It wasn’t as difficult as you’d think. Luckily we’d already put the wheels in motion and agreed a track list long before Covid came along. It was an exciting project for me, its always good to showcase new talent and give them their breakthrough release, particularly when they haven’t got enough music to allow for a solo release. Equally it gives the label resident and existing artists a new project to focus on. It’s a difficult to be releasing music but I hope fans enjoyed listening to the compilation as much as a I enjoyed curating it.

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IBR 2.- New upcoming hot tracks ?

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Alan Fitzpatrick .- We’ve got a wicked EP from SMYTH (UK) out on We Are The Brave on 7th August. He’s been getting heavy support from Danny on BBC Radio 1 and premieres from DJ Mag and Mixmag, definitely worth checking out. And at the end of August we have Ibiza legend Ronnie Spiteri back on Brave with a remix from wAFF. I’ve done a remix for Armada which is gonna be a big one, putting my twist on a 90’s trance classic.

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IBR 3.- What inspired you to become part of the music world and when you decided to become a DJ?

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Alan Fitzpatrick .- I started mixing in my bedroom when I was 14, just as a hobby with my mates. Then we started to go to clubs when we were 16 and I sort of knew from then. I was blown away by the vibe and energy, people dancing and just losing themselves to the music. I just wanted to be a part of it, and thought yeah, this is the career for me.

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IBR 4.- What did you feel when you put your first production on the market?.

 

Alan Fitzpatrick  .- A bit nervous actually but mainly excited. It felt like the start of something, I was contributing to the scene and officially becoming part of it.

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IBR 5.- You are hosting a socially distanced We are The Brave 4th Birthday party in Southampton, can you give us whole details ?.

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Alan Fitzpatrick  .- We’re having a garden party, kind of ha. It’ll be socially distanced and complies with our government’s guidelines. Ticket buyers are seated in groups of 3 or 6 and we’re operating table service to avoid queues and congested bars, not like anything we’ve done before but we’ve got to adjust and try make things work. We’ll have my full DJ set up and all our residents on the decks but volume won’t be the same as our usual events. It’ll be different and a bit strange but I’m just excited to play again and connect with fans. It’s been months.

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IBR 6.- Has the pandemic influenced your new tracks , your music concept?

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Alan Fitzpatrick  .- I wouldn’t say it’s influenced my productions but certainly in my own music taste, I can see a change. Lot more downtime listening, chilled tracks to fit with the mood, less club tracks ha. I’ve spent a lot of time in the studio over lockdown and have a heap of new tracks coming. I’ve never been one to stick to a certain genre anyway, my discography has always varied. I like to keep fans guessing.

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IBR 7.- Which is your favourite techno label and Which producer would you like to work with ?

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Alan Fitzpatrick  .- Would it be cheeky for me to say ‘We Are The Brave’ ha? Joel Mull is a legend for me, I’ve always dreamt of having an EP with him. We’ve actually got talking over lockdown and started a project together. Keep your eyes peeled for that one.

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IBR 8.- Obviously the music industry has been transformed . How will this new normal affect DJs and clubs in the future?

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Alan Fitzpatrick  .- Who knows. I think it’s too early to form any real opinion on these issues and I prefer to not speculate. Whatever our new normal is, I’m sure we’ll come back stronger than ever. I see it as a rebirth for the industry.

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IBR 9.- Is it easy for you to reconcile personal life, studio time, collaborations , performances....?

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Alan Fitzpatrick  .- It has been over lockdown, whilst the situation obviously wasn’t what anyone hoped for, I feel very grateful for the time spent with my family. I had the opportunity to give them my full attention and also focus on my hobbies and social life. I had a lot of time in the studio to focus on music and other creative projects. I think everyone needs time to reconnect, especially with themselves.

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IBR  10.- When are we going to see you in Ibiza?.

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Alan Fitzpatrick  .- As an artist, I’m not quite sure but I’m hoping to be back at the end of summer for a relaxing trip with my wife. We got married in Ibiza so the island is really special to us. No parties this time though, it’ll be a relaxing trip and chance to enjoy the natural beauty of the island.

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IBR 11.- What advice would you give to the new generation that dreams of being a professional DJ?.

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Alan Fitzpatrick  .- Be prepared for a lot of knock backs and remember its hard graft. Nothing will happen overnight, even social media will make you believe it does. Just keep pushing on, if it’s meant to happen then it will.

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Thank you for sharing your news with us.

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The heavyweight of techno, Alan Fitzpatrick, has brought us the freshest and most exclusive news from the vanguard of the techno scene.

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Interviewed by Paul Ross