City UK
Genre Hardcore, Happycore, Old Skool
Affiliations Stimulant Records, Next Generation Records, Blatant Beats
Co-owner of the Next Generation Records, Blatant Beats & Stimulant Records Collective, one half of the Hard Dance pioneers Stimulant DJs, Mixmag reviewer, events promoter and if that's not enough, the mighty Hardcore legend that is DJ Brisk! Paul Nineham aka Brisk is a name known from the old skool raver to the present day clubber, he has helped to shape the international dance scene directly and indirectly, his presence from the early days of rave have inspired many DJs over the many years through his stunning technical ability and elegance to his upbeat up tempo party music, his influences have ricocheted throughout dance music. Over the past 16 years of DJing, gracing the decks of every corner of the world; 13 years of Producing with over 150 tracks written, co-written or remixed by the man himself, Brisk he is an unquestionable force throughout the dance scene, a hardcore renegade, elevated to his stature by hard work and the honest support of the loyal and adoring ravers!
A DJ in every sense of the word, baptised into the DJing world in an era where dance music was one; rave music - the primary style, one that has given birth to all styles of dance music to date. Brisk is a DJ who creates, jams, improvises his delivery of contemporary dance music with a technical eloquence, crowd and musical knowledge and a passion that is unique to Brisk a master of the turntables and an influence to many.
Brisk and partner Ham are jointly responsible for shelving the record stores with well over 100 records from their paramount Hardcore labels; the infamous Next Generation Records and Blatant Beats along with the unsurpassed Stimulant Records which satisfies the needs of the Hard Dance to the masses. Although staying mainly exclusive to his own labels, in the past Brisk has lent his production skills to various great Hardcore labels such as Kniteforce Records, Man From Uncle, Remix Records, Slammin Vinyl, Low Spirit, Impact, Universal, Hectic, Clubscene and Evolution to name a few. Under the Stimulant DJs guise with partner in crime Ham together they have produced some of the biggest Hard House tracks to date for Tidy Trax such as ‘Hoover Time' and ‘Are You Serious' as well as tracks for Nukleuz and Honey Pot as well as remixes for countless others.
With so many accomplishments and achievements at such a young age, Paul's desire to keep pushing boundaries and reaching more people with his music within each genre that he feels so passionately about, whether in his DJing or production is a mere stepping stone of what he has yet to realize. He absorbs influences from his surroundings, interests and external passions to keep his music fresh and at the forefront.
With Hardcore enjoying a massive revival Brisk is in pole position, smashing down the boundaries that had been held by the previously uneducated. Showing the class, the energy, talent and dedication of the hardcore scene; with his relentless work, promotion and commitment to a scene that he has dedicated his life to.
DJ BRISK - The legend begins...
Paul Nineham aka Paul ‘Brisk' Smith grew up on the south coast of England, heavily into music from a very early age. Listening to, and taking inspiration from such diversities as Public Enemy to Kraftwerk. Paul began his professional musical career in 1987 at the age of 15, at The Escape Club in Southampton, and as such he began his musical love affair, unleashing his own unrestricted style of dance music, blending the beats and harmonies to create a higher musical level. This was the beginning of a dedication that was to influence the dance scene and those that followed it for many years to come.
From these beginnings Paul earned a residency at one the UK's most respected clubs of that time, Club Kinetic in Stoke on Trent; a legend in itself and home to many other well respected DJs such as the mighty Carl Cox and Germany's finest Sven Vath and Westbam. Such a residency is a ‘title' that many of this day will never understand the honour of, at a time when such achievements were few and far between and a reach beyond the stars, like an intangible trophy respected by those who know!
This 4 year residency held Paul in a position where his voice as a DJ could be projected, to hundreds ravers week in week out, and opened further opportunities which lead to him being headhunted to perform regularly at other legendary events such as: the colossal Dreamscape, Helter Skelter, United Dance, Rezerection all of which were at that time dominating the harder route of which the dance scene had branched out to. Brisk has made various regular guest appearances alongside other hardcore heroes such as Slipmatt, Sy, Ratpack, Hixxy, Scott Brown, Clarkee and Ellis Dee. With the Hardcore scene bleeding over to new worldwide territories, the demand for DJ Brisk has grown to be a international commodity, with the phenomenon that is Brisk being in high demand all over the UK and across the continents from Japan, Canada, America and throughout Europe.
