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Interview with Pierre Pienaar aka P.H.A.T.T.
Reported by Olly Perris
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Submitted 28-06-06 19:56
Once again, the scene has produced another young prodigy. 22 year old Pierre Pienaar, aka P.H.A.T.T and ReBirth has been responsible for producing and engineering some of the biggest hard dance/hard trance tracks of recent times, perhaps most notably ‘Global Panic’ with Alf Bamford on Tidy Trax and ‘Levitation’ on Monster Tunes. Getting into a scene focused almost entirely upon the UK when you’re based in the deepest darkest depths of Africa — Pierre actually hails from Windhoek, Namibia — is no easy thing. But he has cracked the scene and on the eve of his first ever UK tour, I caught up with Pierre to find out just what exactly makes this man tick.
Firstly, before we get down to the questions, just tell us how on earth your surname is pronounced! I’ve heard many humorous attempts in the past but never heard it said from the man himself — do enlighten us!
Haha, I’ve heard it being pronounced in numerous different ways. John Peel (R.I.P) was the first person which pronounced it correctly over the radio. You say it like ‘Pee-nahr’.
That’s that out of the way! Down to business. Now you hail from Windhoek, Namibia, which is particularly striking given that your sound is firmly based upon that of the UK’s hard trance sound. How did you come about getting into UK hard trance living so far away?
I first got into hard trance through listening to European producers like Dumonde and Cosmic Gate, then progressively I start going into the harder side of things and got into the sounds of BK, Nick Sentience, Mauro Picotto etc. How I got there is basically through the power of the internet, it makes the world seem small and it opens you up to a lot more. Nowadays I wouldn’t describe my sound as UK hard trance though as I mix elements from different styles, borrowing from the European sound and throwing in some UK sounds for energy.
Do you feel therefore that the internet has had an entirely positive effect on the music industry?
Like anything there’s always 2 sides to the coin. It is a good way for upcoming producers/djs to get their foot into the door and to get their music heard and get contacts in the industry. Unfortunately it does have the negative side that piracy has become a lot easier and there’s also the whole band-wagon aspect where a dj/producer is good when he starts out and once he/she starts getting a bigger name someone might decide they don’t like them anymore and people have a tendency to hop on message boards and join in on the slating.
You produced perhaps your biggest hit to date, ‘Global Panic’, entirely across the internet with Technikal which was released on Tidy Trax in 2005 and has since gone onto have been one of Tidy’s most popular releases in recent times. How exactly did this relationship work technically? Did it slow down the creative process?
Not at all . . . in fact, it works better for me that way. That way you don’t stop each other’s creativity flows and you can experiment in your own time. Usually the way we work is that Alf will do a riff and send it over to me, then I’ll do a rough track around the riff or make changes to it if needed and get the basic arrangement and feel of the track down. Then I’ll send it back to Alf and he’ll add some more elements and changes and usually send it back to me for the final touch ups and mastering. It’s actually a very quick process. It helps that Alf and I click well on musical aspects and that’s what makes it such a pleasure to work with the charming pommie!
Did you envisage at the time ‘Global Panic’ being quite as big as it turned out to be?
When we finished it I did have that feeling of “Yes . . . this will work on a dancefloor!” However, I couldn’t anticipate how big and well-known the track became. Having people in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa chant ‘Global Panic’ when it got dropped at sets from myself and Alf was just an amazing feeling and it was all nicely rounded off when the release entered the UK dance charts at the number 10 spot, something which I would never have expected at all.
Under the name ‘P.H.A.T.T.’ you have released a slew of material most notably on World Of Trance, Monster Tunes and the recently rejuvenated Nukleuz Records. Where did the name ‘P.H.A.T.T’ originate from and why did you decide to use it as a pseudonym for your more powerful, but commercially accessible trance music?
I’ve been asked about the name various times and unfortunately I’ve still not come up with an exciting or mildly interesting answer for it haha ! I’ve certainly seen a few creative suggestions on message boards though! When I was still producing for the Alphamagic stable I did a track that was a bit different and had more trance elements in than the other songs I was releasing under the ReBirth alias. They asked me to come up with another artist name to release it under and I just though that it’s a bigger, fuller sound and that the basslines shake a floor, so decided that P.H.A.T.T. will be an appropriate name because of the ‘phatt’ sounds in the productions. Yes yes I know . . . . not very clever!
