it opens or could even be the opening party. I was trying to think of something original, club venue wise would be either Camden Palace or The Republic (not going with their new names) DJ wise you'd be looking at PVD, Mauro Picotto, Eric Morillo, Ashley Casselle, Marco V, Eddie Halliwell and of course myself. Not sure what sort of extras could be offered. If it was at Wembley would be good to open it up completely so people could wander round the dressing rooms. I'm sure Steelo would be happy if I could arrange live Monkey knife fighting.

Saturday 28th January sees you down at Timeless in London to spin some Hard Dance classics. What eras in dance music really stick out for you in terms of classic tunes?

It would have to be 99-01 it for me, so many good Trance tracks

You will be spinning with Mat Lock, a rising star on the London trance scene. What have you two got planned?

I think Mat's gonna have a really good year, he's a top bloke and it's been great to have him down at Prehab and he'll be back next month. We've chatted a bit about what we'll play but I'll be keeping it under wraps until the night. Will be different from playing with my usual b2b partner Gary Optim who I played at the last Timeless with

Who else on the massive 3-arena line-up will you be checking out?

Definitely the legend that is Greg Brookman, will also take some time out from looking round the new venue to see Elvis, Little Gem and Danny Luu.

Thanks to David for photos