Baby Doc: Trade, Vinyl and the Golden Era

Baby Doc: Trade, Vinyl and the Golden Era

In this episode of Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby welcomes back one of the true pioneers of the hard house movement, Baby Doc, for an honest, hilarious and deeply nostalgic conversation about the evolution of underground dance music. From the early North London rave scene through to producing some of the most iconic hard house records of the ‘90s and 2000s, Baby Doc reflects on the creative chaos that helped shape an entire generation of club culture. The episode dives into legendary clubs like Trade, Heaven and Camden Palace, stories from the studio with names like John the Dentist, Sister Bliss, Tall Paul and React Records, plus behind-the-scenes memories of working in iconic studios alongside acts like Oasis and The Chemical Brothers. Baby Doc also opens up about his production process, explaining how classic tracks like Bangers and Mash, Ploughman's Lunch and Yum Yum came together during an era where sampling technology was limited, creativity mattered more than plugins, and producers fiercely protected their sounds. There's a fascinating discussion about old-school hardware, Zip disks, remix culture, and how modern technology has completely changed music production. The conversation also touches on his latest music with Mike Van Dyke, upcoming releases on Perfecto Fluoro, and why he's currently enjoying making faster, melodic dance music again. Along the way, there are plenty of funny stories, classic clubbing memories and raw insights into what made the golden era of hard house so special. JOIN THE HISTORY * Were you there for the golden era of hard house? * Did you dance at Trade, Heaven or one of the legendary London all-nighters? Let us know your favourite Baby Doc tracks, club memories and stories from the underground scene. Subscribe to Hardhouse History and help preserve the DJs, clubs and music that built a movement. #HardhouseHistory #BabyDoc #HardHouse #PaulGlazby #Trade #ClubCulture #90sRave #DanceMusic #UKRave #ElectronicMusic

Phil Reynolds: The Untold Story of Frantic

In this episode of Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of the most influential names in UK hard dance history, Phil Reynolds.  From buying his very first set of decks in the early ‘90s to helping build the legendary Frantic brand from a small birthday party into one of London’s biggest clubbing institutions, Phil shares an honest and detailed look at the golden era of club culture.  The conversation dives deep into the rise of Frantic, the impact of Aussie, Kiwi and South African clubbers on London's hard house explosion, and the unforgettable nights at iconic venues like Bagleys and Camden Palace. Phil reflects on the pressure of his first gigs, learning to DJ without YouTube tutorials, hunting for rare vinyl in London record shops, and how mixtapes helped build underground club culture before social media existed.  Paul and Phil also unpack the evolution of hard house itself, from the importance of musical progression in clubs to the changing drug culture that shifted dancefloors throughout the 2000s. There's a fascinating discussion about why modern daytime events and reunion parties like Rewind and Frantic have become so popular with an older generation of ravers reconnecting with the music that defined their youth.  The episode also explores Phil's production career, including working with legends like Nick Sentience, running Impact Records, and creating crossover trance and hard house tracks that became anthems across the scene. There are brilliant behind-the-scenes stories about studio sessions, vinyl culture, record-shopping rituals, and the politics of the UK clubbing industry during its peak years.  More than anything, this episode captures why hard house meant so much to so many people. It's about community, identity, friendship, and the feeling of walking into a packed club where everyone is there for the same reason: the music. JOIN THE HISTORY * What was your first Frantic memory? * Did you ever rave at Camden Palace, Bagleys, Escape From Samsara or one of the legendary London all-nighters? Let us know your favourite memories, tunes and moments from the golden era of hard house. Subscribe to Hardhouse History and help preserve the stories, DJs and dancefloors that shaped a generation. #HardhouseHistory #PhilReynolds #Frantic #HardHouse #PaulGlazby #CamdenPalace #UKClubCulture #HardDance #VinylDJ #RaveHistory

Sam Townend: How Hard House Changed a Generation

In this episode of Hard House History, Paul Glazby sits down with one of the true workhorses of the hard house scene, Sam Townend. From his early days as a wide-eyed clubber listening to Mark EG and M-Zone tapes, through to becoming one of the key figures behind Tidy, Sam shares an honest and fascinating look at the rise, evolution and survival of hard house culture.  The conversation dives deep into the golden era of clubbing in Leeds, the madness of Sundissential North, and the unforgettable energy of venues like Europa, Evolution and The Orbit. Sam talks about discovering tracks like Justin Bourne's Drop The Bass and the moment hard house truly clicked for him.  Paul and Sam also explore what made the scene so special, the diversity of the crowds, the chaos of the weekend lifestyle, and why hard house still grabs people in a way few genres can. There are brilliant stories throughout about hustling demo tapes, networking in clubs, surviving the scene's decline, and eventually working his way into Tidy itself. Sam opens up about joining Tidy during one of the brand's most challenging periods, taking over after Lee Haslam and trying to guide the label through changing trends and industry uncertainty. It's a raw, behind-the-scenes look at the reality of keeping a legendary brand alive while balancing passion, business and personal ambition.  More than anything, this episode is about dedication. Sam Townend represents the people who kept hard house moving long after the mainstream spotlight faded, and his love for the music shines through every minute of this conversation. JOIN THE HISTORY * What was your first hard house club experience? * Did you ever rave at Sundissential, Trade, Tidy Weekenders or one of the legendary Leeds nights? Drop your memories, favourite tracks and club stories in the comments. Subscribe to Hard House History and help preserve the stories, music and legacy of the scene. #HardhouseHistory #SamTownend #Tidy #HardHouse #PaulGlazby #SundayCentral #ClubCulture #UKRaveScene #DanceMusicPodcast #HardHouseHistoryPodcast

