Written by Alex Bailey @ Nu Energy

Keeping The Ravers Groovin’: An Interview With Eufeion!

He’s a workaholic in the studio and has recently turned out 2 slammin’ updates of some much loved classics for our vocal anthem stronghold, Liquid Hardcore. We caught up with Leigh Eufeion to find out a bit more about one of the hardest working up & coming producers in the scene…


Hey Leigh – thanks for taking the time out to do this feature. For those unfamiliar with the Eufeion name, can you tell us a bit about your background within the Hardcore scene?

No probs. I started DJing around ‘96 and started producing around 2001. I’ve worked with Tazz, Impact & Ephexis in my early days of production. Under my old Leigh Outrage name I’ve had releases on Electronic, Relentless Vinyl, Nu Energy Digital & more. With my Eufeion name I’ve releases on CLSM, Distinctive Vinyl & tracks forthcoming on Electrik, Nukleuz, Hardcore Coalition and more.


Having started DJing in ’96, where have you played and what has your most memorable gig to date been?

I’ve played HTID, Electrik, Vibealive, Hardcore Raver, Diskotek and more. Most memorable set would be at Crazy Town in Bristol at the end of last year. Got on at 1am in the main room and played Startlight. The ravers went mental.


You’ve had previous releases under the guise Leigh Outrage that were on a more purist and underground vibe. What has prompted your change of artist name and subsequently writing style, and would you ever resurrect your former moniker?

I think what changed it for me was when I started to DJ more & more of the uplifting stuff; I then started to produce it & I kind of swayed from Freeform. Last year, Denile whom I used to produce with, left the music biz and I decided to take a new direction with my music. With a new solo label called “Hardcore Re-Addicted” I decided to go the whole hog and change my name too.

Not many realise I was Leigh Outrage, I’ll probably never use that name again - it was back in my years of Freeform which are long gone for me (maybe). I do still write the odd harder track now & then though.


Eufeion is a rather strange choice of artist name though – how on earth did it come to fruition and exactly how do we pronounce it?!

Haha, I get asked this a lot! It doesn’t mean anything. I just came up with it and thought it was quite unique. It’s pronounced “YOO-FEE-ON” the “E” & “I” are silent.

It certainly is unique Leigh, it sounds a bit like a mythical animal. If you could be any animal – what would you be and why?

I would have to be a cat. I’m a cat lover, loads of sleep.




OK – so your first EP for Liquid Hardcore is about to hit the shops with all tracks causing havoc on the dancefloor so far. Veteran ravers will also recognise the tracks as a nod to Hardcore’s history; what gave you the idea for updating two much loved past Hardcore classics?

I love my old skool, some the best years of this music scene. I was listening back to the version of Ravers Groovin' that came out on Blatant Beats back in the ‘90s and got the idea to do it as it hadn’t been done in years. The In Your Arms track I planned to do ages ago and now seemed like the perfect time.


Yep – both tracks have certainly proved their worth in the raves. Do you have any other favourites that you think would benefit from being brought up to date?

Two tunes spring to mind Paul Elstak – “Rainbow High In The Sky” or Charley Lownoise & Mental Theo – “Stars”. Loved them tunes! Back in the day I paid something like £25 for a promo copy of Stars imported.




OK – what about original productions? What are you working on at the moment?

Well seeing that the free legal “Crush On Hardcore 4” album’s due out around now (that I now co-run) I’m trying to do up some new stuff. I have a lot on at the moment, but I’ve done a couple of bits called “Crowd Go Donk” & “Disco Beat”


Followers of your work will know that you turnaround tracks in the studio very quickly – some of which you’ve been kind enough to offer up for free download on the net. How do you find the time to finish so many tracks?!!

I’m quite a workhorse in the studio; sometimes I finish up at 3am and restart again during the day. I mainly work evenings on projects though.

I’ve only recently given away a few tunes, one of which was Zelda’s Ass, a Hardcore remix of the classic Nintendo game. So far it’s had 800 plus downloads and has been played on Radio 1.


Do you have time for any other pastimes aside from writing music?

Yep people who know me personally will know I’m a massive video gamer, I pretty much have every console, new game/top game on the market at the mo, so I’m usually doing that when not doing music or out at events with the missus & mates. Some of my inspiration comes from gaming. I’m also a movie fan too & follow a lot of Japanimation stuff.


That’s a lot of hobbies - do you even have time for a day job?

Lol yeah I do, although I’d love to have music as my only work.


Leigh - do you think you look like anyone famous? Has anyone ever mistaken you for someone you’re not?

I was mistaken in Tesco about 8 years ago for someone off Home & Away.


Crazy. So how did you first become involved in writing and producing tracks?

Back in my schooldays some years ago it was the “in” thing to listen to Hardcore. I met Denile, got in to DJing and it progressed from there. In 2001 we went into the studio with Tazz and the production lead from there on.


Here at the NEC we pride ourselves on helping out up & coming producers. For all those budding artists out there can you tell us a bit about your studio setup, and is there one piece of software/hardware that you couldn’t live without at the moment?

I’m currently using Logic 5.5.1 on the PC, the last version ever made for it but I’m soon to move to Cubase. Logic 5 on the PC isn’t stable with modern day stuff.

For the tech geeks the spec is : Pentium 4 3GB Hyper Thread, 4GB DDR2 RAM, Audiophile 24/96 Sound Card, 256MB PCI Express 3D Card, 19” Widscreen Monitor, Alesis M1 Active MK2 Monitors, Spirit Folio Mixing Desk, Akai S3000 Sampler (DJ Impact’s old Sampler – not used though!)

Regarding kit I can’t live without - I could never go without Refx Nexus 2. I know it inside out and how to work it for me. Granted it’s a glorified sample player but it’s great when layering up synths.


Completing so many tracks and remixes you must draw on a fair few influences Leigh; can you tell us more about who, or what, gets your creative juices flowing when you’re in the studio?

As previously said gaming is an influence for me but also many artists such as Gammer (who influenced me with the track “Rox”), plus Squad-E, Kevin Energy, Brisk and more.


Aside from Hardcore do you write any other styles of music, and if not do you have any plans to do so?

I have written 3 Hard Trance tunes in past years. I have started to do commercial Club style mixes (Radio Edits) with the boys from X-Virus on some of their tracks, but nothing other than that.


Under your Leigh Outrage guise you did quite a bit of collaboration work (with Denile, amongst others). Who would Eufeion like to collaborate with?

I’d love to work Gammer because I just love his wacky sounds and the ideas he has. Brisk on more of his harder ravey bits like “Riding The Air” that he did with Vagabond. And of course Mr Energy, most probably on a big ravey track, I hear he’s masterful on the keyboards ;)


He certainly does like to tinkle those ivories! Finally Leigh – I have a riddle for you: If my ham is spam, my spam is jam but never in ham, and my ham is never your jam, and your jam is spam but not ham, what is my jam?

Your jam is spam......I think?!


Err it’s Strawberry actually Leigh – good guess though! Big up for taking the timeout to do this interview!


Grab Eufeion's latest huge EP on Liquid Hardcore in Hardbeatstore: hardbeatstore.com

Add Ya Buds

Fair play mate good read!! Buds in :D

Cheers man. Been on the remix tip for Electrik Euphoria, Scott Brown, CLSM & more.

Myspace says all:

Link >> myspace.com