DJ Marc Smith Interview 2006

OK peeps I promised you something special and here it is the man like DJ Marc Smith!!! This man is fooking awesome and a big thank you to him for doing such an in depth interview.

Hello mate, how’s it going? Thanks for taking time out in your busy schedule to talk to me.

Not a problem…Never too busy for you man ;-)

I hear that you are busy in the studio at the moment. What Surprises have you got lined up?
Well I finally got my finger out my ass this year and got my record label Notorious Vinyl restarted again after such a uber lengthy hiatus, so I’ve just been mega busy in the studio trying to sort releases for that and work through the pile of remixes I’ve got to do. I’m also mixing another compilation album soon as well so I’m trying to get tunes ready for that too.

You are playing in the HTID room at FANTAZIA. Are you looking forward to this? Again any surprises lined up for the masses?
Hell yeah man I’m looking forward to it. Just you try and stop me!! And I'm sure the event will be even better this time with the addition of the HTID room Although I am kind of disappointed that I’m not getting to do 2 sets and also play in the main arena like I did at the last one? But hey!! The last Fantazia was just off the fucking hook man, it was awesome, I had such a wicked night getting to play 2 sets in the main arena, an old school set and an upfront set, both of which I loved doing the Scottish crowd were just out of this world and so receptive as always and to see that many people attending such a massive rave again like that in Scotland just brought back to me all the amazing memories of what a true Scottish rave is really like. OUTSTANDING!! That event in January was extra special to me as I had actually been involved in a really, really bad accident just before the Fantazia party in late December last year, which… wait for this….resulted in me being hospitalised for 13 days as I was in a fucking coma for 4 days!!

Pretty harsh shit huh!! But although after very, very luckily coming out of the coma I was advised by doctors when they found out that I was a dj and producer for a living not to even contemplate going back to doing my kind of work for at least a minimum of a year! I was heartbroken man, so I took the rest of December off and most of January off, then against all my doctors, my nurses, my family and my closest friends begs, pleads and advice I decided…. fuck it I ain't missing this…no way… got a flight up to Glasgow and went and played for Fantazia !! Thankfully with no problems whatsoever and I’ve been back to a full on production and every weekend hectic dj schedule ever since!! But SHHHH don’t tell my doctor muhahaha!!! So yeah I can’t wait for this one even more! And hey, as for, your any surprises question? They wouldn’t be surprises if I told you about them now would they lol! Just come and check out the party bruv!! Ok…..The surprise is….. Hopefully I won’t end up in a coma before this one haha!! After it is ok though I guess lol

A lot of DJ’s nowadays get into it via producing. Did the Djing or Production come 1st?
I was most definitely a dj long, long before I even begun getting into production. I’ve been djing professionally for over 20 years now… god that makes me sound old huh lol, but I aren’t ok!! Lol Compared to the djing I’ve only been producing for a mere 14 years and as much as really, really love producing I’m a dj first and foremost and always will be! That will never change as that’s were my true love lies, up there being able to do my thing in front of a crowd whether its 200 people or 20,000 it doesn’t matter!

It’s just awesome and after all this time is still as exciting today as it was way back then. Producing is definitely a close second love though and it’s something that as a dj I progressed into, it seemed the next logical step to take, to start making my own music as opposed to playing everyone else’s all the time, its also a great buzz watching a crowd go crazy to your own productions too

‘Pump up the Noise’ this is a rave, was a classic Tartan Techno track. Was this your 1st tune?
Well why thank you sir lol, its still one of my all time favourites too, but no it wasn’t my first tune. My first ever tune was a track called ‘Breakdown’ released on Clubscene Records back in 1992.

At HTID we had a chat (Over a Nice Steak) about how the no smoking ban has affected the Scottish scene. Have you noticed anything?
Yeah how nice was that steak dude, quality huh lol? Yum we will have to do that again sometime! But Yeah I’ve noticed that it makes it real hard work for me as a smoker to smoke 10 ciggies during my set now In Scotland lol….bummer huh!! But yeah the constant smoky atmosphere that used to be in clubs in Scotland did actually tend to mask a numerous amount of odours lol and also from what I've been reading I’m not the only one who has now noticed this, apparently they are going to start putting some kind of fragrance in the smoke machines now in clubs to try and help cover the smell of what the cigarette smoke used to hide lol can you believe that?? Haha.

