DJ Nick Warren hails from Bristol, an area that has seen the emergence of other esteemed artists and acts such as Tricky, Massive Attack, and Roni Size. After working the local scene, Warren began to tour with larger event promotors when he started playing for the Universe/Tribal Gathering organzation. A chance meeting with Jody Weisterhoff -- who was already a sucessful drum and bass producer -- led to the duo creating Way Out West, a project which quickly garnered accolades with breakout tracks such as "Montana" and "Ajare" that were in rotation with most of the U.K.'s top DJs. Way Out West was quickly signed to Deconstruction, ensuring the success of the highly-regarded producution duo. 1996 witnessed "The Gift," which quickly became an anthem wordwide.
1996 also saw Warren's alliance with superclub Cream with a residency and a comission to mix the second CD of the Cream White Album. Firmly established as both a DJ and a producer, with numerous remixes for labels such as Hope Recordings and others, Warren continues to spread his funky trance sound across the world.
Having strutted his stuff at many a student party in Bristol, Nick Warren decided to have a go himself. Establishing the South West's first balearic club 'Wiggle', his 'anything goes' approach to Dj-ing soon landed him a residency upstairs at the massively popular mid week acid house bash 'Vision' where he continued to spin his alternative sound.
Nick continued to spread the house word across the west before his first major media break came in '91 when he teamed up with several local bods (including Grant from Massive Attack) to set up the now legendary '98 Proof', where once more his balearic roots bore fruit as the boys mixed house beats back to back with the more laid back funk and hip hop so often associated with Bristol. Through his friendship with Grant, Nick thus began his long-standing and influential association with Massive Attack. Firstly Nick toured as resident DJ with the group throughout the USA promoting the debut LP.
Soon after he was introduced to the recording studio where his first duties came somewhat by default when a Massive Attack remix of 'Les Negresses Vertes' was due, but the rest of the group were sick. Nick stepped in and the resulting mix sold over 25,000 copies and needless to say everybody loved it. This began what is proving to be a most successful career as a producer/remixer. Rapidly developing his studio skills Nick teamed up with local whizkid Jody to form 'Way Out West' - the result, 3 storming releases put out on their own label Terra Firma which in turn lead to record company interest which has culminated in the boys signing to Deconstruction.
The first product was a remix package of the monstrous 'Montana'. Since then, they have released the classics 'Ajare', 'Domination' and 'The Gift'. Nick continues to play out and about every week. He was resident at the now-defunct 'Revolution', Lakota, Bristol on Fridays, and was a regular at 'Cream', 'Golden', Stoke, 'Club UK' and the 'Ministry Of Sound', amongst others.
Nick Warren's TOP TEN:
'Papua new guinea' f.s.o.l. (Jumpin & Pumpin)
"This is their first and best record. I like emotional house records. F.S.O.L are influenced by reggae,
hip hop, breakbeats, big chords. 4AD artists are the vocalists, who have always been my favourites."
'Lost in the sound' adonis (Jack Trax)
"This is a Chicago instrumental track. As you can see, very few vocal tracks in dance music excite me.
Deep house has nice choruses, nice sounds. Put it on and it works every time. People dance to it. Our
job as DJs is to make people dance not go up our own arses."
'Just let go' Petra & Co (bcm)
"This an Italian house record, a dub mix. It came out in 1992 and if you hear it you might not know
who it's by but everyone recognises it. I still play it at least once a fortnight. It's got a killer riff that
sticks in peoples' head."
'Alone' don Carlos (atmo)
"I think this came out in 1992 when the Italian house thing got big exposure in England. Much of it was
Black Box cheesy samples and sounds but this was deep house. An emotional instrumental track.
'Only love can break your heart' st etienne (Heavenly)
"This came out at the height of the Balearic explosion when people like Oakenfold, Rampling and
Weatherall went to Ibiza. This is a mix by Andy Weatherall, it's mid-tempo, it's not a house track, and
it works so well. You can play it anywhere in a house set."
'Chime' Orbital (ffrr)
"I remember hearing this for the first time on the radio. I was gobsmacked. Before the era of orbital
raves and Sunrise I'd never heard this music. It was this record that got me into house. Again, it's got a
very British sound."
'keep movin' mike perras (Basic)
"This came out around 1993. It's an American Chicago track. Again it's an instrumental deep house
track; it's very emotional. A classic that I hope is not going to be remixed in 1996."
'Unfinished sympathy' massive attack (Wild Bunch)
"This came out when I started to DJ with Daddy G, but before I DJ'd with the band. He brought a
tape around to my flat and said 'listen to this'. I was amazed. I had that feeling of the hairs on the back
of my neck tingling which so rarely happens in dance music. It still sounds brilliant today. It'll never be
remixed or re-released, they would never let anyone near it. They're so precious about their music, and
why shouldn't they be?
'4am' Tru funk (Three Stripe)
"This is Jody's first ever house track which he made with DJ Die - who now records with Roni Size. It
came out in 1991 and it's early acid house. It's brilliant - there's a sax sample going through it."
'Cut for life' leftfield (Hard Hands)
"Leftfield are one of my favourite bands. Their sound is so British in the way they take their influences
from dub reggae to hip hop to techno and mix it all up and come out with something that wouldn't get
made anywhere else. This track has all these elements. It starts with half speed reggae and comes in
with all the elements of dance tracks that I love.
