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Features
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| 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! | | 'The Maestro that is Tristan talks barn owls, Shazamming and keeping it Psychedelic ahead of his upcoming performance at the Tribal Village 4 Day Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! | | DJ talk with Psyrenzo ahead of his debut set at Tribal Village, the Steelyard this Friday 14th January 2022! | | TENZO aka Overdrive talks freely about launching his new act which will be showcased at Tribal Village, Steelyard on 14 January 2022! | | A long overdue catch up with JourneyOM ahead of his next Tribal Village party this Friday 14th January 2022 at the Steelyard, London! | | Goa based party animal and artist extraordinaire Nirmal talks punk concerts, metal sculptures, flying and rippin' it up on a High Tide! | | DJ Wired talks to us about the Rise of the Hope and parties, ahead of his upcoming set at Tribal Village on 14th January 2022! |
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Double Interview with Ed Real
Reported by Olly Perris and Tom Allen
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Submitted 05-04-04 16:45
It's been a huge 6 months for producer, DJ and promoter Ed Real. After quitting his A&R position at Nukleuz records, he's played the warm up set for number one DJ in the world Tiësto at this year's Mobile Home in Sydney, started new online label Trackitdown.net, been signed to management company Extreme and of course continued promotion of the hugely popular Riot! which celebrates it's 3rd Birthday this weekend. What better time to have a few words with him as Tom Allen & Olly Perris ask the questions in our tag team interview...
Olly: Your new massive venture, which is a subject of hot debate on the web forums entitled TrackItDown, is a new digital downloads site. I understand that you're going to be working with people such as Jon Rundell and BK for this. Briefly tell us what this is all about and what the aims for the company are?
Ed: Trackitdown.net is going to be the first community-based digital download site. We want to use our service to bring like-minded underground dance music fans together in an environment that's the opposite of the the sterile e-commerce model pioneered by itunes and co. Our portal is going to be run for the people on the dancefloor by the people on the dancefloor and will contain news and interviews about dance music-related subjects as well as the definitive collection of music on MP3 format. We're going to be filming behind the scenes at events and following DJ's on the road and getting specially commisioned mixes by leading players from the world's of drum and bass, techno, breaks, hard dance, trance etc. It's a really exciting project and we're looking at kicking off proceedings in a months time. Watch this space!
Olly: Do you feel therefore that MP3 downloads are therefore the way forward for record labels and may become a massive player in the near future?
Ed: Dance labels haven't really altered their business model for 15 years. They sign or create music that's aimed at DJ's and released on 12" without really considering that a) a lot of these DJ's overseas can't get hold of their vinyl because of poor distribution or b) the people on the dancefloor who are dancing to this music might not own a set of decks to play the vinyl on!
We want to take the music released by labels into the homes and workplaces of their potential costomers and make the whole process of getting hold of music a lot easier. Trackitdown will also be running label profiles, interviews and details that record companies and artists don't often have the chance to communicate. This will mean that they get a shot at letting their fans know what's going down and the dance community gets a chance to make more informed decisions when it come to collecting music.
Ed Real at Wildchild
Tom:: Who else is behind the label and what are they bringing to the table?
Ed: Trackitdown.net works as a label in some respects but more like a distributor in others. However, we have brought on board people such as myself, Jon Rundell and BK who have a really broad knowledge in the fields of label management, distribution, production and performance so that we can offer a first class service to all the labels who are coming on board.
Tom:: Which music genres are going to be represented on the site?
Ed: The plan is to represent all underground dance music sub-genres from hardcore to lounge music and everything in between. We’re gonna be the clued up independent record shop to itunes’ Woolworths!
Tom:: Which labels do you have signed up to use the service?
Ed: We are signing up the biggest labels in all genres.
Tom:: Will you impose any restrictions on labels wishing to use the service (i.e. vetting)?
Ed: Not really, if we have the bandwidth we will take the material. Whilst a label might not sell as well as something else here in the UK, it might have a fan base in Japan so we don’t want to judge music from our geographical perspective. Let the people decide!
Playing the last track at the Frantic Valentine's Ball
Tom:: Presumably the concept of an online only digital label come up during your time as label manager at Nukleuz Records - obviously you can't talk too much about this but presumably you could have seen through the idea there rather than set up your own business - why the choice?
