13.2.2009 ‘The Interview’ - Inside The Grid-
issue 36

With the GREATEST of ease, I easily and smoothly introduce the next two candidates for another DOUBLE interview!

Again on a hardcore tip, announcing two individuals who I class as two good friends as well as first rate promoters, stepping up gears each & every time at their prestigious nights staged - I have attended four of these nights and have NEVER- EVER- experienced a bad one to date…!

From booking the main names of our hardcore times - to breaking new and enthusiastic acts from: U.K Hardcore, Hard Dance to Old Skool in the way of their ground breaking events, there really is not much that they have not yet achieved!… Oh yes - reminiscing the days of Helter Skelter (Dave & Penny!) they are happily dating each other too….! ;)

This dynamic duo in my eyes hold NOTHING but love & respect, holding double the power than the national grid!- Bernzy & Miss Detonate ! ( High Voltage):

Thank you for taking part today!- I don’t really need to ask as I know full well that you have been mega busy already with High Voltage. So - how has your 2009 been so far from January?- What’s been going on behind the scene’s? : )

Miss D: "January has been a quiet month for playing out for me, but the last week in Jan was fun djing for a local nite in Ipswich. We have also been planning the first HV of 2009 which is set for FRIDAY 27th FEB 2009 at the Angel in Bedford, also working on producing some new hardcore."

Bernzy: "January has been a “re-coupe ration” month for me – I’ve figured I’ve been raving for 10 years straight & thought I needed a months break! Although we ended up at HOH & El-B’s Ipswich Night towards the end of the month, it was pretty quiet so we used our time wisely to plan forthcoming HV’s…"

High Voltage has been running for a number of years now. We’ll touch more on this later, but for the people that don’t know - please tell us about H.V and what you are about as the promoters!

Bernzy: "HV Started as an underground hard house night back in 2005, we progressed through to hardcore, whilst keeping our hard house crew entertained doing events visa versa…1 month hardcore, 1 month hard house etc… We started at a small club called The Pad & decided, after 8 months doing a Thursday night, that we needed a weekend slot. When the angel opened, it instantly became our new home, (it’s perrrrrrfect for our raves) & we’ve been raving it up ever since!"

Miss D: "High Voltage is all about having fun when you’re raving and meeting new people. We are ravers ourselves and love raving as well as being promoters, HV is run by ravers for ravers."

As stated in the intro, I have now been to four of your nights- and each and every time have been left wanting MORE! Also there never have been, any ’bad’ one’s… What would you say , that your raving success is!? : )

Miss D: "Its all about the ravers that make HV what it is. Having a wicked atmosphere is important too. I think because we’re ravers ourselves, it make it a little different. Also we put 110% effort in, putting different themes in place & making the venue a little different every HV."

Bernzy: "Our events get the ravers fully involved, with wicked crowd interaction & we get amongst the ravers, making them feel right at home. This in turn gets the ravers to let their hair down, not give a flyin fought about anything & AV IT HARD! We attract all kinds of ravers including the older crowd who like to get that old school rave atmosphere where everyone is SMILING ? The younger crowd are really coming through now as well & everyone is binding together into a mighty happy mess!"

You work extremely well as a D.J double Act too! - Always delivering that something different, what do you look for when putting together a live set?!

Miss D: "A variety of different styles of hardcore, I usually go for the harder edge ones but sometimes love mixing it up with some vocal ones. We love being creative, recently we have been doing a DNB’ HARDCORE mashup which I love too."

Mmmmmn...!

Bernzy: "Yes Miss D, the dnb-hardcore mash up’s are certainly kicking off – you need to play the right dnb with the right hardcore otherwise it sounds awful! My dnb dj knowledge lets me hear which tunes would go together to create a unique sound. Also, the novelty value of Mr Vs Missus I find works wicked which content raving couples can relate to. We love chatting to raving couples & finding out similarities which we have as couples! It’s just been valentines day & it seems like I’m getting a bit smoochy so NEXT…"

Bernzy you are proud owner of the prestigious: W.S Records in Bedford! Recently up for best record shop at the D&B awards- how does this feel? And could you tell us a little more about the shop I.e. what you stock, and how long you have been running for!?

Bernzy: "WS::Records kicked off way back in 2003. Totally catering 100% entirely for rave music. We stock DnB, Hardcore, Freeform, Old School, Techno, Hard House, Hard Style, Hard Trance, Breaks, Nu-Rave & recently Dubstep on 12”Vinyl/ CD & Tape. Orderings easy, either visit the shop, 3 Mill Street, Bedford MK40 3EU (Just off Bedford High Street-A6), mail order over the phone on 01234 266244 or order 24/7 @ www.wsrecords.com using paypal to pay. Please feel free to join my facebook group “WS::Records”. With all the new releases & promos coming in each & every week, DJ’s & rave music lovers alike have been able to trust WS::Records. Our membership loyalty scheme gives DJ’s free tunes, come & see us to find out more!"

