DEAN-WEBSTER Gatecrasher Caught up with PVD ahead of his 3 hour set at the 14th Birthday:

GC: Hi Paul, How are you?

PVD: Very well thankyou!

GC: It’s Gatecrasher’s 14th Birthday on 22nd September, what are your best memories of gatecrasher?

PVD: Every Single 6 Hour set has been phenomenal fro the late 90s to early 00s and when I played back in May, every time has just been absolutely phenomenal.

GC: You have always had a special relationship with the crowd at Gatecrasher, what makes it so special?

PVD: It has to do with having the same passion and enthusiasm for the music which makes us connect. Also the layout of the club and that people feel really comfortable at the events for them to really let go.

GC: How do you see the UK clubbing scene at the moment?

PVD: I find it slightly strange. I see that nights which play my sort of sound still fill clubs and for example myself are headlining major uk music festivals, but that this more ‘cheesey housey’ sort of sound receives more media attention than other genres which have a massive following such as Gatecrasher

GC: How has new dj technology allowed you to enhance your ‘live’ dj sets?

PVD: Big Time Of Course. I started DJing at around the same time as I started engineering and producing and have the same passion for each. For me the possibility of using new technology spices up the experience of electronic music and allows me to play the right elements of a track at exactly the right time. I could play your favorite track but new technology allows me to make it sound completely different. For me the Philosophy of Electronic music is breaking boundaries and the development of new technology allows me to do this.

GC: How would you describe your current musical style?

PVD: Electronic Music – Simple as that! Some people refer to as the PVD style, but it is simply elements of all the music that I love, which fits the atmosphere of a night at the right time. This is why I love doing my 6 hour sets as this allows me to enough time to develop the atmosphere.

GC: What is your current top 5?

PVD: Too hard to answer that can we skip that one please

GC: Which djs are going to be hot for 2007/08?

PVD: It is hard to say as previously when I have mentioned DJs to look out for they haven’t quite come about just yet. One man that I always say is Eddie Halliwell. He has got quite a following but I think we could see so much more. Terranova & Austin, who I am a big fan of and have recently just finished a collaboration with, on my up coming album. Also Adam Sheridan, John O’Callaghan, Jon O’Bir, John Askew… All the Johns by the looks of it.

GC: Which single piece of advice would you give to a dj wanting to be the next PVD?

PVD: Only Play the music you like. I have never played anything that I don’t like even if it is a massive track which the crowd love

GC: What’s the strangest destination you have traveled to as a dj?

PVD: I would have to say after I traveled here it became strange. It was in Beirut a couple of days before the Israelis started bombing the Lebanom. It just seemed strange that I was there a few days before a war broke out. But it is a fantastic place and the people there are really aiming for democracy, which I think the western world should support.

GC: You have been ranked #1 for the 2nd year running in dj mag’s top 100 djs, how important do you consider these polls?

PVD: I am very honored to be ranked Number 1, but I always say there would never be a number 1 without number 100. I think all people who have the opportunity to play out to a crowd should be honored.

GC: What drives you to maintain the number 1 spot?

PVD: It isn’t the number 1 spot which drives me, but my passion for what I do. I like to make people understand why I love something so much and that will allow me to continue to do what I love whether I am ranked Number 1 or 100.

GC: Thanks for your time Paul and we will see you shortly

PVD: Thank you too and I would like to wish you all a very Happy 14th Birthday and fingers crossed for the rebuild and getting things up and running again shortly.

you should get some of these published in mags round sheff dean- email me laurie.woodruff@sheffieldnewspapers.co.uk