The Viceroy Harderfaster interview
Resident: The Viceroy
11.07.2006
The Viceroy talks about Djing, Vaccine, and where that name comes from!!
The Viceroy is part of a new breed emerging on the scene, not just a talented DJ and producer but also promoter of one of the most exciting new trance parties in the UK.
With a residency at one of the UK’s best nights, gigs alongside some of the best DJs in the world and productions being played by the likes of Paul van Dyk its hard to imagine that he is still only 20 years old.
The Viceroy co runs Vaccine with fellow resident Ben Beaton which takes over the third room at The Gallery, Turnmills every month putting on the best new names in trance before anyone else.
This month we caught up with him before another massive Vaccine on June 16th with Fred Baker and Alex MORPH and with Sister Bliss, Perry O Neil, Ozgur Can and Remy in the main room.
1. Firstly, how are we on this fine day, what have you been up to?
Im very well thanks, been working hard on the Vaccine lineups for the summer but also busy in the studio putting some finishing touches to a few new bits and bobs which I will be unleashing over the next few weeks. So all is very good with me!
2. Talk us through how you ended up being part of Vaccine and at The Gallery, how did it all start?
Well I met Ben Beaton down at one of the Vaccine parties after it had been going only a few months on a Thursday night, his original co promoter had just had to drop out and we ended up having a massive night out. Somewhere along the line it was decided with the help of Gavyn Mytchel, who I had been working for at Turnmills that we should do it together and see if we could take it further.
That we did and started promoting the hell out of the Thursday parties putting on some pretty unique lineups, we were the first to have Ernesto vs Bastian, Phynn and Misja Helsloot as well as doing collaborations with big names like Serious. After a while we were attracting the attention of The Gallery, they asked me to play at their Nu Breed night in Dec 2005 along with Sander van Doorn and John Askew, which was a massive privilege, I was still only 19 and was playing main room Gallery which was amazing.
At around the same time the idea was floated for us to come and do this room at The Gallery once a month with a bigger budget and try and create unique lineups with new, exciting djs from Europe, UK and rising stars from around London which I think we have tried to do.
3. Your next Vaccine at The Gallery is on Friday June 16th for those who don’t know about Vaccine explain a little about the thinking behind it?
Our June 16th line-up is a perfect example of what we try to do, Alex MORPH a producer who everyone is playing and a wicked dj is coming to headline with Fred Baker who has been consistently pushing out some of the best techy trance tunes for years. Joining them will be Joey V a young up and coming dj from the southwest of England and Mat Lock a great dj from in and around London as well as Ben Beaton the other resident and myself,
It’s a great blend of all things trance in a great little atmosphere of that third room, nice sound system, lots of crowd and dj interaction and with two other rooms of amazing music going on next door as well!! Who could ask for anything more!
4. What is in store for Vaccine over the coming months and where do you see it going?
We have some more UK debuts over the next few months, a live PA and some exciting up and coming London and UK djs as well. As for the future there is something really big in the pipeline for late summer, which will be announced soon but Vaccine is always going to be about putting on the best new talent and djs that no one else would book.
It’s funny that after booking some of our unique headliners that a few months later other UK nights have decided to take the risk and book them as well. We are going to carry on taking risks and put the best talent on that no one else does.
5. You are also a busy Dj as well as running Vaccine, tell us a little bit about what you’ve been up to of late and coming up?
Well last weekend I ended up playing at The Gallery arena at the Love Leeds Festival along Judge Jules, Marco V, Sander van Doorn, Tall Paul and others, was mental played a massive tent in Leeds which was slightly surreal!!
Djing wise for the month ahead, got some wicked gigs coming up this month, playing down at Absolution in Bristol as well as Honey Club in Brighton at the beginning of June. Vaccine is on 16th June where I am playing in between Alex MORPH and Fred Baker and then playing for the Gallery at the Mission club in Leeds on June 23rd with Riley and Durrant, Scott Bond and Adam Sheridan, so a fair few miles to travel this month!!
6. I notice from your latest biography that you’ve recently got into the studio, so what gems can we look forward to?
Just finished a load of new tracks, which are all coming out. The Viceroy vs Karl G – Perception will be coming out shortly with a Kuffdam and Plant remix on Vaccine Digital. Got some wicked support on this from the likes of Paul van Dyk, Johan Gielen, Jon O Bir and many more which has been really positive.
I teamed up with Ehren Stowers to do a track called Way of Life, which will be coming out on Monster Tunes around October time.
John Askew and Chris Hampshire have just snapped up my first solo production End Game for their Flux Delux label, which is really exciting, coming out in September time! Im back in the studio over the summer to finish off a few more bits and bobs.
7. What DJs and producers have really impressed you as a promoter and also as a DJ ?
There is such a wealth of talent around not only in the UK but also abroad, Ben and I listen to about 50 to 60 demos a week from big names to bedroom djs and are continually impressed.
All of the headliner DJs we have had so far in doing the Gallery have been spot on including Ronald van Gelderen, Cosmic Gate, Yves Deruyter, Kyau vs Albert and Jon O Bir so far.
But also the local and rising talent we book have all played wicked sets from the likes of Ben Gold, Jurrane, Alan Banks, Simon Bostock, Si Tizzard, James Simmons, Karl G and these are only the ones we have booked since February not withstanding some of the amazing sets from when we use to do Thursday nights and some of the DJs we have coming up later this year including Barry Connell from Goodgreef who mark my words is going to tear up London when he plays for us!
Other DJs and producers that I rate out there which haven’t played at Vaccine yet have to be people like K.A.R.L, Frase, Alex Buck, Adam Coppack, Dave Irvine and Gary Optim there are so many out there, I could go on listing for hours, it’s a good sign for the scene in my opinion.
8. And finally where does the dj name The Viceroy come from?
Haha, well this story changes every time and there are several but you can choose from any of these options; the character in Star Wars, a political term of a governor of India or an Indian restaurant in Bristol. The choice is yours!!!
You can catch The Viceroy at his residency at Vaccine @ The Gallery, Turnmills on June 16th along with Alex MORPH, Sister Bliss, Fred Baker, Perry O Neil, Remy, Ozgur Can, KARL, Ben Beaton, Mat Lock, Joey V and many more….