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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! |
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The darker side of electro: interview with Stefan Ro
Reported by Tara
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Submitted 30-12-06 01:47
I first met Stefan Ro at a lost Sunday at the Purple Turtle a few years ago and was instantly impressed with his banging but uplifting hard trance, easy going friendly manner and perhaps most of all, his dark sense of humour. But like so many superficial meetings in the club scene, other than knowing he was from Rumania and a bloody good dj, I knew very little about him. Several years later I move into a new flat in North London, and guess who lives just up the road? And has he changed much? Yes and no…. Over the last couple of years he’s played at several major London clubbing venues and promotions, and after seeing him play one of his first electro sets at a house party, I wasn’t surprised to see him start to appear on some top electro lineups, while building up his profile to become a resident at Torture Garden, Byte and most recently Poison.
But who is Stefan Ro? I figure, if I know so little about Stefan, then I can’t be the only one! “I’m from Romania. I’ve been here for the last eight years of my life. I started clubbing seven years ago and I started djing in late 2003, so about four years ago now. I started out playing hard trance and basically I never liked any other sort of music… I never liked funky or went in any other direction. Then one day I went to a friend’s house and he had two funky records, so I asked if I could try and play them… and I played them and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to mix them! The funny thing was, I liked the sound of it for the first time in my life, and I felt it was so easy to mix them!
After that I started playing funky, deep funk, deep funk, electro, electro house, and slowly I came to what I like to play today. Well you’ve heard it, it’s a mix of hard electro, house, acid house, tough house… but it’s not like cheesy house! I don’t do that… it’s nothing like that!”
Stefan knows of my personal dislike of cheesy house, but I’ll be the first to admit I have no knowledge of exactly what that involves on a musical level as I usually make sure I’m not in the room long enough. So what is this cheesy house you speak of? “Oh, the commercial thing… I do play a lot of commercial tunes, but without cheesy mixes. Basically I’ve got some wicked music. Nothing cheesy like you’d find in a club in Leicester Square though!”
Thank buddha for that then. But he still hasn’t explained how he got from learning to mix two funky house records to being a TG ressie. “I was going clubbing and going nuts in the clubs and I always liked the music, but I wasn’t just satisfied with it, I’d look at the dj and say, ‘That’s where I want to be some day.’
I bought my first decks; they were Soundlabs and one wasn’t even working. I had to repair it myself even though I knew nothing about it. I don’t even remember the first mix I did… but basically I tried for 6 months to mix on my own and never asked anyone what I should do. I never stood and watched the dj like the people you see in clubs, I just did it myself. Then two months after I bought the Soundlabs I bought some Stantons.
My friend Dani D met Sharkboy once, Greg Ferguson , and he came to my house and tried mixing on the Stantons. He said to me, ‘You’ll never be able to mix properly if you keep using Stantons!’ He only came to my house for a few hours but he was the first person who showed me what to do. I used to play for eight hours a day, as I wasn’t working so I used to play quite a lot. I remember when I had my first proper mix, when it was flawless and I was really happy, I was so proud of myself. Cos for the first 6 months my friends were laughing at me, so I had to do it alone… and then I could finally show everyone I could do it!
Then we had our first party at a bar in Camden, the Solo Bar. It only held 100 people and we had way over 100! It was packed and we played for 5 hours. After that Maria of Too Much But Never Enough helped me — she was my friend, so I started playing at her parties. People saw me and I got noticed by other parties, then I started getting more gigs in other places. I played several gigs at the Purple Turtle for Ozone and Byte, then through those sets got to be resident for Insekt. From Insekt I got to be resident of Torture Garden. I’ve been a resident of Poison since the beginning.
Basically I was resident for Insekt, who used to run a regular party at Fire every month. Everyone was playing hard and I was playing in the Fire Pit. I was meant to play hard trance, as I was the only one in the place that played it. They said, ‘play anything,’ so one day I decided to play electro. I got the room packed, people were hanging out the doors, and Allan from TG saw me and just came up and said, ‘I want you to be resident. This is the kind of music I want for TG.’
