The Pondering Blonde

Mr Spencer- Eddy Virgo Interview

Eddy Virgo started DJ’ing 8 years ago as DJ Virgo of Tuks FM, hosting the Saturday dance show, ‘Capital Dance’. At the forefront of Hardstyle in South Africa for 7 years and counting, Eddy has played along legendary Hard House DJ’s, Mauro Picotto; Lisa Lashes; Warp Brothers, DJ Luna and DJ Pavo to name a few. Having refined and defined his Hard House style; Eddy is proud as Hardstyle punch to be releasing a really South African Hardstyle CD- just the way he wants you to hear it! Mr Spencer interviewed the hard-as-nails Virgo and extracted a little of his industry insights for your viewing pleasure.

This is your first CD release how do you feel?
Well, I honestly don’t know how to feel. I’ve been trying for many years to promote Hardstyle big time in this scene and now the time has arrived!!
To release an official Hardstyle CD in S.A. makes me feel it was all worth the hard work, and what pleases me the most is that Hardstyle fans can finally go to a CD shop and proudly ask for a Hardstyle CD! Big up to Elevate Music, Blutonium, and all proud Hardstylers in S.A… I think it will probably only hit me at the official launch at H20 and Truth!

The CD comes as a double CD. What is musical direction from one CD to the other?
There is not really a progression from the first disc to the second, although the second CD is a lot darker and more underground, (and my personal favourite!). The purpose of the CD was to educate the uneducated and properly place the Hardstyle brand in the nation of South Africa. (A big step for man, A GIANT LEAP FOR HARDSTYLE LOVERS!)

Has your style developed over the years and has Hardstyle as a genre developed over the years?
My style has developed from what it was 2 years ago, but I still try to play all different genres attached to the Hardstyle brand. A 2 hour set of mine would include Nu-Hardstyle, old skool Hardstyle, Italian Hardstyle, German Hardstyle and of course Jumpstyle and Hardcore- all Punters deserve to hear what they like.

You are usually like a Duracell bunny behind the decks. Did you find it a challenge mixing a CD and not having a crowd in front of you responding live?
Nah, not really, I just close my eye’s and feel the energy of my last set I played! Although, even in a studio I last 5 times longer than your normal disc jockey…haha!

Define the skills and abilities you think make up the perfect DJ?
Good question. The important word here is DJ and not producer! There’s a massive difference between the two. A DJ’s most important tool is to let go and enjoy themselves, in other word’s, do things people would not expect you to do. We must all remember the music is only 1 small part of DJ’ing because your clubbers all pay hard earned money to come see you! So crowd control is the most important ability to have, in my opinion. Anybody can be taught to beat mix but only a select few has what it takes to be real DJ’s…You have it or u don’t.

If you could change one thing about the way the local dance scene
works what would it be, and why?
Well for one; I would change the aspect of the industry taking advantage of our DJ’s… If you look at how much Holland’s small local DJ’s get paid per set (between 500 – 1500 Euros a set ), our poor up ‘n coming’s have to beg for a set and then end up playing for R200 or free just to get themselves heard! Secondly; the way our local DJ’s get treated compared to Internationals. What I mean is, we don’t push or really support our excellent local talent we have, I bet you some of our locals could out play any international on his best day! -The only reason they’re so big is because of there local support system! Holland is a prime example; there locals are there Hero’s… I think if we give it a try, you’ll see the dance scene go from strength to strength and not down the toilet!

Many local DJs still perceive the advances in DJ technology as ‘cheating’. What’s your take on the vinyl vs. technology debate?
That’s a tough one as it could open a whole can of worms! My personal opinion is DJ’s should stick to what the scene is all about. Sometimes I can struggle to find one specific track for month’s but when I get it on vinyl and end up playing it at a club, the feeling you get cannot be explained! If track’s are so freely available on the net and everybody can get it, what’s the purpose of a DJ? That’s why we have so few specialist DJ’s in this country, because every DJ can play every single style of music because of laptops and technology! One set of Hard trance, then move to the funky floor straight after that and play a set there…What the hell is the purpose?

