Klubfiller is better known as Stevie B and is quite a well known face in the North of the country. He’s starting to cross over from the Northern bounce (or Scouse House!) scene and is very quickly making a name for himself at the harder end of the scale. He’s also been taking the hard dance scene by storm with his extensive production work – championed by AWsum’s very own head honcho Andy Whitby.

With this in mind Mr Whitby decided to interview Mr Filler to find out how he’s feeling about making his debut at AWsum v Kiddfectious on Bank Holiday Sunday 25th May at the fantastic Ministry of Sound!

Hello dude, and welcome to our AWsum interview, thanks for taking time to chat!

First things first, how much are you looking forward to your hard-dance debut at my event; AWsum vs. Kiddfectious @ Ministry Of Sound on May 25th?

Well this has to be the biggest gig that I have had the pleasure of being asked to play for. It truly is an unbelievable line up and a dream come true for me to be on the same line up as you, Alex Kidd, Andy Farley, Kutski, Cally Gage and well basically the whole line up *laughs* So to say that I’m excited is an understatement!

As far as debuts go, you can’t get much better than Ministry Of Sound, so what special tracks/remixes/surprises have you got ready for us?

Ministry is ok I suppose…only joking! It really can’t get much better than this for a debut at AWsum. Regarding music, I can say that there will be lots musical treats on show that night but to hear them all you will have to come and see my set!

You’ve gone from being unknown in this scene to one of the most exciting and talked about producers in our hard-dance in just a few months. You write anything from powerful bounce to insane hardstyle, and all at the ridiculously young age of 20! What do you think are the key ingredients when making a track?

I have been really taken back by how quickly the hard dance scene is moving for me, I feel really excited about it at the moment and that I have a lot to offer. My main key ingredient when making a track as I’ve told you on many occasions Andy is the Kick Drum *laughs*…once that is right the rest falls into place I feel.

What are your top 5 hard-dance tunes right now (not including your own!)

There’s so much good stuff out there at the moment but of what I’ve heard I’m liking:

1 – Andy Whitby & Matt Lee feat. MC Whizzkid – Rock It (AWsum)
2 – Matt Lee – Over 4 Me (AWsum)
3 – Technikal feat. MC Whizzkid – Music for a Harder Generation (Technikal recordings)
4 - Rhythm FX – Big Fella (Total Control Twisted Mix) (Defiance)
5 – Lisa Lashes & Anne Savage – You’re Not Alone (Lashed)

You make up a quarter of the AWsum 4sum (Cally Gage, Matt Lee, you and me), what does it mean to be part of AWsum and be involved in the ideas, releases and events I’m doing?

I have found it really exciting joining the AWsum 4some from the word go. There has always been something happening, whether it be ideas for new releases, discussing design work, working with vocalists or just meeting up to chill out when ever one of us has a weekend off. It’s a solid team and is great to be a part of it, as it’s not just people who work together, we’re all good mates now as well.

Tell us about Defiance…

Well Defiance is a record label which I have set up as basically another outlet for my music. We have gone with a couple of small vinyl runs on our first two releases to test the water and they straight away topped charts on Juno and 3 Beat - two of the biggest vinyl retailers around - which was quite a shock.

Defiance has just started on the digital side of things, with Defiance 1 & 2 (Earthquaker, Attack & Feel The Groove) being the main tracks featured over the two releases. They are available now from Trackitdown, djdownload, Juno, and Napster. So go check them out!

There will be a lot of big releases on the label throughout the rest of the year including Klubfiller – R.A.W, Way of Life, Bounce Right Now and also our collaboration “Now Here Comes The Music” so check out my sites for the latest info on these releases.

I will also have a limited number of Defiance T-shirts to giveaway on the night at AWsum. So if anyone would like one come and say Hi and you might just get one!

You have 6 tracks on the new Tidy Music For A Harder Generation album, do you plan to do your own compilations in the future?

I couldn’t believe it when I found out that 6 of my productions were to be on the next Tidy compilation, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face all day!

There is talk of a compilation towards the end of the year with someone but I can not say too much more on that right now as it’s all a bit hush-hush.

Although known as Klubfiller in hard-dance you made your name in the music industry as Stevie B, which has seen you working with AATW, Raverbaby, Ministry Of Sound and many more. How do you keep on top of making so much music while trying to remain sounding fresh?

Tricky question! Well, I come from a musical family so I’m constantly listening to different genres of music. My cousin Miles recently got to number 1 in the UK album chart as he is in “The Last Shadow Puppets”; also 2 other cousins are in the band “The Coral” so it’s a weird family musically. I also listen to all forms of dance music; I’m a huge fan of Eric Prydz, Sander Van Doorn, Steve Angello etc. So there is a lot of inspiration from all walks of music or it could just be down to my mum’s cooking!

Do you fill Klubs?

Haha I knew this question would come up one day, I guess we’ll see on the 25th May!

You’re from the North West – an area that’s not renowned for its hard dance scene. Can you see things picking up there?

Erm, tricky one to predict regarding hard dance in the North West. It would be fantastic if it did. But there is a lot of change at the moment with music and events. As I know the harder music being played now including all the Defiance & AWsum stuff has been popular in the North West and Eskimo “Re-cycled” has also been massive in the more bouncy “Scouse” scene. So who knows but I hope that hard dance does grow in this area.

What other gigs do you have lined up for the next few months?

Well on the 6th June not too long after AWsum vs. Kiddfectious I will be playing at Contagious Bouncing Ball along with yourself, Cally Gage, Tidy DJs and Matt Lee. I will be doing a back 2 back set with Caz Wood which should be very interesting - a Contagious vs. AWsum dogfight as its being called haha, I can’t wait.

There can’t be much spare time left with the amount of music that you make, but what do you do when you’re not in the studio or DJing?

Music is a massive chunk of my life right now but I love it so I can’t complain really. But when I’m not in the studio or on the road to a gig, I like to go out with my mates, drink a lot of Jack Daniels and try to live the dream *laughs*

What made you want to move into the hard dance scene?

Well I have always been into harder music - when I first bought vinyl I would go straight to the Tidy and Nukleuz material that was out. It was a natural step however to working in the more clubland style of things due to being based in the North West. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a strong passion for that but I have always had the harder edge running through me.

One day I was chatting to Hardcore DJ Kurt on the good old MSN and he said I should speak to your good self and the rest is history really now.

And finally, how can people hear your music? Any mixes or releases we need to know about?

I have a free mix for everyone to download on my official website www.klubfiller.com - go to downloads on there. There are also podcasts on there along with the latest info and goings on in Klubfiller Land.

Defiance Recordings goes digital on the 19th May with its first two releases

Klubfiller – EP 1 (Earthquaker, Attack, Turn It Up)
Klubfiller & Domination – Part 1 (Feel The Groove, Bass Poison, Think About Me)

Available from Trackitdown.net, djdownload.com, Juno, Napster

Other sites of Klubfiller action include:

Website
Myspace
Facebook
Facebook Fan Page
DSI Group

Defiance Myspace
Defiance Facebook

Also I would like to say that I have been nominated in the first Bounce-Heaven awards, I would really appreciate it if people voted for me as:

Best DJ
Best Producer
Best Track: Klubfiller – Earthquaker
Best Label: Defiance Recordings

bounce-heaven.com

Thanks folks :)

Thanks to you both boys – good interview. And you can see both Klubfiller and Andy Whitby at this Sunday’s AWsum v Kiddfectious showdown at the huge Ministry of Sound – 9pm to 6am. Come and find out what all the fuss is about!