Hard Coffee
A witness to the birth of house music, Antonio Donà (Tuneboy) fell in love with electronica and is now considered one of hardstyle’s most influential acts.
How did your passion progress from house music to hardstyle?
I drank lots of coffee and then I wanted the music to keep up with my energy level. Pitching up house records didn't give the desired result, so we started making new music which pounded a bit more. If we want to add a vocal or break we have to drink tea in order to slow down.
How has hardstyle changed since you first came on the scene?
Well, unfortunately it has become too hard; I guess a lot of other producers drink too much espresso! But the quality has become much better. The early records sound really good as well but now we have much better studio equipment and programs. We just bought new computers again for the studio and it is unbelievable what they are capable of.
How did you feel playing to 7,000 fans at the legendary club Cocoricò in Riccione, Italy on December 31, 1996?
Ah! You did your research! Well done. That night was a complete rush; the atmosphere, the people, the music, it was one complete package of madness.
How important do you consider the Top 100 DJ list to be?
The what? Top 100 DJ… never heard of it. If it would be a list of the most popular DJs in the world I hope they would skip the harder styles; we are intelligent enough to decide who we like ourselves, don't need a list for that.
Do you prefer collaborations to working alone?
I prefer a good balance. I have been working together with some of the best artists in this scene and every time we get a whole new sound. But I also want to put my own ideas to work. I work on various projects at once and that keeps every track fresh and crispy.
Does working under different guises, such as Hardstyle Masterz give you the opportunity to experiment with different sounds?
With Hardstyle Masterz you get a live act in its purest form. Every track I play is a unique edit, which will never be released. It is the only chance to experience it. I only play remixes and special combinations of tracks. Every time I make a Hardstyle Masterz track, I’ve already thought of a different live version, which adds dancefloor elements like shorter breaks, extra vocals and additional sound effects.
Tuneboy and Hardstyle Masterz support Technoboy at the ‘Ten Years of Technoboy’ show at the Hi-Fi December 18.