Lucy fur is undoubtably the queen of filthy beats. A long standing dj in the hard scene she not only flies the flag for hard house - she does it with style! Her CyberKitten residency, signing to the prestigious Red Artist Management last year, her work with Toolbox and relentless passion for hard house make Lucy one of the most sought after female djs in the business. Ahead of CyberKitten's 5th birthday at Fever in Northampton on 25th April I caught up with Ms Fur to find out all her latest news...

Let’s start at the beginning – what was the first record you bought and where did the love affair with hard house begin?

I remember the first 12" I bought was a non hard house tune, Bart Simpson - Do The Bartman, how 90’s! First hard house record, it was definitely Nukleuz Blue and either BK or Andy Farley but cannot recall the track. My love affair with hard house started early 2000, my first events being Freedom at Bagley’s, in London, and Sundissential at the Q Club Birmingham. I loved Andy Farley, Lisa Lashes and Paul Glazby. Stimulant DJ’s Hoovertime on Tidy, reminds me very much of my early clubbing days!

CyberKitten celebrates a spectacular 5th Birthday on Friday April 25th! You’ve been a resident with the mighty CK since 2004, and its first female resident to boot. How excited are you playing the 5th Birthday, and what is so special about CyberKitten that it keeps packing in the crowds and winning acclaim?

Being made the first female resident for CK was very special, and still is. I love my residency! Has it really been that long? Time flies when you’re having fun eh? Cyberkitten is special for so many different reasons. The main thing that sticks out is a friendly and up for it atmosphere at the events. CK has many regular followers that make this experience happen. The promoters Yojo and Col, really care about their events and their DJs which is also reflected in the hosted parties too. You will just have to come along on the 25th to find out!

You played at this years Hard Dance Awards, where notably CyberKitten won for a second year in a row – Best Small Club. How was the event ‘at large’ for you and as a resident – how did CK's unprecedented win make you feel?

I really enjoyed the Hard Dance Awards, it was a very good night. Great atmosphere, and lot’s of great sets all round too. It is nice to see so many promotions come together for an event like that. The room I played in was rocking, and having the CK crew there to support me was wicked - especially as I played a few hours after receiving the award. I screamed like a girl when I heard the winning announcement- I had to squeeze myself to the front of the stage to get a good view! We were together at the time weren't we and we were so over the moon.

Yes we screamed liked girls - teehee!!

What’s your take on the general Hard Dance scene at the moment? It certainly looks as if it’s on a definite upbeat enthusiastic vibe?

I am loving everything hard house at the moment. You will always get the critics saying hard house is dead etc…it definitely is not! This year is set to be very exciting for both the DJs and the clubbers. All promotions are pushing the boundaries to supply top parties and something different, and the DJs are getting really stuck in with promoting themselves to production. It really is an exciting time. My agency Red Management have many plans and big ideas for this year - things that you would never have imagined possible so watch this space!

Due for release on April 28th is your first official compilation CD, mixed for Toolbox, including your pick of the best Toolbox tunes. You go head to head with Justin Bourne each mixing a CD in this release. How did all this come about and tell me about your involvement with label?

Well I have been working closely with Nik Denton for a while on various different projects and I suppose it came naturally to ask me to co-mix the album with Justin. I currently have two tracks due for release on Toolbox, ‘Shake It Up’ and brand new ‘Rattlebrain’.

I am also co-hosting a Toolbox tour with Nik in the UK this year to spread the sound, and there is also a new night starting in Manchester - the first event being the album launch for Toolbox V2 on the 2nd May. Watch this space for select Toolbox tours around the country, one to certainly put in your party diaries is ToolBox @ CyberKitten on Friday June 27th Between the two outfits it’s a match made in hard dance heaven, and is set to be a total stormer!

There is also a guest mix for KISS FM coming up featuring 20mins of my favourite Toolbox tracks too - keep your eyes peeled for the airing date! Very exciting times.

Did you have a fight on your hands to get the tunes you wanted for your CD or did you and Justin come to an amicable agreement?

Haha well we did clash on many tracks but there was no blood! It took a whole day for us to agree on what to use and compromise on the tracks we both wanted! But, looking at the tracklisting now, the album looks solid.

In keeping with CyberKitten’s ever inventive party themes – the 5th Birthday includes a storming five year retrospective of the best hard tunes. We hear Ed Real will be incorporating into his set requests from CK clubbers for their fave tunes, whereas your closing set will be an exclusive five year ToolBox set – can you tell us a bit more about that?

Well I am really looking forward to closing the birthday bash and playing my fav Toolbox tracks from the past 5 years! There are so many to choose from, but you can guarantee it will feature tracks from CK residents and guests! I will try and squeeze in as many as possible too so expect material from Nik Denton, Paul Maddox, James Nardi, Munkjack, Tim Stokes, Dave Owens, Justin Bourne and many more! I guess you will just have to come and listen..

