I N T E R V I E W : D J  S Y

Sy is one of the leading DJ's on the hardcore scene. Lately he has been branching out into different genres of dance music. He spent a few minutes answering some questions for us.

DN: How did you get into DJing and the whole hardcore scene?

SY: I got into hip hop through listening to the pirates in the mid-80s. Progressed into acid house, house, hardcore. Gained residency at a club in Nottingham whilst at university, and began to get bookings all over the UK and abroad from there.

DN: What types of music were you into at that stage?

SY: Hip hop, some soul, house, acid house - basically all dance music. That's why it fucks me off the way people cus me for making different styles of music today, and the way everything get pigeon holed so quickly.

DN: What or who were the major influences in your music?

SY: The pirate stations - tough underground music for the street!

DN: How has the hardcore scene progressed over the years that you have been a part of it?

SY: From '87 to '93 the scene was exciting, credible and varied. As I said, now you are pigeon-holed immediately, and it's difficult to express yourself musically without criticism from your mentors. There are two many divisions and there is so much money involved, creating bitterness in a scene that began so well. Hardcore itself became too cheesy from about '96 onwards, indeed too cheesy to support itself, forcing many to leave the scene in search of a more 'underground' sound.

DN: Do you think that the whole culture of raving is enough to keep the major press away fro the scene, is the image of people with white gloves and dust masks?

SY: But white gloves and dust masks don't represent the culture of raving - they are the favored dress of a minority. The press will always gloat at drug deaths, but the whole dance music scene is forcing itself to be studied by the media through commercialisation - look at Radio 1 for instance.

DN: Are you involved with any record labels?

SY: Several, covering different genres of dance music.

DN: Do you have any new projects in the pipeline?

SY: Yes but they are all to classified to reveal yet, I'm afraid!

DN: What are your all time favorite tracks from any type of dance music?

SY: Planet Rock by Africa Bambatta, Al-Nafysh by Hashim, LFO by LFO..... there's just too many to single them all out!

DN: Finally, what are your favorite venues or events to play at?

SY: I'll be diplomatic and say anywhere where the crowd are up for it and they appreciate real DJing skills.