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Features Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022!

Interview with Carl Nicholson Reported by tom / Submitted 23-10-02 14:53 The name Carl Nicholson is most familiar to London clubbers for his work with the Tony de Vit trust in putting on the annual TdV Memorials, though he's played at countless clubs around the country including the Glastonbury Festival in front of 8,000 people. His name is increasingly being seen on London flyers so we thought it was time to have a word... Background HarderFaster: Carl, you've been on the scene since 1994... what first got you into DJing ? Carl Nicholson: It was actually my step-brother that got me into mixing, early 90’s he used to play rare groove & hardcore, and whenever him and his girlfriend “disappeared” for an hour I used to jump on with his records! That was until he could spot my special type of “Wild horse’s” style of mixing and then I was promptly ejected from my post!!! HF: Up until recently you were resident at Gifted at Reading club 'The Matrix' - what was the story behind the closure of that venue ? CN: Well, you probably all heard about the shooting at a garage event there, I don’t think that it could have restored confidence in the time it would have needed to survive. Last thing someone wants when out enjoying themselves is to be scared someone may start waving a gun around. Not big and not clever ! HF: How would you describe your style of playing ? CN: Uplifting, Driving, Energetic and Tough HardDance/Trance!! HF: When you played at Glastonbury how big a crowd were you playing to ? What was that experience like ? CN: I played to about 8,000 people after Scott Bond in the Dance Tent, last set on the opening night. I hadn’t had much experience at festivals, so needless to say, it was amazing ! TdV HF: When and where did you first see Tony de Vit perform and what was your impression of him then ? CN: First time I saw Tony in the flesh was a party at the old strawberry sundae venue “Cloud 9” at a party called “Minky Pinky” in 94. He was playing the 12midnight set and he was running late, so I went on while we were waiting for him. He turned up about 10 minutes late which meant I had only put 2 tunes on, he realised this and asked me to play another 2 while he stood and watched, I’ve never been so frightened in all my life ! From then on I was Tony de Vit’s No 1 Fan... HF: What was so special about Tony that made him so widely revered ? CN: He was a natural pioneer, when he was playing he commanded a kind of spiritual respect from the crowd, he didn’t mean to do it, it just happened when he came on. And when he came off he always made sure he made time for the people that had paid to see him play, he had a few minutes for all!! Unlike some of the DJ’s who walked round with their heads shoved up there bums, Tony always remained firmly on the ground, and that’s how he became the “Peoples DJ”!! HF: How did your involvement with the TdV trust and the Memorials start ? CN: I sort of met Tony a few times before he died, when this happened I needed to have a week off work I was so cut up. I Travelled up to Kidderminister (Birmingham) on my own to go to his funeral, got there and sung “Lord of the Dance” which was a very emotional moment, and then came back. A year or so later I went to Trade’s 10th Birthday and met Tony’s dad Ray, we seemed to hit it off straight away!! After a year or so, Ray, Myself and my Girlfriend went to Ibiza for a holiday, one afternoon we was talking about the tributes that had been done and how not much had been made for charity in the process, and I suggested we do the first London TDV Memorial. He agreed and I got in touch with Wayne Fevah and offered them the opportunity to do it, and it all stemmed from there. HF: Do you and Fevah plan to hold the Memorial as an annual event ? If so, what do you have planned for 2003 ? CN: The Memorial is an annual event held by the TDV trust & Fevah in London, we are also holding a series of Tribute nights including annual ones by Sinergy in Manchester (7th Feb 03 @ The North Nightclub, Manchester) and Babydoll in Ireland, and also not forgetting Sundissential which I think is being held in Leeds before Christmas. I am resident for all of these, but only get paid a nominal fee as they are charity events and for a good cause, not lining promoters pockets!! HF: Was it particularly difficult to get hold of Fergie to play at this year's event ? CN: It was a bit of a nightmare at first because his management company were not being very forthcoming with information, but once Jayne (Tonys Sister) had got a hold of Fergie, it was all sorted. Productions HF: You're collaboration with James Lawson, 'Times