I didn’t believe him at first… but fortunately he meant it. I played at TG for the first time at the Mass, first set. It was a bit shit, cos I was stressed, as it was my first time in the main room there. Now I always play the main room at TG! Anyway, the first time it wasn’t that good, so I thought ‘Allan will ditch me…’
I hated my set and afterwards the suspense was killing me, so I just went to him and asked him, ‘So, do you still want me here?’ He said ‘Yes’ and the next month I played a really wicked set and everyone liked it. After that it’s been all good and people like my music. I’ve never had so many people coming to me and saying they like the music than as at TG. So that’s given me more confidence and now I want to start producing music. It’s a bit hard as I have no idea how to do it, so at the moment I have to go to another producer and give them my ideas. But in the future I hope to be able to do it myself.”
Now I’m truly confused, as we’ve just been playing Stefan’s latest tune and I’ve complimented him on his production skills. So he must’ve spent some time in studio then? “I first went two years ago and made a hard trance tune with Banga Matt; it was quite an interesting tune. It’s called ‘Flying’ cos of the breaks. It’s from a rock tune by Nightwish…”
I’ve got no idea who Nightwish are, and am embarrassed to have to ask. So who the hell are Nightwish then? “It’s rock, it’s gothic stuff.” OK, you really need to play me a copy as I’ve got absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. “I don’t even have it, Dani has it!”
OK what about after that then? “After that I started getting into electro and kind of forgot about the hard stuff. But two years later I realised I liked it a lot more, so I decided I still wanted to do this. So I went to this guy, Alistair, he’s been producing for like ten years doing house, tech house, minimal, stuff like this…”
Having heard Stefan’s tune a few times now and loved it, I’m obviously way too biased to try and comment. So Stefan, how would you define your tune ‘The Darker Side of Electro’? “F*ck that’s hard, you want me to define my own f*cking tune?! It is electro, but it’s really bouncy but dark electro. The bpm is slower, but the tune is fast. The break’s from Silent Hill, I wanted to bring something dark to the tune cos everything these days is so, I don’t how to say, nothing like this really [we’re listening to psy trance]. I wanted to do something a bit scarier. Remember, I said I used to be a headbanger, so there’s something in the dark music that I like!”
A headbanger! Playing electro?!? Oh my whatever next… but you’re well over that now aren’t you?! “Umm actually I went to Camden a while ago and there was a guy playing a tune, it was like metal with rave and at the same time it sounded like a club tune, like this [psy trance], and I really liked that. That’s probably the direction in which I want to go in a few years. I want to learn to use the software then use my first love of music with my second…
That’s what I’m talking about, black metal. I hadn’t heard anything like that before until I went to that shop. I asked the guy to give me a cd and he wouldn’t cos apparently his friend is a raver but they both have metal bands and they’re not allowed to give their music out…. So ever time I go to Camden now I pass that shop and try to have a listen.”
I’m starting to get this vision of a cold hungry dj hanging outside a shop in Camden, but fortunately Stefan’s got some big gigs coming up for NYE… “Yeah, Torture Garden for the first set and the last set. And NYE at the Fridge. TG is good cos the last set is going to be hard trance, so I’m to get the last bit of 2006 with the first bit of 2007. So that’s a good way of starting 2007!”
It’s going to be tough to leave TG and play at the Fridge then? “Well no, cos it’s my fav club, for real! It was the first big club I went to when I first came to London! I started clubbing at the Office, which was an afterparty. Then the first party I went to at the Fridge was Superfish. I was amazed by the people, the place and the music. It’s funny though, as I always wanted to play in the main room of Brixton Academy and the Fridge. Now I’ve played the second room at both… so I’m getting there!”
Over the years I’ve seen him playing, Stefan has always had a very eclectic mix of tunes, be that hard trance or electro. I wonder where on earth he sources them from. “That’s the thing, no-one’s got my tunes! That’s why people like my stuff so much and I’m trying to keep it like that! I used to buy promos at Pure Groove. They used to have loads of promos in that would never get released… but not so much now. Now I just got to HMV. I don’t understand how the electro stuff I buy from HMV is the same electro the other djs see, but none of the electro djs buy what I like. But I’m very happy about that and I want to keep to keep it that way!”
I ask him about his New Year’s resolutions, but he literally has no concept of them. So I try to explain: some people say they’re going to give up smoking, some people say they’re going to go to the gym…. “Haha, I’ve already given up smoking and I joined the gym for six months, but I’ve only been there three times, so…. [rolls eyes] If there’s anything that I’ve learnt is that whenever you wish for something really really bad there’s a good chance it’s never going to happen so don’t wish too hard for something as it may well never happen. Just go with the flow and whatever will be, will be.”
