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Features
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Extreme Euphoria preview: Interview with Jay Pidgeon
Reported by Dickon Laws
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Submitted 21-01-05 15:14
It seems that in the world of London hard dance there are many unsung heroes, artists without whom the scene would not have the variety and spectrum it retains today, but of which very little is known or widely publicised. One such artist is Jay Pidgeon, a hard beat DJ with a style and sound all of his own, who puts to shame some of the UK’s more commercial Hard House DJs.
Born and bred in Dublin, Ireland, Jay grew up listening to a variety of styles and sounds, but like most prominent artists, found a love for dance music at an early age. He got his first set of decks at 15, ‘but was fascinated by making tapes of different records one after the other well before then’. His first forays into dance music were through a mixture of sheer luck and impish mischief. He sent off one of his demos to a local radio station that quickly noticed and picked up on the talent brewing within the young Mr Pidgeon, whilst he managed to keep his finger on the pulse of the growing dance music industry by visiting to clubs whilst not ‘strictly’ being of age….
From listening to the edgy sound of his sets and demos, and upon first glance of this tough looking red-headed Irish man, you could easily be mistaken in thinking that Jay would be a ‘temperamental’ artist. Nothing could be further from the truth. After a few minutes in conversation it soon becomes apparent that this is one individual who speaks in considered and thoughtful sentences, has a passion for what he does, but is in complete contrast to the aggressive and sometimes dark sounds of his hard house persona.
Having never read a book in his life, Jay is nonetheless a highly intelligent individual, with a knowledge of the broadest subjects imaginable, but for the time being, and the purpose of this feature, our focus is solely on what is coming up with this hard working DJ and Manager.
Describing himself as ‘25 but feeling 45’ Jay’s first serious role within the dance industry came when he was back in Ireland. Like all artists, he started out as an unknown amongst the Irish clubs, but through hard graft and steely determination it wasn’t long until he secured himself a residency and built himself a serious reputation, resulting in him being awarded Best Irish Resident DJ by national radio 2fm (Ireland’s equivalent to Radio 1). This was swiftly followed by a nomination for best Irish DJ and best new coming southern Irish DJ at the BBM magazine awards and culminated in him headlining the hard dance arena with Lisa Lashes at Creamfields Ireland in 2002!!
After his massive success in his home country Jay decided to spread his wings and moved to the UK. Having already set up a Euphoria night in Dublin, Jay had the benefit of a serious list of contacts in terms of promoters and DJs he had brought over to Ireland, and once over in London started again, like most artists, getting in touch with events and organisations and playing out to as many different crowds as possible. These included Storm, Riot, Frantic, Twisted, Nuckler Puppy, to name but a few.
But it wasn’t just promoters who had noticed one of Ireland’s most talented rising stars. One regular DJ who often played at the event that Jay was resident was none other than the sassy Ms Anne Savage, and through regular events the two soon became friends, which then progressed into a long-running relationship that continues today.
So how did he get involved with the Most Wanted crew, one of the biggest DJ management agencies and events organisers in the UK? I knew them from booking their DJs to play at the temple theatre. We had a good relationship as even when their DJs came to Ireland I would get a call from Most Wanted Managing Director Lee Bridle asking could I make I sure I was on call to sort any problems out as I knew everyone in the scene then. This working relationship continued to thrive and it wasn’t long before Jay started working as a DJ Manager for Most Wanted, looking after such artists as Tomcraft, Joy Kitikonti and Mario Piu. Today, through serious amounts of working my arse off! Jay’s artists also include the world renown Marco V and Anne Savage, amongst others. Juggling DJing, managing artists, tour managing Anne Savage, producing, remixing and heading the entire management section from Most Wanted, one wonders where Jay finds the energy to do it all, but hard work never scared off this young man! We decided to find out what else he has in store for the on-coming months.
Along with your production partner Raff, you have your own label Crash Test Records. How did this come about and what are your plans to develop it?
Raff and I met about 6 years back as we both worked in the same office as Architectural Technicians. We found out each others’ involvement in music and decided to do some work together. Our first ever productions were released on our label at the time RaffdaGaff but we only distributed it throughout Ireland, selling 500 copies alone in Dublin, at that time this was seen as a massive achievement. The cost of running the label at the time from Ireland was easy so we opted to start producing tracks for other labels; getting stuff signed too and doing remixes for the likes of OTR, Fevah, Nebulla and Kaktai. When I moved over to the UK I'd seen it was easier to run the label from here so it had been my aim to for a while to get things up and running. We both started Crash Test last year but of course we were about to bring out CTR002 and our distribution company went tits up! Luck o’ the Irish I say. We have just managed to sort out a new distribution deal and CTR003 should be out late Feb or early March. The concept behind the label will be to push Irish talent as well as it being an outlet for me to release my own music. Keep an eye out for producers such as Karl Davis, Alan Pullan, John Kerrigan, Wayne Reed, Evil Twin Brother, Mark Kavanagh and Raff of course!
