DJ Colin Dale Profile

Colin Dale began DJing at the age of 18 and is one of the most popular underground Djs on the Techno/Hard Dance scene. A year later he was working on a regular basis as a warm up Dj for Tim Westwood at Gossips and Heaven, as well as working fulltime at various record shops that specialized in Techno. In 1986 Colin Joined Kiss FM as a pirate radio DJ, where he helped create the original and unique sound of 'Abstract Dance'. In 1991 his show, boasting over 50,000 listeners each week, was voted 'Best Specialist Show'.

Colin helped launch Knowledge at the WW1 Club in Victoria, London on Wednesday nights (where until recently he was resident) with Colin Faver and Jane Howard of Serious Business. It quickly became one of London's biggest mid-week clubs dedicated to the 'Abstract Sound'. e has been able to take his sound worldwide to San Francisco, New York, Washington, Japan and Toronto. He has toured with Jesus Jones and travelled extensively throughout Europe, especially Germany.

His releases on vinyl to date range from various experimental tracks on independent labels and the Kowtow track on the Djs Take Control Album (Perfecto Records). Future projects include remixes for Spiral Tribe, production work on Novamute and his new Techno label Abstract Dance. Colin is extremely dedicated to his career and will work anywhere, and at anytime if possible. In his free time he likes to relax.

Profile 2

If the world of banking were more interesting, we may never have heard of Colin Dale.   But luckily he wasn't cut out for filing and adding up.

Colin was born in Camberwell, South London, on the 14th April 1963.  Tulse Hill Comprehensive School provided the career advice that led to two wasted years at Barclay's, but the lure of the West End's fashion shops was too great.  After a while, he moved to record shops, during which time he joined the dance group that included Fabio, who used to dance for Tim Westwood.

It was from this unlikely start that his DJing career took off.

"Steve Walsh didn't turn up at Gossip that night and Tim asked me to do his spot, and it just started from there.  I remember thinking and being amazed that I could make such and such amounts of money for spinning records, really enjoy it, and it wasn't hard work or getting my hands dirty.

"Then how I got into House - which I'd say started worldwide around 1986 in Chicago with the early Jack tracks and things like that - that was through places like Shoom and Spectrum that really started it.  I must say that one of my biggest influences House music wise, when I was still into the Rare Groove, was Colin Faver.  Colin, I think, was one of the first people I heard play House music.  It was when I went down to Shoom on the first night that done it, that was it, it just blew me away, loads of dry ice, flashing lights, and a really good vibe.  I just dropped the Rare Groove that night, finished with it, didn't want to play it any more.  All that in one night.

My style of music at the moment is  Techno but not straight Techno, it's quite hard, very alternative and uncompromising.  But in the past I've played like classic House Chicago music, through to Detroit Techno, and I think the Detroit Techno has been my real Love right through to the present day."

The best nights I have been to must have been Universe, the Tribal Gathering.   The night was perfect, there was nothing wrong, thirty thousand people and no trouble.  Everything that was on the flyer was there, and more.  Top class DJs, good sounds, it was just all there.  I think the thing I liked most about that was that there was six tents and all the six tents were kicking and had a really good atmosphere."

Relationship to Fantazia

DJ Colin Dale played at the following:

Fantazia Second Sight

His set from this event can be bought here