CLUB RESIDENCIES:                  

1990-91

Started as a warm-up for Sasha at a club called Hacketts(The Venue) in Blackpool then on to a night called Danza @ Oz, Blackpool  I got to play at  a few one-off events  with Jooce in the summer of 1991.

1992-93

At the end of 91’ I moved to the club Sequins in Blackpool as a dj in my own right this was to be my base camp till 1995 when it was sadly closed. Early 92’ I joined up with the Mix Factory dj’s and aslo started guesting with them, this took me to play at ,  The Banshee in Manchester, Rockworld in Bolton and occasional spots every Sunday on Sunset 102fm.  By this time Sequins was a capacity club which held 1,200 people and we were turning 300-400 people away each week. The club closed its doors in the summer of 92 because of violence from gangs etc. I moved on and joined partnership with Funki ‘B and between us we set to take the scene to its next level.  Orgasm@The Loveshack Blackpool and Orgasm@The Old Mill in Egremont, Cumbria.

Also that year Dreamstate@ Madisons Ave, Blackpool that was a force to be reckoned with… Ever been to a club where there are more people Locked out than there are Inside 2000 inside and about 3500 outside!!! It was absolute Mayhem.  

1993-94

This was the year I got to play at some big outdoor raves. Due to my growing popularity I played at quite a few events as a guest dj. Clubs all over the north of England and also at a few big raves down south. I was resident for all Dreamstate events that year along side a lot of the southern dj’s e.g. The Rat Pack, Top Buzz, Carl Cox, Easygroove, Sy, Slipmatt & Lime, Seduction. That year I worked the Empire, the Carlton, the Dome, Zone@Jenks, the Palace, the Park plus more …

1994-96

I went back to work at Sequins in Blackpool. The night “Fever @ Sequins” was created working alongside Funki B we put the club back on the map. It was that popular we were locking out around 800 people each week, so we hired out Adam & Eves Nightclub and OZ Nightclub to put the same night on, this catered for the overspill. 1995 saw the end of Sequins, it was knocked down to be replaced by a fun pub. It was a sad time and a lot of people packed in after that episode.

But moving on to the next chapter and Barristers in Preston was ready for it. Being good friends with John (DJ Seduction) we did a series of events together putting on lot of the big southern dj’s on they were very successful and we introduced the people to Happcore. We were pushed out @ Barristers by a certain Promoter who wanted a piece of our action (No prizes for guessing Who!!) We moved on to put BIG one-off events at the Main Entrance Nightclub and Palace nightclub in Blackpool. United Dance was one the biggest events to be held in the north at the time with one of the biggest line-ups the north had ever seen. Someone died in the club that night and fucked up the scene in Blackpool once again! We went on to run nights @The Cooler, Blackpool. It all ended Summer 96’ and I lost my brother Gaz.  

1999-2000

Started back working with Zone @ Maximes, Wigan playing Big anthems again. It wasn’t long before I was back on the scene working other clubs including Arena in Burnley. There were problems arising with Zone and  Maximes and it wasn’t only me who was unhappy. Why they did it I will never Know, the future could have been so big if only they listened and took notice. Cant say anymore on that, they hate me enough as it is!!

 2000-2002     

The new millenium brought a new era… called “Foreplay” and it starred DJ RIKKEE, ANDY PENDLE, SAM WHITE and STEVEN JAY. PMB joined the crew about 12 months after. It was the first club in the North West to play really Bouncy Good quality tunes and got recognition for it. We did the Mill, Preston. The Cricketer in Wigan. Solid in Preston. North in Manchester. Area 51 in Sheffield and the Springbok in Wigan. Bar Peru in Bolton. Other clubs I played was Goodtimes@ Monroes and the Afterdark in Morley.

2003 – now

This year I have come away from the promoting side and concentrated on the DJing more it’s been a busy year for me working at quite a lot of the new nights like Sanctuary, Happiness, Risky, Goodtimes, Therapy and have just secured a residency at 51^st State in Wigan I also resident at the Cricketer every other week or so. Destination One-Eleven opens it doors again soon and I will be there when we re-launch FEVER on a monthly basis.

 My view on the future

 I still love DJing, always will and will continue to work as long as it is there.

I want to help new DJ’ s and Promoters by assisting with my past experiences help to continue to grow the scene. Recently in this scene, everyone seems to get on very well with each other. Promoters swapping DJ’s inviting each other to their venues and it is absolutely brilliant and this needs to carry on. There is only one group a minority that think they are too good and constantly try to monopolize by their own ways and means, but the clubbers don’t see it. These promoters need to change their ways and either join with what is happening around them or just pack up because they are fucking up the scene. Why can’t you just play Ball guys!! I’ve been around a long time and know through experience it’s not good for yourselves as well as everyone else.

The future in Music

There is a lot of clubs about now and a lot of new nights starting, but no originality everyone is playing the same stuff. Go more Bangin’ the scene needs to change otherwise it is going commercial and everyone will be playing it everywhere. At the moment I prefer playing Oldskool really obscure stuff because at the moment there is nothing that really cuts it. What is good everyone plays the same 12-15 records from their local shop!!

The only night that has variety and difference is Sanctuary, they have good ideas their nights are played different to others by a bit of Italian oldskool with some really bangin’ Dinky etc. It has become very successful as a result of it.  Kinetic used the same idea but the dibble and licensing in Blackpool aren’t as easy going.

All you new DJ’s trying to break onto the scene here’s a tip… be different everyone can play the same stuff and to a promoter it’s just another bedroom DJ. You need to be different to make it or exceptionally good.

If anyone wants to contact me about advise or help, I would be more than happy to chat about it.

Cheers,

DJ Rikkee