The Hardcore scene is still thriving on a worldwide scale, largely because of the man himself and his network of hardcore colleagues, and his many fans considering him the ‘God of Hardcore' due to his faultless, energetic and powerful mixing along with his experienced and educated selection of tunes. This was reflected in the fact that Paul was ranked 82 in DJ Magazine's top 100 DJs poll in 1999, voted for by the readers, a chart which with such fierce competition is an honour to any DJ throughout their career.
Paul's passion and desire to reach more and more people musically, particularly at a time when new styles of dance were emanating, influenced in some elements from what Brisk had for so long been involved in, and at a time when house music was growing harder, but more bouncier, it became a logical progression for Paul to offer his experience to an embryonic scene that became Hard house. Under the alter ego of the Stimulant DJs. Brisk and music comrade Ham made an explosive impact into another branch of the ever spreading dance scene from which Paul originated. With the advent of the Stimulant DJs, Tidy DJ Management soon snapped them up after a string of successful releases proving once again this is a DJ/Prodcuer that can turn his hand to whatever he chooses, and is bound by no musical limitations. Under the Stimulant title Paul educated and elevated dancefloors of every corner of the UK with his up tempo, effervescent and powerfully uplifting hard house, NRG and trance and has successfully represented the UK worldwide from Ibiza, Holland, to all parts of America, South Africa and has now taken Australia by storm, holding
down some firm residences, which have lead to the popular request of various mix compilations.
Brisk - The Producer & Label owner
Having found his feet in production in 1991, Paul's first release on Man From Uncle Records hit 2000 sales, which even by today's standards of a now substantial dance music market, shows that he has an unquestionable gift and a knowledge of what music buyers and club goers want. This new artistic channel gave Paul a new outlet for his musical expression. He soon became highly sought after, as a remixer and producer for dominant hardcore labels such as Kniteforce, Impact, Stormtrooper, Universal, Remix Records, Slammin Vinyl, Infinity, Low Spirit, TWO Records. Paul has earned respect after re-working such tracks as Scott Brown's ‘Now is the Time' and contributed to the anthemic status that the release achieved.
After catching the writing bug and studio addiction as well as realising the power to be able to influence the dancefloors with his creations, and the desire to develop his style of production without limitation, it made sense for Paul and hardcore buddy Ham to join forces with their own conception; Next Generation Records which they set up in 1996. Having now lined the record store shelves worldwide with nearly 40 releases. The duo have succeeded their intentions of supplying an eager market with top quality releases that push the boundaries of Hardcore. The label has grown into being a flagship label within the scene with a dedicated and loyal community of followers with a string of anthems such as the recent 'Angel Eyes' and 'Crazy Love'. Blatant Beats was soon conceived a year later in 1997,the sister label to Next Generation as a further channel of production to support their high productivity of tracks, with it's own extensive catalogue of nearly 50 releases, the label has also become another worldwide respected Hardcore label. Paul's unique blend of punishing kicks, affluent melodies and eclectic arrangements taking both the darker side or the cheekier and bouncier edge, are still an integral part in any hardcore DJs sets. Having working alongside various well respected artists such as Scott Brown, DJ Fade and DJ Devastate, Breeze & Styles, Sharkey and Trixxy, Paul is able to explore all areas of his productive scope.
Paul's work also found fame with the chart topping ‘Shooting Star' remixed by Flip & Fill which reached number 3 in the national UK charts , with both a Stimulant remix and Hardcore mixes. The Next Generation hardcore mix of ‘Shooting Star' was also acknowledged and requested for license for the whole of South East Asia by Konami for the massive Dance Dance Revolution arcade game, as well as being used to represent the television advertisement of the Bonkers compilation it featured on. Various pieces of Paul's work are also a regular highlight on many hardcore compilations including the highly acclaimed ‘Dancemania Speed' series in Japan, selling around 250,000 units!
