Kenny Hawkes - Rekids/Arcobaleno (Brighton, UK)

DJ/Producer Kenny Hawkes has been a pioneering influence on the British dance scene for 20 years. As a kid growing up in Brighton, Kenny soaked up the sounds of Motown, Ska, Hip Hop, Dub Reggae. As soon as he hit 18 he disappeared off to Southern Europe, where he spent endless hours developing his DJ skills by playing at some of Europe's most notorious after hours clubs.

He returned home in the early 90s, skint and unknown, and stumbled across a Pirate Radio Station called 'Girls FM'. It wasn't long before Kenny moved to London and joined the station - and in no time 'Girls FM' was attracting up to a million listeners a month with him as the station manager steering its musical direction.

Due to Kenny's natural grasp of quality music, 'Girls FM' became the most legendary underground dance music station that London had ever heard. It soon boasted 22 DJs, one of whom was Luke Solomon (of current 'Freaks' fame) who soon became Kenny's friend and fellow resident at London's longest running mid-week house club, 'Space' at Bar Rumba, which they ran together for 7 years. Kenny and Luke prided themselves on bringing the world's greatest spinners to Space, including Harvey, Stacey Pullen, Tom Middleton, DJ Heather, Fransois Kevorkian, DJ Sneak, Pete Heller, Mark Farina, Cajmere and Derrick Carter - where they would play for a pint, a packet of crisps and their cab fare home.

Nowadays Kenny is busy DJing across the globe, from Belgium, New York, Portugal, Paris, Australia, Chicago and Spain to San Francisco, and Southern Asia, holding down residencies at the legendary 'Centro Fly' in New York, 'Smart Bar' in Chicago, his own infamous 'Fridays R Firin' at Plastic People in London, 'Café D' Anvers' in Belgium and currently Stompa Phunk in Brighton.

Kenny is probably as famous for his productions as he is his DJing with several classics under his belt that are a permanent fixture in many DJ box, such as 'Ashley's War', 'Sleaze Walking', 'Play the Game' featuring Louise Carver and 'Dance With Me' featuring Marcel and Kimra, plus an array of remixes (please read his Discography which also includes the 'Space' compilation album on Slip N` Slide and the legendary 'Nite:Life 017' on NRK).

More recently Kenny has teamed up with David Parr (Stompa Phunk / Elite) to produce exclusive tracks for Rekids, Arcobaleno and 20:20 Vision. The pair are being touted as "one of the hottest new production partnerships around", producing insanely catchy electronic house music that is deep and melodic, crossing the electro deep- and tech-house divides.

As fashions change and music evolves, Kenny has established himself as one of the most respected and consistently creative house DJs in the world. His sets always have an air of quality, flowing through different styles of music - modern soul - jackin' house - minimal tech - Detroit techno - and mark him as a true house DJ with depth and soul.

EXTRACT FROM 365Mag.com SEPT 08:
Interview with Keith Reilly, owner of Fabric nightclub, London, talking about his inspiration for starting the Super Club:

"I remember very clearly telling Kenny Hawkes that I loved his club, Space at Bar Rhumba (pivotal London house mid-weeker circa 1995-2002), so much that I wanted to replicate its amazing underground vibe, but at weekends and for 2000 people! I'm glad you found out about that actually... I love Kenny Hawkes as a DJ, and loved Space as a night; that really deep, hypnotic style of house, with everyone in the groove, that was really amazing - and you couldn't get that at the weekend in London at the time, you really couldn't. I've got the highest regard for Kenny, actually, he's someone I regard as having total integrity and real talent; a real unsung hero of the UK house scene, in fact."

Top 10 (January 2008)

1. Kenny Hawkes & David Parr - Green Grass feat. Cibelle - Rekids
2. François K - Road of Life (Quiet Village's Sound Factory Dub) - Deep Space Media
3. Deetron Feat. Ovasoul 7 - I Cling (Aril Brikha Remix) - Music Man Records
4. Nagano Kitchen - Head - Ibadan Records
5. Kenny Hawkes & David Parr - The Booby Trap - Arcobaleno Records
6. Pedro Madeira - Long Shadows (Christian Prommer Remix) - Buzzin' Fly
7. Skat - Nightlife (Kenny Hawkes & David Parr Remix) - Karat Records
8. Ricardo Villalobos - Enfants feat. Christian Vander - Cadenza Records
9. Johnwaynes - Retouch (David Duriez Favourite Tool) - Brique Rougue
10. Phuture - Rise From Your Grave (Tiefschwarz Mix) - Strictly Rhythm

Kenny Hawkes Discography
RELEASES  
Title Label
Don't Faze Me This Way (12") Castro Recordings
Jet Sex(12") Luxury Service
Ashleys War (12") Luxury Service
Sleaze Walking (12") Paper Recordings
Ashley's War Part 2 (12") Paper Recordings
Dance For Me (12") Music For Freaks
Play The Game (12") Play The Game (12")
Play The Game (Berlin & Paris Mixes)(12") Music For Freaks
Play The Game (Chicago & San Francisco Remixes) (12") Music For Freaks
Sleaze Walking (Mise A Jour 2004) (12") Brique Rouge
The Human Race (12") 20:20 Vision
Gemini (12") Rekids
The Booby Trap (12") Arcobaleno
Green Grass (12") Rekids
   