Even though you have only a smallish following in London, in Ireland you have nothing short of a massive fan base and remain their premier hard dance export. How did you get into DJing in your homeland?
Purely by chance really, a radio station in Dublin got hold of one of my demos and gave me a show. The radio station was set up in conjunction with Temple Theatre, one of Ireland’s most prestigious clubs, as a way of advertising their event. I played on the station for a year before taking over managing its day to day running. I would go to the club regularly and just started doing some work for them, then one night one of the residents was ill and I was asked to fill in. That set turned out to be the start of a four year residency where I played alongside the likes of Savage, Lashes, Jules, Tidy Boys, Picotto, Marco V, Armin, Ferry, Pete Tong, Carl Cox etc etc. Being one of the main residents at Temple Theatre I got to play all different types of sets from deep house, tribal, techno, trance and hard house. Holding this residency gave me the ticket to play all the other big clubs in Ireland such as The Coach, Redbox, Enigma, South, The Met and The Grill, as well as getting booked to play the PlanetLove festival and headlining the Hard House arena at Creamfields Ireland 2002.
Ireland has a great pedigree when it comes to DJs. Yourself, Fergie, Mark Kavanagh etc. Why do you think it is that even with a smallish population compared to other DJ strong holds, the Irish artists are so prominent?
Errrrr….. comedy value? Honestly I think it is down to our sound and the way we put our sets together. We tend to put a lot of thought into them. As well as that, up until about 4 years ago there was not as many Irish youths wanting to get involved in DJing or production like there is now. So when anyone in Ireland back then did make a new track or people were taking about a certain talent the general clubbing public took a lot more notice. Now, in the last 4 years there has been a real surge of new talents popping up from Ireland and I think over this year and next there will be another handful of names that will have everyone talking about them.
As well as balancing your DJ career you also manage super-star artists such as Marco V, Tomcraft, Petrae Foy etc. Does being a DJ yourself mean you have a better empathy with your artists than other managers?
Definitely. I go into and deal with situations with an open mind. I have been a promoter, I am a DJ and I am a manager. I am lucky that I can see things from all sides and I know the artists I manage know this when I am talking to them and talking to promoters on their behalf. They put a lot more trust in me and what I am doing for them. They know I deal with things how I would like things to be dealt with for me. Some managers treat managing artists as a 9–5, whereas my phone is on the whole time and for me it’s 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
You’re Head of Management for Most Wanted Global. The company has been in and out of the spotlight a lot over the past few months due to its rising profile. Does all the extra attention put more pressure on you and your artists?
Not really, I just keep my head down and keep focused on my plans for what I am doing with Most Wanted Artist Management, managing the careers of my current artists while developing new talent. In saying that, all the attention the company gets gives me more incentive to meet people’s expectations of Most Wanted and what we are about. Most Wanted Global as a company is almost the talk of the town these days and it’s great to be one of the important figures behind the company. I have been with Most Wanted for about 18 months and in that time I have been involved with the development of our office in America, the launch of our office in Australia, the setting up and development of Jam Management for our House and Breaks artists, Extreme Management for our hard dance artists and most recently the joining of Tidy Management under our Global umbrella!
If you asked people today who the hardest hitting DJs are, they would most likely say Paul Glazby, Karim and Ian M. Having heard you play, its safe to say that these artists sound like Steve Hill compared to your style! In fact, it has been said that, ‘If Satan did aerobics he would be listening to Jay Pidgeon on his walkman’. When did you discover your passion for nuclear powered filth?
I do really enjoying nailing it in my sets, I just got such a kick from the energy. I was clubbing and went to my first ever ‘rave’ at the age of 14 in Dublin and all Djs I enjoyed played a tougher sound, I suppose that’s where it stems from. The majority of my productions, especially with Raff are all quiet tough, we do… occasionally… try something a little softer. Actually, very occasionally! When I collaborate with other producers like for instance Scott Mac, Project Mayhem or Justin Bourne I enjoy getting their sound influence. I have had really good success working with other producers and messing about with each others idea’s. For instance, productions with Project Mayhem are harder edged and always get placed on hard dance compilations, while productions with Scott Mac are more main room sounding and get Radio One airplay, and that’s always nice! Keep an eye out for new collaborations with both Project Mayhem and Scott Mac as well, including ‘Nah Nah Nah’ forthcoming on Deprivation Records.
