Ali Wilson Interview

Hi folks,

Finally managed to pin down hard house demi god Ali Wilson (Voted best new producer on Harderfaster.net annual awards)to explain himself. I'm sure most of you hard dance fans needs no introductions but to hell with it, here goes...

Ali Wilson was an unknown to me for all my time of DJ’ing with then notable exception of a highly dirty very funky hard house track on a serious techno tip. I searched hard though the record shops looking for his name in the techno rack to no avail. However in recent months I’ve been browsing through the Hard House section and Ali Wilson is rapidly becoming a recurrent theme in my record shopping habits. To best describe his Hard House productions I’d say they were exactly what you need out of Hard House without the usual cheesy nonsense associated with it. For the most part anyway!

What drew my attention was the B side to a DAVE the Drummer track and realised although it was hard house it was rockin’ and very cleanly put together. I immediately inspected a number of other records I owned with a similar style to discover tracks I was already playing were Ali Wilson. The man’s going to the top and he knows what he’s doing. Energetic, crisp and powerful hard house even the strictest techno purest can’t snub.

So here’s what he has to say in his own words:


So firstly tell us a bit about yourself

I have been DJing for around 8 years, producing for since 2000 and have been into all sorts of music like drum & bass, hardcore, house, techno, trance and hard dance. I also love having a good mashup hehe! Surprised)

Where are your roots in music and who inspired you to do what you do?

The early prodigy sound 1st got me into dance music, I then progressed on to DnB, house, techno and hard dance. Carl Cox has been a great influence on me, everytime I've heard him play it has been superb.

That’s some awesome sound production. How do you do it? What kit are you using these days?

Thanx, I use a G5 Mac with Logic Pro with various soft synths.

Where do you enjoy playing most?

I play lots of different sounds at different places, recently I played in San Francisco which was awsome, Finland was also really good - I played a club with an opening roof there.

What are you working on at the moment?

Currently writing some breaks stuff, bit of chilled stuff and some full on stuff to Chemical Brothers kinda style but a bit more 'aving it.

How did you get noticed by Vicious Circle etc?

Paul (Glazby) picked up on an old track I did on Re-Entry called Congo
Groove, I saw it in his chart so though why not send him stuff. It all went from there.

Any collaborations in the works?

I have been working on some tracks with Marc French and some breaks stuff with DJ Steelo and Matt Smallwood.

What’s your favourite piece of work in your back catalogue?

Hard question hehe, changes all the time, I'm really like the remix of BK Vs Yomanda - Mayhem in Miami I did.

What would your ideal DJ line-up be?

Carl Cox
Andy Farley
Myself ;o)

Who would you most like to work with in a studio?

Would love to write some stuff with DAVE the drummer, really into his sound.

If you were going to re-mix a rock tune, what would it be?

Not really my thing!

On a personal note have you heard much Alex Calver? I expect you have. You two should hook up if you haven’t already!

Yea got loads of his stuff, he was in San Francisco with me last month, we had a studio date booked but had to cancel last minute, I'm sure we'll collaborate in the future though.

Cheers!

Ali Wilson
(Voted best new producer on Harderfaster.net annual awards)
WWW.ALIWILSON.CO.UK

*** COMING SOON ***
Ali Wilson & Scott Cooper - 'Voodoo' - Neonate
Ali Wilson & Matt Smallwood - 'The Storm' - Nukleuz (Hard Beat 25)
Ali Wilson & Greg Brookman - 'Humanoid' - Nukleuz (Hard Beat 25)
Ali Wilson & Matt Smallwood - Gimme all ya got - Vicious Circle
Nick Sentience & Ali Wilson - Interrelationship' - Quality Trax
Nick Sentience & Ali Wilson - 'Critical Phaze' - Quality Trax
Ali Wilson & Snake - 'Mean little bastard' - Tripoli
Ali Wilson & DMF - Deal with it/Unidentified craft - Flash Point

*** OUT NOW ***
Ali Wilson remix of 'Mayhem in Miami' by BK & Paul Masterson - Nukleuz
Ali Wilson remix of 'The Reckoning' by Strange Dave and M Austin - Flash
Point
Ali Wilson & Jon Rundell - 'Phenomenon' - Nukleuz
Ali Wilson & Danny Gilligan - Cold Shiver - Peroxide