The Don’t Stay In Thursday Night Interview With Nathan D

If you frequent the South Coast’s plethora of nightlife on a regular basis, then the name at the head of this interview will be one that you are already fully aware of. If you don’t and therefore possibly may have not heard this talented young prodigy’s name before, then now is the time to sit up and take notice, as it’s one I hope we’ll all be hearing a lot more of and one listen of his energetic mixing or carefully studied and hard laboured production work will underline my point just nicely. Introducing Nathan D, whom achieved his first remix at the astonishingly young age of 16 after a childhood of listening to everything from The Prodigy to Sash!

He’s been playing electronic keyboards since the age of ten (a skill that would later translate itself into a keen stab at synths), has a penchant for passionately playing music live, with his only intention to please the crowd before himself with educated and well read track selection at his residency at Contact. He doesn’t pigeon hole what he’s doing into one particular genre and his current track ‘Animal’ has seen off the likes of prolific record breakers in the download charts such as Andy Whitby and Lisa Lashes, the latter of which Nathan is playing alongside in the Main Room tomorrow (Friday) night at Hard Velocity at The Mud Club in Bognor.

He is both DJ & Producer, both Promoter and Label Manager and everything in between and all still at such a young age. For tonight’s Thursday night interview we sat down for a Beer and a chat with one of the most promising young Producers to come out of the South Coast today – Nathan D

Tell us about yourself, where it started, when you got into it and why you’re so passionate about what you do?

As a kid, my Dad used to play the likes of Prodigy and Sash; I was always pinching his tapes and caning his stereo. Eventually for Christmas one year my parents bought me my own stereo and my Nan got me a Sash album and from then on I was hooked. My fascination with the making of music started when I was about 10, myself and my good mate Rob Chatfield, used to sit there and just play stuff by ear on an old electric organ at his house, kept us amused for hours! Production just came as a natural progression from there over the years, I'm passionate about it because Dance music is the only music that makes me get that feeling, that sends shivers down my spine and makes my hairs stand on end and as cheesy as it sounds I fell in love (laughs). Once I'd discovered it, I knew it was something I wanted to become a part of and if my contributions can make just one person happy then it's worth it!

You were quite young when you began your production weren’t you – how old were you when you made your first production and do you think it was any more difficult to do so at a younger age than say someone who has been a DJ for some time?

I made my first production at 16, it was a remix of N-Trance ‘Set You Free’ which I used as one of my music GCSE pieces, admittedly it wasn't a show stopper but was all part of the learning curve! I struggled at a younger age but that was due to not knowing that help was available, I just sat there and fiddled till a sound came out. DJ's already in the scene usually have strong contacts so are able to get help or get tracks engineered so I'd say it's easier for them to get into production than the younger generation. Although on the other hand kids these days are a lot more clued up and have regular net access, if they look the help is easily available.

With the digital age now really moving forward and the internet being such an accessible garden of Eden for fresh new talent, do you feel now that is much easier for new Producers to break through, than say five years ago? Or does the convenience of ‘home internet’ make it even more difficult and more competitive for real priceless talent to break through the armada of up and comers?

It's a lot easier to get your tunes out there and heard but because of that it's hard to stand out and be noticed, you're just a fish in the ocean. Its hard work and you have to be passionate about what you're doing, don't give up! I'm only just starting to get noticed and it's been hard work and is going to continue being hard work every step of the way, but its worth it when you see the smiles on people’s faces when they hear your tunes or see you play!

Which particular style do you hail to? As your live performances as a DJ vary between genres don’t they, with numerous aliases?

To be honest I can't really answer that properly, I don't like to tie myself down to one style, I love my Hard Trance, Hardstyle, Trance, Hardcore, Electro etc all as much as each other! As a Contact resident alongside Joe Lansley as "Nathan D & Lanslide" we play Hardstyle, I DJ / produce as Solapse for Hardcore and as Nathan D I like to play everything else. It may play against me but I'd hate to have to give up other styles to concentrate on just one. If I had to put myself in just one bracket then I'd say I was a Hard Dance DJ & Producer, that way I can get away with Hard Trance, Hardstyle and Hardcore (laughs)!

Do you feel it helps now to play across a multitude of genres of music rather than just focussing on one sound or do you feel that may go against you in some respects to spread yourself across music types?

To me personally it's a good thing as it helps me with my production, I get influenced and inspired by all sorts of sounds but as a DJ it sometimes works against me if I'm honest, because I don't promote myself in one particular style I'm not a regular face in each scene. As I said above, I'd hate to have to concentrate on just one style... I think versatility is a good thing. I feel I'd be letting myself down if I singled my work down to just one particular style but I'm sure eventually I'll have to concentrate on one main style, but I'll never stop the others because of it.