 But no, as much as I’m a smoker I think it’s a good thing man defo!! it’s a whole cleaner affair altogether now, the only slight downside is that just about every club make some kind of available outdoor space for smokers to utilise which of course isn’t a bad thing at all, but what that does mean is that at any given point in the night there is a huge bunch of people stood outside have a cigarette instead of where they would normally have been….inside the club on the dance floor smoking but going off to the music!! And hey those English politicians always use us Scots as guinea pigs but, as I’m sure you are very well aware, you guys aren’t getting away with it for much longer either hahaha, as the smoking ban is also gonna come into place in England too very shortly indeed so you will see for yourself I guess then huh !!

So how is the scene in your eyes at the moment?
In my honest, humble opinion…. The UK scene as a whole at the moment is exceptionally healthy indeed! In fact I would go as far as to say it’s at the strongest point that it’s ever been at for a very, very long time indeed…. since say….. Way back almost from the early to mid nineties when it was just absolutely crazy then man! Everyone was a raver back in those days, and I mean everyone!!! And personally I honestly don’t think it will ever reach that kind of peak ever again but who knows??… If it keeps growing like it continually has over the course of the last 3 or so years… it just might!! Let’s hope egh!!! I've been around a helluva long time in this scene and I’ve seen it grow, flourish, get insanely massive, die a bit, grow again, gat big again, die off completely and start to come back again, and again and again till it has reached the epic proportions that its got to now again, so one thing I am 110% sure of is this !!!!......

The rave scene is something that is gonna be with us forever and ever, its not some throwaway thing that is ever going to die off completely like a lot of people said it would, it has become a way of life for way too many people now and it will never ever totally go away. They said the same thing about hip hop back in the day and look at that now, it huge. So like it or loathe it!!... The rave scene will continue to always have it day, again and again!! And I say FUCKING AMEN TO THAT!!!!!

Who’s throwing the best parties at the moment?
Any party to me is always a good party….A party is a party!!! And I go to every party with that same attitude…. I go out to everyone of them with the same frame of mind that I’m gonna go and have fun whatever! So I very rarely ever have a bad night. There’s loads of wicked parties going on at the moment I could be here all day, one’s that immediately spring to mind are, HTID, BTTF, Fantazia of course lol, Vibealites, Uproar, Slammin, Coloursfest, Hardcore Paradise, Addiction/Rebirth…….there's loads man and to anyone who’s party I forgot to big up… my apologies, but the memory ain't what it used to be lol. But all your parties are great, trust me!!!

You are in demand all round the world. Where do you really like to play?
Playing in the UK, in general is awesome, but coming back up to Scotland to play to my home crowd, to the people that made me who I am today is always something that really pretty special to me …Always, there’s no buzz like it!! Even Ireland is crazy man. As for abroad, Australia is always wicked fun, Canada, New York and Vienna are awesome, and Holland and Germany have always been a blast too. Its great to go abroad to play to people that haven’t had the opportunity to hear or see you play out live in front of them before, so you get the chance to show them what you are really all about, and what it is about you that made you a DJ it’s a wicked feeling playing to someone for the first time, just wicked a tell thee… Bo!! Lol

So being so jet set do you have any diva-esqe habits? Like a new loo seat in your dressing room.
Ha-ha what’s a dressing room?? Do you get one of them?? How come I don’t?? I don’t even get a loo never mind a seat on it, lol… No not at all man. To be honest with you considering how long I’ve been around I consider myself one of the most Un diva-esqe dj’s out there man, I don’t make crazy demands or shit, not my style at all I would say my only habit is that I drink loads of champagne but its not because im a diva its just simply because I fucking love it so much man!! It’s either always Champagne or my good friend Jack D and red bull or better still all of the above haha. I think I even introduced you and Mr Robbie D to my good friends Jack and Mr bull at that steak dinner we had…. much to Robbie’s approval I remember too muhahaha!

