John Digweed

If you’re not an avid follower of dance music but are tuned into popular culture at all you’ve likely experienced music touched by the hands of John Digweed.
 
Originally hailing from England but having clearly arrived on the global scene well over a decade ago John has long since cemented his name in the pages of dance music history.  His list of achievements is groundbreaking to say the least.  Highlights of which would be the first proper dj mix compilation (“Renaissance”, done with Sasha), being the first British dj to hold a residency at what was then the world’s most well known club in NYC (Twilo, also with Sasha) as well as having remixed music by Danny Tenaglia, Underworld, Quincy Jones and New Order.

John Digweed is a DJ's DJ. The beauty of what he does lies in just how different he really is from his contemporaries. From his early beginnings in Hastings, England at the age of 15 in the blossoming scene of acid house to the apex of  the international dj'ing  world he has created and maintained a level of integrity that is the benchmark for both dj’s and producers globally. In fact, he has reached the very top of his profession, being voted #1 in a voter's poll by DJ magazine in 2001. John Digweed has become the people’s choice while maintaining his longstanding presence in underground dance culture. His popularity as both a dj and a person seems to have no limits, but his efforts transcend dj'ing alone, he is as much a producer and promoter. His moniker “Bedrock” is actually three things: a record label, a promotions company and a studio production partnership with Nick Muir.

His management and creative direction for the Bedrock record label has helped launch the careers of Danny Howells, Jimmy Van M, Chris Fortier and recently Guy J. To have a record released on Bedrock serves as the global stamp of production quality, ingenuity and integrity for underground producers worldwide The label recently celebrated 10 years with a triple cd release and a sell out party at matter in London, In fact, the name John Digweed is synonymous with those very qualities. From the nights he has either created or been a part of (Bedrock, Northern Exposure, Renaissance) to his world renowned mix cd's (Renaissance, GU, Northern Exposure, Communicate, MMII ,Bedrock and Transitions ) he has consistently produced characteristic products that stay in demand, himself included. 

As one half of Bedrock the production duo he has landed two tracks in the top 40 (“Heaven Scent” and “For What You Dream Of”) the latter of which made it into the hit movie “Trainspotting”. Latest releases in 2009 include Tangent and Aquatonic  with current remixes of Christian Smith + John Selway , and timo Maas, He has even tried a bit of acting himself ("Groove"). He and Nick Muir as Bedrock the production team also scored a Hollywood film (“Stark Raving Mad”) as well as the animated release of “Spider-Man” for MTV.  Major tours (Delta Heavy and Area 2 (with David Bowie and Moby) in the U.S.  A massive one-off event called the Big Beach Boutique in Brighton had him gladly performing to 250,000 of his fans and neighbors in 2002. 

His Kiss / Transitions radio show is quickly coming up on it’s ninth year as one of the most successful dance music shows in all of England and broadcast in over 28 countries worldwide. It has achieved a near cult status with listeners trading cd’s and mp3’s of the various broadcasts across the internet. John shares his platform weekly by bringing in a variety of worldwide guest dj’s.

As a person John's lack of pretense is enveloped in imagination and invention. Good reason for John being one of the most respected, analyzed and imitated dj's in the world. Digweed is both solid and durable with unyielding precision. His sinuous dj'ing and production sound has become its own convincing dance ethic. He is centered to the principles of life, living and friends in such a way that he generates an aura of self-explanatory excitement and enthusiasm. Without heroic pretensions his sets are filled with moodiness and musical mystery but held down with a punchy distinctiveness and earthly rhythm. Always emanating a sense of boundlessness he overlaps dream events that spill into reality with an enormous certainty.