We are honoured to speak to one of the contributors of our website, a regular, someone who keeps on making mixes, and is an online source for everything music related. A music fanatic, and a die hard UK Hardcore fan. Someone who has got music running through his veins. Today we will speak to the one and only DJ M@rt!n-J!
Hey M@rt!n-J, how are you doing, how’s life at the moment?
"Hey, Yes I am doing great at the moment. Thanks for having me :) "
Tell us a bit about yourself, how you started, when you started DJing, and the main question: why?
"My name is Martin (you probably already guessed that!), I live in the North East of England. I collected all the Bonkers CDs around 2003/2004 and I thought I wanted to try DJing! I can't say 100% why I wanted to do it lol."
Who influenced you into become a DJ? And why?
"I have to say Scott Brown! The guy is a legend! He is one of my heroes in the Hardcore scene."
According to your Soundcloud biography, you are a UK Hardcore/Freeform and Gabber DJ. Well, those are the main styles you focus on. Can you describe your love for each style, and why it’s so appealing to you?
"For UK Hardcore i like the melodies, chords & riff's, just something about UK Hardcore that other genres do not have, When it changed from around 1999/2000 into a more Trancey style that is when I realised this is what I love! With Freeform again it's the Trance elements that I love about it. I didn't really know much about Dutch Hardcore until I started hearing Scott Brown sets (so we have him to thanks for that lol). I just love the crazy kicks they use and it can also be very melodic."
If you had to choose one out of the three styles described, which one would be your
favourite, and why?
"I would have to say UK Hardcore, for the reasons I mentioned before."
On Soundcloud we can find a lot of appreciation mixes, like the Fracus & Darwin mix, Eufeion’s mix, Stamina Records’ mix, Evolution Records, Essential Platinum, Bonkers, and the list just goes on and on. Why is that your cup of tea? And why should people check your mixes out, compared to other dedication mixes?
"I love to buy music in bundles, it's much easier, I don't really like searching through Beatport, Juno or what ever as it can be very time consuming. Why listen to my mixes?...I haven't got an answer to be honest lol...check them out, you might enjoy them!"
You’ve got plenty of material on Soundcloud, and I’m going to ask you a very difficult question, you might not be able to answer it, but please, be PC about this, but what’s your opinion about pineapple on pizza? Hell yes, or hell no?
"HELL NO!!!"
Serious though, if you had to pick three mixes, which ones would be your most favourites ones, and explain the reasoning as to why these are your best ones.
"I enjoyed doing my recent Fracus & Darwin mix (Point Of No Return). I love their sound and it can be a joy to mix their productions! I like the Finnbarr mix I did, very talented guy by the way. I liked the UK Hardcore mix I did from the 2003 era, great memories!"
To me, the legendary blogger (*ahum*), it is always amazing to get feedback from the reviews, and the bigger the artist, the better (obviously). Have you ever received feedback from the artists running the labels, and how has it been?
"I once got great feedback from Scott Devotion, used a few of his tunes in a mix, Think I called it "Come Into My Dreams". He was very supportive and a nice guy!"
Ever had negative feedback, and was it a genuine complaint? How did you deal with it?
"Never, only positive complaints so far."
Not only a DJ, but also a producer. You have also had a few released on a few labels. Who inspired you to produce records, and is there a specific goal you try to reach with each record?
"Again Scott Brown, Hixxy, Brisk, Fracus & Darwin, Breeze & Styles, Kevin Energy....it could go on lol."
What kind of equipment do you use for your mixes, and for producing?
"Currently I am using Pioneer DJ SB2, For productions FL Studio."
If money wasn’t an option, and you had unlimited resources, what would you buy, equipment wise, and why? What would be your ultimate DJ set up? And if money would still be widely available, and you could organise your own party (how cool would that be?), who would you have as headliners? And explain your ultimate party, would we have MCs, dancers on stage, fireworks?
"If money was no object then I would probably go for Pioneer DDJ-RX or XDJ-RR if I had the space for it lol. Off the top of my head I would book Scott Brown, Brisk, Kevin Energy, A.B, Hixxy, Sy & Neophyte just to spice things up! No MC's sorry!! Dancers on stage & fireworks would be great too!"
Obviously you have done a lot already, but what does the future hold for M@rt!n-J? Any upcoming projects/events, etc?
"Could be something in the works such as a label of some sort!"
Who is the best blogger, and tell me why he’s great? (joke question of course).
"Of course the one the only Crazy Dutchman!!"
I always end the interview with a ‘thank you/appreciation’ section, but before we end, a quick fire round, a few silly questions (you don’t need to answer them of course).
• Favourite football team Man Utd
• Favourite colour Blue
• Aldi, Lidl, or Asda? Asda
• UK Hardcore, early, Millennium, or after? UK Hardcore
• Favourite DJ / producer ever Scott Brown, I also used to like Gammer!
• iOS or Android? Android!
• Love or Hate the Teletubbies Hate
• Feet, sexy or not? ???
OK, here’s the bit where you can say ‘thank you’ to anyone you want. Anyone that might have inspired you, or you are just grateful of. The mic is yours!
"I would like to thank FunDaBounce for being a really nice guy!!"
I would like to say a massive thank you to M@rt!n-J for this interview. The man has been on my radar for a few years now, and I have reviewed most of his mixes. To give you a taster of what he's got to offer to the Freeform, UK Hardcore and Gabber fans out there, he's three of the mixes he has mentioned before, to showcase his skills and dedication.
Make sure you search for him on Social Media, to be updated whenever he uploads new mixes:
Thanks for this insightful interview, and keep on raving safely!