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Features
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Interview with Nik Denton of Toolbox Records
Reported by Tim Priestley
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Submitted 06-08-03 13:20
With Hard Trance dominating the headlines of late, it is easy to forget that there are labels out there sticking to their roots and keeping the Hard House sound alive and kicking. I caught up with Toolbox boss Nik Denton to find out more about one of the scenes fastest growing labels...
Tim Priestley: Where does the name Toolbox come from?
Nik Denton: It’s a bit of a stupid reason, but I used to call my record box (well CD box)
my Toolbox. Some guy once was shouting at me whilst playing Debauchery In Southampton and was asking me what was in my toolbox. So it stuck with and my mates and so decided to use it for the label.
TP: Who is involved with Toolbox?
ND: When it started back in Feb 2001, It was me and a producer friend Jay Cox who were the main people involved. Now it’s mainly me running the label, doing all the day to day stuff as well as promoting and the A&R. The distributor Tuned also has a big part to play in the label, they are the exclusive distributor, so its them who sell the records for me.
TP: Tell us a bit about the history of the label, what has changed since the early days?
ND: The label started off as a tool for me and Jay to put out our own material. I had been working with Paul King for a while but after meeting Jay I decided I
would have a go at working on new sounds with someone else. Paul was well established and was putting out lots of his F1 and Trauma bits, a sound that worked really well. Me and Jay wanted to have a go at making our own sound.
Jay then decided in 2002 that he wanted a break from writing music, especially hard house because he didn’t like where the industry was going, so his decision to put things on hold was one of the biggest changes to the label.
Since I re-launched the label in January this year things have changed considerably. The label is now a business and not just a hobby, which is why the releases are not all my own, I don’t think that would work. Admittedly I have been involved with most of the releases so far, but that isn’t the case for many of the future bits planned for release.
TP: Who are the core artists for Toolbox?
ND: The Testube Babies, DMF, Marc Johnson, George E and myself are the artists that have or will be appearing on the label most. DMF (Filippo) is an amazing engineer and has engineered three of the tracks for the forthcoming Powertools EP, he has also engineered some of Marc Johnson’s tracks for the label and I have just signed a track from him that will be released under his own name. The track is called "Reputation" and it makes the hair on my arms stand on end... The Testube Babies have so far had one release on the label, they remixed duel and their "Accelerate" track is included on the Powertools EP. Im really into their style and I’m planning some more bits in the future with them.
Paul King is also going to be working on the label as an artist, some excellent projects planned from him, but he has asked me not to say anything about them yet.....
TP: What is your most successful release so far?
ND: I think they have all been very successful for their own reasons. Our biggest seller has been Jay Cox & Nik Denton - Sound of the underground, the Glazby remix had a lot to do with that and its still selling copies after nearly two years.
TP: I notice that already you have broken some impressive hard house talent, i.e. the likes of the Testube Babies, George-E and SPX, how important do you think it is for labels to support new talent?
ND: Very important... Its very easy to stick to what you know to ensure a good number of units are sold, but if you don’t try out new talent then the scene doesn’t have much of a future. I’m proud to say that I think Toolbox gets the balance just right. Yes we have broken the Testube Babies and the name George E as a producer and introduced brand new production duos like The Nowhere Boys, but equally we have some of the old school involved, such as Jon Langford, Simon Eve, Steve Thomas and of course Paul King. These names have all been around from towards the start of hard house and I’m sure they are only here because someone gave them the opportunity to show what they can do.
TP: You have gained a lot of respect within the scene for sticking to your guns and keeping with the hard house sound, has this been hard given the hard trance explosion?
ND: I’ve heard so many reactions on what people have said about the label and most of them have been really positive and I’m so glad people can see what it is I’ve tried to do. Hard Trance in my opinion did kill off hard house for a while and I have stuck to what I love doing and Toolbox has become recognised for being a HARD HOUSE record label. I’m sure others might say that Hard House is dated and its time to move on, but I think there should be room for all styles.
It seems that people are starting to take a second look at Toolbox, things certainly seem to be going in the right direction. It was hard winning a few people over to the idea that hard house is still wanted without trance riffs throughout, but I’m ok with idea that not everyone will be into what the label is about. And for those that think Hard house means off beat bass lines and such stuff, have a listen to a toolbox release next time you have the opportunity... It makes me mad when people say ‘hard house’ is similar to computer game music etc.. I find that very small minded.
TP: Nik, as a producer in your own right you have been around for a while now. Tell us a little about your previous projects..
ND: Ha Ha - Been round a while. I feel about 40 coming on 50 actually and I’m only 24, but you’re right, I have been producing since I was 17. This is of course all thanx to Mr Paul King, he recognised that this was something I wanted to get into and gave me the opportunity to do it.. and I’m very grateful. Some of my past projects include: Trauma - "You’ll Know" on Tidy, "Spacehopper" on Tidy, "Bass Keeps Pumpin" and "Kick in the middle" on OVD, "The Ultimate" on Promo Records, "Bonkas" and "2 the beat" on 12 inch Thumpers, "Trauma" also on 12 inch Thumpers, a track that was co written with Jay Cox and started off as a remix of a Testube Babies track. A few more on Thumpers and a few Overload white labels through Amato. Me and Paul also signed a track to the European dance label NEWS and the track went top 20 in the Belgium national charts.. Thankfully we were never asked to do a ’top of the pops’ type show - Cant imagine us two jumping round to hard house on Belgium Television - ha ha.