The Jellybeanz bike ride was great event. Do you regularly get involved in charity work?
It sounds cliché man I know but, I always try to do whatever charity work I can whenever asked or whenever I’m available to do so. In the word’s of Smashy and Nicey “ I do a lot of work for charity…… don’t like to talk about it …now lets rockkkkk !!!!“ haha

Changing the subject completely, how did you get into the scene and who inspired you to do what you do know?
I got into the dance scene after going to the now infamous club in Glasgow called the ‘Warehouse’ at around 1986/87, this is the place that converted me from hip hop to dance music, practically over night, and I ended up going there religiously every weekend as a raver! It was just such an amazing club and when I went there i always dreamed about djing there, I then went and blagged my case to the promoter, gave them a demo and eventually i managed to get a spot playing there one night, and from that one slot, I managed to secure myself a residency, and was resident there for almost 3 years until moving to my next one at Club Hacienda in Glasgow and then onto Euphoria at Heaven in Glasgow too and it was during this time from the warehouse onwards that it all just blew up for me.

As for what inspired me?? Well… My first ever introduction into djing was long before that! As a mere kid back in the early eighties, I was a crazy ass break-dancer for years back in the day, and I just lived and breathed hip hop it was my sole way of life for I don’t know how long. And it was all the awesome hip hop dj’s that I grew up watching that got me interested and inspired me on to djing in the first place. I used to make my own mix tapes but not with turntables.... but with tapes…resourceful huh haha. Then one day a Manchester breaking crew called ‘Broken Glass’ came up to Glasgow to put on a demonstration show at a local gallery and they actually brought up their own dj with them DJ.

Patrick who spun hip hop tunes while they were breaking, then at the end Patrick invited a select few people up to have a go on the decks, and I was lucky enough to be one of the select few to get a shot, this was the first time ever I’d had a go on a proper dj set up and straight after that it was game over, I just knew it was for me, I went home and begged my mum and dad for weeks to buy me my own set of turntables and a mixer, eventually they caved and bought me a set and the rest as they say is history. Once I had honed my skills and could mix and scratch I started on the hip hop circuit for a few years worked with some crews and rappers on the scene, then from there, like I said earlier went to the ‘Warehouse club’ I then changed from hip hop to dance music and I’ve never looked back.????? Dance music just grabbed me it just had this amazing special energy and drive to it like nothing I had heard before and it had me hooked big time. So I guess I really have to say a MASSIVE thanks to DJ. Patrick for giving me that first shot, otherwise I might have never been doing what I have been lucky enough to be doing for the last 20 years.    So…….THANKS PATRICK!!!!

What was the first event you ever played at?
The First ever major event i played outside of clubs was a massive illegal rave in Paisley, just outside of Glasgow way back in 1989 aghhhh memories.

What’s the best event you’ve played at?
To be honest I've been lucky enough to have played at so many memorable
events over the years, one of the ones that always sticks in my memory would have to be an event called Gazometer in Vienna. It was in an old disused gas storage facility, this absolutely huge big circular venue with a domed floor and a domed roof, it was out of this world, and as I went on I was well angry, as to me there didn’t look as if there were that many people there, but unbeknown to me, they were all just outside round the back of the venue, as they weren’t really feeling the dj who was on. But by the time I was announced and looked up after playing my first record, the place was absolutely rammed to the rafters and all the ravers were just going absolutely nuts, it was such an awesome experience! The venue has even appeared in a James Bond movies were a plain flew out the top of it. (Bit of useless but interesting info for ya) haha

What was your first record you bought?
You got to be joking ain't ya?? I struggle to remember what I had for dinner last night never mind my first record lol it would have been something obscure though!!

Out of all the tunes you have, which one ‘never fails?’
At the moment I would have to say it would be one of my own productions just finally released on Notorious Vinyl “Gravity” It never fails me. Never!!

What's you favourite tune of all time?
Ohhhhh...... That’s such a hard question, because I have been about a little while lol. But one of my all time favourites would have to be "Papua New Guinea" by The Future Sound of London, why?… Well, I just so many fond memories of good times when I hear that tune, it gives me goose bumps instantly, plus it’s a mighty damn phat tune to boot, and totally groundbreaking for its time.

I know you also play Hard Trance as well as Hardcore. What style do you enjoy playing the most and why?
Definitely hardcore first and foremost for me, hardcore has been a way of life for me for so long now, after that hard trance, which I produce and play out with my hard trance partner in crime DJ Jay M, who is a dj in his own right under that name, but we play out back 2 back and produce together under the alias of Force 9. I've always liked my music with a tougher edge, with a little bit of uplifting thrown in but it has to be something with plenty of drive and energy to it, which makes me wanna just get my head down and have a proper good stomp, both hardcore and hard trance do that for me.

