| Interview with Nick Thompson ( 21.01.2007 - 21:20 GMT UTC )
1. Do you consider yourself an electronic dance musician ?
Nick Thompson: I actually consider myself to be just a musician, not a dance musician as i don't only just produce dance music, although this is a great passion of mine i do produce film score, hip hop and rock music as well.
2. A lot of people are familiar with the radio shows that were hosted on party107 radio station, does that helped u alot in your achievements ?
Nick Thompson: To be honest im not sure how much my radio show's help me out, i think its important to do them so you can build up a fan base but at the same time i use them more as an outlet for me to play my newest tracks and guage the reaction from people chatting in the irc rooms while i play these tracks.
3. What about the opportunities afforded by the internet ?
Nick Thompson: Without the internet i would never have been introduced to progressive trance or Markus Schulz and i think i would have found it much more difficult to break into the scene. The internet is a fantastic ways for producers/dj's to talk to each other and spread their new tracks out to a wider range of people to do promotion with. Internet radio again is a great way for people to a) hear your music and b) get to know your style as an artist/dj.
4. What are you working on at the moment ?
Nick Thompson: At the moment I am working on around 6 progressive tracks and a film score for my brothers new student film, his last one has won another award this week and has got him massive recognition so doing the score for his new film i think will help me boost that side of my work more (in fact i have already been approached to do a horror film by a guy in the USA and thats from one score mp3 i sent to a friend!!)
5. Rumour has it that you have an album ready for release, can you give me any info on that ?
Nick Thompson: Haha now this is amusing, iv had an album planned for about the past 2 years, i just can't actually decide which tracks to put on it and which not to! I do have a concept album i have been working on which has nothing to do with dance music which i will be offering for free download on my website before the summer (after the re-design).
6. Have you ever played in Germany and do you have any plans to play out there ?
Nick Thompson: I have never played in Germany, I mostly play in Holland but if theres any promoters out there want to book me they can feel free to do so as I love Germany as a country and German people are among the friendliest I have met!
7. A lot of the bigger artists get a lot of critisism but I have always seen them as a way in for many, do you feel the trance community as a whole is over critical ? What will you do after your dj/producer career will be over ?
Nick Thompson: Bigger artists are great as long as they don't get overtaken by their ego. To be honest without Markus Schulz & Armin Van Buuren I would not be where I am today in this business, they have offered me support and help throughout my career and definately need respect for that! The trance community over critical, yes and no, yes because they really care about what they hear and expect certain things which can cause problems and make the scene a bit static at times, however I also think that the critiscism is usually a good thing (unless its saying Armin or Tiesto are boring and cant spin, that kind of stuff is just immature). After my Djing/Producing career is over i will be doing... djing and producing! I dont think theres any reason why a person should stop doing the job they love because they start to get older! Plus I have my non dance music projects to do as well and they will too hopefully continue on for a long time as well.
8. Are you going to promote other young guns ?
Nick Thompson: Yes when I feel I am at a position to do so.
9. What else do you like to do beside producing/mixing and stuff ?
Nick Thompson: I am a massive Roman history freak so I tend to read lots of books and watch lots of films/tv episodes of this kind, I love to read books from authors such as Terry Pratchett, David Gemmell, Conn Iggulden & Robert Jordan. I love to go on holiday and I am a rather big smoker, so I spend a lot of time stoned doing nothing and loving it lol.
10. What venue do you like most ?
Nick Thompson: The Republic in Sheffield, probably because I spent most of my clubbing career there before I got into making music and djing.
11. How do You find this remix of Your own record "Deep level lines (Gabriel Batz remix)" ?
Nick Thompson: If I didnt love it I wouldnt have agreed to its release, plus Gabriel is an incredibly talented producer and a good friend, I tend to love all of his work and if I stop being so lazy I may actually finish our collaboration project soon.
12. What kind of music do you play beside electronic ?
Nick Thompson: I love film score, Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, James Horner etc. I enjoy listening to the worlds BEST rock band - Tenacious D, I like some uk hip hop, acts such as Project Mayhem, Parthion Shot & 118 Sound System. I know its cheesey but I do also like Girls Aloud, the production work on some of their tracks is spot on!
13. Are you going to produce other genre beside your primary ?
Nick Thompson: I already do, as i mentioned above im doing a lot of film score work and working on some rock & hip hop projects. I have a never say never attitude to the genre's I produce, this way if I suddenly like a style I can write it with no worries.
14. What influence had your parents in your life, if they sustained you in this or not.
Nick Thompson: My parents hate my music. I know that sounds bad but even though they do, they have supported me in the way of putting up with me never having any money (like all true musicians) and have offered me a lot of support in other ways. I wont go into that anymore though.
15. Which is your dream gig ?
Nick Thompson: Mainstage closing set @ Dance Valley in the Netherlands
16. What Dj or producer do you like most ?
Nick Thompson: Difficult as I like so many! I don't think I can choose just one, but Markus, Armin, Ferry, Perry O'Neil, David West, Danny Oliviera, SonicVibe, Timo Mae are all up there
17.Where do you see electronic dance music as genre in... let's say 10 years from now ?
Nick Thompson: I think in ten years time it will be seen as retro and since retro is cool it will become more mainstream again.
18. Please say something for the TranceSound.net comunitty and the ones that are trying to start over a music career :)
Nick Thompson: Send your demo's to big name dj's for producers, for dj's pester online radio stations and build up a fan base and learn to produce. Very few dj's these days make it they don't produce too.
Interview made by Cosmin Lukacs aka Dj K8oard (TranceSound.net admin/founder)
Links:
Nick Thompson official website
Nick Thompson @ MySpace
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