Ed: I would have loved to have taken the ideas that I had further at Nukleuz as I spent nearly 6 years working to make that label the best thing since sliced bread but it wasn’t to be! however, because of the blood, sweat and tears that I gave the company over the years I’ll always want to bring them on board with anything like this and in fact we want them to be a big part of our plans with Trackitdown.net
Tom:: Do you anticipate the tracks being available on trackitdown.net before they appear in vinyl form on the labels that you have signed up?
Ed: It depends on the labels and is possible that a scene like psy trance whose DJ’s play CD’s and minidisks rather than vinyl will dispense with the 12" format altogether. If you want your music to appear in the homes of fans all over the world and particularly in places that have no vinyl stores (think India, Thailand, South Africa, South America) then our method of digital distribution will offer the answer to your needs. We are more than blessed to have the best infrastructure for the distribution and consumption of dance music in the world here in the UK, but at the moment there are regular raves for 20,000+ people in places like Brazil but no record stores! Is the demand for music to listen to less over there? The answer is no.
Tom:: Do you also anticipate operating as a label and signing up artists directly?
Ed: We will be initially acting as a distributor for material signed to other labels. However, we are pioneering on-line DJ mixes which will be compiled by some of the leading lights in individual genres and then we will be acting as a record company as these mixes will be 100% legit and everyone involved will be getting paid by us.
On the Thames with RiverDance
Tom:: How much are you going to charge per download? Will all tracks cost the same? Why that particular price point?
Ed: We are going to charge £1.50 per track and they will cost the same. Trackitdown.net is a bespoke service operating on a different model to the major companies and we can continue to stay in business if we charge this amount. Once you take out taxes, credit card charges, insurance against fraud and other overheads you’re not left with very much! However, we are looking after our suppliers first and foremost; they will get the equivalent to the money they would earn from a track on a 12" and will not be underselling their music.
Tom:: What formats will the downloads be offered in? Will you be offered the possibility of having your copy burnt to CD?
Ed: 192kbps MP3 format. Yes.
Tom:: Will you offer artwork with the download so that those with CD printers can print off labels for their CDR's?
Ed: Yup, we will be offering you the chance to have the artwork for the release you have downloaded.
Tom:: And the big question... piracy. How are you going to assuage label’s piracy fears and tackle the issue when your tracks are being shared around P2P networks?
Ed: We will be applying the DRM system that works. At the moment, every desirable track from every artist on the planet is available on the net right now. However, you are going to get poor quality versions or a virus or a letter from the BPI asking you to come to court if you continue to share files. Illegal downloading of music by independent artists on small labels who are just about affording to stay in business means that the amount of new music you love becoming available will gradually become less and less as these guys will go out of business. So, Trackitdown.net is offering high-quality music, that’s easy to access, virus free and cheap as chips. The largest proportion of money raised is going to the labels and artists so they can continue to make music and develop new talent and keep you on the dancefloor every weekend. If you don’t understand that then you deserve that Trojan virus that’s being distributed via P2P right now!
Ed at Riot!
Tom:: Finally, when's the launch date for the label?
Ed: We’re looking at starting to roll in a months time.
Tom:: As well as leaving your job at Nukleuz, you've also left the Nukleuz DJs Agency and moved to 'Extreme', the management company run by Most Wanted. What was the driver behind that move? What can Extreme offer that Nukleuz currently can't?
Ed: They say that a change is as good as a rest. 2004 is about managing my DJ career and pushing the frontiers of what I can achieve. At Extreme I am one of three high-calibre artists on the agency and statistically getting a higher amount of attention. A agent works with the tools they are given and both have proved themselves over the years but I have to get what’s best suited for me.
Olly: You're now the promoter of one of the most successful hard house nights in the country, Riot!, voted Mixmag's #1 club twice last year. Again for those who don't know, briefly tell us who is behind the scenes at Riot! and who does what?
Ed: I started Riot! three years ago with enormous assistance from the management The End and we're still in partnership today! A lot of people have helped over the years and it's time they took a bow! So special thanks goes to TC, Nolan, Mandy, Ignition DJ's, Rhiannon, Little Real, Anna, Lucy, Baz, BK, Danny G, Danny D, Lisa Porter, Harderfaster, 4Clubbers, Gurn, Clubithard, Rumble, Ali, Matty, Piers, Jacky, Reece, Gem, Will Patterson, Gav DD, Cheshire crew, Wayne & Joel, Dave X, Mixmag, DJ, TNT, Metro, Time Out, Most Wanted, Bob and Big Pete and the rest of you nutters!