Like These', has recently been released on Nukleuz - how did that track come about, was it your original creation or did you and James go into the studio together with a blank sheet of paper? CN: “Times Like These” was originally my creation, I found the Riff, Lead Synth, Vocal & FX. James main input was the programming, bassline, percussion & engineering although full credit to James, as I couldn’t have got it sounding so good on my own. So there you have it, LORD LAWSON “YOU ARE A GOD!!” HF: Where and when was 'Times Like These' produced ? CN: It was made over a couple of months, we went in for 2 days originally, didn’t get it quite finished, so went back in for another day and there it was. HF: Where does the sample used in the track come from ? CN: I think it came from New Jack City, wicked film. HF: Are there any other tracks that you're working on at the moment ? CN: I’m going back in November with James for our follow-up, and have just had “Burning Bridgez” signed up and should be out in a few months. Hopefully should be doing some work with Steve Blake, Ali Wilson, Spencer Freeland & Phil Reynolds next year. The Future HF: After a period of absence on the London scene you're increasingly been seen on flyers around the Capital - what's the reason for this, is it a conscious decision by you to get more play time here ? CN: Well when I left the London scene 2 years ago, I was at my peak!! I was regularly playing Fabric, Heaven, Camden Palace to name a few and felt that after 7 years I needed a break, and spread my wings to the South Coast. There I played alongside every major in the book, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, Darren Emerson and Lisa Lashes which raised my profile loads, but in the end I got homesick and had to come back to finish what I had started ! HF: What gigs do you have lined up to play in the near future ? CN: In the pipeline I’ve got Sinergy(Manchester), Sundissential North, Timeless, Tidy London, Fevah plus not forgetting the smaller partys like Rush, Milk, Ground Zero etc. HF: What ambitions do you have left that you would most like to achieve as a DJ and Producer ? CN: The only ambition I have left is to play the main room at Turnmills. When the Gallery first started I was a regular and used to stand in the box with Steve Lee and dream “One Day I Will!!!” I've been in talks with Heat recently so you never know, that may actually happen! HF: Which DJs still inspire you in the scene today ? CN: Anyone who plays from the heart, and dances along with the crowd! That is one of my trademarks, when I’m getting into it you know cause I’m arms and legs all over the place going ballistic!!! General HF: What has been the most enjoyable set you've played and why ? CN: The most enjoyable was the TDV 2001 Memorial, 3500 people and my mum & stepdad!! None of my family had ever seen me play before let alone to all them people, the last tune I played was (instru)mental, check the photo that was taken at the end of the drop, nice!!! HF: What's the strangest request that's ever been made to you in a DJ box (keep it clean ) CN: I once had a friend of mine who was a real life white witch, one day she came into the DJ box with a stool and a washing up bowl full of water, sat down, and started peeling potatoes, when I asked why she was doing it she replied “I LIKE CHIPS!!!”, and carried on peeling, strange!!! HF: What are your top 3 dance tracks of all time ? CN: 1)Tony De Vit – The Dawn (Tidy) 2)DJ Mind X – Nightingale (Harem) 3)Warriors of Love – Somebody Scream (Liquid) With thanks to Carl for his time. Carl Nicholson's new website is now up on www.carlnicholson.com and will shortly be updated with downloadable demos, news and reviews. Share this :: : : : Follow HarderFaster :: Other Features By tom: Interview with Guffy Interview with Energy Dai Interview with Tara Reynolds Interview with Anne Savage Interview with James Lawson The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable. Comments: From: V.J. 2012FX on 28th Oct 2002 00:16.17 And He is a very nice guy tons of fun to be round a good sense of humor and that will be £20 please mate From: dazzer on 28th Oct 2002 12:30.51 Add your own comments about this feature here ! will someone make this bloke famous From: Ali Storm on 28th Oct 2002 16:56.00 Cupid will try!!!!!!!!!! or it will probaly be Times like these!!!! From: Eamonn on 31st Oct 2002 10:00.34 Add your own comments about this feature here ! Probably the hardest working dj I have meet, Load of drive and enthusiasm,and one hell of a dude to get on it with. Remember Ibiza Carl!! From: chris vincent on 8th Nov 2002 14:43.02 Legend! - top quality dj and bloke! - speak soon mate.

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