Introduce yourself and your project

My name is Paul Clark, I am a professional DJ & producer, specialising in the harder styles, based in Bath UK. I have most recently gone on a new musical direction creating new music that defines ‘Hard Rave’ in alignment with my new label Faith Over Fear. Thirst is the first of many releases coming out that will push the boundaries of the hard genres, providing fresh, new, and unique music for people to listen to and plan live. 

Explain what musical genre fits you best

It’s tough because I love everything, and don’t like to pigeonhole myself. ‘If I could have banging as a genre, I would! Hahaha.  But Hard Techno, Hard Dance & Hardstyle mesh well into the music I create and play live.

Were you connected with music from a young age and did anyone inspire you?

I first started mixing vinyl back in 1999/2000 when I was 15 years old and very quickly became my passion and vocation, I was born into music through the early 2000s Hard House scene, and developed love for Trance, Hard Trance and Techno as the years went by. My musical inspiration came from the likes of  Carl Cox, Tidy Boys, Lisa Pinup, Lisa Lashes, Mauro Picotto, Riccardo Ferri and many more. My DJ inspiration was always Eddie Halliwell, he taught me incredible amounts as an artist and performer and I’m very grateful for that.

What kickstarted your music career?

To be honest I retired from everything back in my 20s due to career changes, but came out of retirement in 2020, and started making music again. I invested a lot of my time into digital music creation as I wanted to make mind bending, banging music that stands out in a crowded market. So making music has got me to the place I am today. 

Tell us more about your sound and how it’s evolved over time

Like I say, just banging music always gets me, but to be fair it’s all about stand out kicks and bass lines, and unique sounds and FXs that catch your ears in a track. Big drops and hard basses have all always been true to my sound, and it pairs well in identity to my DJ performances.

Any words you want to share to encourage other artists or producers?

Just keep working!  From a music production perspective, working with as many people that are better than you as possible as that’s the fastest way to learn. Learn from the best, and you can pull all the types of amazing things you have learned together and become a combination of all your mentors’ best bits. I have has the best tutor for the past three years in my buddy Shugz, who has taught me so much in music and music creation and now I’m able to take that learning and teaching and make my own legacy. 

From a DJ perspective, we live in a completely different world now to when I started out in the late 90s/2000s. We had to wait outside the club and hand mixtapes to promoters, now we have so many ways of marketing ourselves and promoting ourselves dude to social media and promotion services, use these tools to your advantage. Build your tribe and fanbase and love what you do with passion. Ignore the haters and just crack on with what you love and you will get there. 

How do you nurture your industry relationships?

I’m all about relationships and collaboration, support each other as we are all in it together. There are always going to be people unfortunately in this industry that are against you, but that’s the trade. Focus on the relationships that strengthen you and make you better.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank that’s been crucial to your journey?

Shugz has been not only a massive mentor and my tutor on my musical journey over the past few years for production, but he’s also become one of my best pals, I owe a lot to him. Lee Haslam my manager who has guided, helped and steered me further up the ladder. Barry, Jill and Jack for all the amazing opportunities they have put my way and the belief they have in me. My old brand Tidy for the opportunities they gave me with the management group and the friendships we built, and my Noise Addicts fan base that have grown with me and backed me all the way from the start to this day, without them really there is nothing.

Name 3 songs you love and what they mean to you + Youtube links

Mauro Picotto & Ricardo Ferri, New Time, New Place. 

When this track came out, I feel this was the start of a new era of Techno and Dance music. It started to really push the boundaries of more melodic mainstream elements to Techno music for me.

Cave – Carnival (Max Walder Remix)

This was one of my favourite tracks ever to be made, remixed by Max Walder. Again, this is just another great example of musical boundaries being pushed, which I love. Funnily enough I have just recently remixed this track with Cave and officially came out Mark Sherrys ‘Outburst’ in the summer. 

Bollman – Rampage (Creeds Remix)

This track is very recent, but I think Creeds is very unique as a producer and his sound is really cool. This track is actually what inspired me to make ‘Thirst’.

What’s your favourite piece of studio equipment or software?

Tough question, I have loads of go to plugins and software I use. If I was to pick one right now, I’m loving the DST distortion plugin at the moment, it’s a really cool multiband distortion that you can add so much depth and saturation to any of your musical elements, the tool is so easy too which some plugins take months to get under the bonnet of, and as producer’s time isn’t always on our side to study plugins, we just want to make music so ease of use with plugins with results is always a plus!

Name your favourite club or festival and how it makes you feel

Planetlove was my festival of the year in Belfast, I loved it because the fanbase is awesome out there and it was great to spend all day with my mates backstage and having a wicked time. 

My all time favourite club was Slinky’s at the Opera House. So many memories of my first clubbing experience and lots of great times.

Name an outlandish rider request?

Lol, I really don’t ask for one! I’m a cheap date, so a can of energy drink and a bottle of water for me.

Favourite clubbing memory and who or what did it involve?

Space in Ibiza for the first time with my buddies, then sitting on the beach listening to music while the sun rose. 

What famous quote represents you best?

F*cking Send It! 

If you could play at any venue, where would it be and why?

I have always wanted to play Opera house in Bournemouth. I’ve played room 2 but would love to play mainstage, as that was where it all started. My biggest goal is to play Tomorrowland. 

Music is….. (explain more)

Everything to me, my vocation, my passion and making it performing it just makes it even more personal and being able to share that with the world is just the most amazing feeling.

One song you really couldn’t live without and why?

Lange – ‘Follow me’. There is something about that track which is really special cant tell you what it is but it gets me everytime.

Namedrop your favourite 5 artists or DJs (past or present)

Shugz, Eddie Halliwell, Sara Landry, Carl Cox, David Rust 

What was your first music memory and how did it fuel your fire?

Seeing Mauro Picotto at the opera house was my first rave. I nearly fell off the stage.

Tell us more about your plans for the future.

Just to keep working and keep making cool original music to be honest

Any worldly advice you’d like to share?

Keep working, love what you do and choose faith over fear