He hates talking about himself so this interview is worth a read, and good chance getting to know better the man like Justin Beresford a.k.a. D-LYTE!
- Back from Spain then and a few bits please about the mediterranean HTID and the whole responce from the masses? Did you have some good time yourself?
Yeah man it was awesome. Great vibes all round and was good to catch up with a few people within the scene that i’ve not seen in a while.
I do like a party though and to be honest overcooked it a bit so towards the end of the week ..well about 2 days in i was a dribbling mess. I have just about recovered!
- You're definetely a veteran in the Hardcore scene counting a great variety of gigs alongside some of the biggest names in the scene like Slipmatt, DJ SY, Gammer, Fracus & Darwin, Hixxy, Scott Brown, Stormtrooper, DJ Jedi and the list goes on and on more extended. Can you share your best living experiences after all these years in and out UK?
I’ve been very lucky over the years so there are many to choose from but uk wise my best dj experience was probably playing b2b with Druid main room at Fusion. It wasn’t the biggest gig I have done but coming from the south coast Druid was THE dj so to me it was a landmark gig. It was one of those moments where I realised that i had achieved the dream that I had back in the 90's as a teenager practicing in my bedroom. I also got a lot of work off of the back of it so all good.
Abroad wise it would have to be one of my stateside gigs. The best one's would have to be the ''Beyond The Beat'' festival in downtown L.A. It was a huge party with thousands of people in attendance. I was on the line up with the likes of Gammer, Brisk, Ham, Vinylgroover, John B, Limewax and Luna C. The gig and the people were awesome and I loved L.a its the best place I have been to.
The other one was a party called ''Powersurge'', I played at in Arizona alongside Showtek. Over 3 thousand people in a warehouse in the desert and a dude who was wearing a metal suit whilst having electricity fired at him! Haha mental!
- Let's take it back now to your early days.
What was the real key that has infected you to follow the DJing & production direction?
Well originally I hated dance music so I bought my decks to be a Hip Hop dj as I loved Hip Hop and was fascinated with the culture and in particular turntablism. A friend of mine called Jon Clark let me borrow a DJ Sy tape as he thought i would like the scratching and eventually I started liking the tunes the scratching was over and the rest they say is history. Production wise - It kind of came as part of the package. I will always be a dj over a producer as that is where my passion lies more, the performance side.
- Rewinding to the Thin N' Crispy days...
Do you remember how you got in touch with Robbie Long and the story behind your first ever release to this mighty label?
This is a long answer - I hope you’re sitting down with a cup of tea…(I’ll try and condense it a bit).
Here goes…
So i come from a small town called Fareham and the neighbouring small town is a town called Gosport (which is where Robbie is from). I am a massive Next Generation Records fan boy and pretty much hero worshipped Brisk , Robbie long & Devastate etc as a teenager. I used to work on an industrial estate as a teen and used to eat my lunch with a chap called Paul Mchale who is a friend of Robbie’s family. I used to pester the life out of him to try and get me some records or a Next Gen T shirt haha. He got as far as speaking to Rob about it but then Rob relocated to London so that was that.
Around the same time I had started playing out and in the early days at an event called “Adrenalin" which was run by Hixxy and Stu J. At one of these events Rob was on the line up and i introduced my self as that Kid from Fareham and gave him one of my iffy mix tapes to listen to. To my surprise he actually listened to it and called me up and said he was impressed and then went on to call me up regularly, giving me advise and mentoring me.
He started TNC and would ask me to do stuff but at the time I really wasn’t taking it all that seriously. During this period one of my good friends Alex (Stormtrooper) relocated to surrey and hooked up up with Rob and they started working on tracks together (small world) I split with a long term girlfriend and was in the depths of depression haha so went and visited Alex to take my mind of things.
I really like Makina and had this idea to make a Makina tune with a rude D&B drop in it. So we did that for a laugh. That track was Spacehooper and the rest is history. Have you fallen asleep yet? lol.
- Last December, you've decided to launch your own label, Legitimate Recordings, which is less than a year old but very promising.
How you came up with this idea and few essential bits about the spirit of your label?
I like most forms of hardcore but my passion lies with the tough and ravey stuff.
- Legitimate Recordings has already released three big single tracks of big uplifting rhythms, oldskool pianos and tough buzzin.
- How do you see Hardcore scene at the moment regarding promoters/producers (new blood)/labels and fans?
Is there any kind of evolution in the movement?