You have also produced under the name ‘ReBirth’ for banging hard dance output, notching up some killer tracks and remixes, most notably ‘R U Afraid’, a staple track of Phil Reynolds’ sets for a number of months, and the recent smash ‘Are You Entertained?’ Are you planning on making any more tracks in this style or is it trance all the way from now on?
I’ll never limit myself to just one style. I’m a producer by trade and making music is firstly my life and secondly my job. I’ll always be venturing into new genres as I like to challenge myself. I have drifted away from the banging hard dance material for the last year or so as I was held busy with my P.H.A.T.T. project and more recently other trance projects with prolific producers and labels. My next, and possibly last ReBirth track due for release is called ‘50 000 Watts’ and is scheduled to go on Resolve Recordings. It’s a hard dance track that has the feel and style of hard house from the 2000 era, a full on tough offbeat bassline with hoover stabs and a hard riff. It oozes pure energy without being able to be classed as ‘filth’, which is the direction I feel the scene should’ve stayed in. Just because a track is hard doesn’t mean it has to be badly produced.
You’ve worked with some brilliant vocalists, including Kate Smith on ‘Worlds Apart’, soon to be released on Nukleuz, and JoBabe on the remix of ‘Follow Me Away.’ Do you feel that vocals in trance add more of a hook to a record or are they purely there to increase the records commercial market potential?
The commercial aspect is a big part of it, yes, however, I do feel you have to be selective of how and when to use it, and it should work with the track. Take ‘Global Panic’ for instance. There’s no vocal in it, yet it did better commercially than a lot of other tracks in the same style which did have vocals. On the other side though classic trance tracks like ‘Silence’ and ‘As The Rush Comes’ had vocals which was used well. I always feel it’s best to release a vocal and instrumental version of a track because you’re never going to get everyone to like one version, so why limit your market when you can have both?
Would you ever consider writing a track in the Ian van Dahl vein to make your millions, or do you believe that credible output is the only way to expand as a producer?
Credibility is a term which means something different to various people. Just because a producer goes and produces a pop song for Britney Spears, does it mean they lose their credibility? People have to remember that at the end of the day as much as it is done for the love of music, it is also in fact your bread and butter. I would never produce something that I didn’t want to, or that I’m not happy with. I listen to a very broad range of music and am open-minded about it. I can listen to anything from Mozart to Marilyn Manson and appreciate it. So yes, I would do something in the vain of Ian van Dahl, Lasgo, Milk Inc etc., as there are elements in some of their tracks that is actually good. However it won’t be money motivating me to do it, I’ll do it because I’d want to.
You’re hitting England for your first tour in July, playing at a number of top nights including Riot! and the legendary Addiction Boat Party. Have you been clubbing here before? Did you enjoy it?
I studied in the UK so yeah I have been clubbing there and yes I loved it. There’s absolutely no comparison to the clubbing in the UK and over here. We just don’t have it here in Namibia, it’s pretty much unheard of, so it’ll be nice to see people up for it on the UK dancefloors!
You recently lived in Scotland to complete an Audio Engineering course. If you find the tour to be a roaring success for you, would you consider permanently moving to the UK to pursue your career?
Yes, in fact I’ve actually been trying to move over to the UK ever since I got back, however it’s not as easy as working permits and regulations make it tough for me to just go over. Career-wise it’ll just make so much more sense for me, especially if I want to push my djing more.
Which gig over here are you particularly excited about and for what reason?
I’m equally excited about them all, Twisted Riot! will probably be the biggest one and I have been to The Fridge before for the HDAs so it’ll be great to play there, but then Tranzaction in Cornwall will be amazing as well and so will playing Inspiration at SeOne. ‘Avin It will be great as I’ve never been to Bristol before and there will be a lot of people that I know coming up to see me play there . . . the trip to get there with Trevor Mclachlan should be a good one as well! The Addiction Boat Party will be a total first for me and Jennie Rix will be doing a live PA with me, which will be fantastic. All-in-all I’m looking forward to a great time and I hope that the people going to the events will have just as good a time!
Finally, what new material can we expect from you soon? Do you have anything in the pipeline which you’d like to shout to the world about?
Yes there’s quite a few. Firstly ‘Worlds Apart’, which is due for release on the 10th of July on Nukleuz. My collaboration with Shaun M called ‘African Dream’ is also due for release very soon on Tranzlation. I’ve also been getting a lot of remix work, including BK — ‘POS 51’ on Nukleuz, Lost Witness — ‘The Best’ on World Of Trance and Ralph Novell — ‘Majestic’ on Waterworld Recordings amongst others.