Excellent, this is indeed the dark side of electro! Or the Rumanian sense of humour perhaps? So you’ve big plans for 2007 then? “What I hope is that next year will be better. Now I know more people, I’ve been invited to play more parties and hopefully everything is going to work out just fine…. But in my case plans never work out, every time I plan something it doesn’t work out…”
OK, enough Mr Happy. Having seen you in action playing both hard trance and electro that’s made many dance floors cheer up considerably, I’m curious as to what actually gets people up and dancing…
Stefan’s fav hard tunes
Daniel Ro & Pepi — ‘Remedy’
Legend B — ‘Lost in Love’ (Paul Janes Remix)
Hard Trance UK 3
Kym Ayres featuring Technikal — ‘More and More’
Trevor McLachlan — ‘The Voice’
Stefan’s fav electro tunes
DJ Jose — ‘Stepping to the Beat’
Steve’n King — ‘Bounce’
Adrian Bahil — ‘Kemikals’
Kevin Sunray & Agent Greg feat Lori J. Ward — ‘Breathe Easy’
Toca Disco — ‘Crazy Cursor’
Interesting. So with such an eclectic mix, how on earth is he going to narrow it down to his fav djs and producers? “The funny thing, in electro I don’t really have a fav dj or producer cos electro is so big, so global. But hard stuff is just here… in England! So for producers, for trance I really like Technikal and as for djs, I like Steve Hill and Rob Tissera.”
I ask him his views on the topical nature of Steve’s sampling of other tracks. “That’s why I love him! I like the tunes and the way he makes them, it’s just the way I like it! If I was going to produce something, it would probably involve remixing and sampling someone else’s tunes as well. If you can improve someone else’s music and make people listen to it in a different way, then why not?! This is what I believe. Steve’s not stealing the whole tune, he’s sampling. That’s what makes it good. And everyone is doing it!”
We talk some more about sampling and how much Stefan wants to get into remixing. “I’ve got a lot of electro tunes and basically they’re mixes of big pop tunes. I’ve got mixes of Madonna, Depeche Mode, Beck, the Automatics, Visage… that’ll be on my CD!”
Time is starting to run out and Stefan has to be up early the next morning. It’s time for me to get some more background about the man. Where would he most like to play? “Pacha & MOS. I’d like to play electro and they’re the best clubs for that in London.… and abroad! Who doesn’t want to play abroad?!”
Given the number of sets he’s played over the years, I wonder which he’s enjoyed the most? “The best set I played was at a Torture Garden in Canvas. Poison at Fire was also really really good. They were the best, I’ve got many many good memories! I remember the first time I played at the Fridge for Extreme Euphoria two years ago. I played house, and it was good. If people know what to expect from you and you can deliver, then people respond to what you’re doing, that’s what it’s like!”
That sounds like good advice to me! But what other advice does the man have for fellow spinners wanting to make it in the music scene? “Basically just work your arse off cos that’s how you get to be good at what you’re doing. Just follow the dream and don’t listen to other people. Like in my case, remember I said earlier all my friends were putting me down and saying I’d never get there?!
Also, you have to remember you’re not a dj for yourself, you’re a dj for the crowd. You have to make people happy and give them what they want. If you play for yourself and for your own ears, that can be sh*t for the clubbers!
I try not to get too involved in politics as it’s important to get on well with people. It doesn’t matter how good you are, it’s all about who you know basically and to get somewhere at the top and not to be helped by other people, well that’s impossible. You need people to promote you, to make other people say: ‘This guy is good!’ That’s why we’ve got too many djs who have no clue, cos someone has a party, their friend says they can play, and everything is going to sound like sh*t! It’s not like it used to be. A couple of years ago the atmosphere and the music used to be much better…”
Oh dear, here we go again, another jaded HarderFasterer reminiscing about how great it was back in the day. Getting old are we Stefan? “Probably my love for the music was greater at that time… it’s just the feeling I have. But I don’t take things like I used to! Before I used to be able to enjoy the music for eight hours and now I go out to listen to one dj! A few years ago I used to see a line-up that would have the best of London’s djs for eight hours in one night every week. I’m talking about big parties, main parties… now I’m lucky if I like one dj on the lineup.”