You seem to be a bit of a party animal on the side!!!!! Have you ever ‘over done’ things whilst Djing?
Me??...A party animal??....Never!! I think you must be getting me mixed up with someone else bro, I’m a saint… pure as the snow I am me!!!! Muahahah!!

Yeah it’s known I like to party….. “A little” lol …. But no I’ve not really ever overdone it while djing, on the very, very, very odd occasion, and I mean, very odd occasion. I’m a do yeah, but I’m only human at the end of the day, I’m not a machine! We all have our off moments at times bro and a lot of the time it’s mostly when you got nothing but a clear head on yaw. But no matter how much of a party head I’ve got on, or how much of party mood I’m in, I’m lucky enough that when I hits those decks, it really doesn’t matter at all, it’s like the do head takes over and I just get totally in the zone to do the job in hand, and try and rock the party!!

I can remember a gig at the Lakota in Bristol when I had to do a back to back set with Brisk, I hadn’t seen him for a while so we decided to hook up during the day of the gig to catch up with each other, which in turn kind of turned out to be a bit of a heavy drinking session ( not planned may I add lol ) but even then, we still managed to hit the club and pull off what alot of the ravers then went on to vote set of the year lol. So it’s all good, it’s always handled ;-) I play better when I’m in party mode anyways man lol

When all the partying is over how do you like to chill out?
I spend loads of time with my Staffie ‘Buster’ watch a lot of movies, cinema and TV, eat out at restaurants for some nice nosh, I’ve even been to Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant at Clarridges….AWESOME !! I go to the gym a lot, and spend a lot of time at home just chilling and not to forget, hunting for haggis and fraggles. :-P

When you pop off to the rave in the sky, how would you like to be remembered?
I’d like to be remembered as one of the nice guys who loved a party and as someone who did what he did for the sheer love of it and not for the money, and also as a man who stuck by his strict principals to the end and never ever sold out!!!

If you and Scott Brown were to get in the ring who would win
Of course I would win; the bigger they are the harder they fall at the end of the day lol. Nah not at all…. I don’t think getting in the ring is our thing mate we more party lovers than fighters

SOME QUICKIES

Who’s going to win the SPL?
Whoever scores the most goals bud  a very diplomatic answer I thought lol

Cosy Club or Dingy Warehouse?
To me any party is a wicked party; it’s what you make it at the end of the day! I love the intimacy a small club provides, but I also love that awesome dirty rave feel that a warehouse gives! So it S’al Good!!

 Vinyl or CD?
Gotta say vinyl without a doubt, but cd is hard to get away from nowadays

Blonde or Brunette?
Definitely brunette has to be!! Blondes might have more fun, but brunettes ARE more fun ;-)

Fav chat up line?
Don’t use em lol, best one I’ve had used on me “wanna f*@k” straight to the point, I like that hahah

Maccy D’s or BK?
If I ever did it would be BK best fries around man!!

Is Darren Styles a lady’s man?
I’m not a lady so I couldn’t answer that could I lol

Ibiza or Majorca?
Australia I'm afraid

Fav Mc?
Too many favs to narrow it down to just one dude sorry!

Then or Now?
Oooh hard one again,, would have to be then and now!!


That’s It Marc. Finally any shouts or advice you would like to give the people who are going to read this?
I would just like to say a massive, massive big up to everyone who has continually supported me over the many years! Most importantly the Ravers, Family, Friends, colleagues, Record Labels and Promoters alike. Without all of you, I wouldn’t have been able to actually live my dream for all this time so huge respect to you all for putting me and keeping me here!!! Mwah!! lol

Also like to say huge Props and massive shout out to all my Notorious Family and fellow Notorious Adventurers you all know who you are!! …of which… everyone of them in their own way work so hard on my behalf. Respect to you all folks!!!

And the best piece of parting advice I can give to anyone is this…..
DON’T EVER EAT YELLOW COLOURED SNOW!!! HAHA

Party on folks!!! And Keep it Notorious!!!!

Interview conducted by Keaty (forum Fantazia 2006)