Olly: Whats your secret for Riot! success? How do you manage to fill the dancefloors and what advice would you give to new promoters looking to start new promotions?
Ed: Keep plugging away and try to do something different! We are in a lucky position in as much as we don't clash with other events, so that promoters and DJ's feel comfortable coming down to hang out. When we do unfortunately clash though, the fact that we are offering the best line-up playing hard and funky house on the legendary Thunder Ridge sound system with some of the biggest mentalists on the planet in attendence normally helps our cause - accept no substitutes! ;-) Easter Sunday we have Dom Sweeten, who is the most popular hard dance producer of the last six months making his debut alongside BK and Andy Farley - the people who made house hard - and myself and Danny playing the anthems that made Riot! the best party in London! Oh, and we have world class talent in the form of Jon Rundell, Sharp Boys, Cheshire Catz and the mighty Ignitions!
Olly: You've had some amazing parties over in Holland with the HQ group and have had big Dutch DJs such as Danny D & JP play at Riot! Are there any further plans to continue this connection?
Ed: We are talking about putting together a mega-rave in Amsterdam towards the end of the year. As you might have read from their interview here, the guys from HQ/UDC do the biggest events on the planet and it's something that I would obviously like to see happen. It's early days and perhaps it will take a different form so watch this space! You'll be the first to hear about it if it happens!
Tom: It's Riot's third birthday this Easter Sunday (April 11th). What do you have lined up for the birthday celebrations?
Ed: It’s going to be a vintage Riot! on Easter Sunday! Andy Farley and BK are enough to rock anyone’s world, but then you add the debut appearance of Dom Sweeten, producer extraordinaire, myself & Gilligan having it off with some of the biggest classics from our three years on patrol at Riot!, Jon Rundell doing his chunky warm-up business and then Sharp Boys, Cheshire Catz and Ignition DJ’s in the best funky room in London and you got sex on a stick! All the old faces from our last three years are going to be coming along so it’s going to be like a massive house-party that just happens to be in the best venue of it’s size in the UK! AND all for £6 if you’re a member and only £8 on the door if you’re not!!!!
Riot is 3!
Olly: It's no secret now that you have plans for hard dance domination since leaving Nukleuz which are slowly being leaked into the public eye. One which maybe no-one has heard of yet is the new record label, Riot Records. Who is behind this label and which key producers do you have behind the scenes?
Ed: Well one of the things I wanted to do when I had 'more time' after leaving Nukleuz was write some music! I have been DJing for 9 years in clubs and collecting records for much longer and it drove me crazy not to be able to have the time to get into the studio. Apart from the first track I wrote when I left (Ed Real & The Coalition '20,000 Hardcore Members'), which was written specifically with Tidy in mind, the plan is to release everything myself and my crew produce on our own label. This is simply because I've spent the last 6 years managing the most successful independent of the time and with the profile of Riot! events in the scene, it makes sense to keep it in house.
Olly: When is the first release of Riot Records going to hit the shelves?
Ed: I'm hoping that we're gonna have something on vinyl by the end of May. We're not going to rush things as we want to release quality over quantity. It's going to be badass that's for certain!
Tom:: Will you be shutting up shop for summer this year as per usual? If so, what's the last Riot! date for our diaries?
We will be rocking down the house on 30th May which is going to be our 4th year *shock horror* doing the legendary bank holiday throwdown before we take a break in June and return refreshed at the end of July for some more mid-summer madness!
Tom:: Any last words for our readers?
A weekend wasted is never a wasted weekend.
Thanks to Ed for that in depth interview. Don't forget to check out Riot!'s 3rd Birthday on 11th April 2004 featuring BK, Farley & Dom Sweeten and also keep checking back www.trackitdown.net for news on the massive launch in approximately 1 months time! 
 Thanks to pink kitty, Joeyxx, Amy & Anders for the use of images
Riot!