Well, hopefully we’ll be seeing a bit more of Stefan on said flyers in 2007. Or maybe not… “I don’t like kissing people’s arses for nothing. I don’t like anything like that. Maybe I’d be bigger now if I had, but I don’t do those things. If you’re an idiot, why would I be nice to you to get a gig?!”
Good to hear he’s keeping it real then! And if ‘The Darker Side of Electro’ is anything to go by, Stefan at the very least has a potentially great production career ahead of him.
Photos courtesy of Garfield 21 and Stefan Ro. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Fridge NYE - It's Official
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On:
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Sunday 31st December 2006
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At:
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The Fridge [map]
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From:
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10pm - 6am
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Cost:
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earlybird tickets £30, Standard ticket £35, MOTD, VIP tickets £69 (with free bottle champagne)
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Website:
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https://www.antidote909.com/hsbc/details.cfm?item_code=ANT00162
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Ticket Info:
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Early Bird ticket sold out !!!
Get your tickets online at www.antidote909.com, or click the link above.
£30 advance ticket. £35 standard tickets, ticket outlets as below: Fridge club, 1 Townhall parade, Brixton sw2 1rj
Fridge bar, 1 Townhall parade, Brixton sw2 1rj
Kinetec records - 15a Little Portland Street, London, W1W 8BW
Maria - 07813 684 399 or maria@toomuchbutneverenough.com
Cyberdog - Unit 14, The Stables Market, London NW1 8AH
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More:
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This year we are putting together some very serious production at the Fridge and this one will be one of the best productions you will see anywhere.
Everybody is asking where will you be for NYE, are you going to be massive outdoor or indoor venue with crappy sound system or are you simply going to be in the Fridge with the best sound system and production values?
Are you going to tempt yourself watching the wonderful performers that will entertain you throughout the night at The Fridge with their amazing costume and LED dance? Our performers have been working hard for this special occasion tailoring the night just for this NYE party with their amazing costume and extensive list of show itinerary.
For those of you who have seen the live shows in the Fridge, you know it’s amazing. So, for the first time in the hard dance scene we have 4 live shows in one night. NO OTHER hard dance event will have 4 amazing live shows on NYE; all live shows are unique and different.
So, where are we going to put all those live shows? We are building extra stages just for this night high up above the dance floor, designed and build by the original staff of the Fridge.
To make the experience even more intense, we have been working extremely hard putting extra lights and rigs into the Fridge, now, it has TRIPLE the amount of the original lights and extra lighting rigs for the NYE. Be prepared to be dazzled by the best light show in London!
To top it up, we also have the stadium size giant LED screen, those who frequent the fridge might has seen it, HOWEVER this time it will not be the same format, it will be different to complement the performers and the live shows.
There will be extra GAE sound rigs for this very special occasion.
If that’s not enough, then you have the giant glitter balloons, glitter rain, balloon drops, ticker tape drops, three powerful lasers and don’t forget the indoor fireworks to top it all up.
All Areas in the Fridge will be open for this special occasion, the balcony, chill out area, VIP room in our third room and the Icebox will all be OPEN.
Arrive early for the giveaways … CD’s, merchandise and more …, so you will have something to remember when you get home.
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Flyer:
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 - 
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Hard Trance. Psy Trance. HardStyle. Bouncy House. Hard House. Prog House.
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DJ's:
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4 amazing live acts above the Dance floor:
**live** MDA & Spherical **live**
**live** Barry Diston **live**
**live** Anthony Dean & Stace **live**
**live** The *Ting*- **live** our NYE countdown hostess
Our top uplifting party DJs to welcome you to 2007:
Red and Blue
Steve Blake
Cally Gage
K Complex (Nu Energy)
+ more
FUNKY & ELECTRO - Ice Box
Stefan Ro (TG)
Stu Cox (ElectronicSessions)
Rich O (Groove Factory)
Nathan Larkin (Funktion)
K8-e
Adam Symbiosis (HarderFaster.net)
VIP Chillout - in the Fridge Crisper
plus
Stage Performances above the dance floor, Dancers
Impromptu Performances through the night
Pyrotechnics, and
A real party atmosphere
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Share this ::  :  :  : 
Follow HarderFaster :: 
Other Features By Tara:
Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast!
Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project
A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden
Telling Cosmic Tales with DJ Strophoria
Tom Psylicious aka EarthAlien takes 50 Spins Around the Sun: Raising Awareness Through the Power of Music
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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Comments:
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From: dani d on 30th Dec 2006 23:30.40
Stefan as up and comming dj is very talented,versatile his style of electro is unique and one to watch on 2007!Nice interview and keep it high!!!O.R.G.!!!!!
From: Maria on 31st Dec 2006 01:50.44
I'm very very proud of you! Remember...COM CARNE DE VACA NAO SE MORRE DE FOME!!! All the best in 2007! Love you!!!
From: Stefan Ro on 31st Dec 2006 07:30.28
mama Maria u helped me when i needed most u put me there among the ppl i wantet 2 b and u r always going 2 be mama maria 4 me. but dont forget i learned how 2 be good and everything i do is for the love of music. u help othere guys now but i always been there. u were my friend 7 years ago u r my friend now. and i love u 4 who u r. ppl changes but true friends r forever.
From: $CARLEY$ on 31st Dec 2006 13:19.17
Big Up the Romanian dj's!  Nice Interview!
From: Ian Edwards on 2nd Jan 2007 18:37.28
Cool interview mate.. well done to you..
From: -R2- on 3rd Jan 2007 19:43.36
Nice to see your interview here.
Good luck m8
From: Lady Bianca on 4th Jan 2007 07:06.14
From the old days of serving you at Pure Groove to now, you are and always will be a special friend! Great interview.. onwards and upwards babe!! More outrageous laughs to be had in 2007 I am sure!! La Multi Ani!! Cu Drag xxx
From: NRG EXUS on 4th Jan 2007 21:05.53
Good stuff m8, nice to see reed some of your stories as i remember how everything stsrted ;-)
Brings me some good memories....
Now, for all of you who are thinking abt booking this guy.
Well, as one of The Poison promotion runners i can tell you don't think twice just do it, he's got it all !!!
Stefan is one of the best dirty and filthy electro dj in the business right now so watch out as he is going to have Londons dirty electro in his pocket very soon...
From: Element7 on 5th Jan 2007 16:14.02
Top guy, top DJ. Big respect mate
From: Stefan Ro on 5th Jan 2007 20:07.31
Thanks alot guy's i really appreciate your support! See you very soon...Happy 2007
From: Batraver on 6th Jan 2007 12:11.41
Hi Stef! top guy....really miss you here....Australia is far and miss seeing you play...you on the top of my dj list and friends...
From: IAmAButterfly on 7th Jan 2007 13:01.16
Nice interview - good to get to know you better. Fantastic DJ - one of the best bits about TG! Keep up the good work - happy 2007 - am sure it will be very successful for you.
From: Steve Twist on 9th Jan 2007 00:22.31
A rare talent indeed!
I remember when you played for Twist you were so pissed I was sooooooo worried. You could hardly stand up - seriously. then 15 mins later played one of the most amazing sets I've heard. I'm still perplexed how you did it. And you can't even remember ever playing for Twist I bet - lol
From: Stefan Ro on 9th Jan 2007 16:13.26
Of course i remember no matter how drunk i was that's why i gave u my cd on new yrs day, Hope u didnt lose it and i will see u soon at twist
From: Maria on 10th Jan 2007 13:36.48
Stefannnnn pola du caralho! mmmmmwwwwwhhhhaaaaaaa
From: junky_stepz on 12th Jan 2007 09:32.50
Rock on Stefane !!!..& don't change  all the best 4 this year!!! Sergiu
From: Lorenzo Barrero on 12th Jan 2007 14:03.16
Wicked interview mate.
You are a quality dj, and it's been great having you play for us at Byte @ Purple Turtle. Roll on 2007! 
From: Big Anders on 13th Jan 2007 21:43.18
Thanx Stefan, for topping my weekends in Purple Turtle!
From: garfield21 on 16th Jan 2007 10:25.53
Excellent DJ, great person, keep on going Stef. I love your sets at TG.
From: ilona_free_pl on 16th Jan 2007 23:13.40
I think that more people remember that set for Twist- I do!!! Nice one Stefan- so you are not that naughty all the time and not that lazy like you said. See you soon!
From: Steve Hill on 13th Jun 2007 11:08.33
Only just seen this...Stefan man - good to see ya playing out heaps!
Top man and wicked taste in tunes!
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