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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - 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! |
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Interview with the Daddy of progressive - John 00 Fleming
Reported by josie
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Submitted 23-11-04 16:19
John 00 Fleming lives in rural Sussex, doesn't drink, and has a pet rabbit called Buddy. He's about as rock and roll as your Mum (obviously that doesn't work if you're Kelly Osbourne). He does, however, have a passion - something he just can't get enough of. No, it's not underwear models, it's dance music... where it's been, where it's at, and where it's going.
So… number 52 in the DJ Mag list, do you care about that kind of thing?
I don’t think so this time, and even people that are right up there are saying the same thing. It’s turned into more of a commercial chart now, and the meaning and the purpose of the chart has slowly faded away.
What do you think about Tiësto winning?
I think people like him deserve it, because you’ve just got to look at what he’s doing. He’s done the Olympics for God's sake. Plus the Dutch are passionate about music and their DJs, I've never known a country that’s like it. If you’re famous as a DJ over there you’re on national TV and when you make a single you make a video and it’s all over the charts. It doesn’t happen here, it doesn’t happen in any other country. But on the other hand you look at people who are not in the chart and you think well, they should be there. Opening it up to email is just an unfair basis because DJ Mag, though I love the magazine, appeals to a certain market. Take Dave Seaman for example, I think he’s a brilliant DJ, and he’s got a massive fanbase, but he’s played in a lot of countries where DJ Mag doesn’t exist – they’ve never heard of it, so he’s losing out on all these votes. I'm pleased I stayed in there but I just think there needs to be a better system. Like the Scratch Perverts, I think they’re geniuses… brilliant, they weren’t near the top 100. I reckon they should be up there – number 10.
What about the dominance of trance in the chart?
Trance is always popular. It always is, no matter who says it’s disappearing… who digs into it. It’s going to be here for life, it’ll never disappear. Trance is always reinventing itself, its that type of music where it can go mellow, it can go hard, it can go vocal, it can go uplifting, it can go deep, and I think that’s why it stays. If a popular sound does explode and get too commercial, it’s off in a different direction reinventing itself. They’re saying ‘clubland's dead in the UK… it’s flat on its face’, and then you see these big promoters pulling in ten, twelve thousand people. Who are these people writing these things, they want to do their research.
You’ve been DJing now for 20 years.
Yeah! That’s quite scary isn’t it?
You had your first residency when you were fifteen.
Yeah, when I was at school.
So when did you learn to DJ, to mix?
I didn’t, I was thrown into it! I collected records when I was at school because there was a really cool record shop in my hometown Worthing, I don't know what they had those type of records doing in there! I used to go in and buy records and walk round with my record bag but back then it wasn’t a cool thing – I was seen as a geek and a bit of a weirdo. Today it’s accepted and a really cool thing to do but back then I was known as the music man, the boy who went out and bought his records at lunchtime. And then the headmaster had a brainwave to put an under 18s night on, spoke to a local club. My name came up, he said would you like to DJ. It had never even crossed my mind to do it. The night went really well, the school and the club asked me to do the following week, and I became a resident and from that the club wanted me to do the regular weekends because they loved what I was playing. This new music they’d never heard of. I got permission from the local council when I was fifteen to play at the club! And that was it. I was a full time DJ from that day on.
You’ve been there through 20 years of dance music, what’s been the most exciting time that you’ve experienced.
There isn’t just one… it’s always exciting. Every year things have been different. When I come to this point of the year I get excited about next year, because if things have got too commercial… things have gone wrong… something good’s gone bad, I always know something new and exciting’s going to happen. What was special to me, what really stands out, is when I used to do a lot on the London circuit. Back in ’98, ‘99 when it was thriving and I used to be resident at Sunnyside Up… all those nights. They’ve got a place in my heart. Sunnyside Up days were just brilliant – a Sunday club. The doors used to open 6 o’clock in the morning and go all the way through to midnight. Come nine o’clock in the morning the place was rammed, all the way through to the very last record at the end, and it was just pure clubbers in there that loved music. That was what Sunnyside was all about.
What was Ibiza like in 1987?
There was a few key clubs – Privilege was around. Eden used to be called the Star Club years back, and that was when I first played there. It used to be brilliant. All these people from round the world were there. It wasn’t really a clubbing capital like it is today, it was more like a spiritual place. There was a lot of hippies there and pure music lovers, it was completely different to what it is now. It’s full on commercial now. You used to get in there for a couple of quid, the drinks were normal prices. It wasn’t about the money, it was about the music, and we all know that’s changed.
