Starting off the interviews for the year 2008, we have none other then Lee Haslam. Having been label manager for the major hard dance label Tidy for many years, Lee has moved on to be in total control of his own tech trance, digital label called Digital Remedy While his sound and style may have changed, his passion and drive for music has not. With his tracks getting plays from the likes of Paul Oakenfold, Armin Van Buuren, Judge Jules and Eddie Halliwell, Lee is quickly turning heads in the trance scene with no sign of slowing down.

The Beat Ranch presents, Lee Haslam

You recently played your final hard dance mix at Tidy Gold in November, how did that go over?

If I am gonna be totally honest is was a bit of a nightmare. Two of the CDJS were faulty so I couldn’t play half of the material I wanted to so it ended up being a bit of a mix and match. Hopefully tho I will get another opportunity to do it tho.

Will you miss playing hard dance at all?

Not at all, I did it for 7 years and by 2004 I was wanting to move on.. I feel really passionate about my music and it was important to me to play what I wanted and not what people expect me to play. I am loving my djing so much at the minute and because I have my own label now and have more time to produce my sets are always fresh sounding.

Do you play any other genres, other then trance?

No, I like all forms of music but tech trance is my main love.

How is your label Digital Remedy doing? What do you have lined up for in 2008?

Amazingly well, I have just sent the promo our to our nineth release which is a superb track by Dave Schiemann called “Crackdown”. I think it wook a few releases for the label to bed in and find its niche but I really feel it has done that now and has a good following. The last four releases have all featured in the top ten of most of the big download sites and sales are going well so I am well pleased. I am also now getting very credible trance producers and remixes coming to me with tracks and wanting to do remixes which is a great sign that I and the label have been accepted now which means a lot to me as it is something I have worked very hard on since leaving tidy in January last year.

There has been quite the debate with vinyl vs digital, whats your take on it?

Digital all the way for me… I would be a hypocrite if I said vinyl because I haven’t played on it for nearly three years. I can understand why people like it and want to use it but for me a a DJ and producer digital is an easier form to work with and to carry!!!!

Do you write and produce your own tracks?

I have always had an engineer since day one and they have been Guyver and Michael Dow.. Both are amazing talents and have taught me a lot but I am not a person who just sits in the corner and nods yes or no.. I have always the person that goes with the ideas and directs the track so much so that .in the last year I have been working on my own material at home, and then send it to my engineers and then going to the studio and finishing it off there.. Now that I am head of events for Slinky I simply do not have the time to sit all day, every day and work it myself but I have picked up enough in my time to get some good ideas down, a lot of which are being released today.

Can you give us a run down of your studio?

I don’t have one.. I use fruity loops on my laptop

What advice would you give to someone who is new to production?

Be yourself and use other productions as inspiration but do not copy them… Everyone needs inspiration from somewhere so be open minded about your music and don’t be afraid to try new things. It’s easy to say “yeah it’s ok” but can you make it better… always push yourself!!! Once you know you are ready then start sending some tracks out to dj’s and get some crowd reactions before sending to labels… you have to be sure you are 100% happy with it.

What producers and djs have really impressed you in 2007?

Sander Van Doorn is a real inspiration to me, his productions are ridiculous and a young man called Michael Dow. I have recently signed Michael to Remedy Management as he has made some corking tracks in 2007 and will definitely be a name for 2008

Whats been your favorite place to travel to?

Wow, I have been very lucky in the fact that I have been all over the world with my job and visited some amazing places but the two that stand out for me are Sydney Australia and Cape Town in South Africa. Both are breathtaking!

What’s been the worst place?

I once played in Lithuania about 6 years ago just when all the trouble had died down out there.. That was “interesting” to say the least but I would love to go back as I hear it is really good these days.

When you are not djing or producing, what do you like to do for fun?

Play golf and spend time with the wife to be!!!

Any last words?

Slinky, 25th January 2008….. Back at the Opera House… Be There!!!!!!!

Click here for Lee Haslam's Jan 2008 mix.
Click here for tracklisting.

Past Interviews