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STEVE HEWITT – RAW POWER RECORDINGS INTERVIEW – By Sparx (Hard As Nails Records)
Today I’ve got Steve Hewitt the other half of ‘Raw Power Recordings’ and funnily enough Gem Stones other half also…….
So Steve ready for some interrogation?
Always..
So what got you into Hard NRG?
When I was about 15-16 I was in to some pretty nasty Gabba, then got into real hard rock and D&B. I always seemed to like the harder styles of music (some of it makes me cringe to think back). I heard a Sundissential CD in my mates car a few years later which had me hooked in to Hard house after the first tune – just had to get some decks after that! Tunes made by Casper, Grady G and Glazby started rocking my little world! Love that nasty rolling bass..
Who outside of Hard NRG/ Hard house (artists/groups) really influenced your production style?
From outside? Probably from D&B – Roni Size & Pendulum; From Gabba – HMS, Producer & Scorpio.. Most of my production influences are probably from Frank Farrell and Dave Owens tunes really. Love that sound!
Do you have a favourite tune for us (you cant choose a Raw Power one) that really sums it all up for you?
Andy Farley & Paul Janes – I can feel it (Paul Glazby Remix) – Old now but it’s got so much energy it’s incredible. Still sounds fresh as a daisy always gets me jumping every time!
What would you say is your favourite hard NRG club/event?
Got to be the Toolbox Trilogy nights. Absolutely banging from start to finish!
Where do you see yourself and even our little niche of the music industry going?
As for the industry I think we’re pretty underground now, saying that though there are a lot of new producers coming out which is nothing but good news. Sales have been good for summer which is usually a slow time for music & RPR seems to be going from strength to strength. Hard house ain’t dying in my eye’s.
For me I’m just trying to concentrate on learning Cubase and finding my sound. Hopefully by next year I’ll have some real good stuff ready. We’ve got no plans for stopping the radio show (on www.examplefm.net Weds 9-11pm ;o) ) as we’ve got quite a good listener base and we tend to use it to test stuff we’ve been working on so tune in and find out!
Who would you most like to work with in Hard NRG and why?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with some quality engineers but probably Frank Farrell as everything he touches turns to gold. Also I’ve not done anything with him yet and I think he uses Cubase so I might learn something! Nardi & Weazal would be nice too, they’ve both been on fire recently.
Doing tunes with anybody interesting soon?
We’ve got Mini-Minx down in the next few weeks and then your very good self when you get your arse into gear ha-ha! Few other people booked in with us. Gem and me aren’t too long back from Dom so re-cooping a bit. Anyone interested in a collaboration with me or us just drop me an email.. It will involve getting to Wales…
Weirdest moment in your career?We all have them….
I had this interview once where the guy asked me if I’d ever have an African Pygmy Hedgehog as a pet. Seemed pretty weird…
Would you ever have a African pygmy hedgehog as a pet?
Well in fairness I’ve got no issues with Pygmy’s or African’s. Hedgehogs can sod off though.
What’s been the most defining moment in your career so far?
Defining moment.. quite hard! Probably getting ‘Pumped’ signed to Toolbox then getting ‘Departed’ also signed to Toolbox! Also was nice getting my solo ‘Full Flow’ on to Wayne Smart’s first Encoded NRG CD. Actually maybe when I played ‘Well Done Pablo’ out for the first time and watching everyone going nuts when they heard the vox ha-ha!
If I gave you a million quid to build a club right now what would you do with the place?
It would have to be a Castle rave! Big party in a big castle in Wales somewhere… You could have so much stuff going on with loads of rooms, peeps walking round in character taking the piss, goats.. OK maybe not goats. Medieval raving – not seen that done before!
On a production note, what’s your favourite VST for making energy (people keep asking me this so I thought id throw it in)
Favourite as in only one? I hammer Predator, Octopus, Albino, PSP Nitro, Juno X2, Camel Space, Toxic III & probably loads more. Hard to pick a favourite but I guess Predator at the moment. Seems to make some fat noises.
Anything to plug?And any thank you’s or shout outs to anybody?
Catch the radio show on www.examplefm.net every Wednesday night from 9pm till 11pm with Gem & myself. We have a guest mix every week and a live hour mix from us. We have got a few slots available if anyone’s interested – Email me or Gem.
As for thank you’s – Massive thanks to Wayne Smart & Weazal for their support & playing my tunes, Riggsy, Rodi Style, Darrell White, Dave Owens, Dom Sweeten for showing me so many things, all my friends for their support & inspiration, everyone playing my tunes, Brian J, Ted Cooper, Disco Todd, MC Lindsay, Norms mum and everyone who tunes in to the show, all the peeps at examplefm, my house mate Lee who’s bedroom is below the studio (ouch) and of course, Gem for having to live with me ha-ha! Oh – and a certain spiky haired bloke from Brummy-land…. Cheers all 
So any new tunes you have out you want to give a quick plug?
Yeah I’ve got a few tunes out at the moment. Watch out for our first Dom engineered track – Stone & Hewitt vs Paul J – Surrogate, it’s had some really good reviews; also 2 tracks I engineered with my good friend Jammy Dodger (Tim Griffith) – ‘The Cows’ and ‘Snake Bite’ out now all on RPR. Coming up my new solo ‘Syntax’ is out soon on Killertrax, ‘Departed’ (With Gem, BoneIDOL & Matt Edwards) is out on Toolbox Choons and Gem & my remix of ‘Drop It’ coming on Encoded NRG soon. We’ve been real busy since we set up our own studio here – loads of stuff to come. Watch this space!
Email – steve@rawpowerrecordings.co.uk
Site – www.rawpowerrecordings.co.uk
MSN – rai1yr@hotmail.com
Also don’t forget to check out the new Hard As Nails Nailgun 001 Dj Fornat ‘Sista X’ E.P Available from http://www.toolboxmusicshop.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=686
Track Listing :-
03 Sista X & Riggsy – Good Medicine
04 Sista X & Riggsy – Nothing to prove