Miss D! You are very much in charge of the promotion side of things, how hard is it juggling everything that is going on, then putting it altogether with Berner at the end of the day!?
Also- Lip stick or lip gloss!!!?; )

Miss D: "I handle all the online promotion for HV and deciding what décor to have on each event, I like being creative & get Berner to agree with my decisions! I make time for HV and put all my heart and soul into it. Lipstick or lip gloss?!? Lipstick I reckon"

You also both play out on the regular!- Where really stands out for you, in terms of where you have performed at so far? A really good up for it crowed, like H.V!?: )

Miss D: "I enjoy playing out at every event, its good to meet new promoters and ravers when your djing out. I think that one of my best sets I enjoyed playing was for Hyperbolic, wicked crowd that were on it from the start."

Bernzy: "Jesus! Now you’re asking! When we played at Nose & Lips 1 time@Hush in Northampton the place really went off. Epidemik at the Junction / (AREA) is always a guaranteed top atmosphere, I had really sweaty pits that night & it showed in the photos! LoL"

At the end of the day you are both proud to be raver’s just like the rest of us, what words of advice would you offer say to other people wanting to start promoting in today’s world!?:

Miss D: "Firstly you have to be in it for the love and passion for the music. Having a good image and being interactive with other promotions is always a good thing. It’s important to meet new people and go out to other raves to enjoy the music, we love dancing with the ravers as well as djing."

Bernzy: "You need quite a strong music background with a good local fanbase of up for it peeps. If there’s a demand for the music & no nights going on in the town, then there’s a gap in the market for you to exploit. I find it important to not tread on toes, especially if you’re starting up from scratch & a lot of planning & thought needs to go into it otherwise the ravers will see thru your bad planning & therefore not enjoy the night & likely not to return"

Where do you see High Voltage in say 2-4 years time!? (Along with the music!)

Bernzy: "Tough 1 mate! We just go with the flow like we always have done. Change is always a good thing to keep things spicy…what, are we too spicy for ya?!?!?!?"

Miss D: "It’s hard to say, we hope that High Voltage will still be running and the music will always be there."

You have been raving, mixing and promoting for a number of years now, you must have seen many a funny sight and have a couple of stories to tell… ; ) Are there any that you care to share with us!?- Personally I’d like to hear some involving a larger named scene member or one with Mr Sid P in!!!; ) (feel free to change names to protect identities NOT Sid P’s!) pmsl!

Bernzy: "At our 1st Xmas HV, we booked Vibez & Live Lee. On the stage we had some piñatas which we planned to smash open with a stick! Live Lee had just got on the stage & I was trying to whack the piñata open. I was a bit messy & 1 swing I totally missed the piñata & clouted Live Lee! The crowd saw & it was hilarious (not for poor Live Lee though – soz mate!) "
"1 Sid P experience I remember personally cracking up to was this 1 time in Birmingham when we were doing a set at the hi skool after party & we were trying to find the venue. Sid had a Tom Tom in his car & we were still getting lost! There was no traffic on the road & all I could see from the car in front was this big fisherman’s style hat driving this little car like 2 lost cases out of fear & loathing in las vegas – it was just 1 of those times where you just had to be there! Grinning as I type this! Good Old Sid P…"

Miss D: "Uhmmmm lets think. One story I can remember is when Bernzy at one of the High Voltage’s was so F*****, he couldn’t walk. I remember sitting outside the Angel and saying ’Bernzy are u ok?’ He was having the time of his life, I remember having to carry everything including the decks out on my own cos he was in no fit state to help me!!!"

Guy’s I would now like to collectively shake your hands, and say a huge thank you to you both. Sadly the time has come for me to say see you in a week or so for the next High Voltage!!!- BUT- just before we go…Could you please offer us some words of your hardcore wisdom- for the crew!; ) : )

Bernzy: "Work Less, Rave More – leave a good looking corpse"
Erm...??

Miss D: "Stay safe and keep stomping ravers, thank you!"

O.K guys once again THANK YOU!!!! God bless and stay safe, it’s ALL ABOUT - High Voltage! Can I just take this opportunity to thank you both for your words and above all - your time.

Thank you.

This EXCLUSIVE interview with my High Voltage two, is the FULL length version which can be found in THIS issue 36 of Ravin Eye! (OUT NOW!) Ahead of TONIGHT’S exciting instalment of High Voltage at the NEW Club SUPER. It’s set to be a show stopper - it’s set to be as hot as an Arabian summer…Ravin Eye’s WILL be available at this event too…! - So spread the word, the vibe, and tell all your hardcore friends and crew!;) - NOW
- with a “HO!” & a “POW!”

The Arabian Greg Peaks “Mighty Kebab” interview here:

(26.09.09 event link below)

(Dave Hill / Demon Ink)