Hard House History

Andy Farley returns to the Hard House History Podcast for a catch-up with Paul Glazby, covering marathon DJ sets, rediscovered records, and why the best nights still build around the music. From Ibiza adventures to the thinking behind Pure Andy Farley, this episode explores what keeps him excited about getting behind the decks.

Andy reflects on a year of festivals, Frantic parties and five gigs during his Ibiza trip, including experiencing Amnesia and watching Fergie play vinyl. He also looks ahead to his planned back-to-back with Eddie Halliwell, and why unexpected partnerships offer creative possibilities.

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Hard House History celebrates one year since its rebrand with a return guest who helped shape Paul Glazby's career. Insomniacz promoter Tom Muir joins Paul for an honest, hilarious conversation about the scene's resurgence, the realities of running events and why their story is still being written.

Tom helped establish Paul as a hard house DJ back in 2000. Now, decades later, they're watching familiar faces return to the dance floor alongside a younger generation discovering the music for themselves. From growing friendship groups to the appeal of daytime parties, Tom explains why today's atmosphere feels special, and...

One Sunday morning, one DJ booth and one encounter with Tony De Vit changed everything. In this episode of Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with Matt Smallwood to trace a life in dance music, from teenage obsession and London club nights to producing hard house and helping shape releases for global artists.

Matt takes us back to Sunnyside Up, where a sixteen-year-old newcomer found himself beside Tony De Vit, watching records being selected and learning how a master controlled the energy of a dancefloor. His account of Tony's mixing technique captures the excitement of discovering...

General Bounce joins Paul Glazby on the Hard House History Podcast for a candid, funny and opinionated conversation about 25 years behind the decks. From his first club gigs in August 2001 to running Cheeky Tracks and finding an audience through video, this episode explores a career built on energy, individuality and a genuine love of dance music.

Before the clubs came the influences: Culture Club, Pet Shop Boys, A-ha and a school trip to Germany that introduced him to clubbing at just 15. Jimmy Somerville also comes up, whose moves might help explain General Bounce's unmistakable dancing.

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This week on Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with producer, DJ and underground dance music chameleon Jon Doe for a journey through one of the most fascinating careers to emerge from the UK's hard dance scene.

Jon's story does not follow a conventional path. From discovering energetic electronic music through artists including KLF, to buying records with money earned washing dishes as a teenager, DJing school discos and eventually sending out his first demo tapes, his obsession with music quickly became something much bigger.

The conversation takes us deep into the world of...

The Hard House History Podcast heads to Auckland, New Zealand, for the London Hard House Reunion 2026, celebrating 15 incredible years of hard house, hard trance and unforgettable dancefloor memories! Join host Paul Glazby as he catches up with some of the biggest names in the scene for a special episode dedicated to the music, friendships and community that have made this event a favourite among hard house fans.

This anniversary celebration brings together an incredible collection of DJs and producers, including BK, Rob Tissera, K90, Steve Hill, Shark Boy, Grant Thompson, Matt Adam, Eamon and Reuben Fevah, Blair...

In this episode of Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with Glynn Tolley for a brilliant journey through more than three decades of dance music, club culture, production and promotion.

Glynn's story begins long before the superclubs and packed dancefloors. From making pretend radio shows on a reel-to-reel recorder as a child to DJing school discos, saving for his first pair of Technics and eventually warming up alongside the likes of Sasha, his route into dance music was anything but conventional.

The conversation moves into Glynn's early production career and Within a Dream's "Where...

Some DJs have been part of dance music history, while others have helped shape it. In this episode of Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with the legendary Judge Jules for a journey through more than four decades of clubs, radio, raves, Ibiza and electronic music.

Jules takes us right back to the beginning, from discovering electronic music through acts including Human League and Heaven 17 to experiencing the sheer power of New Order on a proper club sound system at Camden Palace. From there, his musical education took another huge turn with visits to New York's...

This episode of Hardhouse History is about far more than records, DJs and dancefloors. Paul Glazby sits down with 19-year-old Hugo from The Test Lounge for a deeply personal conversation about family, loss, musical discovery, and carrying forward something his dad, Chris, started purely for the love of music.

The Test Lounge began with a simple idea. Chris wanted to dig into his incredible record collection, play the music he loved and share it with anyone who wanted to listen. It wasn't about followers or creating content. It was about spreading happiness and excitement through music.

This week on Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of electronic music’s most distinctive and enduring artists, Nick Bracegirdle, better known as Chicane.