What is the greatest behind-the-decks moment you’ve ever had?
That is not a hard one at all! Haha… My one and a half hour set one on one with Technoboy was my best moment ever! It was like we played musical chairs with the people that night! I have never ever experienced a pumped up crowd like that before! We completely WRECKED the place and broke all the boundaries of Hardstyle in this country! I think everybody that was there that night would agree 100%! I still have awesome “nightmares” about that night!

For those who haven’t experienced one of your dancefloors how would you sell it to them?
Easy, take your worst fears; darkest nightmares; the thought of the happiest moment in your life; greatest experience, and extreme goosebumps, add it all together and you get a perfect Eddy Virgo set! You will have to experience it to believe it!

Give us three reasons why the punters should rush out and spend their hard earned money on the “BEST OF HARDSTYLE VOLUME 1″ CD?
1) To show their extreme support for the Hard dance scene in South Africa. (There has been none of that in the last 2 years!)
2) The unbelievable feeling the CD gives you when you’re having the worst day ever- trust me on this, just put it in your car’s CD player and you’ll understand!! (You can thank me later…haha!)
3) To all those Hardstyle lovers who have been around since 2000, there will be so many memories!- Great parties ,fantastic vibes and awesome banging tunes!

Where did Hardstyle originate?
Hardstyle originated from a mixture of Techno and Dutch Hardcore, some of the earlier artists included A*S*Y*S, Dana, Kaylab, Pavo, and Isaac.

And lastly, our traditionally arb question to finish off with: How many Hardstylers does it take to change a light bulb?
NONE! We want the light bulb to blow as we all love the DARK! HaHa!

Thanks Eddy.

Eddy’s double disc album, the BEST OF HARDSTYLE VOLUME 1 is now available at leading music stores countrywide. Catch Eddy and his moving (literally) performance on the Hardhouse Floor at H20 this Saturday from 9PM.

Baby Steps up the Nightlife Ladder

2006

I’ve come to realise in life, that no matter how hard you push, some things just don’t happen until one is “ready”. Lets be honest, one’s first time is always a daunting experience, but after that, well… it just gets easier and you look back and laugh at your precious paranoia and realise how much fun you’ve been missing.

No, I’m not talking about sex. I’m talking about a good friend of mine from high school and his girlfriend; lets call them Jack and Jill. Jack and Jill took a giant leap on Saturday night and went to one of those clubs for the first time. I know this because Jack called me at 12pm, roaring merrily about the place and demanding that I come join them immediately!

Now this is where I sheepishly admit that on this particular Saturday night, I was taking a well deserved hiatus and recovering from a house party I attended on Friday, at which a rather cute barman from Liquid Chefs shook me up one too many of the IT cocktail of the moment; a Catwalk.

I politely declined and told my jumping Jack to have a super-dooper party and that I’d be there in spirit. Well, that was a lie actually, my spirit was also kind of drained, so we both lumped it on the couch, watching Golden Globe reruns and drinking peppermint tea- but he doesn’t need to know that!

Yet after the conversation, I found myself feeling a little blue. While I was totally thrilled, (like a-mother-who’s-toddler-just-got-out-of-nappies kind of thrilled) that my dear friends had finally stepped out of the Rivonia Rut, I was a little saddened by the fact that I was missing this momentous occasion, (Imagine that mother missing her little one’s first steps in the big world!)

Ok, I apologise for the motherly analogies but I really was upset! You see, for ages I’ve been trying to persuade them and several others to come out with me for a REAL clubbing experience- one that doesn’t include lyrics by the Black Eyed Peas and amateur beat-boxing by Justin Timberlake.