What and who inspires you when you write your music?

Anything I consider to be a good tune! There is no-one in particular, but there is one person that crops up in my CD wallet a lot though, Mr Alf Bamford, the legend that is Technikal, he never fails to impress me!

You have a track on general release now as we understand it – tell us all about it and how it’s doing so far?

Yes, I do in fact… I have four tracks available at present, the most recent are Nathan D & Lanslide ‘Nice One’ and Nathan D & Lanslide ‘Animal", which is the track I think you are referring to in the question, both are charting really well. ‘Animal’ is currently at #1 in both the Hard Dance and Hardstyle charts on beatsdigital.com charting above the likes of Showtek, Dark By Design, Lisa Lashes and Andy Whitby, which we see as a massive achievement!

Talk to us about technology, the bells and the whistles, what does it for you in the studio – you got a favourite piece of kit – go on –get all techy on us…

I use FL Studio and various popular VST's such as V-Station, Z3ta, Predator, Zebra etc. I recently bought some Tannoy 5A monitors, they're the tits and I'm in love with them at the moment. They don't help me make the music, but definitely help me to hear it properly! Sadly I'm not that clued up on technology, it changes too quickly for me to keep up with, I just make the most of what I've got. It's not the tools; it's how you use them!

You’re also a Promoter as well as DJ & Producer, which of those jobs is most difficult for you? Do you find it hard to juggle?

The hardest for me is Promotion, although I only run a small night it's very hard to get everything done on time and keep everyone informed on what's happening. I've also recently started a digital label with Lanslide, which is pretty time consuming but worth every minute it takes!

You’re playing alongside Lisa Lashes in the Main Room at Hard Velocity tomorrow night – have you shared a stage with the Queen Of Hard Dance before? If yes, your expectations this time around, if no – your aspirations for tomorrow night?

I've not played the same stage as Lisa yet and I must say I've been looking forward to it a lot since I got the booking! I've been asked to play a funky, chunky Hard House set which is very different to what most people would expect me to play, should be interesting, I'm well excited! I really don't no what to expect but I know it's going to be one hell of a night!

Give us a rundown of your what you have coming up as Promoter, Producer and DJ?

Promotion
Submission @ Venus Vodka Bar, May 2nd // D4RK, The Mizniss, Maverick, Kylie King, Tru-D [submissionevents.co.uk
DSI Does... Alton Towers Weekender Round 3 [dsi-does.com
Submission Events DSI group - submissionevents.co.uk
Submission Label DSI group - Submission UK
Submission Black - beatsdigital.com
Submission Blue - beatsdigital.com

Production

Current Releases:
Nathan D & Lanslide ‘Animal’ [Submission Black / Submission UK]
Nathan D & Lanslide ‘Nice One’ [Submission Black / Submission UK]
Ben Nicky & Lee Crago ‘Dirty Dancefloor’ (Nathan D Remix) [Abstract Recordings]
Nathan D & Velos ‘Discover’ [Digital Assault]

Forthcoming Releases:
A Hard Trance EP on Outbreak Digital - Nathan D ‘Anybody Out There?’ & Nathan D ‘My Angel’
Solapse ‘Nobody Likes It’ [Ufology Records]
Nathan D & Lanslide ‘Pac It In’ [Submission Black / Submission UK]
Nathan D & Mike H ‘Drowning’ [Submission Blue / Submission UK]

You will find the above tracks on either trackitdown.net or beatsdigital.com

As A DJ
DSI Does... Alton Towers Weekender Round 3 [dsi-does.com
Contact's 10th birthday, 6th June // Mark EG, Lisa Lashes, Andy Whitby, Kevin Energy + more [a secret location (06)
Overload @ Spitbank Fort, 25th May [The Fort
Overload @ Spitbank Fort, 24th August [The Fort

Thanks for stopping by for the Thursday Night Interview! We’ll see you tomorrow night!

No... thank you for listening to my bedtime story (laughs)! See you all tomorrow, can't wait! Can I just quickly say thanks to Lanslide and Kylie King for the constant support, although their nagging gets to me sometimes, it's what's needed for me to get things done with music!

Feature written and produced by Jon-Brown at Turbulence PR, with thanks to Nathan D

Picture Credits - With Thanks To The Good Work Of (in order of appearence): ob1, Nathan D, Jogz, Mud Club & Starry Eyed Surprise

Nathan will be playing in the Main Room along with Lisa Lashes, Stuart D, Donna DD and Jason Ireland at Hard Velocity at The Mud Club, Bognor Regis, Friday 28th March themudclub.com