It might seem like a slight detour from the harder sounds normally associated with the podcast, but for Paul, Chicane's music has always been part of the story. After weekends spent hammering Tony De Vit and hard house, records like Offshore provided the perfect Sunday comedown. What follows is a fascinating conversation with an artist Paul describes as one of the Balearic sound's Godfathers.

Nick takes us back to...

This week on Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of the most distinctive names to emerge from the UK hard trance scene, K90, aka Mark Doggett, for a journey through more than 25 years of music, clubs, live performances and an ever-evolving creative career.

K90's route into electronic music was anything but planned. A mate losing his job, a Commodore Amiga and a free music-making program eventually led to a four-track hardcore EP being signed to Kickin' Records within six months. From there came years of learning, experimenting and doing whatever work was necessary to...

This week on Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with Edele Andaya, a lifelong raver, DJ and passionate champion of the music who has gone from discovering the London club scene as a teenager to launching her own events and carving out a new chapter behind the decks.

Edele's journey into Hard House started early. At just 15, she found herself walking into Fahrenheit, a tiny Hard House club tucked behind Heaven, and discovering a world she didn't know existed. From there came weekends at Frantic, Hard House Academy, Convergence and the clubs that defined an incredible...

In this Special Edition of Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with Ves Asenov, creator of Raveolution, a new platform built by a raver, for ravers.

Rather than looking back at the history of hard house, this special episode looks at something that could shape its future.

Originally from Bulgaria, Ves found his way into the UK club scene through trance before Jasmine and Tina introduced him to hard house. He quickly fell in love with the music, events, atmosphere and, most importantly, the people.

There was just one problem: organising a...

Bryan Kearney returns to Hard House History for an Inspirations episode that goes far beyond the records themselves.

Joining Paul Glazby for the second time, Bryan opens up about the music, memories and real-life experiences behind three tracks from his career, revealing how inspiration can come from the most unexpected places.

First up is his remix of Flash – Frantic Theme, a record forever connected to the Irish club scene and Bryan's early days attending venues such as Dublin's legendary Temple Theatre. From Mark Kavanagh destroying Creamfields with the original to producing his own version on a...

Some records define an era, and some artists help create an entirely new movement. This week on Hard House History, Paul Glazby welcomes German electronic music pioneer Mijk van Dijk for an unforgettable conversation that traces the evolution of trance, techno and rave culture from the streets of Berlin to dancefloors around the world.

Known for the timeless classic Schöneberg, Mijk reveals the real story behind one of the defining records of the 1990s, explaining the difference between the original release and the legendary Marmion remix that became a UK club anthem. Along the way, he r...

Paul Glazby sits down with one of the true pioneers of the underground, Choci, a producer, label owner, record shop operator and DJ whose influence helped shape the foundations of acid house, acid techno and the harder sounds that followed.

Long before genres were neatly labelled, Choci was making music, running record stores in the heart of London's Soho and releasing groundbreaking records that inspired an entire generation of DJs. In this fascinating episode, he takes us back to the birth of the UK underground, sharing incredible stories from the late 1980s when acid house exploded, the...

Hard House History welcomes one of the true storytellers of UK dance music, Kirk Field, and what unfolds is one of the most fascinating journeys ever told on the podcast.

Long before he became the bestselling author of Rave New World and Planes, Trains and Amphetamines, Kirk was a struggling musician who found himself homeless, broke and searching for direction. Then one phone call changed everything. Working behind the bar at the very first illegal acid house raves, he witnessed the birth of a movement that would reshape music, culture and an entire generation.

In...

Goodgreef wasn't just another club brand; it became one of the defining names of the UK hard house movement. In this episode of Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with Barry Goodgreef to relive the incredible story behind one of the scene's most influential promoters, event organisers and talent managers.

From sneaking into clubs as a teenager to launching Goodgreef in Manchester at just 18 years old, Barry shares how a passion for music evolved into one of the biggest hard dance brands of the 2000s. He takes us behind the scenes of those unforgettable nights, the...

This week on Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of the true pioneers of the UK dance scene, Blu Peter.

Long before hard house had a name, before the superclubs, and before packed festival stages, Blu Peter was helping shape the sound from the DJ booth at some of London's most iconic venues. From starting behind the bar at Heaven to becoming the resident DJ at Garage and the legendary Final Frontier (FF), this episode uncovers the story of a man whose influence reached far beyond the records he played.

Blu Peter...

This week on Hard House History, Paul Glazby catches up with one of the scene's most intriguing success stories, Scott Forshaw.

Many hard house fans will remember Scott as the teenage producer and DJ who burst onto the scene in the mid-2000s, playing Storm, Frantic and the legendary Weekenders before most people his age were even allowed through the door. But while many artists stayed within the boundaries of hard dance, Scott's journey took him in a completely different direction.