But they were all scared and slightly intimidated at the prospect of going to what rumour describes as a “hardcore” club- something I tried to tell them was ridiculous and out of context. So, time and time again I was fed the usual bland excuses; “It’s not my scene”, “I’ll think about it and let you know” and “Maybe” which we all know, inevitably means no.

Thus, I gave up on giving my friends this nightlife-changing education and resigned myself to the fact that we’d forever have this void of musical misunderstanding- I mean, you just can’t go back to playing with stuffed Tigers after your body has moved to the cultured grooves of club entertainers like Ricardo Da Costa (my personal fave!), Ryan Dent and Roger Deluxe, to name but a very few! Well I’d like to think so anyway!

I consoled myself with the fact that, even though I was missing their first frolic; at least they’d finally taken that step up! They did it when they both felt the time was right and were “ready” to undertake an avant-garde and refined clubbing experience. They most definitely had a better time than they would have if I’d had my way and dragged them there, prematurely, when I was on my crusade all those months ago!

And you know what? I’m ok with that!

The real cherry on an already delightful cocktail of good news, came on Monday, when Jack called me once again.

“So how was Saturday night? You have a good time?” I asked tentatively.

“A good time? It was awesome! Let’s all go again this Saturday!”

Need I say more?

The Truth Will Set You Free…

2006

No, I’m not a preacher trying to instill the virtues of life and honesty being the only policy- although I don’t think it’s a bad line to follow… No. I’m talking about that fine establishment in Midrand that over the years has seen the best and worst of us on a night out on the town. Yip, Truth, the one and only!

Now where to begin… I have a friend that truly believes that she and a few select friends are aliens. I kid you not. “You’re an alien too!” She tells me one hot Saturday afternoon while catching a tan. “Oh really?” I respond, trying not to laugh at this absurd idea. I mean come on! Aren’t aliens green, grotesque creatures with three sets of arms? How can I be an alien? When I ask her this, she replies without hesitation, “I can tell by the way you dance.”I check my friends’ forehead, maybe we’ve been in the sun too long…

“You don’t believe me? Fine, I’ll show you tonight at Truth!” And with that she rolls over, onto her belly and continues her session with the sun, leaving me, open mouthed and confused, staring blindly into the sky in the hopes of seeing a spaceship whiz by to somehow gratify this madness.

Now’s probably the time to tell you that my uh, “alien” friend here also believes Truth (yes the above mentioned club) is actually a piece of her planet here on earth. Again, I kid you not! And every Saturday night, without fail, you’ll catch her and the rest of her other-worldly gang, ripping it up on the funky floor. It’s their religion.

It kind of makes me think of a new age church… one that plays house music, serves alcohol and is for aliens and other foreign species… Forgive me father, for I think I may be going crazy too!

So, the moment we arrive we hit the dance floor, it’s still a little early but it’s not long before she points to a guy dancing nearby.”See him?” She asks conspicuously, “He’s one too!”I smile and nod and roll my eyes, but moments later I find myself glancing in his direction.

The way he dances is out of this world (excuse the pun!), it’s like some other force is controlling the movements of his body and he’s just letting it take him, unconsciously. God bless the music! It really was quite amazing…and there were others like him too…

It got me thinking, and made me realise how many diverse cultures this club brings together and the awesome party atmosphere this creates. Despite Truth having a somewhat dubious history and reputation, I really don’t think it gets the respect it deserves.

This is a club that truly has no boundaries as it’s neither black nor white and no-one I know has ever been witness to a fist-fight within its walls. There is an absolute minimum of cattiness because everyone genuinely wants to make friends and have one big OUT OF THIS WORLD! party. And that’s exactly what makes it so energizing and refreshing.

So it’s true then, the truth really will set you free…

If you give it a chance, it’ll take you to dimensions you’d never have imagined- even if you’re a skeptic like me! Ok, so maybe I don’t believe in aliens, much to the disappointment of my dear friend but… The truth is out there and that I do believe!