TP: Do you produce under any other names?
ND: Overload is the name I sometimes use with Paul and with Jay produced as The Morning Boys or TMB.
TP: You are also an accomplished DJ, where do you play out mainly?
ND: I haven’t been playing out on the hard dance scene as much as I would have liked to. I moved to Manchester in November 2001 and took a long time trying to get used to moving away from my friends and family. Once I was settled I decided I would start Toolbox again and then concentrate on my DJing once Toolbox was up and running. Before I moved I was playing out about 5 times a week, mainly in Southampton, Reading, Bournemouth and occasionally in London, places like XLR8. These days my regular spots are at the Magnum in Southampton (I’ve been there for years), Exodus in Manchester, Seed in Camden, the Supersexy events and Cheeky little monkey, although Cheekys doesn’t have a venue at the moment. As the Toolbox name grows I am starting to get invited to play at loads of different clubs too and I’m just about to start the Powertools tour which has confirmed dates amongst others at Afterssential, Sinergy, Smile, Toast, Seed, Radioactive and I’m going out to Australia with the tour early next year. I’m also just putting together the plans for two new nights that I’m going to be co promoting. One will see Toolbox heavily involved, the other will be more underground house music based, so more along the lines of DTPM. This night is going to be called "Recreation" and the last couple of hours will see the music building to the lighter end of hard house. The site isn’t up and running, but when it is it will be www.clubrecreation.co.uk
TP: Which brings me onto the Toolbox nights, any more planned?
ND: Apart from the Powertools Tour the only other specific Toolbox night I’m planning to put on will be the 3rd Birthday party in January/Febuary time. So if there are any venue offers????
TP: Whats the scene like up in Manchester?, anything us southerners should be checking out?
ND: Well there’s Sinergy, which is probably the most recognised name to hard house follows.. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area. Then there is Goodgreef, which I believe has a once a month hard night. Glazby, The Tidy Boys, Anne Savage and A Star are just a few names that keep popping up there... Then there are the after party venues like Exodus and Addiction. Exodus reminds me of Trade, the progression of music is spot on and the night doesn’t depend on how big the DJs name is. I’ve not been to Addiction but Know Mr Gary Holden is a regular there, I hear it’s a pretty cool party.
TP: What’s in the pipeline for Toolbox?
ND: I’m very excited about what coming up on the label. Steve Thomas has just finished a remix for me for Toolbox 10, and it f@!*ing rocks .. He hasn’t released anything hard since his remix of "Beyond Motion" on Vicious. He has finished a few other projects that have been signed already, but his remix for Toolbox is the next thing to be released. I’ve only just got this, so cant wait to play it out. Then DMF’s "Reputation" is what I’m most excited about - It samples SOS band and like I said before, puts the hair on my arms on end... This will for sure be the biggest seller on Toolbox. The Testube Babies are going to join me on the remix for this one. To celebrate three years, there will be a Three years rocking EP in January or February. This will see three of our already released tracks remixed and only a limited number pressed. Aftermath (James Nardi) have remixed "Feel the friction" for this EP and SPX have remixed "Sound of the underground". There will be one other track remixed but this has not yet been decided. Imminently the Powertools EP will be released, this EP sees toolbox stepping up the pace and putting out some harder edged material by The Testube Babies, Marc Johnson, George E and myself.
Me and Steve Thomas have also been working on a track for the label and then Paul King has his projects coming up too.. so loads of stuff to look out for.
TP: Which producers and labels are doing it for you at the moment?
ND: Ali Wilson has been a favourite of mine over the last year or so. Mr Glazby seems to be putting out some fine stuff of his own too. The Testube Babies have also been doing some good bits which is why they have already been involved with Elasticman, Fevah, Passion and now Flashpoint. DMF is also up there with the best of them for me. Label wise, I’m really into Justin’s Short Circuit and the mighty Vicious Circle of course.
TP: Which artist(s) would you like to get involved with the label?
ND: Ali Wilson for sure, but he knows that. I’m just waiting for the right project that would suit him. I would love to get Ian M on remix duty, so we shall see...
TP: What advice would you give to up and coming producers?
ND: Just do what you want to do, be it ground breaking original material or reproducing something that you like the sound of.... Take onboard peoples opinions but don’t let them control the direction you want your music to go in.... after all, it is your music. Some people out there think they have the right to slate others just because of their taste in style etc - so don’t let them get you down. Also remember that just because your work might get turned down by a hand full of labels it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not good enough - Seek feedback wherever you can and use it in the way you know best....
TP: Final Thoughts??
ND: Oh - I feel like Jerry Springer all of a sudden.... Just to say thanx to those out there who have supported the label and keep buying/playing the releases. Im very grateful. The best is yet to come though, so keep watching ;0)
TP: Thanx for the interview
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