DJ Alex Smith

1998-9

Alex started of mixing music using Digital 1200SL (now known as PCDJ). Alex's music taste was initiated by the sounds of Judge Jules & Dave Pearce as he listened to them on BBC Radio 1. Alex started up his own mobile disco & hire business while in his final year at school, gaining some good contracts, and many local private parties for friends & family. Strapped for cash, Alex decided to settle for a cheap DJ kit consisting of 2 Numark TT1520s and the simple DM1001 mixer.

2000-1

In 2000, Alex became a presenter at Ridgeway Radio (The station for West Dorset County Hospital), presenting a show from 6-8pm every other week. Highlights included a 24h boradcast for BBC's Children In Need appeal.

On a summer week away, Alex helped out on a massive community project in Manchester, he was given to oportunity to mix some records on a busy shopping street!

Also in 2000, Alex passed his driving test, this widened the catchment area for his disco hire business to include pubs & hotels in Bournemouth. In 2001, Alex (only 17 years old) had his first nightclub experience - this was from behind the decks in the DJ booth at Harry's Nightclub in Weymouth on Thurdays nights, warming up from 10pm. Alex gained a vast amount of experience from this over the 6 months he did it for.

2002

Alex wanted to get into beat mixing more seriously, so he completed a professional DJ course (taught by DJ & Producer Richie T). He completed his course successfully and produced his first demo mix CD. This can be downloaded from the media page. The disco business still continued to run on but Alex realised the cheesy chart was not his scene anymore.

One of Alex's highlights of 2002, was DJing on a band-stand at the UKs largest youth confrence (Soul Survivor). Towards the end of the year, Alex put together a proposal for a monthly under 18s night at Weymouth Baptist Church, where the alter was converted into a DJ box. 'The Sanctuary' opening night was well publicised, flyers, cards and a newspaper write-up, the effort paid off and the events grew.DJs were being invited down from all over the country to mix alongside Alex.

2003

The time had come to part with the first set of decks and splash out on a pair of Technics SL1210 MK3Ds. Alex was invited by a South African promoter to come out to visit Pretoria for 4-days and DJ at a massive outdoor party in the summer. Ex-radio 1 DJ Tall Paul was also invited out but couldn't make it so instead DJ, producer (Perpetual Motion), Clockwork Orange boss Andy Manston came out with Alex. This was Alex's first international DJ experience, he played a trance/hard-house set from 2-4am, this was quite a contrast to his previous weeks working long hours in a warehouse. A month later Alex was again playing at the Bath & West Showground for the Soul Survivor conference.

2004

The Sanctuary event became a weekly youth club, and it was still Alex's duty to play chart & cheese for the kids, Alex also started some DJ workshops. The disco business started to calm down, Alex decided he'd had enough of lugging heavy speakers & lighting effects, a Pioneer DJM-600 was added to compliment the 1210s. Alex started to get into producing dance music with software sequencers.

2005

Mid August, and again Alex managed to get a DJ slot in the skate park at the Bath & West Showground for Soul Survivor (Passion for your Name). In September Alex started his new job with ngm (New Generation Music) - a Bristol organisation that specialises in DJ and artist training.

2006

Various remix competitions and awaiting round 1 of Star DJ comp (the Worlds largest DJ competition). During March, Alex supported the collective band in Chippenham. Produced a full length Hip-Hop track for MC Juva called Mental Strings. In May/June, Alex has been working with People In A Box on a remix of 'Since You've Been Gone'. In September, Alex DJed at the Vision event in Manchester.