If you’re coming
to Tidy with a Twist this month, and you’ve
bought your ticket through moreonthedoor.com
you will be given an exclusive mix CD from
rising star and Twist resident Paul Batten.
Mr Batten is the one of the newer names to
appear regularly on a Twist line-up and is
immensely modest about his name appearing
alongside the likes of Superfast Oz, Karim,
Tom Basquil and Steve Maynard. Ahead of Tidy’s
long over-due return to the capital, we managed
to catch up with Paul to find out more about
Harder Faster’s “Up and Coming
DJ of the Year”.
MOTD: There are so many budding DJs out there
and there seems to be an ever growing number
that are labelled “Nu Breed DJ”
– why do you think you were voted “Harder
Faster Up and Coming DJ of the Year 2006”
over and above some shooting star DJs?
PB I just think TWIST highlighted me more
than most other DJ's to be honest.
MOTD: You describe your styles as either
“Funky Techno” or “Hard
House” – as Hard House enthusiasts
the words Funky and Techno scare us, and to
join them to describe a hybrid genre could
make us very jittery, how would you sell this
style to us?
PB: To me techno is the core to all underground
music in some way shape or form. You’ve
got funky, groovy, tribal, dirty, uplifting,
hard, acid, you’ve got the whole genre
basically. I’m more into the funky/tribal
stuff which is groovy yet still tough, yet
fun, with a few dirty monsters thrown in for
good measure. If you play a techno set you
can take a dancefloor on a journey which is
far more interesting and rewarding than just
banging it out.
MOTD: Your most enjoyable set you’ve
played is recorded as your debut at London
after-hours Twist. What made it so enjoyable?
PB: Everyone knows that if it’s your
first set at twist you’ve got to really
impress and do yourself proud. Being a regular
clubber at twist for a few years was an advantage,
so I knew what I had to do. There was a lot
of hype about this set and I knew I had to
play my socks off. I was playing first so
I wanted to show the twist crowd something
a bit different for them which they still
would enjoy, funky techno! It was a bit of
a gamble but it paid off, it was the tasty
official after-party and it was busy from
the off. It was a very energetic, atmospheric
crowd which you could feed off. The dancefloor
was rocking and it was a great feeling to
be the one creating that vibe and atmosphere.
Will never forget it!!
MOTD: Being asked to become a Twist resident
is a major achievement, how did this accolade
come about?
PB: After my debut Steve and Jennie asked
me back about 5 or 6 more times, then they
just offered me residency. I was over the
moon but was very shocked, didn’t expect
it at all!
MOTD: How would you describe a typical Paul
Batten Twist set?
PB: If it’s a techno set chunky, funky,
tribal, groovy, dirty. With the filthier side
it’s got to be rolling and energetic
with some dirty uplifting riffs.
MOTD: You started buying pumping house and
trance/hard trance records from about 1995,
but it wasn’t until 1999 you got the
hard house bug when listening to OD404’s
“Ram Raid” – what was it
about that track that you liked?
PB: I was in a record shop in Bexleyheath
near where I live listening to a few bits
and bobs. Then one of the guys that worked
in there started having a mix over the shop
speakers. I pulled my earphones off and was
like what is this, it really made my ears
stand to attention. I walked up to the counter
and asked what it was and he said OD404 “Ram
Raid”. I bought it instantly and have
never looked back since; it was the start
of a new era for me. I’ve got a lot
of respect for Dom Sweeten and Superfast Oz
who created that track; they have been very
influential to me! It blows my head off sometimes
knowing that I play alongside Oz at twist
now.
MOTD: Although you’d been playing out
before, 2006 really was a milestone year;
you played at El Paradis in Ibiza as well
as your debut at Twist. What other promotion
or venue you describe as your ultimate “dream
come true” if you were asked to play?
PB: I would love to play my techno sound
at Party Proactive, I think it would fit in
quite well, plus I love Turnmills, and there’s
always a good crowd. I would love to play
funky techno or filth at Insekt too. But my
ambition would be to play at Amnesia in Ibiza,
I’ve had my best clubbing experience
there and I just love it. It is just an amazing
venue the layout, the DJ box, the crowd, everything!
MOTD: You said in an interview last year
that you wanted to try producing, and I note
from your mySpace page that Notice Me by Paul
Batten is the soundtrack – is this your
first production? What are the plans for the
track? How would you describe it?
PB: I’ve made a track before this called
“Let It Roll”, but “Notice
Me” was my first proper production.
Me and Brow created it; it’s a tough
funky techno roller with a lot of groove.
No plans for it as yet but Andy Farley and
Superfast Oz have been playing it so that’s
one good thing. There’s plenty more
productions in the pipeline, watch this space.
MOTD: A lot of DJs seem to want to produce
tracks as part of their portfolio, is that
because there isn’t enough of what you
want already available?
PB: I don’t think there’s as
much quality stuff out there like there used
to be. But I think most make their own productions
for this reason or to acquire their own sound.
It is definitely more rewarding when you see
a dancefloor going mad to a track you have
made.
MOTD: What is your favourite DJ compilation
CD? Why?
PB: Oh good this is a toughie?! But I would
have to say Justin Bournes hard mix he did
a while back just for the memories. Or Carl
Cox’s Techno Division 3 is one that
never gets boring to me.
MOTD: What is your view on back-2-back DJ
sets?
PB: They only work if the DJ’s play
a similar sound and don’t have individual
sounds or they know each other really well!
Me and Lucy Fur played a back to back at WARNING
a little while back and we just bounced off
each other, it was really good fun! I do love
a good old Basquil and Maynard back to back
at TWIST as well that always does the biz
for me. Matt Pickup and Andy Rise is a great
one to watch, full of energy, fun! Those two
really know how to get a crowd going! They’re
best mates so they bounce off each other perfectly!
MOTD: Not that it would ever happen at Twist,
but if you were asked to play a set at a big
event and you noticed that the DJ before you
was cheating by pretending to mix, but was
in fact playing a mixed CD he or she had pre-prepared
on a computer before hand, what (if anything)
would you do?
PB: Probably just point and laugh to be honest,
that is pretty sad!!
MOTD: You are originally from Welling in
Kent, are you still based there or do you
live in London now?
PB: I still live in Welling, I always have.
It’s quite nice and chilled out which
I quite like, quite the opposite to the hustle
and bustle of London.
MOTD: Not many people know this but G-A-Y
is an acronym of Good As You. Saturday Night
At |Twist has been shortened to SNAT, but
it Twist was an acronym and the words reflected
the club, what would Twist stand for?
PB: Er, mmm. How about, er… Team With
Immensely Strong Talent. Got there in the
end with that one phew!
MOTD: What was the last concert you went
to? Was it any good?
PB: I watched Tiesto play at Alexander Palace
a few months back it had a concert kind of
feel anyway. Went there for a bit of a change,
he was playing a six hour set so i was intrigued
on how he would progress his set. He pulled
it off perfectly, i was very impressed! It
was a great night!
MOTD: Please complete the following sentences…
Secretly I quite like…
PB: Old Arnold Schwarzenegger films the guys
a legend. Quality acting and one liners to
die for, brilliant!
MOTD: If I was a porn star my porn name would
be…
PB: Buster Chambers. Cheeky!
MOTD: I wouldn’t be seen dead in…
PB: A gimp costume, that was an easy one!
MOTD: Finally, please tell us a joke…
PB: A guy walks into the psychiatrist wearing
only cling film for shorts. The shrink says,
“Well, I can clearly see your nuts!”
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