What can I say about this mix. It pretty much changed my whole career in dance music. Up until this, I was trying to make my way in Scotland - i'd had a great residency at a big club called Glam and had also played at The Arches for my favourite night back then, Inside Out, as well as throughout other parts of the country. But I couldn't get gigs down south, let alone abroad!
So a comp was advertised in DJ Magazine. It was huge - the prize being to be flown out to Ibiza and to DJ at the Space Closing Party in 2003, alongside every big name you could think of.
I recorded this in one take, on vinyl in my bedroom. I sneaked in a few loops from other records along the way. I knew when I finished the mix that it was as good as I had ever done. I kept it housey to start with, and built up to some big prog tunes, knowing that were I to win (fat chance!), i'd have to potentially warm up, or play early.

I was sat at my desk at work when my mobile went. I still remember exactly where I was stood and the conversation. "Hi, is that Stu? You entered the DJ Mag comp? Well you've won".
I was at the end of the 3 week holiday when I played Space. I'll be honest, the gig wasn't great, it was quiet in the outside arena, but it was Space. Fucking Space. The best club in the World. The one i'd spent so much time in, dancing. I don't think it really sunk in, until I played the following 2 years!
DJ Magazine were amazing. They flew a mate out, put us up in a hotel. The only downside was that our flight home was 10am on the Monday! A few sore heads!

But this was more about the impact it had. I had beaten thousands of people to win the comp. It settled any of my own self-doubt that I could actually DJ.
It put me on flyers with the likes of Carl Cox and John Digweed. John played after me at Space that day and I remember speaking to him and feeling like a wee lad being given the key to the universe.
In the same month as winning the comp, I signed to Steve Lawler's label with my first ever track. It was a mental few months and I look back with fondness.
I think the month before, I was runner up in I-DJ Magazine with another mix! I used to churn them out. No wonder I spent half my life in my bedroom!

The tracks in this mix are great, some big summer records and then some cracking vocal prog, people like Planet Funk, who i'm still a big fan of.

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caseyjohnellis

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