In 2001 my favorite band The Orb was playing at the first Impulz Outdoor Festival. And off course I went there. After their show the night was still young. Most of my mates were going to the hardhouse area. At first this was a bit too fast for me, especially since I was mostly listening to ambient and progressive trance at the time.
But hardhouse got me. First only a couple of times a year on the several UDC parties, later I also went to the lergendary monthly HQ parties in the Melkweg, Amsterdam. Still miss these parties, what great times did we have there. During these years lots of friendships were established too. The hardhouse family was a tribe on it’s own.
Since I was a bit late discovering hardhouse, I missed out on Tony de Vit. Tony started his career as a wedding DJ in 1976. In the early 80’s he had a residency in Birmingham’s gay superclub Heaven. In the early 90’s he moved on to Trade, another gay club. Later he got encouraged to also pick up gigs outside the gay scene. In 1995 he got asked by the BBC to do an essential mix. He has played along with all the big names in the scene and had tracks on every major compilation CD.
Tony played a big role in the popularity of the hardhouse scene, some consider him as the true godfather of hardhouse music. I might have been a bit late to pick up hardhouse, but I had my fair share of parties over the years and cannot imagine a hardhouse event without Tony de Vit tracks.
Unfortunately Tony picked up HIV. On July 2nd 1998 he died of bronchial failure and bone marrow failure in a hospital in Birmingham. He was only 40 at the time. Today would have been his birthday. So in remembrance of Tony today I’m sharing some of my favorite TdV tracks or remixes, enjoy!