What do you think about Bora Bora being shut down?
The market place has got so small now they’re all fighting for every bit of business they can get, and it’s getting nasty. I think something underhand’s gone on that we don’t know about, because the authorities are really open minded about clubs. Something’s been said, something’s been done to shut it down. It’s a shame because it’s a great place. Out of all the people they were probably the ones that did it for the music, they just loved doing their parties. It’s a real shame.
This long career that you’ve had, have you got any big stories, any huge things that have happened?
I'm not a geek, but I'm a technology bloke. I do it because I purely love music and I love the technology surrounding it. I haven't seen or got any crazy stories because when I'm finished I'm either sitting upstairs chatting to people about geeky stuff or I'm off to sleep! I've done some amazing parties – some great venues in amazing places but nothing outrageous and crazy.
What are your tracks of this year?
I hate just mentioning one or two because there's so many, and I'm useless at record titles… honestly I am [after much prompting and being reminded what it was called came up with Aquasource – ‘Waking Up The Sun’]
Your label J00F is termed ‘underground’, what does that mean?
My style is not euphoric and its not obvious stuff. I play my own little style – my take on trance. It’s a very brave thing to release records like that because generally when people sign a track they want something obvious with a big breakdown that loads of people are going to buy, and I release stuff that I just love. It doesn’t have to have a big euphoric moment, it can just be a deep lush track. I've got known for that within the label, that’s why people call it underground. We’re expanding J00F next year, we’re going to have different subsidiaries, one kind of psychedelic, so its going to be even more deeper and underground.
What have you done that you’ve thought ‘I'm really proud of that, I want to be remembered for that’?
Just recently actually… the beginning of this year. Learning to produce in the studio is a long process. When you first start you haven't got a clue… all these knobs and buttons! I've been producing for about eight years, and over the last two years I've really found myself. Some people have engineers but I've started doing everything myself and I'm glad I have. I did a remake of Astral Projection’s 'Mahadeva' and for me that was the turning point. And everyone loved it, it was the biggest track for me ever. I’d like to be remembered for that.
Have you ever done anything and thought ‘God that was rubbish’ and everyone else has thought it was really good?
Oh yeah! When I used to work with - I'm not going to mention names because they might read this – other people! You didn’t always come out of the studio necessarily with the thing that you intended to make. But you're on a deadline… time's running out… they’re being greedy with money. Yeah there's been a few that I've released and thought ‘oh God its so embarrassing, how can I stop this getting released’, but then it gets released and everyone’s jumping up and down about it! There was one in particular… and everyone loved it!
What was it?
I'm not telling you!
Who do you rate at the moment; who do you think’s going to be big?
Well it sounds like I'm pushing them from my label but the reason they’re on my label is because I've got an ear and eye for them, I've thought these guys are going to go somewhere. There’s a chap called Miika Kuisma from Finland. I think he’s a genius in the studio and so do people who buy his records. He’s one of the most popular artists on the label. The other one is a guy called Steve Birch, he’s only young and he’s really enthusiastic. He’s a brilliant DJ and he’s a really, really talented producer. He’s just started getting into it and his first release was all over Radio 1. It’s called Spaced Out. All the big players like Tiësto jumped on it, Jules was playing it, Dave Pearce was playing it. We saw him DJ the other day and he was jumping around like mad, smiling, happy, he just loves what he does. I'm really going to put everything behind him and make sure he gets somewhere.
Anyone else?
MIKE, the Belgian guy, as in MIKE Push. I think he’s brilliant.
You did a track with him quite recently.
Yeah we just did the follow-up to ‘Ice cream’ called 'Dame Blanche'. I just like him because he does something different. So many of these trance producers all sound the same but MIKE can make electro, techno, and he puts all his influences into his sound. When you hear his DJ set it’s a breath of fresh air. That’s how music used to be and what it used to be all about – he remembers that.
If you don’t want to talk about this you don’t have to. You had lung cancer very young, how has that changed you?