Now based in Dubai, Scott has built an incredible career that has seen him...

This week on Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of the most respected names in the hard house scene, James Lawson.

From learning classical guitar as a child and dreaming of becoming a rock star, to helping shape the sound of hard house during its golden era, James takes us on a fascinating journey through his musical life. The conversation explores his early influences, from Metallica and Guns N' Roses through to the underground rave scenes of Leeds, Manchester and London.

James shares how a chance win in a DJ competition helped...

This week on Hard House History, Paul Glazby continues his deep dive into the story of Sam Townend, picking up where Part One left off and exploring one of the most turbulent and fascinating periods in modern hard house history. 

From the rise and fall of the Ideal brand to the rebirth of Tidy, Sam takes us behind the scenes of the events, decisions and challenges that shaped the scene throughout the 2010s and beyond. He shares the reality of promoting hard house during a period when the genre had fallen from its commercial peak, the success o...

In this episode of Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby welcomes back one of the true pioneers of the hard house movement, Baby Doc, for an honest, hilarious and deeply nostalgic conversation about the evolution of underground dance music.

From the early North London rave scene through to producing some of the most iconic hard house records of the ‘90s and 2000s, Baby Doc reflects on the creative chaos that helped shape an entire generation of club culture. The episode dives into legendary clubs like Trade, Heaven and Camden Palace, stories from the studio with names like John the De...

In this episode of Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of the most influential names in UK hard dance history, Phil Reynolds. 

From buying his very first set of decks in the early ‘90s to helping build the legendary Frantic brand from a small birthday party into one of London’s biggest clubbing institutions, Phil shares an honest and detailed look at the golden era of club culture. 

The conversation dives deep into the rise of Frantic, the impact of Aussie, Kiwi and South African clubbers on London's hard house explosion, and the unforg...

In this episode of Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of the true workhorses of the hard house scene, Sam Townend.

From his early days as a wide-eyed clubber listening to Mark EG and M-Zone tapes, through to becoming one of the key figures behind Tidy, Sam shares an honest and fascinating look at the rise, evolution and survival of hard house culture. 

The conversation dives deep into the golden era of clubbing in Leeds, the madness of Sundissential North, and the unforgettable energy of venues like Europa, Evolution and The Orbit. S...

In this episode of Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby sits down with true scene pioneer Rachel Auburn, and what follows is a fascinating journey through the birth of hard house culture in London.

Long before hard house had a name, Rachel was immersed in the underground club scene through fashion, art and nightlife. Starting in iconic London clubs like Taboo and Delirium during the mid-80s, she found herself surrounded by legendary figures including Afrika Bambaataa, Judge Jules, Sister Bliss and the infamous Trade crowd. 

Rachel opens up about how she accidentally fell into DJing while w...

The latest episode of Hardhouse History sees Paul Glazby sit down with Alf Bamford for Part 2 of the Inspirations Series, and this one goes deep into the creative process behind some of Alf’s most iconic tracks.

This isn't your typical "greatest hits" chat. Instead, Alf pulls back the curtain on how tracks are actually made, the messy middle, the stolen ideas, the happy accidents, and the moments where nothing is working until suddenly everything clicks.

Right from the jump, Alf admits something most producers won't: a lot of tracks don't actually have some grand st...

In this latest episode of Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby sits down with his old friend Rich Wakley, better known to many as Filthy Rich, for a deep, honest, and at times emotional conversation spanning decades of club culture.

From the early days of handing out trance tapes at university in Leeds, Rich takes us right back to where it all began, cutting his teeth playing five nights a week at Heaven & Hell while immersed in the exploding UK club scene. What starts as a passion quickly evolves into a career, moving from trance into hard house, and...

In this episode of Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby flips the script and sits down with Dexter Jones, the man behind the Dexter Jones Podcast, for a brutally honest and wide-ranging conversation that goes far beyond the decks.

Dexter's story starts early, growing up around the late 80s underground rave scene, where illegal warehouse parties were part of everyday life. From those formative years through to discovering house music at events like Strawberry Sundays in London, this episode captures the raw, unfiltered energy of a scene built on obsession and community. 

From there, the conversation dives i...

In this episode of Hardhouse History, Paul sits down with one of the scene's most respected figures, Johnny Dangerous, to unpack a journey that runs deep through the foundations of hard house culture. From record shops in the heart of Doncaster Warehouse to the pages of M8 Magazine and eventually into the inner workings of Tidy, this is a story packed with history, influence and perspective.

Johnny takes us back to the mid-90s, when the Doncaster Warehouse was in full flight, running all-night licences and acting as a hub for ravers, DJs and vinyl culture. Operating...

