If you love Hard Dance, Barry Diston is a name you should be familiar with. Head man for the legendary Fidget after party and label, which incorporates both Fidget Records and Fidget HARD. Barry's been responsible for over 100 hard dance releases, and has engineered many more tracks for a variety of artists in his Coventry based studios. Proudly, a long standing CyberKitten resident, this October sees Barry return to the helm at Fever in Northampton. Ahead of this "We LUV Hard House" CK special, I caught up with Barry to find out what he's been up to, what we can expect from his set, and just why he's giving away free tunes!
Hi Barry, welcome to Dontstayin! For those who are new to Hard Dance, can you tell us a bit about yourself, where you hail from, and how you got into djing and producing?
Hey Kate! I got into the whole DJing/Producing scene back in 1999. A friend of mine, Ricky Glassey, and I had an idea for a track, which went on to become the stormer "DJs take...". We went to Online Studios in London to have our ideas turned into a finished product. I was fascinated by the whole process and the track was a huge success world-wide. It launched my DJ career and I soon found myself playing at promotions as far away as Lalaland in St Louis, Missouri. I enjoyed everything so much and it quickly developed into a full time career for me. I now work at my own studio, Fidget, and I help other people turn their ideas into tracks.
You're well known for being on the move, busy and industrious. How has 2007 been for you, and what are a few of its highlights?
Every day in itself is a highlight. I'm very lucky that my work involves me having fun every day with interesting producers and DJs. I've recently been working with Lisa Lashes on her next album. I'm very excited, however, about the new releases coming up on the Fidget label. We're going to be giving them away for free as mp3 downloads on our new site fidget-digital.com. Just imagine! Some of the finest hard house tunes, absolutely free! I can't wait to find out how our fans are going to react.
You produce across the dance music spectrum, how many Fidget studios are there these days and what goes on at each one?
The studios have now been integrated into one purpose built, designed from scratch studio. It's got a separate vocal / live booth and rooms are both acoustically treated for crystal clear recording of vocals, and accurate mixdowns. Contact www.fidget-studios.com
What are your weapons of choice in the studio? I've read you like your hardware...
Yeah, I do like the hardware. I find that you can achieve sounds and results from dedicated hardware that software just doesn't match. I Have a Juno in the studio, which is famous for producing the sounds known as "hoovers" but it's also capable of producing killer sub-bass. I have a Nord synth, which has a distinctive sound that nothing else replicates, and the Virus synth too is an awesome bit of kit. It's great for any style of music that requires a big, lead synth sound. More recently however, as technology has been advancing, software synths and effects are starting to catch up with the hardware. There is some fantastic software out there at the moment and I'm enjoying working out what results you can achieve with them.
You've recently worked with Lisa Lashes on her artist album, can you tell me a bit more about that and what we can expect from the first lady of hard dance?
Yes, it's been an exciting project and I feel very privileged to have been involved. It's a fantastic album, with music that reflects Lisa's divergent influences which I believe her fans will love. I don't want to say too much more because I think it would spoil the enjoyment of the discovery. I always enjoy working with Lisa in the studio, she's a true professional and a really nice person too. The Album hits the shops early October, so keep an eye out for it!
What other artists have you worked with, to name a few, and what are a few of your most memorable and satisfying collaborations?
Engineering for Anne Savage and Lisa Lashes on their first collaboration for many years. They both have fantastic ideas, and they bring the studio to life with their energy, enthusiasm, and musical input. I've been also been working on some hardcore collaborations with Mister Stewart from Hi-Skool of Hardcore. These tracks have been great fun to produce, and they have now been signed to Nu-Energy and are appearing on various Hardcore Albums.
You have a live PA that you first debuted at CyberKitten and you've worked with Steve Gillen on some corking tracks for Fidget. How did you get involved with the mighty 'kitten and what can we expect from your set in October?
CyberKitten started booking me early in my performing career and as my ability and reputation grew they steadily moved me up the billing at each subsequent event. When I first decided I wanted to perform Fidget tracks live, Yojo and Col allowed me to try out my first performance at CyberKitten. Thankfully, it went down a storm. The set in October will be a classic, uplifting bouncy hard house set and I'll be debuting some tracks available from fidget-digital.com.
Almost four years on, CyberKitten continues to thrive with ceaseless enthusiasm. As a former promoter yourself, what do you think the key to the promotions success is, or is it just some kind of special magic?
It's hard work promoting events. You'll get back what you put in. This is the key to CyberKitten's success. Yojo and Col are a passionate duo, and both put well over 100% into all their parties. You can always tell that every event has had a lot of thought and energy poured into it. This is why CyberKitten is still running strong to date. With the great following CK now has, and the electric atmosphere generated at all the parties, CyberKitten will continue to be successful as a result of the focused work and 'love for fun' that goes into the promotion.