I don’t mind talking about it. There’s people diagnosed with cancer all the time. There could be people reading this and I’d like to say there is a happy story at the end of it and I'm one that’s come through. My career was taking off in the late 80s, early 90s. The DJ thing was just starting to evolve and I was there. I played alongside Carl Cox, Grooverider, all the big guys. All unknown and all of a sudden we were being flown around the world and that’s when I got diagnosed. I went to hospital for two and half years and I watched all my colleagues round me suddenly become superstar DJs, and I felt that I really missed out. When I was well enough to get back into things, all the promoters had changed. Before, it was illegal raves and there wasn’t organised clubs. All those promoters had just given up or been arrrested and it all suddenly went into clubs. So for me getting back into it phoning them – ‘never heard of you, send a tape’. I had to start with absolutely nothing. I had to catch up with records, I couldn’t afford to buy them, I just had to pick up all the pieces and start again. It just made me realise I'm on my second life and I've got to make the most of it. I don’t want to be doing something like working in a bank for a living. I couldn’t face the thought of doing that.
Quick opportunity to plug what you’re up to at the moment.
I really want to get back into the London scene, I really, really miss it. I used to do loads and there’s been nowhere for me to play. The hard house scene has dominated but trance is coming back. I reckon next year’s going to see a hell of a lot of changes. I do The Gallery all the time, but I'm doing Twisted on 4th December, also Riot want to come in and book me. I did a tour of Australia with a really unusual line-up – Anne Savage and BK – with me in the middle. They all said they felt sorry for me, ‘how on earth are you going to survive over this line-up?’ BK had never heard me play… and he was absolutely blown away. He’s desperate to book me now for Riot. Anne Savage played after me almost every gig that we did. One time she was shaking, pacing up and down. In her whole career she’d never been nervous playing after a DJ and she was nervous… not knowing what to play and how to play after me. People don’t realise I can play quite pacey and really powerful, and especially some of the psy trance I was really punching it, and she was all over the place… didn’t know what to do. That’s what Ben [BK] said as well, he heard this brand new style of trance he’d never heard before. He was over my shoulder going ‘what’s this one, what's this called?’ I'm doing Antiworld as well – a big hard trance party at the Alexander Palace.
What about producing?
Oh bucketloads. The MIKE track comes out December the 19th. I've made a track with Christopher Laurence – comes out in January, it’s called Detention. I’ve got my second Le Voyage EP, and then White Label’s going to continue. I've left Euphoria, it was an amicable thing, but White Label was my concept so we’re going to have a White Label 3 end of March. We’re going to do some J00F tours as well. We’re going to get a base in Brighton, one in London, Glasgow – we’re just tying that up, and probably one in Wales. It’s all going to tie in together with the launch of the new J00F recordings. We’ve got some brilliant stuff!
Last thing... you're playing with Marco V at Twisted.
Yeah, Marco and me get on really well. We love each other's style. I really wanted to do it if he would, and he really wanted to do it if I would! I'm one of the original residents as well, right back from four years ago. It'll be a good night, playing a big London gig!
Photos courtesy of John 00 Fleming
Twisted presents Marco V
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On:
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Saturday 4th December 2004
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At:
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The Fridge [map]
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From:
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10pm - 6am
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Cost:
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£12 Advanced Tickets
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Website:
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www.twisteduk.com
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Ticket Info:
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0793 946 1173
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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Marco V is one of the few DJ’s in the world whose style appeals to followers of techno, trance, hard dance, and even house. Breaking the mould when it comes to genre defining production he transcends the entire Dance Music scene and is arguably the most complete artist of our time.
If you’re a lover of dance music you will have undoubtedly been touched by his sensational musical genius. Reaching production excellence with remixes of the jaw-dropping Energy 52’s ‘Café Del Mar’, the chart busting ‘Age of Love’ and the super charged melody of ‘Loops & Tings’ as well as his original ‘Indicator’ anthem - he has already written himself into Dance Music's history!
When the Worlds greatest DJs such as Tiesto, Armin Van Burren, Paul Van Dyk, Judge Jules and Hard Dance legends Andy Farley & BK cross hell & high water to play his productions you know you are in the presence of nothing short of a dance music demi-god.
With a career spanning nearly twenty years, John 00 Fleming’s unique character and impeccable talent have seen him become the face of his genre, producing numerous mix albums, artist singles, remix projects and heading his own underground label.
Twisted is both proud and humbled to bring to you Marco V and John 00 Fleming for one night only, at the Capitals world renowned venue - The Fridge. Prepare to re-write history.
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Flyer:
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 - 
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Antiworld @ Alexandra Palace
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On:
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Saturday 4th December 2004
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At:
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Alexandra Palace [map]
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From:
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07.00pm to 06.00am (subject to licence)
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Cost:
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From Sept to Oct 01 £ 25+bf, from Oct 01 to Nov 01 £ 30+bf More thereafter
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Website:
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www.alexandrapalace.com
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Ticket Info:
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Onlinestall
You can also email paradisecity@antiworld.net or call 020 8365 8918 / 07940 527 867 to find out how to get the cheapest tickets...and groups offers!
