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."
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
| 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 |
