In the space a few short years, Liam Wilson has quickly climbed the ranks of the resurgent underground trance movement to become a leading figure among a new generation of DJs and producers that are giving the old guard a run for their money.
Initially getting his foot in the door of local nights on the Manchester club circuit, where the trance scene is as strong as its ever been, he went on to score gigs at big ticket events such as Rong, Goodgreef and Eddie Halliwell’s Fire It Up, performing alongside some of his very own heroes, including Giuseppe Ottaviani, John O’Callaghan, Richard Durand and Marco V, to name just a few.
At the turn of the decade Liam took to the studio and it wasn’t long before his productions were being picked up and championed at the top of the industry. Since then, it’s been a consistent three years for the modest lad from Accrington, who has kept his feet firmly on the ground despite widespread support and acclaim from some of the very DJs who’s classic records he first played as a youngster.
Throughout 2013, Liam’s tracks have been hammered by the likes of Armin van Buuren, Sean Tyas, Solarstone, Paul Oakenfold and Activa, while Recoverworld’s Chris Hampshire cited him as “the one to watch” in the up and coming category. So impressed has been the label group with his studio output and electric performances across the UK and in Ibiza, they chose him to curate and mix the latest edition of their prestigious compilation series, Underground Anthems, for Flux Delux.
Shunning the idea of a traditional, straight-up DJ mix, however, Liam set about creating a unique hybrid of an artist-album and compilation. The result, Underground Anthems VI, includes several new and exclusive original tracks by Liam, alongside a number of remixes and re-edits that he created especially for the mix (check out the preview at the end of this interview).
With this exceptional piece of work under his belt, it seems the big league now beckons. Liam’s story is a classic example of how sheer hard work is essential to establish yourself in such a competitive industry – but what else does it take?
Rob Hughes chucked him few questions to try and find out…
Hey Liam, how’s it going? What does it feel like to be the man behind Underground Anthems VI?
Hi Rob, I’m really good at the minute thank you. Well, it feels amazing to be honest. I’m so happy with the reaction I’ve had from people to the Underground Anthems compilation. I really didn’t know what to expect but the past week has been very humbling.
How did you end up getting picked by Flux Delux and Recoverworld to mix the album? Can tell us about some milestones you’ve hit in the run-up to this?
It all came about when I got offered the opportunity to do it by Chris Hampshire. I’ve been working closely with Recoverworld for the past couple of years and after having some success with my previous releases with them this year, Chris and the team decided that the time was right for me to take on the challenge. This is the biggest milestone so far!
Recoverworld are saying that you’ve raised the bar when it comes to compilation albums by involving yourself as much as an artist as you do a DJ, making edits, remixes and original material especially for the mix – was this about seizing the opportunity to showcase your work or was it more about creating custom tracks in order to craft as fine a mix as possible?
It is great to hear that the guys at Recoverworld are happy with the compilation. It was all about seizing the opportunity for me, as I didn’t just want to just throw some tracks together – I wanted to really put a stamp on the mix. I asked Chris if I could have the remix packs for the back catalogue of Recoverworld tracks so I could pick the ones I wanted to work with, which I thought I would enjoy doing and I certainly have done!
Do any of the your remixes, edits or original tracks on the album have a story behind them?
[Laughs] ‘How Can I Put This’… There is actually! On the day myself and James Rigby had planned to do the remix of John Askew’s ‘How Can I Put This’, I dropped my phone down the toilet in the morning and had no way of contacting him. So I just drove to his place and hoped for the best. When I arrived he’d fallen asleep waiting for me and couldn’t hear me buzzing, so I had to go to the Apple shop in Manchester centre and get my Mrs to contact him. By the time James managed to get hold of me, plans to work on the track during the day were off, however, after a brief discussion, we decided to get a few beers in and work right through the night!
How long has it taken to put the album together? Were there any obstacles you had to overcome?
Overall it took me around five or six months to get to the finished product I was happy with. There were a lot of times that I wasn’t happy with the production level on some tracks, so I kept going back to them. I also travelled to Glasgow twice to work with Will Atkinson on our collaboration, ‘The Hurricane’, and it was well worth it – Will is one of the most talented and professional artists in the industry. It was great to work with him.
You’re one of our very own – from Manchester! What do you think the trance scene is like in this city? Who and what are the driving forces behind it?
The trance scene in Manchester is great and there are some brilliant nights, from fresh to classic events, you’ve always got something on. The driving forces most certainly include the Rong and Goodgreef camps. For years Goodgreef have been bringing massive artists to the north and now with Rong in the centre at Venus, it is very exciting time for the scene in Manchester. Take for instance Rong’s third birthday last just month, it was one of the best events to date. Things are booming in Manchester right now. Most importantly though are the clubbers. They are the biggest driving force because without them the clubs would be empty.
This last year you’ve been getting support from some of the biggest names in trance. Of all the names, which one most stands out as a moment you realised you were up on the rails, so to speak?!
I would have to say that, so far, the biggest moment in terms of support was from Simon Patterson. He played myself and James’s remix of the Askew track on his BBC Radio 1show and it was really quite surreal. It’s things like that you dream about when you first start out producing. I was very grateful for it.
What kind of qualities do you try to bring out in your sound, whether you’re mixing a compilation album, playing in a club or making your own music?
For me its all about the energy and melodies in my music, whether it be in a mix or in my productions. I love to hear clear sounds with punchy beats and melting melodies!
Do you find that there is some crossover between your life at home and your work?
I pretty much work nearly every hour of the day at the minute, as well as spending time with my, so everything crosses over, It feels like everything just blends into one. My studio is at home so I am always around my family, which is great as I don’t have to break away. I would say I am very passionate about both my family and my music so I guess they go together.
Who’s throwing the best parties at the moment?
The best parties are thrown by Rong and Goodgreef at the moment in the UK, as they are the ones still flying the trance flag and always striving to keep fresh and talented artists on the bill. Outside the UK, it looks to me like Argentina is throwing some amazing parties, with the guys at BAT [Buenos Aires Trance] really smashing it.
What’s next for Liam Wilson?
Next for Liam Wilson is to keep trying to push my sound and develop myself as an artist. I want to be a serious DJ/producer in the industry with a healthy gig diary and some kick ass tracks. I have some great new material, including some massive remixes and originals, all coming on some amazing labels. I am very happy right now but I am still going to keep my head down and work hard to keep growing.
Thank you!
