This week’s Tidy Treasure was produced by one of Australia’s number one DJ’s for the harder generation and holds a strong memory for Ben Stevens.
When you look at the Tidy back catalogue it really is so difficult to put your finger on one release that would be number one. There are so many classics and fantastic tracks to choose from.
The first releases that I remember hearing were UK Gold ‘Nuclear Shower’ and the Ian M mix of ‘Black Is Black’ and these got me hooked on the label. I had been going to Progress in Derby and Passion pretty regularly and fully loving the sounds of trance. After hearing this harder edged sound it really grabbed me and from this point I made it my aim to search out as much hard house as I could do. My clubbing adventures pretty quickly evolved into going to Storm, Sundissential, Insomniacz and then the Tidy nights in the following years and getting fully immersed in the music.
The track I’ve chosen for my Tidy Treasure is one of the releases from 2003 ‘Tara Reynolds – Mercy’. As soon as I heard it I was hooked, it had the perfect elements of melody and a tough riff. I still look for both of these elements in tracks to this day & would certainly still play Mercy in a set.
The track also holds fond memories for me as it was out around the same time that I played at my first Tidy Weekender. I had been attending the events since the first one and DJing at various events around the country whilst working at Vicious Circle.
I was given a lucky opportunity at TW4 to fill in for Karim who had cancelled the gig a few days before it was due to take place. All the lanyards had already been printed so the last set in room two on the Saturday night everyone was expecting Karim but they got me instead. I still remember the feeling of playing in that room like it was yesterday and is still up there with one of my favourite gigs ever.
Mercy is etched into my memory of this event because Sam Townend and I listened to it on repeat in my car on the way from Leeds to the weekender! We both had gigs in Leeds and Wakefield on the Friday night, after they finished I picked Sam up and we drove straight down to The Weekender to meet all of our mates.
18 years later and I’m still as excited to get to Prestatyn for the Tidy Weekender. Roll on July!
Download & Stream this release here: https://tidytrax.fanlink.to/Mercy
