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Bournemouth's Scouse house heroes M-Tech and K12

9th September 2007 - interview copyright of Frenzy & Ben Clark

Scouse house is traditionally a preserve of clubnights north of Wigan Pier, but recently two lads from Bournemouth have been making an impact with their own brand of Scouse madness. The sounds seems to appeal to the bouncy hard house fans and the hardcore collective too. We took time out to chat to M-Tech and K12 in advance of Frenzy's Return to the Underground at Dusk Till Dawn nightclub.

1) Hi guys, let's start by finding out how long have you both been DJ'ing for?

M-Tech: I think we've both been mixing together for just over a year. I started learning on Exalt's old CD decks last summer and it's just gone on from there really.

K12: I've been DJ'ing for just over a year now I think.

MTech and K12 behind the decks
MTech & K12 behind the decks

2) What was it that actually got you into DJ'ing in the first place? Is it true it was DJ Jazzy Jeff as the rumour goes?

M-Tech: Ha ha ha, well the first rave I went to was at the Opera House and it really was the best thing ever. That just made me look up to what the DJ was doing and from that day I wanted to do the same. It was nothing to do with Jazzy Jeff I'm pleased to say!

K12: Well at the time I just thought 'I'll do whatever Matt's doing', and turned out it was really good fun and went from there... who's Jazzy Jeff?

3) Who would you rather be out of the following megastars; Harold Bishop from Neighbours or Eastenders' Dot Cotton and why?

M-Tech: Definitely Dot cotton, She just seems to get a kick out of smoking I didn’t think was humanly possible!

K12: Harold Bishop... no doubt, as the popular saying goes 'Look! Their goes old Harold Bishop, always smiling and so on....' (Frenzy HQ: "Has anyone else ever heard this popular saying or is it just us who are confused???")

Mal... also known as K12
Mal... also known as K12

4) You're both playing Scouse house currently and introducing Bournemouth's hardcore fans to it. However, quite a few people are put off by the term Scouse house. What are the redeeming qualities of the genre for people unfamiliar with the term?

M-Tech: Scouse is great because it's essentially a blend of hardcore and hard house, that fans of both genres will enjoy. The bassline of Scouse is dead similar to that of the type of hard house Andy Whitby plays, but Scouse tends to be a lot more vocal with longer breakdowns, making it similar to hardcore. If anyone's not heard it I’d definitely recommend having a listen before slating it!

K12: Scouse house's combination of hard dance and hardcore styles equipped with its own special little DONK produces a truly unique and uplifiting experience which. If you pick the right tunes and blast them loud enough through some giant club speakers you're sure to blow the roof off. Definately watch this space with the Scouse scene!

5) MTech, it's been said you look alot like a slightly strange Ricky Martin - is this intentional? And what's your favourite Ricky song and why?

M-Tech: Ha ha ha... Yes I do my best to look like him, and I am available for tribute acts for a small fee. Favourite tune? Hmm probably 'shake your bon bon' – what an anthem that is.

M-Tech has a resemblance to Ricky Martin
M-Tech has a resemblance to Ricky Martin

6) What are your top 3 favourite tunes of the moment? And you can be big-headed if you like and name your own!

M-Tech: Darren styles and Francis Hill's 'Come Running' is an awesome tune and probably my favourite hardcore tune around at the moment. '1ne of a kind' is starting to get light which is on my latest Scouse mix. Wicked tune and very different. Finally Gammer's 'The Tunnel' which is another spectacular tune which really gets the dancefloor rockin'!

K12: Mine would have to be:

  1. Gammer - The Tunnel- Quality tune
  2. Re-Con - Sweetheart - Although any version of this song is wicked
  3. Tiesto - Adagio for Strings - All time favourite

7) Your a Hardcore Marrow and have been for sometime now, playing at their first night last month in Frenzy's second room. You're now residents so what does being a Hardcore Marrow mean to you?

M-Tech: Getting trollied whenever possible and having a great night. If you’re unsure on the best ways to ruin yourself have a chat with our friend Felix. He seems to really have gotten the hang of it!

K12: Being a Hardcore Marrow is like your parents signing you a permission slip to go and get completly obliterated and dance around to banging tunes all night with the best people... then draw on MTech with a marker pen while he's asleep.

K12 playing at the Empire Club in Bournemouth
K12 playing at the Empire Club in Bournemouth

8) Which DJs would you say have influenced you the most?

M-Tech: Squad-E/Hypasonic more than anyone. I always try to mix in a similar style to him, simply because the more anthems you can fit into an hour set, the better it is in my opinion.

K12: Gammer is one of the greatest artists around at the moment and obviously a big influence on me and lot of other DJs i should imagine... But (god help me)... M-Tech has been a huge influence on me and I'd like to thank him.

M-Tech and K12 are residents for the Hardcore Marrows and will next be playing for Frenzy on Friday 5th October at Dusk Till Dawn nightclub in Bournemouth with Brisk and Clodhopper. Full details can be found on the events page.

Some photos courtesy of Michael Azzopardi. Please visit www.michaelazzopardi.co.uk.