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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Headliners:
Infected Mushroom! (Israel) Exlusiv CD Launch "I’m the Supervisor" Out now
Astrix (Israel) EXCLUSIVE CD LAUNCH "ARTCORE"!
Lab 4! (UK)
Yoji Biomehanika (Japan)
Mauro Picotto (Italy)
Chris Liebing! (Germany)
More Info:
Enrico : 0044 (0) 7940 527 867 (North London)
Fabry : 0044 (0) 7904 167 916 (Camden Area and more!)
Maria : 0044 (0) 7813 684 399 (All Areas)
HOW TO GET THERE:
Travel by Rail to Alexandra Palace Station or Underground to Wood Green and then by free shuttle service or W3 bus.
VERY IMPORTANT NEWS:
Last Admission @ Alexandra Palace is @ 01.30 am!!!!!
There is no re-entry at this venue.
10 International Live Acts, 200.000 Watts Of Sound Systems,
Bars, Stalls, Chill - Out Space,
Performers: Kwalilox & Headfunk Pyro Circus & Steph!!!
7000 CAPACITY!!! 11 HRS OF MUSIC!!!
The First Psychedelic Party @ Alexandra Palace Ever!
*** Subject To Licence!
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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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Trance. Acid Trance. Euro Trance. Hard Trance. Tech Trance. Psy Trance. Nu NRG. Hi NRG. HardStyle. House. Bouncy House. Deep House. Funky House. Hard House. Prog House. Tribal House. Vocal House. Acid Techno. Deep Techno. Funky Techno. Techno.
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DJ's:
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Headliners:
Infected Mushroom! (Israel) EXCLUSIVE CDLAUNCH - "I’M THE SUPERVISOR"!
Astrix (Israel) EXCLUSIVE CDLAUNCH - "ARTCORE"!
Lab4! (UK)
Yoji Biomehanika (Japan)
Mauro Picotto (Italy)
Chris Liebing! (Germany)
Psygate Main Room Present:
"The HOMmega Concert":
Five Live Acts:
001) INFECTED MUSHROOM (Israel) EXCLUSIVE CDLAUNCH "I’M THE SUPERVISOR" OUT NOW!
002) ASTRIX (Israel) EXCLUSIVE CDLAUNCH "ARTCORE" OUT NOW!
003) G.M.S (Spain)
004) PSYCRAFT (Israel)
005) DALI (Israel)
Djs:
Eyal Yankovich (Israel)
John 00 Flemming (Uk - Exclusive Psychedelic Set)
Riktam Vs Bansi (G.M.S - Spain)
Kristian
Simo
Metaphase
Druid
Peace
Second Main Room:
Antiworld Vs Goodgreef:
Uplifting Hi Energy & Atmospheric Trance + Hard Dance!:
Two Live Acts:
001) LAB 4 (UK)
002) NUW IDOL (UK)
Djs:
Yoji Biomehanika (Japan)
Paul Glazby
Alex Kidd
Shan
Mark Eg
Beamish
Oberon
Simon Eve
Fabry
Eduardo Herrera
Zeus
Phil Able
Matt Handy
DJ Centurian
And a lot more to be confirmed.
Third Main Room:
Teknoworld:
Urban Techno, Funky & Hard!
Three Live Acts:
001) D.A.V.E The DRUMMER(UK)
002) SECRET CINEMA (HOLLAND)
003) POUNDING GROOVES (UK)
Djs:
Mauro Picotto (Italy - Meganite) www.mauropicotto.com
Chris Liebing (Germany - 3 Decks, Effects & Final Scratch)
Tsuyoshi (Japan - Exclusive Techno Set & London Date)
Michel De Hey (Holland)
Chris Liberator (Uk)
D.a.v.e The Drummer (Uk - 3 Decks, Effects & Final Scratch)
Sterling Moss (Uk - 3 Decks, Effects & 909!)
Animatek
Mikelangelo
Gas
Mark Axel
Fabsid
Soylent
Grazer
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Other Features By josie:
It's the Generation game featuring Agnelli & Nelson, The Thrillseekers and Lange
Peach at Heaven: Reviewed
The Gallery at Turnmills: Reviewed
The International Indoor Festival at SeOne: reviewed
The double ender: interview with trance legends Darren Tate and Mike Koglin
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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