DJ management is a mine field industry having to be the go between for DJs, promoters, club operators etc. Because of these skills it is a hard industry to get into. How did you make your way into the field?
When I moved over to the UK from Ireland, which was about 3.5 years ago now, I was under the impression that because I had done so well for myself in Ireland, playing all the top clubs, having a couple of productions behind me and being tagged as ‘One of Ireland’s top DJs’ (that’s just me bigging myself up again, I’m not really) that I would have an easy job getting bookings. I found out very fast that this was not going to be the case and to survive with the crazy price of living in London that I’d need to get a job. I started work managing DJs at a company called Top Draw and got the job as I had experience of being a promoter and booking DJs, so in roll reversal I would be selling DJs! I got my experience with those guys and then Most Wanted, who I did a lot of work for in Ireland when their DJs would come to play at Temple Theatre, approached me to join them. People think that a job in the music industry is great but like every job or career it has its difficulties!
So lets recap: you manage some of the world’s biggest artists, your other half is Miss Anne Savage, you drive artists to events at weekends for the managerial personal touch, you have your own thriving DJ career as well as your involvement with the Extreme Euphoria brand: do you sleep at all Mr Pidgeon?
Very little during the week and practically not at all on weekends! The weekend thing tends to be by choice, unless I am working. I was away on holidays in Italy for a week at the start of January, no mobile phone and no email access, mentally I just needed 7 days away from everything music. I was hoping for early nights and long lie ins but I found I would get to bed early and would be awake at 4 or 5 am as my body was just not used to being allowed to relax for such a length of time. Gutted.
Seriously – is there life outside of dance music for you?
A measly few hours per week to be honest, it does take up a lot of my time. I am not complaining as I do love what I do and certainly don’t fancy going back to being an architect!
Extreme Euphoria is one of the more high profile events in the UK due to its massive success in the compilations market. As resident you are envied by most DJs in the scene: how does it feel to hold the position?
I was totally chuffed when I was offered the residency. Extreme Euphoria is without doubt the biggest selling hard dance brand in the UK, you simply have to look at sales figures for any of their previous albums to show how well received they are. The plans that have been set in place for 2005 and beyond with the brand can only spell amazing things, just the thought of being part of it all is quiet exciting.
With Extreme Euphoria going global, your DJing career taking a leap and Most Wanted going from strength to strength, are you looking forward to 2005?
No, think about it, those ‘measly’ few hours I just told you about will be gone! Aarrggghh! I am really excited, I think 2003 and 2004 took a dip in the music scene, especially on the hard side of things that I am involved with. That dip got rid of a lot of the excess baggage in my eyes, leaving really good quality to work with and for in 2005
Extreme Euphoria returns to Turnmills on the 29th Jan after its block rocking Xmas party at the Fridge. It’s going to be your first appearance since the September party. Are you looking forward to getting back in the legendary Turnmills DJ booth?
I can’t bloody wait, I was raring to go before we started this interview and I am even more fired up now. Turnmills is one of the best venues in my eyes in London, the DJ booth is one of the best I have played in and the sound system kicks arse! Usually when I finish a set or have been out with a DJ and get back to London early on the weekend, Turnmills is my first choice stop to cap the night. See you at the bar on the 29th!
Photos courtesy of Most Wanted
Extreme Euphoria 2005
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On:
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Saturday 29th January 2005
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At:
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Turnmills [map]
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From:
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22.00 - 06.00
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Cost:
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£12 in advance / More on the door
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Website:
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www.euphoria-albums.com
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Ticket Info:
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Advanced tickets are £12+bf. More on the door.
Visit Ticketweb or call on 08700 600 100
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More:
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Extreme Euphoria explodes into 2005 with the first in a series of devestating events for the new year! Returning to its home at the World Famous Turnmills we are joined by the new face of Extreme Euphoria, Anne Savage, as well as the No.1 Hard Dance Producer in the world: BK! With a whole host of other club class chaos DJs from dusk till dawn there is only one place to be as the nights draw in and the temperatures plunge.
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Flyer:
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Other Features By Dickon Laws:
Strange things happen when you DOUBLE DROP for the first time - The Innovate Interview!
Hard House Academy (HHA): The Preview
Inside Frantic: Interview with Will Paterson
Interview with Steve Hill
Interview with the Energy UK Djs
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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Hope to catch up soon mate!