Rachel Auburn: Before Hard House Had a Name

In this episode of Hardhouse History, Paul Glazby sits down with true scene pioneer Rachel Auburn, and what follows is a fascinating journey through the birth of hard house culture in London. Long before hard house had a name, Rachel was immersed in the underground club scene through fashion, art and nightlife. Starting in iconic London clubs like Taboo and Delirium during the mid-80s, she found herself surrounded by legendary figures including Afrika Bambaataa, Judge Jules, Sister Bliss and the infamous Trade crowd.  Rachel opens up about how she accidentally fell into DJing while working in fashion design, eventually becoming one of the earliest female DJs to break into the London club circuit. From Heaven and Garage through to Trade, she explains how those clubs shaped her sound and inspired her to start producing records that would eventually become hard house classics. The episode dives deep into tracks like Fee Fi Fo Fum, Machine Man and her collaborations with producers including Paul Masterson and Amo. There are brilliant behind-the-scenes stories about sampling, remix culture, and the early studio process, including how one random vinyl thrown into a crowd became the vocal that launched one of her biggest records.  Rachel also reflects on the rise of women in dance music, though she makes it clear she never saw herself as “a female DJ”, just a DJ trying to make the best music possible. It's a refreshing perspective from someone who helped shape an entire era without ever chasing the spotlight. Packed with stories about Trade, Tony De Vit, Tidy Girls, club culture and the evolution of hard house, this is a must-listen episode for anyone who loves the roots of the scene. JOIN THE HISTORY * What’s your favourite Rachel Auburn track or remix? * Were you there for the Trade era, Heaven, Garage or the early Tidy years? Drop your memories, favourite tracks and stories in the comments. Subscribe to Hardhouse History and help keep the scene's legacy alive. #HardhouseHistory #RachelAuburn #TradeClub #UKHardHouse #TonyDeVit #TidyGirls #RaveCulture #DanceMusicPodcast #ClubCulture #HardHouse

Alf Bamford: "Inspirations"

The latest episode of Hardhouse History sees Paul Glazby sit down with Alf Bamford for Part 2 of the Inspirations Series, and this one goes deep into the creative process behind some of Alf’s most iconic tracks. This isn't your typical "greatest hits" chat. Instead, Alf pulls back the curtain on how tracks are actually made, the messy middle, the stolen ideas, the happy accidents, and the moments where nothing is working until suddenly everything clicks. Right from the jump, Alf admits something most producers won't: a lot of tracks don't actually have some grand story behind them. Sometimes it's just opening Cubase and getting to work. But the tracks he’s chosen for this episode are the ones with a bit more "meat on the bones", whether that's a production breakthrough, a strange inspiration, or chaos surrounding the release.  Track Deep Dive: “Somersault” (2005) One of the standout moments is the breakdown of "Somersault", a track that almost didn't make it. Alf talks through how the record sat in limbo for months after he got completely stuck on the breakdown. It wasn't until he went down a psytrance rabbit hole, influenced by artists like Nick Sentience, that everything changed. The bassline approach flipped, the track came alive, and suddenly it had direction. Ironically, despite strong reactions on dancefloors, no labels wanted to sign it at first. It didn't fit neatly into hard trance or hard house, which made it a risk. Eventually, it found a home and later attracted interest from labels that had initially passed. It's a perfect example of a track being "ahead of its lane", something DJs loved, but labels didn't quite know what to do with at the time. The Reality of "Inspiration" (aka stealing… sort of) This episode leans heavily into one of the best ongoing jokes in dance music; nothing is truly original. Alf openly admits borrowing elements from other tracks, bassline ideas, stab patterns, and even melodies, but reframing them into something new. And honestly, it's one of the most valuable parts of the episode. Instead of pretending inspiration is some mystical process, this is a real look at how producers actually work: *  Hear something interesting  *  Break it down  *  Rebuild it in your own style  As Alf and Paul joke, this series could just as easily be called “Thieving Bastards”. The “I Found Some Gas” Story Then comes one of the all-time stories from the podcast. Alf's track "N2O (Found Some Gas)" ends up accidentally using a vocal sample from an internet character that later gets picked up by TV. Sounds harmless, until that same sample ends up in a national TV advert for a Lisa Lashes compilation. Cue legal emails from Channel 4. What follows is chaos: *  Emails flying between labels  *  Questions around sample clearance  *  And eventually… the guy behind the vocal confronting Lisa Lashes on camera at a Tidy Weekender  The best part? She had absolutely no idea what was going on. It’s one of those stories that perfectly captures the wild, unpolished nature of the scene at the time. Beyond the Music What makes this episode hit is that it’s not just about tracks, it’s about process, frustration, and evolution. There's a lot of insight into: *  Writer's block and how to break through it  *  Why deadlines actually help creativity  *  The difference between producing for yourself vs clients  *  How trends (like psytrance in the mid-2000s) shape sound  It's raw, honest, and exactly what makes Hardhouse History such a strong listen. JOIN THE HISTORY * What's your favourite Alf Bamford track? * Do you remember "Somersault" or "N2O" from back in the day? * And be honest, how much of dance music do you reckon is “inspired” vs straight-up nicked? Drop your thoughts, memories, and stories. #HardhouseHistory #AlfBamford #PaulGlazby #HardHouse #RaveCulture #DanceMusic #DJStories #ElectronicMusic #ClubHistory #TidyRecords