Hot on the heels of the much acclaimed, Vigilante with Tom Parr (due for release on Volatile NRG at the end of the month and Shake It Up due for release on Toolbox this month too) you’ve been in the studio again with both Tom and recently Paul Maddox, what gems have you got to share and what are your 2008 production plans?

Well, we have ‘Rattlebrain’ which will be released on Toolbox later in the year. It is a tough groovier number, which is the follow up to ‘Shake It Up’. And then there is brand new ‘Diva, which is with Tom Parr and the gorgeous DJ Elle which has just been signed to Adam M's label Oktane. Future plans include working with the infamous Riggsy - it has been far too long since we worked together so hoping we can cook up another classic to follow up the CK anthem ‘Intruder Alert’. And goes without saying, Nik and I will also be working together in the near future too!

I hear Ben Stevens has included one of your tunes on the latest Tidy Weekender CD. How did that feel?

It is the opening track! Very happy about that. Ben is a good boy, he has been playing it for months so was very keen to use it on the Live TW14 album. I found a YouTube clip of him live at TW14 and when it started playing, it was ‘Shake It Up’ - with lazers!

Which DJs and producers are floating your boats right now? Who stands out for you as taking the scene forward?

Ok well this is always a hard one but consistency is the key for me so…

Firstly production wise it would be Tom Parr. Every track I love from the off, the tunes he makes are me through and through. He was massive for me last year and will be massive again for me this year. Paul Glazby and Paul Maddox’s material is also top notch. Look at tracks like Megatron - forthcoming on Vicious Circle. Those guys are so ahead of their time. Really enjoying Tim Stokes at the moment too, he has some quality stuff coming out on Toolbox.

And DJ wise, I always keep an eye on the newbies so I have seen Adam M a few times and he is fantastic. Full of energy and a lot of his own material, which is great. I am also partial to a bit of prawn so have to give JT & Mixin and the whole P.A.S boys a mention as they are also doing great things.

Word is you’re involved in the development of the much anticipated - CyberKitten Digital Recordings! When can we expect this to launch?

Ooh well yes I am and I am not sure how much I would like to give away at this stage but very exciting indeed. One thing I can tell you is that it will be full on CK style including brand new productions from CK residents and guests, that’s all your getting!

Do you have anymore Lucy Fur mixes planned we can look forward to?

Plenty - I am hoping the KISS FM mix will be available for download albeit it being a short mix. And of course the Toolbox V2 album is out at the end of April so that will keep the Fur fans happy for a while! I would love to do a new one later in the year with all new material (hopefully my own) we shall see how I get on.

I think you are in quite a unique position being managed by Red which is headed up by Kate Hammond and resident at CyberKitten which of course has Yojo at the helm with Col. As a female in the Industry how’s your experiences been from when you started to the position you are in now as arguably the Queen of Filthy beats?

Luckily I have always had respect from the people I have worked with, especially in recent years. It could be my professionally attitude to what I do, so people know I mean business. In the early days, I remember going to a gig with DJ Elle and the promoter said he couldn’t pay me and would sort it another time. I do feel he was taking the mickey out of me as I was a girl on my own at the time - I never had that kind of problem when my husband was with me!

Favourite place you’ve visited?

I am very lucky to have been to many beautiful places. It has to be the Maldives though. It is like a picture perfect postcard. I went a few years ago and really would love to return. Funnily enough though, the fish used to freak me out as there are so many of them in the water. I tried snorkelling one day, saw a reef shark and I never went back in! Stuck to the pool.

What do you do to relax etc?

Relax? What’s that? I love travelling so try to get as much in as possible. But if it is a weekend off clubbing/Djing, then bottle of wine at home with my gorgeous husband and cats is preferable! I miss spending time at home really, I'm not in enough as it is!

Umbrella or getting wet in the rain?

I'm not good with brolly’s, they always blow away in the wind and I look like a right comedy act trying to save it! So, I’m going with hood up!

Cats or dogs?

You don’t need to ask me this really! CATS! Everytime. I have four and am a proud cat fan. They are Fifi, Little Fi (daughter of FiFi), Simba and Tink. They are my substitute babies until I have my real ones!

Italian or Indian?

This is a very hard question. Going to have to be Italian (plus I can cook a mean Italian from home but clueless when it comes to curry!) My fav dishes being simple things like Spaghetti and Meatballs!

Yum - I've had a mean spaghetti & meatball dinner at chez Fur!
Krug, Clos du Mesnil 1995 or Russian Stolichnaya Elit?

Champers all the way baby!

Pearl from the Fur Book Of Wisdom?

Live life to the full as you never know when your time is coming!

Thanks lovely lady! Catch Lucy Fur at CyberKitten's 5th birthday at Fever in Northampton on April 25th. Click here for limited advance tickets from Ticket Web. MWAH x