I think the hardcore scene is looking healthier than ever. The variety is back and bigger promoters like HTID are taking chances on new talent and giving them a chance to shine which is something that was lacking for quite a long time. My overall favourite producer at the moment is DJ Kurt as he makes the exact kind of hardcore that i like but I’m also digging Jakka-B, Fracus and Darwin, Macks Wolf, Alex Prospect , Spyro and Mizel and Wilson.
In fact Mizel and Wilson have just released an awesome EP called "The Blackout EP" so make sure you check it out.
Also make sure you check out what Fracus and the guys at Hardcore Underground are doing. Fracus is one of my oldest friends within the scene and the work those guys put in is second to none.
- Forthcoming plans/releases from you?
I have another 3 tunes to release that are ready to go and then I’m going back in the studio. I have quite a demanding day job where i work 12 hour days so balancing that and music is quite difficult. I have plans to go in the studio with Fracus for a week in December so should have another batch ready for the new year.
(All pictures are taken from D-LYTE personal archives and used with his kind permission)
- Back from Spain then and a few bits please about the mediterranean HTID and the whole responce from the masses? Did you have some good time yourself?
Yeah man it was awesome. Great vibes all round and was good to catch up with a few people within the scene that i’ve not seen in a while.
I do like a party though and to be honest overcooked it a bit so towards the end of the week ..well about 2 days in i was a dribbling mess. I have just about recovered!
- You're definetely a veteran in the Hardcore scene counting a great variety of gigs alongside some of the biggest names in the scene like Slipmatt, DJ SY, Gammer, Fracus & Darwin, Hixxy, Scott Brown, Stormtrooper, DJ Jedi and the list goes on and on more extended. Can you share your best living experiences after all these years in and out UK?
I’ve been very lucky over the years so there are many to choose from but uk wise my best dj experience was probably playing b2b with Druid main room at Fusion. It wasn’t the biggest gig I have done but coming from the south coast Druid was THE dj so to me it was a landmark gig. It was one of those moments where I realised that i had achieved the dream that I had back in the 90's as a teenager practicing in my bedroom. I also got a lot of work off of the back of it so all good.
Abroad wise it would have to be one of my stateside gigs. The best one's would have to be the ''Beyond The Beat'' festival in downtown L.A. It was a huge party with thousands of people in attendance. I was on the line up with the likes of Gammer, Brisk, Ham, Vinylgroover, John B, Limewax and Luna C. The gig and the people were awesome and I loved L.a its the best place I have been to.
The other one was a party called ''Powersurge'', I played at in Arizona alongside Showtek. Over 3 thousand people in a warehouse in the desert and a dude who was wearing a metal suit whilst having electricity fired at him! Haha mental!
- Let's take it back now to your early days.
What was the real key that has infected you to follow the DJing & production direction?
Well originally I hated dance music so I bought my decks to be a Hip Hop dj as I loved Hip Hop and was fascinated with the culture and in particular turntablism. A friend of mine called Jon Clark let me borrow a DJ Sy tape as he thought i would like the scratching and eventually I started liking the tunes the scratching was over and the rest they say is history. Production wise - It kind of came as part of the package. I will always be a dj over a producer as that is where my passion lies more, the performance side.
- Rewinding to the Thin N' Crispy days...
Do you remember how you got in touch with Robbie Long and the story behind your first ever release to this mighty label?
This is a long answer - I hope you’re sitting down with a cup of tea…(I’ll try and condense it a bit).
Here goes…
So i come from a small town called Fareham and the neighbouring small town is a town called Gosport (which is where Robbie is from). I am a massive Next Generation Records fan boy and pretty much hero worshipped Brisk , Robbie long & Devastate etc as a teenager. I used to work on an industrial estate as a teen and used to eat my lunch with a chap called Paul Mchale who is a friend of Robbie’s family. I used to pester the life out of him to try and get me some records or a Next Gen T shirt haha. He got as far as speaking to Rob about it but then Rob relocated to London so that was that.
Around the same time I had started playing out and in the early days at an event called “Adrenalin" which was run by Hixxy and Stu J. At one of these events Rob was on the line up and i introduced my self as that Kid from Fareham and gave him one of my iffy mix tapes to listen to. To my surprise he actually listened to it and called me up and said he was impressed and then went on to call me up regularly, giving me advise and mentoring me.
 |
| D-Lyte with DJ Sy @ Adrenalin (2001) |
I really like Makina and had this idea to make a Makina tune with a rude D&B drop in it. So we did that for a laugh. That track was Spacehooper and the rest is history. Have you fallen asleep yet? lol.
 |
| Robbie Long/D-Lyte/Stormtrooper - 2006 |
How you came up with this idea and few essential bits about the spirit of your label?