DJ MIXES  
Title Label
Nite:Life 017 - Kenny Hawkes (CD) NRK Sound Division
   
APPEARS ON  
Title Label
Space Volume 1 (CD) Slip 'n' Slide
Nite:Life 017 - Kenny Hawkes (2xLP) NRK Sound Division
Ty's Tasty Treats (12") What You Want KH & H20 Recordings
Receive Tactical Support (12") Hope We Never Surface Warp Records
Water (12") Water KH & Tweekin Records
Emotion Electrique (The House Sounds of San Francisco Vol 2) (CD) Water KH & By The People Corporation
Water (12") Water Joshua & KH & MP2 Records
Bar Rumba 10 Years Of Dancing (CD) Big Fun KH & BBE
Bar Rumba...Ten Years Of Dancing (2xLP) Union Street KH & BBE
Big Fun (Remixes) (CD5") Big Fun KH &
Big Fun (Remixes) (Part 1) (12") Big Fun KH & PIAS UK
Every Now And Then (12") KH & Tanga Records
Every Now And Then (Part 2) (12") KH & NRK Sound Division
Mastercuts DiscoHouse (2xCD) Big Fun KH & Mastercuts
Nite:Life 016 - DJ Rolando (CD) Union Street KH & NRK Sound Division
Nite:Life 016 - Rolando (2xLP) Union Street KH & NRK Sound Division
Nite:Life 017 - Kenny Hawkes (CD) It's Over Now KH & NRK Sound Division
Solid Sounds 2003/2 (2xCD) Every Now And Then KH & 541
Union Street EP (12") Union Street KH & Groovetech Records
Faith Presents... Different Strokes For House Folks (CD) It's Over Now KH & NRK Sound Division
It's Over Now (12") KH & True
Solid Sounds 2004/3 (2xCD) It's Over Now KH & 541
Definition Of House Vol. 6 (2xCD) Ashley's War (Version 1) Container Records Hamburg
Sweets I (2xCD) Ashley War Basic Beat Rcds
Space Volume 1 (CD) Sleaze Walking Slip 'n' Slide
Splinter 2 (CD) Sleaze Walking Paper Recordings
Splinter 2 (2xLP) Sleaze Walking Paper Recordings
10 Days Off Soundtrack #3 (2xCD) Sleaze Walking Play It Again Sam (PIAS)
21st Century Chill Out (3xCD) Ashley's War Pt 2 React
Splinter 3 (3xLP) Ashleys War Pt 2 Paper Recordings
Splinter 3 (CD) Ashley's War Pt 2 Paper Recordings
CJ01 (CD) Dance For Me Trust The DJ
Club BPM (CD) Play The Game Scream Records
Dance Train 2002 Vol. 04 (Club Edition) (2xCD) Play The Game EVA Belgium
Disco Pogo For Punks In Pumps Vol. 1 (CD) Dance For Me Jockey Slut
London Lounge (2xCD) Play The Game Wagram
Natural House (2xCD) Play The Game Debaile Muxxic
No Shoes, No Cake (2xCD) Ashley's War Fabric (London)
Scream Live At Ibiza (CD) Play The Game Scream Records
Solid Sounds 2002/3 (2xCD) Play The Game 541
Solid Sounds 2002/4 (2xCD) Dance For Me 541
Switch 2 (2xCD) Dance For Me 541
Tyrant : No Shoes, No Cake (3xLP) Ashley's War Fabric (London)
24:7 - Lee Burridge (2xCD) Play The Game Boxed
Dancefloor FG 04 (CD) Play The Game Universal Music (France)
DTPM - A Decade (2xCD) Intro, Dance For Me Obsessive
Mixed Business (CD) Play The Game Floating Point Music
Nite:Life 014 - Pete Heller - Dirty Grooves (CD) Dance For Me NRK Sound Division
Nite:Life 014 - Pete Heller - Dirty Grooves (2xLP) Dance For Me NRK Sound Division
NL2 : Nouveau Noir (CD) Play The Dub Cinq Etoiles
NRJ Extravadance (CD) Play The Game 541
PAP100 - The Best Of Paperecordings (2xCD) Sleaze Walking Paper Recordings
Stories 2 (CD) Dance For Me Cinq Etoiles
The Sound Of Paper Recordings - Part 2 (12") Sleaze Walking Paper Recordings
Warm & Dan Ghenacia Present Track List One (CD) Play The Game Warm
Brique Rouge.5 Kill Brique : 5 Years Of Brique Rouge (CD) Sleaze Walking Brique Rouge
Dance Train - Final Edition (3xCD) Play The Game Universal Music (Belgium)
DC 10 : Ibiza Monday Morning Session (2xCD) Sleaze Walking Four:Twenty Recordings
See You@ The Party (CD) Play The Game Music For Freaks
Tribal Gathering Proudly Presents 10th Anniversary Sankeys Soap (2xCD) Play The Game Underwater Records
Winter Music Conference Promo 2004 (12") Sleaze Walking Brique Rouge
Kill Brique : 5 Years Of Proper Underground House Music (DJ Limited Edition) (2xLP) Sleaze Walking Brique Rouge
Systematic Sessions Volume One (2xCD) Sleaze Walking Systematic (3)
Brique Rouge Miami Sampler (12") Sleaze Walking Brique Rouge