It's fair to say hard dance is perceived as going through a bit of a transition, what's your take on the scene at the moment?
With the failure of many record shops that were the traditional outlets for the music, a lot of music producers have been unable to earn a living and have been forced to give up. It's left a hardcore of producers keeping the torch alight, and these producers are some of the most dynamic and exciting on the scene. Hard dance may not be as big as it was two years ago, but it's never been more vibrant.
You've taken the interesting approach of offering future Fidget releases for free download from your Fidget Digital site - www.fidget-digital.com. Tell me more!?
The free music policy behind Fidget-Digital makes a lot of sense. Here's why! Fidget's previous releases have all sold well. However, recently many of the record shops where Fidget's records were sold have closed. Fidget's distributors, without the shops to sell to, have ceased trading, some still holding vinyls Fidget have paid for and still owing royalty payments. Worse still, at least one supposed distributor has been selling stolen Fidget vinyls illegally on eBay and selling tracks to digital download sites without paying Fidget Records a single penny. The last few Fidget releases, despite being bought by a large number of Fidget's superb fan base, actually cost the label money because so little of the money paid by those fans was paid to Fidget.
Filesharing of Fidget's vinyl releases has also meant that a lot of people's experience of Fidget records came from poor, low quality mp3 files. This does not reflect the high production quality and artistic input of Fidget's excellent studios and artists. Fidget Digital is a simple solution to all of these problems. Have music on the Fidget Label for FREE. It saves me time and money, it saves you time and money, and you are guaranteed a good quality recording of a track which then reflects better on the artists work. Everyone's happy! Fidget Digital will pay for itself through the advertising revenue it generates. Having some of Hard Dance's finest fans visiting the site regularly will make it an attractive place for advertisers to be.
Which producers and tunes are doing it for you right now?
Technikal. This guys productions are simply awesome.
Djing or producing, performing a live P.A. – which is the biggest buzz, and do you ever go through phases of preferring one over the other?
The Live shows are definitely the biggest buzz, but they are also the biggest stress. With the whole show being _REALLY LIVE_ even down to playing complex lead riffs, each show takes many days of practising on the run up to the day, and then to top it off, having to spend a whole day taking the studio apart, setting it up in a club, and vice-versa to get it back, it is a lot of work. But the crowd response makes it all worth while; it's such a rush, and it's nice that people notice that the whole show is quite involved and really is as live as it gets!!!
Word is that you've been gigging in Annie Lennox's hometown of Aberdeen, what's the scene like up there?
I've played at Budz for Energy Promotions in Aberdeen twice this year, and both times it's been great. Aberdeen always seems to be really hot and sunny, and the people there are all really friendly. The promoters John and Jeff, really look after the DJs they book too. We like Aberdeen so much, that when I play there we always stay an extra couple days just to chill out.
Other than Hard Dance, what other styles of music do you enjoy?
All dance music genres really. Everything from Bassline/Electro, right through to Hardcore, and all the bits in between :)
Musically, what are your plans for 2008, and beyond?
To keep moving onwards and upwards! Keeping new and fresh sounds in all the productions from the Fidget Studio. Music styles are changing at a very fast rate nowadays, so my main aim is to ensure that all music produced at the Fidget Studio has upfront sounds, plugged with fresh new ideas.
A little birdy mentioned that you have some very exciting personal news, care to share this?
Certainly, the weekend of the 10th August this year was a very special one. Over this weekend every year, the earth passes through a meteor belt which means that if you look up into the sky, you'll see what looks like loads of shooting stars shooting across the sky. This year provided excellent viewing conditions, which won't be as good for another 15 years. Sitting in a field, armed with a picnic and a couple of bottles of champagne, underneath a sky of spectacular shooting stars, I asked Charlie to marry me. Since her promotion from girlfriend to fiancée, we've both been busy organising the wedding details, and we've now got the date set. Exciting stuff!
That's lovely Barry, congratulations to you both!!
Random fun –
What always makes you laugh?
The way Amy from HollyOaks pronounces the word "scared"
What's the one thing fact about you no-one would ever guess?
I can play bagpipes.
Breakfast of Champions? Full English or Carnal Cornflakes..
Full English, or whenever possible, I'll have both.
What place is at the top of your destination wish-list?
New Zealand & the Caribbean
Chocolate, vanilla or strawberry?
Chocolate
Best book you've read or film you've seen in the last year?
Butterfly Effect, great film.
5 card stud, Chess or Monopoly?
Monopoly, definitely. Go straight for the green ones, they're a good investment...
Favorite expression ..
Ave it!
Thanks for your time Barry, all the best for Figet! Look forward to hearing you smash it at CyberKitten!
Kate x
Interview by Kate Fairbrother aka dj K8-e
Photo's courtesy of Barry Diston and Col Davies