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On:
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Sunday 11th April 2004
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At:
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The End [map]
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From:
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3pm - 10pm
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Cost:
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Members £6 all day / £8 Non-Members on the door
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Website:
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www.riotinlondon.com
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More:
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For the last three years, Riot! has been rocking sunday afternoons at london's legendary hotspot the end. reknown for it's mix of gay, straight, hardcore and trendy, riot! has blazed a trail through the world's party capital to reach near legendary status amongst the clubbing fraternity. it's the place dj's and promoters go to dance and has won accolades from ravers and media alike. so come and join in the party on easter bank holiday sunday - and prepare to go hard!
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Flyer:
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 - 
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Acid Trance. Hard Trance. Tech Trance. Nu NRG. Hi NRG. House. Deep House. Funky House. Hard House. Prog House. Tribal House. US House. Vocal House. Deep Techno. Funky Techno. Techno.
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DJ's:
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Hard Dance Heaven; BK, Andy Farley, Ed Real B2b Danny Gilligan (riot! Classics Set), Dom Sweeten (od404, Base Grafitti, Defective Audio), Jon Rundell
Bar Riot!; Sharp Boys, Cheshire Catz, Ignition Dj's; Tom Real & Matt Williams
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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.
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Comments:
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From: Danny Gilligan on 5th Apr 2004 22:40.35
bo selecta mate u legend!
From: Stevi D on 5th Apr 2004 22:41.51
Yo Eddddddddddddddddddddie, damn you got some fine lines coming out here bro!! i read this just before bed time & im f*cking sweating. I can go on about ur bad ass style forever, but i'll leave it up for the punters.Your a true legend & i've told you this 100 x's, i love ur sh*t!!"
From: littlemissgenki on 6th Apr 2004 03:31.03
love your work babe great interview tom & olly
From: Richard Launch on 6th Apr 2004 09:31.10
Nice one mate! Bring on Riot on Sunday.
From: Lizzie Curious on 6th Apr 2004 10:06.42
I'm Sure track it down will be a great success and look forward to hearing more Rave Baron Real tuneage this year!
nice one bruvva!!
From: Shaun on 6th Apr 2004 10:55.10
Quality event and looks to be a quality website -cant wait for its launch! 
From: House Mouse on 6th Apr 2004 12:17.59
What can I say, you da man!
From: Craig Paxton on 6th Apr 2004 12:25.56
As always, big Ted is pioneering the way ahead for the Hard Dance scene. Long may it continue mate and I wish you all the best of luck. Not that you're going to need it.. 
From: Gordan on 6th Apr 2004 12:31.45
Noice leg work Ed!
Hope to catch up on Sunday mate
From: djcheekee on 6th Apr 2004 12:38.58
brilliant interview. ed you deserve the success hope it goes well. PS can i have another signed record
From: Dan Cheshire Cat on 6th Apr 2004 13:05.51
Thanks for the Cheshire props Big Real, see you Sunday - put the champagne on ice! BO
From: Toilet on 6th Apr 2004 13:29.49
Excellent interview!
From: onthebass on 7th Apr 2004 12:53.53
Congats Ed on pushing dace music to all 4 corners of this planet. Great ambassador for hard dance.
Great interview
From: Donna Birt on 7th Apr 2004 13:37.28
Keep it Real..... nice one babe, all the best with everything that you do.
From: V.J. FX on 7th Apr 2004 15:01.23
Good luck Ed in all you do
From: benz on 7th Apr 2004 18:55.31
Bastards, pissed all over my Gurn review........
From: Maria on 9th Apr 2004 10:43.26
This is the REAL Man...See you on Sunday!!!
From: dani d on 10th Apr 2004 02:58.45
Good luck in all you do Ed,we know that u don't play just music,u are playing with music,all the best from the romanian crowd and KEEP IT RIOT!
From: scottie-nye on 10th Apr 2004 19:27.06
never met the chap, but a big thumbs up, the website sounds like an awesome idea and could just be the shot in the arm the "underground" dance mucis industry has been looking for
From: Anja on 12th Apr 2004 10:27.11
Good work Ed, look forward to hearing you in Melbourne next month @ BPM, jamone!
From: pink kitty on 13th Apr 2004 19:19.01
From: HouseGuy on 15th Apr 2004 12:35.25
Saw you at Chemistry Easter Ball, great set, you were wicked!!!
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