DJ Simon T
Age: 27
Location: Hertfordshire, UK
Affiliations/Residencies/etc: Shine FM (87.9 FM or WWW.SHINE879.COM) Tuesdays 8 till 10pm (GMT) & Bar Ab, Cheshunt, Every Saturday Night.

How long have you been DJing, what got you started, and where do you see yourself going with it from here?
I've been DJing for 10 years now, it was always something I wanted to do from a very young age as I've always had a massive interest in music and have always enjoyed playing music to people. I hope to carry on bringing new, fresh and different music to people for years to come.

What styles of UK Garage do you prefer and why?
I have always loved 4x4 Garage especially the more dubby cut up Garage. The kind of tunes producers like Duncan Powell, Qualified, Tuff Jam & Todd Edwards are making. I have always found so much energy in the beats and bouncy basslines in this style I find it to be a very infectious sound.

Do you play other styles of music as well as UKG? If so, what?
I play all sorts of different styles of music when I'm playing out. Over the last 10 years I have been known to cover most genres of music from House & Garage to R&B & Hip-Hop, 70's & 80's Disco & Soul to Old Skool Hardcore & Jungle and I've even run a few Indie & Rock nights over the years. I always feel it keeps things interesting to do different things and I'm a fan of many different styles of music so I thought it nice to incorporate all of these styles into my work. I think keeping an open mind to all forms of music and being able to enjoy different styles makes me a better DJ as I feel I have a very good understanding of all sorts of music.

What sets you apart from the crowd. Why should people hear you?
I like to take people on a journey with my DJ sets, building an atmosphere and I always like to play something different, maybe a track people haven't heard in a long time or haven't heard at all. I love to bring new music to people, I feel like a DJ has this responsibility. I have always enjoyed playing longer sets in venues as well as I feel I can build a much stronger set with more time. I like to think I can be quite experimental as well.

Where do you see the music going?
I think we are currently in an exciting time for Garage music. As every week passes there is more interest being shown in the new music coming out of the scene. I see this with my radio show and when I play out, the audience is becoming a lot more open minded to new Garage and there are a lot of talented producers, new and old, making Garage again. I also think it's encouraging to hear the postive reaction that the genre is receiving in other countries as well, I have had good feed back from America, Germany, Holland & Australia, I think the fact that there are other countries embracing the UK Garage sound can only be a good thing for the scene.

Do you produce as well as DJing? If yes, any releases coming that weshould look out
for? If not yet, do you aspire to in the future or do you prefer to just DJ?
I don't produce at the moment but its something that does interest me and I might like to get into one day. At the moment I'm happy to just play the music and promote new material.

Any shout outs?
I would like to send a massive shout out to everyone involved in the Garage scene at the moment especially those supporting the new music as these are the people really pushing the scene forward now. Without people like Charma, Duncan Powell, Matt Jam Lamont, Wideboys, Todd Edwards, Robbie T, Lloyd E, DJ Solution, Mr Pud, Jason Mundo & One Dark Martian amongst many others the music that we love would have almost died out completely now. Out to everyone at Shine FM especially Domino, Golden Child, Slipps, Buzzhard, Jazzy D, Craze, Evo & RST, Dynamix, Maddex & Excel and all the other DJs on other stations pushing the new sound like Huggy, Streaky, Kanga, Hef, GTE, BDM and AC and finally out to all the people I've DJed with over the years particulary Tim E B, Jay J & Shoosh. If I've forgotten anyone I send my apologies to
you!

Where can we hear you?
I have a weekly radio show on Shine FM, a London based pirate station, 87.9FM in and around London and streaming live around the world at www.shine879.com every Tuesday evening 8 till 10pm (GMT). I also have a weekly residency at Bar Ab in Cheshunt, just outside of North London every Saturday night.

Where can we find you online?
I have my own website where you can download my radio show from and some of my own mixes at WWW.DJSIMONT.COM and you can also check me on my space at WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DJSIMONT or you can simply e-mail me directly at DJSIMONT@HOTMAIL.COM.