In this episode of Hardhouse History, we dive deep into the story of Amadeus Mozart, a true architect of the UK hard house sound and one half of the iconic Tidy Boys. From humble beginnings as a DJ inspired by the 80s underground scene, to becoming a pioneering producer, Amadeus shares the moments that shaped his journey and ultimately helped define an entire genre.

We go back to the early days, before Tidy Trax, where inspiration came from unlikely places, including DJ-only services like Music Factory Mastermix and early sampling pioneers. There's a brilliant insight into how...

This week on Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of the most unique and unforgettable personalities to ever cross over into the hard dance scene, Pete Bennett.

For many, Pete first burst onto the radar through Big Brother in 2006, but this episode goes far beyond reality TV fame. It's a deep dive into the life behind the headlines, including Pete's experience living with Tourette's and the complicated reality of public perception. From moments of acceptance to frustration over misunderstandings, Pete speaks openly about what it's like to navigate life in the spotlight with a condition...

This week on Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby welcomes back a true pioneer of the UK scene, Rob Tissera, for a raw and deeply personal second appearance.

The episode opens with Rob sharing the shocking story of a near-fatal car crash, a freak accident on the motorway that left him with serious injuries and a moment where he genuinely believed his life was over. It's a powerful reminder of how quickly everything can change, and sets the tone for an honest conversation about resilience, perspective and what really matters after decades in the game.

From there...

This week on Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby welcomes back one of the most respected figures in the global hard dance scene, Steve Hill. Returning for his third appearance on the show, Steve officially enters the Hardhouse History "royalty club", joining the small group of guests who have come back multiple times to share their stories and insights from decades in the industry. 

In this episode, Steve gives listeners an update on what he has been working on recently, including time back in the studio and a series of new productions and remixes currently landing on labels like T...

This week on Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby reconnects with Les from Lab4, one half of the duo that helped define the harder, louder and more theatrical end of UK hard dance.

Les takes us right back to the early 90s, before Lab4 even existed. He and Adam were in an industrial metal band called MAD, writing, programming and effectively carrying the project themselves. When the band dissolved around 93 to 94, the studio side began to take over. Access to proper equipment in Oxford, long hours of experimenting, and a growing obsession with programming led to the birth of...

In this episode of Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of the most quietly influential figures in the scene, Jon Langford, the man behind Knuckleheads, K-Series and a huge part of the UK hard house foundation.

The conversation quickly turns nostalgic as Paul and Jon talk about how DJs in the 90s rarely actually knew each other. They were, as Jon puts it, “ships in the night", a handshake at the decks, a quick hug, then one DJ mixing while the other packed their headphones away 
HHH - Jon Langford. Long before social media, rep...

Hard House History goes properly behind the curtain this week as Paul Glazby welcomes back fan-favourite guest Paul Maddox for a very special episode, the first in a new series called Inspirations.

Instead of just telling stories from the rave years, this episode digs into how the music actually gets made. Maddox breaks down the creative process track by track, explaining where ideas come from, why some work and others don't, and how a rejected concept can sometimes become gold.

The pair start with Maddox's track "Miracle," born of hearing an indie-folk record on the...

This week on Hard House History, Paul Glazby finally sits down with one of the most requested guests the podcast has ever had, Fergie. A DJ whose story is inseparable from the rise of UK hard house, the conversation goes far beyond club nostalgia and into the raw reality of growing up inside the scene.

Fergie takes us back to early-90s Ireland, learning to mix on battered turntables as a kid and playing nightclub residencies at just 14. What follows is a journey that sounds almost impossible now, moving to England as a teenager under the mentorship...

This week on Hard House History, Paul sits down with Irish hard house pioneer Mark Kavanagh, a name woven deep into the fabric of the late-90s scene. From pirate radio and underground raves in Dublin to chart positions, Trade club connections and releases that helped define the harder sound, this episode is less an interview and more a living archive of how hard house actually spread beyond the UK.

Mark explains how the early Irish rave scene evolved from tiny gatherings into packed venues like the Olympic Ballroom, where hundreds quickly became thousands, and where he...

In this episode of Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with Nick Denton, a name that quietly but profoundly shaped the hard house movement from the mid-90s onward.

From sneaking into clubs at 16 with a fake ID to becoming a resident DJ, producer, label boss, and digital pioneer, Nick's story is one of timing, talent, and relentless curiosity. He talks candidly about cutting his teeth at Southampton's Magnum, early influences like rave tapes, Trade at Turnmills, and being taken under the wing of Paul King, a partnership that led to seminal projects like Overload and...