Then I’ve also signed off my first melodic trance track to Trancetribe Recordings. It’s called ‘Broken Angel’ and it’ll be released under ‘Pierre Pienaar & Jennie Rix.’ An upcoming collaboration with Si Paul from Lost Witness is also in the pipeline and I’ll also be collaborating with a certain armadillo alien for a follow up track. Keep an eye on my website (www.pierre-pienaar.com) to stay updated!
Thanks to Pierre for the photos. Not to be reproduced without permission.
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Other Features By Olly Perris:
Addiction @ Hidden preview: interview with Sean Tyas
Interview with Ian H & Matt B of Momentum
From a young gun to an industry lion: Heat/HF Xmas Payback(2back) Party preview with Spencer Freeland
Party techno, party music, party animal! The lowdown on hard dance’s newest prodigy, Jamie Taylor
The birth of a new label: talking Tekelec with Ali Wilson
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: Gregology on 28th Jun 2006 21:23.15
Nice one Pierre! See you on the boat party.
From: Andy T on 28th Jun 2006 21:32.16
mate I new you were from Namibia but didn't know thats where 'Windhoek' lager came from ! When I was in SA it was all I drank for two weeks  
The 15th is going to rock ! Can't wait to hear all your fantastic tracks in one set, and to jear Jen sing 'Eternal' live is simply going to be the nutts 
See you tomorrow !
From: JennieRix on 28th Jun 2006 22:38.18
Yay wicked interview hun, good stuff, cant wait for the boat and to catch up xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From: Pierre Pienaar on 28th Jun 2006 23:07.31
Gregology : Wikkid mate, will be a good one !
Andy : lol, you goto South Africa and then you drink Namibian beer..u know the score !!
Jennie : Yea babe, long time no see ! The Boat Party is going to rock !
From: Technikal on 29th Jun 2006 00:39.58
Hey geez - wicked read ... great to have you over!
Look forward to seeing you tomorrow night geez, see you then!
Alf xox
From: Hi Freak1c on 29th Jun 2006 00:46.32
wicked interviews buddy.
Keep up the good work and see u soon.
All the best for the Tour mate sure it will go really well
From: sunvisordude on 29th Jun 2006 09:19.27
hey pierre, good luck :thumbs:
From: carl nicholson on 29th Jun 2006 13:01.53
Nice one Bud!
From: Pierre Pienaar on 29th Jun 2006 13:18.52
Alf : Thanks mate, ye see you tonight buddy, it's gonna be a wikkid one !
Hi Freak1c : Cheers man, I'll be seeing you at 'Avin It yea ?
sunvisordude : Thanks :-)
Carl : Will I be seeing you at any of the dates mate ?
From: George-E on 29th Jun 2006 13:52.31
Mooi so Boet, ek hoop ek sien jou as jy hier in London is. Tot dan, mooi Loop!
From: blondie on 29th Jun 2006 14:28.07
Good looking guy
From: tidyrichard on 29th Jun 2006 16:15.39
Awesome tunes from this guy .....and hes drop dead fit too ;-)
From: Bonzo on 30th Jun 2006 01:32.26
Wicked interveiw, have some wicked tunes from you in you different guises even tho i didn't know it was you. But do now lol.
You can dress up as a girl and we can pretend to get married and you can stay here.
From: Kamora on 30th Jun 2006 20:38.54
Looking forward to your set mate
From: Kris Noble on 2nd Jul 2006 15:44.24
wicked meeting you pierre - quality set at Twisted Riot! Keep up the good work
From: Tina Martin on 2nd Jul 2006 21:19.24
Wicked interview hun, and great set at Twisted!  Next up Tranz@ction in Cornwall on 14th! 
From: Pierre Pienaar on 3rd Jul 2006 10:38.46
George : Dankie :-) Hoop alles is gaan oraait met jou ?
blondie + tidyrichard : Thanks for the compliments, lol
Bonzo : Tempting offer, haha !
J Tempo : Hope you enjoyed it man !
Kris Noble : Yea was nice meeting you too mate, thnks for the support !
Tina : Thank you, and yes..bring on Tranzaction !
From: Mat Lock on 4th Jul 2006 22:48.24
Great read, see you on the boat Pierre !!
Cant wait to have you as guest on my radio show on Wednesday 12th July from 9pm - 11pm on ETN.FM
From: djmetro08 on 5th Jul 2006 23:08.39
Looks like tanks tops are back in fashion.
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