Notorious by nature, few artists in the UK hardcore scene can boast the pedigree and experience of Scottish rave legend Marc Smith. Still blowing back the boundaries with his innovative, rave pumping hardcore sound today, Marc Smith’s journey through turntable culture can be tracked right back to 1985 when he started mixing though to the nineties with residencies at ‘Hacienda’ and ‘Rezurection’. Still going stronger than ever today, his label Notorious Vinyl is back along with his brand new hardstyle project Notorious Whites. I took some time to ask Mr Smith a few questions before we carve up the south west in Bristol at Oxygen this weekend!

So here we go… You have been involved in the UK Hardcore scene since its conception, what do you think of the state of things today, and do you think hardcore is back to stay or could it go horribly wrong again?
The Hardcore scene just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger, in my opinion and depending on who you ask, in some ways it is even bigger than what it was! I know some people will be out there saying no way, no way, hardcore never ever gad the commercial chart success that’s it has now and also for us way back then it was all fresh and new for us, it no different nowadays, it fresh and new to the masses of people getting involved in the scene now the same as it was for us, and I don’t think we have to worry about it all going horribly wrong again this time round at all, pretty much everyone like us who was involved in the scene back then, we should have all learned a massive lesson from that and won’t let it happen again. It will be fine it will never get that bad again!

Notorious is back again with some hot new tunes, a personal favourite of mine which I have been blasting about is ‘Building Shaker’, a collaboration between you and Gammer. What do you like about the track and how was being in the studio with Matt?
I love the track because as usual with me and for Gams when we work together and on his solo stuff, we always just go totally against the grain and write what we want, always trying to push the boundaries as much as we can musically and just write good proper hardcore that we like, the way we like without trying to fit it into any categories you know. We just do our thing! Everyone knows I am an avid hardstyle head also, and that’s what this track takes a lot of it vibe from, so I love it even more for that. Yeah it always good fun when me n Matt managed to fit it some studio time together, we have always worked really well together I think because we share the same passion for mad off the wall nonsense when we right and that why it works so well

As well you have notorious whites your new hardstyle label, where did this come from, what can we expect from the label and who can we expect to appear on it?
Well as you know I also DJ and produce hardstyle under the name of Force 9 with my little bro Jay M and have done so for fucking year’s man. And we thought since notorious was now all starting to settle in to place and really starting to take big time, we would start a label to cater for our Hardstyle productions and this is how Notorious White was born, it run by myself and Jay. The first release should be out around the 26th Jan all going well, it’s the MDMA EP from Force 9 and also featuring some awesome remixes from Cally & Juice and FJ Project . The label plan is to have good strong hardstyle and hard trance tracks from everyone. Watch this space!!

What are your plans for future tracks? Would you like to hook up for a track at some point?
You know I’d be happy to hook up with you for a track sir, being honest I don’t understand why we haven’t worked more together our last track was phat man! But yeah let’s sort that out man fo sho. As for future tracks plan I have loads all already done by myself and other awesome talent , Darwin, Obie , Al Storm some solo stuff some collab stuff so there will be plenty coming out this year ;-)

I’ve just eventually managed to start writing in my own studio and I love it. What is your studio set-up like these days? What are your favourite and/or most used bits of kit and software?
Ha-ha don’t you will make me get fucking depressed again ;-(, I have went from spending thousands upon thousands of pounds building up my own massive hardware studio over the years, and after all of that, it is now pretty much obsolete!! As now….I am now using pretty much nothing but a computer and not a great deal else to be honest a couple of hardware bits but even that is few and far between now, I would have to say my fav bit’s to use would be, Cubase SX and Zeta I always rinse Zeta, its sexual man lol !

We had a b2b not long ago which I thoroughly enjoyed, did you? What do you like about b2b’s or are you more of a solo set kind of guy?
Yeah man that was awesome fun as it always dude, it’s been a long, long time since our last b2b huh. Yeah I do enjoy b2b sets but, it does have to be with the right DJ to make it work man. I don’t mind either way, if it’s a solo set or b2b, if I was pushed I would prolly rather dude a solo set, but there are a lot of heads like yourself etc that I always enjoy doing b2b’s with so it’s all good

Good ol’ Brizzle is where you’re living now so Oxygen next weekend isn’t too far for you. What do you like most about the city and how is it for gigs?
That’s correct dude, I have been here in Bristol for almost 2 years now , and I know it’s awesome for a change………a gig that’s only 10 mins from my house, fucking awesome… instead of the usual 3 hour drive etc ha-ha. I’m well looking forward to Oxygen it’s gonna go off! Yeah Bristol is pretty cool indeed, being honest I don’t spend loads of time going out In Bristol but I do like it, it’s a nice chilled city and that’s suits me just fine the way my weekends are !

You're a regular favourite at our Freeformation nights as we’re both known for our crazy antics. We’re still yet to get you up on stage for one our plays though, any chance of this in the future?
Ha-ha you know I would be up for that bro, the problem usually is the fact that only ever manage to make it to Freeformation for just my set as I am generally always mega busy gigging elsewhere on the same night, but yeah I would be up for it !! Does it mean I get paid more hah :-P

Would you wear a kilt? In the play that is, I’m assuming you wear one to bed normally anyway!
Of course I would wear a kilt, it would be my pleasure sir, being honest I think I have pretty much always worn a Kilt to Freeformation anyways, of course just to annoy you n Jon lol

Can you write in Scottish, Irving Welsh style? If so tell me what you did this morning in the beautiful tongue?
Well a woke up aboot the back a ten and efter makin ma way doonstairs, a sat doon and had a good ole rub a ma bawz!! Does one require any more detailed intricate information ;-)

I just bought a new TV and it’s shiny and HD! How big is your TV and are you a tech buff at all?
Ha-ha happy new TV to you then dude, I think as I get older I’m not quite as much a tech freak as I used to be, but I still am I guess lol. My TV is 42inch widescreen Samsung Plasma, Yumm!!! I’ve had it a while tbh, I am thinking about making that a gaming TV and buying a 50 inch muaha

Do you own a pair of tartan socks?
No………….Do you have spotted dick?? ;-P

Not currently! I know what someone's getting for their birthday then!

Cheers Smithy