David Minns gets ready to Read The Crowd at Tasty

Reported by Ben Gomori

Clapham's Inigo Bar is well-known for pulling off that impressive feat of combining world-famous DJs, cheap drinks, and a relaxed atmosphere that is totally devoid of pretension. A far cry from Clapham's usual funky-houseries, it's without a doubt one of London's coolest underground venues. David Minns is one of the people behind its success - as well as being promoter of the marvellous Read The Crowd, a night that has been rocking Hidden of late and is now joining forces with Raindance to bring the Old Skool and House pressure to Tasty on Easter Sunday.

We found out all about Mr. Minns and hiss rich history in the dance music scene - as well as the multitude of projects he's currently involved in - as he prepared manically for the big Easter Weekend ahead.

How did it all start for you then? When did you go from being just a clubber to someone directly involved with the scene?

My step father was a DJ and my father John Minns was the leading UK distributor for light and sound in the '70s.

Pretty much as soon as I got into mixing aged 12 / 13, I got into putting parties on with my friends. I grew up in East Anglia in a small seaside town called Hunstanton. None of us were old enough to drive, plus all the decent clubs were 50 miles away.

We had access to generators, sound systems and lighting from the fair ground and soon enough we were putting on our own parties on the beaches and local venues in the near by countryside.

Do you think the nostalgia associated with the early days of rave and house music is justified? Are you one for getting misty-eyed or do you prefer not to get too stuck in the past?

I don't get stuck in the past but there is certainly a nostalgic feeling that's justified about the days when everyone raved to the same tunes. It was like a movement, like one I've not seen to date. However I'm always embracing the future and constantly move to improve the scene for everyone.

What do you do at Inigo exactly, and when did the place come into existence?

Inigo started in October 2000. I began working for Inigo very shortly after it opened promoting a weekly Thursday night Old Skool New Skool. I subsequently helped set up the recording studio and worked as an in house sound engineer before moving up to the office to help Will with the overall marketing and promotions. I am responsible for booking the promoters, marketing and promotional strategies and in house design.

For the uninitiated – what's Inigo all about?

Inigo is the brainchild of Will who set the bar up – with the aim to give friends and other people alike an unpretentious bar where everyone can escape the usual grind of life, let loose and party.

What's going down there in the next few months? Any big guests or exciting new nights to speak of?

Sure, In April we have Merka and Annie Nightingale in May coming down to Break Free, a midweek breaks night I run. The guys from ISSST are here on Sunday 15th April for Electric Sex, JDS on the 18th, Tayo on 19th. There's Vandal on the 26th, Jan Driver from Germany is coming to Comfortably Numbed and Tom Budden joins Hindsight.

What's the crowd at Inigo like? Do you feel it's different to your average Clapham vibe?

Up for it to put it in few words. I don't get in at the weekends as much as I'd like too, but last Friday with Audiojack they were having it big style. Lots of happy faces!

I see you do work as a sound engineer too. Who have you worked with, and do you make your own stuff or do you only work for other people?

I'm quite an old skool engineer (hehe). I studied sound engineering in 1994 and subsequently worked for the Matrix and Sarm West Studio Groups. During that time I was extremely lucky to see and work with some serious legends in the business. Since leaving their in 1996 I've worked with Chad Jackson, worked back stage at a gig with The Egg, worked for Bestival FM and recorded all the vocals for The Rogue Element's first album 'Rogue Rock' which was an excellent experience. Other than that I've done quite a bit of band recording at Inigo. I haven't put enough time into writing my own stuff, but this year I'm hoping to find the time.

You play quite a lot of classics sets. Do you ever get bored of hearing old tracks or is it always a joy to dig them out?

It's easy to answer that question. If the crowd looked bored on a reaction to a classic I wouldn't play them, but they never do and I always enjoy seeing their faces. Watching people sing along to Alison Limerick in the Jenkins Lane room at Raindance will most definitely stay with me.

Of course there is a time and place for everything and to be completely honest it's which classic to play when. The element of surprise is always the key to entertaining.

You are involved in quite a lot of different projects within the dance music industry. Does it get a bit overwhelming sometimes or do they all feed into each other quite nicely?

It does sometimes get overwhelming but it's one of those things with any career one undertakes. When they do feed into each other it's really nice and the more you get out of working the more you get back from it. However, quite often it's just a buzz I get from being able to help and work in so many different environments that kind of cancels out the stress of taking too much on.

It also seems you play quite a few different styles. Do you have a personal favourite genre to play? Do you find some more fun to mix than others?

Breaks, love my breaks, reminds me of the old skool breaks I used to play. Even the crowd reactions to breakbeat are very similar to the raving crowds of the '90s. However I have my moments with the commercial crowd too. I think mixing and DJing any music has its rewards and if I was to pass on a message it would always be, if you want to mix for ever, mix everything to everyone.

You played at Glastonbury once. How did that come about and did it live up to your expectations?

A friend hosts a tent at Glastonbury in aid of the Modern Amazons Breast Cancer Charity. I was asked to play there and I jumped at the chance. Glastonbury is a very special place in more ways than one. It was an honour and it is always something that goes way beyond any expectations. I loved it.

Read The Crowd is co-hosting the old skool and house arena at Tasty's Mass Reunion party alongside the mighty Raindance. You recently played at an event at the venue – how's it looking these days?

Yeah, Opening up the whole club really worked. I played recently for Origin FM at 20 Years of Rave Music and it's the first time I've been there and all levels and rooms are open to the same promotion. I certainly preferred the Mass like this - it gave me a good insight into just how crazy and fun the Tasty reunion is going to be on Sunday. Can't wait.

Do you think that many house/breaks/electro types are too self-conscious to get involved with the hard/rave scene?

Whoah! That's the oldest question in the scene that (hehe).. I think that the life expectancy of a raver is shorter if you only ever see one side of life in an ever growing scene. I go to everything I can, everywhere I can, within moderation. There is no distance too far sometimes. I think that if we all do things off the cuff as they say then you'll lead to a longer life, not forgetting the moderation of course. :o)

How do you think Brixton has changed over the last few years in terms of its musical genetic make-up?

You know a few years ago I could of answered this question and put my finger on the answer or pulse so to speak. Brixton is changing faster and faster at the moment. It's hard to say, although on the London scene it's pretty hard to see anywhere in London with as many different dance orientated venues in one place. Brixton's probably one of the best places for variety in quality music and promotions.

Photos courtesy of David Minns. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Arcticle from www.harderfaster.net published Friday 6th April 2007

CATCH DAVE MINNS @ TASTY - BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY @ MASS, BRIXTON