The biggest NYE party in the UK? NYE-NEC by a long way! No-one puts on raves like Slammin' Vinyl do, and this year's line-up is looking absolutely massive. Winner of the Hardcore Heaven 2006 Best Newcomer Award Joey Riot swung by to answer a few questions ahead of this massive event...

Do you remember the first time you heard hardcore? Was it love at first...sound?

I fell in love with rave music while I was still at primary school. I got a tape from an mate with early Prodigy and stuff like that. I was hooked instantly.

Take us back to your very first hardcore rave. Where was it, who played, and what were the highlights of the night?

My first "proper" rave (over 18s) was in ‘93 I think at the Barrowlands in Glasgow. TTF were headlining and you had guys like Marc Smith and Bass Generator on the decks. I was only 14 at the time and one of the highlights was getting passed the security without getting IDed! Lol!

What was your first production? Was it any good or has it been confined to the sin bin?

My first production was made on my dad’s old multitrack tape deck. It had four tracks that you could record on. I don’t have a copy anymore but from memory it was pretty lame!

Did you have a major break as such into the world of hardcore?

Not so much. It was loads of different things that helped me breakthrough. Mainly my hard work and perseverance.

How would you describe your sound – as a producer and a DJ?

It’s pretty varied, as long as music has the energy to get you on the dancefloor and induce some sort of emotion then I'll play pretty much anything depending on the dancefloor i'm working.

DontStayIn has become the country’s number one website for hardcore – with bigger groups than any other. Why do you think that the hardcore fans have embraced the site so much?

The great thing about DSI is being able to upload your pics straight after an event, and you get to see the state that everyone got into that weekend. With us hardcore lot being the biggest cainers we need a visual memory jogger. I know I do anyhoo! Lol.

Hardcore is the biggest selling genre in the UK in the world of compilations at the moment, yet the scene is relatively small in terms of club attendances. Can you explain this contradiction?

I think the club and rave numbers have picked up dramatically in the past year for hardcore nights. A lot of younger ravers listen to the music, and some of them are just getting to that age where they are old enough to get into the raves.

Are you bothered that hardcore will never be taken seriously by the wider music press?

In a word... NO. I like that hardcore is an underground movement, and I think if it was picked up by the majors and the wider music press it would degenerate our scene.

Winning the Best Newcomer Award at the Hardcore Heaven Awards 2006 must have been pretty unreal. Who would you have given it to if you had the choice?

It was an unbelievable feeling. Massive shouts to all who voted! I would have given the award to my Lethal Theory partner in crime DJ Kurt as I don’t think anyone else in the voting came close to him in terms of success last year.

You are playing at the massive NYE-NEC this New Year’s in the Hardcore Heaven arena. Will this rate as your biggest gig yet?

I think so...I've never been to the NEC before, but from the pictures and what I've heard its an awesome venue. I cant wait to rock it!

What are your fondest memories from Slammin’/Hardcore Heaven events over the years?

The weekenders have both been unreal and hardcore heaven back in the sanctuary will always be special to me.

Have you got any international gigs lined up?

I was lucky enough to play in Toronto, Canada in April this year. I'll be heading back out there in 2007. I've also got gigs lined up in New York, Japan, Australia and Spain all in 2007. Can't wait!

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