After 6 years of hard work and progression in the studio Brisk and partner Ham, created their first album “The Collection v1: Hi-Octane Hardcore Music”, which includes all their best work up to 2002. The double album consists of 38 awesome, upfront and pounding tracks some of which are known and loved anthems. The album is an insightful journey of 6 years of hard work, love and passion of music, giving a piece of Brisk and Ham back to their loyal and adoring fan base. The album received rave reviews and strong industry support and as hoped is had a substantial impact on the lives of many music fans across the continents! They have just recently finished “The Collection v2” which is the next level in Hardcore, featuring all their anthems past, present and future, some previously unreleased and unleashed material.
Paul's production skills are not limited or bound by musical restrictions, with the advent of Hard House, which borrows elements from the bouncier edge of Hardcore, it didn't take Paul and comrade Ham long to help shape what was the NRG scene into what soon became Hard House. Stimulant Records was born in 1999, the first few releases experimenting with a trancier flava and then fine tuned into the Stimulant sound creating their own particular definition of Hard House. Soon catching the attention of the scenes biggest and one of the founding Hard House labels Tidy Trax, for whom Paul and Ham as the now world renowned Stimulant DJs are responsible for 2 of the biggest Hard House anthems to date, both released on Tidy Trax. ‘Hoovertime' and ‘Are You Serious', which pushed sales of well over 15,000 units each gaining a credible position in the top 100 charts. Paul also has many popular remixes to his name including various Hard House classics such as Die Witness ‘Observing Earth' released on Tidy Trax, ‘Freefall' on Mohawk Records alongside Yoji Biomehanika, as well as the vastly renowned dance anthem by Signum ‘What You got for Me' also on Tidy Trax.
The Stimulant DJs have managed to maintain their respected and credible position, throughout the transitions of Hard House. Proving that the Stimulant sound is flexible with a significant and identifiable signature, through the evolution into what has now been deemed ‘Hard Dance' taking elements of hard house, trance and other varying degrees from the harder edge of dance. The Stimulant sound is highly esteemed throughout the scene for the top quality production, and intelligent arrangements, warranting an inimitable blend of percussion, vocals, melodies and driving bass lines. Paul ensures he sustains the unique qualities in his Stimulant production that have guaranteed his success in the Hardcore market. Ensuring a full impact, uplifting NRG and power, persisting with the main intention and desire of getting the clubbers dancing and injecting fun on the dance floor, with a massive dose of highly addictive and intoxicating Stimulant beats. Stimulant Records now boasts a catalogue of nearly 40 releases, all of which appear regularly in the charts of many DJs across the planet. The label has grown and developed over the last 5 years to become one of the most successful Hard Dance labels, maintaining consistency and an ethos of quality not quantity. Paul's work under the Stimulant title has earned the respect of many top artists who have stepped up for remix duties, namely Lab4 and Yoji Biomehanika.
Currently
The last year has been a eventful and successful year in Brisk's life with a string of Mixmag articles representing the Hardcore contingency along with BBC Radio 1 coverage, showcasing his Hardcore offspring; Next Generation and Blatant Beats. Paul's music has graced the airwaves of Galaxy FM with a Stimulant DJs guest set on the Tidy Boys show. It has also seen the advent of many Next Generation hosted events around the country namely at the immense Tidy events such as: 5000 capacity ‘Magna' raves and the 3 day staged Tidy Weekender events, moonlighting as Stimulant DJs then Brisk/Promoter the next, having successfully converted many clubbers into Hardcore enthusiasts.
As he continues his DJ dominance that began three decades ago, one of the busiest DJs of today, moonlighting from DJ Brisk the Hardcore God to Hard Dance heavy weight Stimulant DJs, each weekend he dons the decks and commands the dance floors, Manchester or Melbourne, London or LA, 150 or 20,000 people, whichever, this is one DJ that provides the people with their hard earned weekend escape and good solid dose of dance fuelled serenity!
With a distinctive and unparalleled musical dimension with mastered continuity and a refreshing open-mindedness that is unique to Brisk, proving that this is one DJ whose insightful productions, insatiable passion, natural yet experienced technical prowess is encompassing of a person who has built himself through blood and sweat and tears to rock dance floors internationally, he has persevered to become a well respected figure through every aspect of the dance scene from the underground to the mainstream, by both clubber and artists alike.
Hardcore, hard house, hard trance or hard dance, Brisk is a pillar of 21st century dance music, with an exciting ability to help shape and maintain the future journey of the scene.
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