Hi Alex, what a summer you have had. Can you please run us through you personal highlights?

Hiya, yeah that’s definitely been the busiest summer yet and long may it continue!
The festivals have played a huge part in the diary this year which has been a real sense of achievement for me. Coloursfest was a reet way to begin the summer months! Followed by Escape in the Park and WestFest, It’s just the most immense feeling and the ultimate buzz to be given the chance to do what I do; playing on massive stages in mammoth sized tents to shitloads of people on brutal sound systems...I love it!!!
Dance Valley was another remarkable experience, coming on as the penultimate DJ (with Yoji finishing) in the HQ arena proved to me just how far I’ve come, but then walking around the other DJ’s and seeing the talent on offer also showed me how far I have still to go!
The biggest highlight of the summer for me was Kiddstock. A year ago it seemed unthinkable that I’d be able to pull off my own outdoor rave like that but we completely sold out of tickets and the feedback from the event has been outstanding. I’d like to say a big thanks to all those whose support got me through the very stressful weeks leading up to it!
Creamfields was ace but the sound system was poor, thus ruining what could have been the best out of the bunch. Global was ridiculously good though, that’s another story...even though I played early in the day the atmosphere was electric and I didn’t want to come off the dex! More recently I’ve just come back from playing the Planet Love festivals (one in Dublin and the other in Belfast on the same day). Both of them were unreal and easily contend with the other big bashes I’ve played at this year.
Finally Ibiza has been going rite off again this summer. I’ve had to cut back this year and not play as many dates because of how busy I have been back home, but I’m off to do the closing party next week which will be pretty special I’m sure.

How did Kiddstock come around? Did you have any long-term plan to get this off the ground?

Kiddstock was born off the back of the chalet party I hosted at Tidy Weekender 11, from what started as a mess about with the neighbours next door and all my dazed and confused mates turned into a fully blown unplanned rave with 700 people!..The experience was totally unique and out of this world! I wanted to try and recreate that but with more of my own slant on it. I chose the DJs I have been working closely with and that I respect out there on the circuit to play and we worked hard finding a location that was right. I wanted to maintain that illegal outdoor experience and I think the location I chose blew everyone’s minds! 1000 people climbing up the biggest peak in Stanhope in search of a secret outdoor rave! No one had a clue what to expect!
So I pretty much turned the event around from it being an idea to it actually pulling off in the space of 3 to 4 months. It took a lot of planning and I learnt more than I’ve ever learnt before but it was a huge success and when both DJs and ravers alike tell me it’s one of the best parties of the year, it makes me quite proud that I managed to pull it off. To be fair though, without the help of the close team I had around me I doubt I would have even got out of the starting blocks. So Kiddstock crew, I salute you x !

As we come to the end of the summer, what club dates have stood out for you?

Es Paradis in Ibiza for Tidy is the bollox and is one of my faves. Raversential a couple of weeks ago in Derby was pretty firing too. Frantic events have all been ace this year, especially Alaxandra Palace and their recent birthday at Koko.

What have you got forthcoming on the production front that we can keep an eye open for?

There’s a few bits on the production front at the moment, I’ve knuckled down a fair bit and come up with some stormers so keep your eyes and ears peeled:

Organ Donors v Alex Kidd – Schranz Muzik (RIOT)
Organ Donors v Alex Kidd – Fantasy (tbc)
Bk v Alex Kidd - Suicide (Riot)
Masif Djs – Insane – Alex Kidd v Dark By Design remix (Masif)
Dark By Design v Alex Kidd – Theme for weekender (Tidy)
Alex Kidd v Jet Black - Chemical Society – (tbc)

After your last outing in Edinburgh, it can’t help but be noticed how busy you are manipulating the music you play. How much do you practise on the decks?

I try to get on the dex every day but depending on the schedule it’s just not possible sometimes. Now that I’m in the studio more, which is a good thing, it also means I can’t focus on learning new skills and practising digital turntablism if my head is stuck in to a tune on the computer. Next year I plan to cut back on some of the gigs so I get more time in the studio, both on the dex and working on tunes.

The digital revolution, how has it affected you and what are your thoughts on
it?

Its a ball ache trying to get my tunes signed to decent label that release vinyl, as the labels just aren’t about anymore.. But saying that it’s made the ones that have stuck about, work that extra bit harder and really thinking about the music they’re putting out rather than releasing for the sake of it...
Obviously the quality control on the download side of things is more dubious, and having to trundle through hundreds of links and downloads to find some stonkers isn’t as much fun as being in my local record shop. But now that I’m a busy DJ every weekend, it makes perfect sense to have the music being sent to me as links for me to pick up wherever I can. The best bonus is not having to lug around that heavy fuckin steel record box anymore!.

After destroying Absolute earlier in the year, are you looking forward to tag teaming the 2nd birthday with Gaz west?

Ha, somehow I don’t think Edinburgh is prepared, When me and West get together, carnage is standard procedure!

Finally, anything stupidly random you would like to share with us from your year so far?

I lost my headphones, (again) in the past couple of weeks, god knows where but if anyone has seen a pair of Sennheiser’s knocking about with teeth marks in send them up this way, ta ! ? x ak