I like most forms of hardcore but my passion lies with the tough and ravey stuff.
With TNC and Next Gen not releasing stuff anymore I felt there was a gap in the market for that kind of stuff so Legitimate was born...
- Legitimate Recordings has already released three big single tracks of big uplifting rhythms, oldskool pianos and tough buzzin.
It has already achieved hitting high positions on digital store charts and planning now getting it to the next level I'd say with your upcoming weapon of release, presenting your good friend and established Hardcore trooper from TNC days, the man like Stormtrooper!
Can you tell us few bits about his two signed and smashing tunes to your label and how came up this big kind of rewind and...big present to the fans?
As above Alex is one of my oldest friends and he called me from L.A to chat about non music related stuff and i thought i would chance my arm and ask him to do it as a favour. I still to this day don’t think he actually realises how good he is and how sorely missed he is in the scene.
Can you tell us few bits about his two signed and smashing tunes to your label and how came up this big kind of rewind and...big present to the fans?
As above Alex is one of my oldest friends and he called me from L.A to chat about non music related stuff and i thought i would chance my arm and ask him to do it as a favour. I still to this day don’t think he actually realises how good he is and how sorely missed he is in the scene.
- How do you see Hardcore scene at the moment regarding promoters/producers (new blood)/labels and fans?
Is there any kind of evolution in the movement?
I think the hardcore scene is looking healthier than ever. The variety is back and bigger promoters like HTID are taking chances on new talent and giving them a chance to shine which is something that was lacking for quite a long time. My overall favourite producer at the moment is DJ Kurt as he makes the exact kind of hardcore that i like but I’m also digging Jakka-B, Fracus and Darwin, Macks Wolf, Alex Prospect , Spyro and Mizel and Wilson.
In fact Mizel and Wilson have just released an awesome EP called "The Blackout EP" so make sure you check it out.
Also make sure you check out what Fracus and the guys at Hardcore Underground are doing. Fracus is one of my oldest friends within the scene and the work those guys put in is second to none.
I have another 3 tunes to release that are ready to go and then I’m going back in the studio. I have quite a demanding day job where i work 12 hour days so balancing that and music is quite difficult. I have plans to go in the studio with Fracus for a week in December so should have another batch ready for the new year.
- Top 5 tunes that are never missed to play in your sets?
It all depends on what kind of set i am playing - Old stuff some of my favourites are:
It all depends on what kind of set i am playing - Old stuff some of my favourites are:
'Ham & DNA - About You'
'Scott brown - Technophobia Bouncy techno remix'
'Critical Mass - Burning Love Helix Remix'
'TNC era - Blow Roof remix' 'Lizard remix' and always have to get 'Gypsy Disco' in there.
Modern - Macks Wolf - Galleon, Mizel And Wilson - Black out, Bang! Shine A light - Fracus and Darwin remix.
- Justin, I'd like to thank you a lot for joining Strictly Nuskool Blog on this very interesting interview.
Wishing you to stay strong and succeed with your new effort, which is Legitimate and roll on everywhere! Bigup!
Wanna mention anyone for shouts out or final words to close?
Thanks man! Yeah thanks to all those who have supported me over the years , to my mates who have had to listen to be rattle on about hardcore non stop and have driven me about on my adventures and to Robbie Long, Fracus, Dj Jedi , Simon Apex , Mizel and Wilson, Casper , Skatty and all the south coast crew!
'TNC era - Blow Roof remix' 'Lizard remix' and always have to get 'Gypsy Disco' in there.
Modern - Macks Wolf - Galleon, Mizel And Wilson - Black out, Bang! Shine A light - Fracus and Darwin remix.
- Justin, I'd like to thank you a lot for joining Strictly Nuskool Blog on this very interesting interview.
Wishing you to stay strong and succeed with your new effort, which is Legitimate and roll on everywhere! Bigup!
Wanna mention anyone for shouts out or final words to close?
Thanks man! Yeah thanks to all those who have supported me over the years , to my mates who have had to listen to be rattle on about hardcore non stop and have driven me about on my adventures and to Robbie Long, Fracus, Dj Jedi , Simon Apex , Mizel and Wilson, Casper , Skatty and all the south coast crew!
Coming soon...
DJ Stormtrooper 'Unomas' [out on 2nd September @ Legitimate Recordings]
D-LYTE
(All pictures are taken from D-LYTE personal archives and used with his kind permission)
GL0WKiD Interview with D-LYTE (a.k.a. Justin Beresford)
Strictly Nuskool Blog - 2nd August 2016
that punk Terry from Vinyl-Fantasy is in a wheelchair now
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