Danny Kirk (SUNDISSENTIAL) interview Many people know that you run Sundissential but not many people really know where you are coming from with regard to promotions... Who is Danny Kirk and what makes him tick? First and foremost I am a clubber always have been, always will be, didn’t get into this as a business man to make money - fell into it by accident which probably makes me not the best business man in the world. I definitely get more of a buzz out of seeing people enjoying themselves than any amount of money. - To sum it up I am in it for the love of it. What are you main music tastes? Who was your main musical hero when you were growing up? When I was 13 (ermm a long time ago) I was a serious heavy metal rocker I discovered technological music through bands like Depeche Mode then in ‘85/86 got seriously into hip hop e.g. Ice T, Del la soul and all the electro music it was a natural progression for me in ’87 to get into dance music. My first experience was at the Hacienda in Manchester in 1987 I can remember walking in there with my friend Jonathan and it felt like I had gone in a time machine into a completely different world. I can remember me and Jonathan stood at the bar for an hour not being able to say a word to each other because we couldn’t figure out what was happening in front of our eyes – we were bit by the bug instantly! When I was a child I wanted to be… A chef! – Believe it or not - lasted about 6 months.. Really really hard work……. What was your first job and, what was your worst job? My first job was a salesman at MFI I started when I was 16 years old selling all sorts of tackle to home makers… My worst job was working at Rover on a production line, the reason being I had just moved down to Birmingham was about 23 didn’t know anyone and everyone else there was about 65 years old… The best day of my life was… Meeting my girlfriend – H – Soppy I know… & when Manchester United did the treble and won the European Cup in ‘99 The gadget I can’t live without is My insulin pen – I am a diabetic and have to inject myself 4 times a day I can’t live without it – literally!! With Sundissential winning so many accolades over the years, where are you planning to take the club over the next twelve months and what can people expect when they come? People can expect to be pleasantly surprised with PULSE 2 there are probably a lot of misconceptions about what we are doing which they will find to be un justified, we have always got new tricks up our sleeves which will shine through on our nights. We are having a re-brand to a certain extent – a whole fresh new way of thinking. I think the most important thing is to keep listening to the members, we have started to hold open forums once a month that have been really useful, they come down and hit us directly with what they like / dislike etc. At the end of the day it is their club what they want is the most important thing as they are the ones coming week in, week out. They are giving us a lot of input which we are acting on. We will keep trying to improve everything we do always trying to better the last, taking the club forward and not going backwards. The Sundissential members have been fantastic and a lot of them were at the club last week helping us with the move to get it all ready I would like to thank them for all their support and help especially the Sundissential on line community they have been especially great. Sundissential won club of the year at the Hard Dance Awards, did you feel proud to win as it was a public vote? I think proud would be an understatement, I was driving home and got a call from Helen saying we had just won – I nearly crashed my car! – When I got home I had to be pulled off the ceiling – the award meant so much because it was voted for by the people showing us Sundissential was still held as their number 1 – that meant more than I can put into words, the award is for our members who have been so loyal and passionate about Sundissential over the years not as a trophy to put in the office…. You’re moving back to your old home Pulse, how has it changed since you were first there? PULSE 2 is very different to the original Pulse in the layout, it’s more of an updated version (which we would have needed by now to include Funkissential in our weekly Saturdays) though has still got a Pulse feel. The club itself runs down the right hand side of small brook Queensway, what used to be the original Pulse and central Park – It’s carpeted with wooden dance floors and two arenas linked by a long red tunnel. The Funkissential arena is unreal, the most perfect funky arena I have ever seen and the Sundissential arena is amazing too, with the DJ in the center, you can see them from everywhere in the room, it will be almost 4 years to the day that we left the original PULSE that we make a return to PULSE 2 we are not clinging to past venues though or claiming we will make it like the original PULSE - however PULSE 2 is the next level up for us, onwards and upwards as they say we do not dwell on past history always looking forward. Sundissential has always worked best in these types of clubs, I got tingles going all down my back going in there - it is just what Sundissential has been looking for. Do you feel that you have been affected by the so-called decline in the clubbing market or do you think it is merely media hype? I think all promoters would be lying if they say they have not been affected recently in any way – clubbers these days are very aware of everything, promoters now have to just work 3x harder and make sure they give customer service, quality and value for money. We have had to completely re-evaluate where we were at, stop and re think everything that we were doing, what we have in place now with PULSE 2, The Works and 9 Bar we will be delivering to the best of our ability on all levels at all our events in venues that will do it justice. Many clubs have diversified their music policies and gone monthly yet Sundissential has remained weekly throughout, what is the secret to your success? Hard work, a lot of luck and people who are willing to give everything for the cause – I think people sometimes forget that Sundissential is a weekly event, with the Afterssentials, Funkissentials, The Works and tours we probably do more events than most promoters with half the staff, it is hard to sustain a weekly night – you are certainly not going to win all the time... this year we are using a lot of new DJs that we haven’t used before i.e.> Superfast OZ, Mark EG, Tom Harding, Sterling Moss and some fantastic up and coming DJs such as Strange Dave, Mark Austin, Caroline Banx & Andy Whitby etc alongside Sundissential’s favorites with Dave Oldershaw & Filthy Rich leading the way with Funkissential - as you have to try and keep it fresh especially being a weekly night our music policy this year will definitely be a lot more interesting. And last but by no means least, where is Sundissential heading in 2004? In 2004 we are making a fresh start and implementing a lot of new ideas and changes, I feel like I’ve been through about 10 divorces with all the moving around Sundissential has done lately, with moving offices topping it all off, our feet have not touched the ground – We were working 8am’s – 10pm’s everyday to get PULSE 2 ready for the launch we only really had a week to turn it all around! It all paid off though, the launch night of PULSE 2 was rammed a total sell out! It couldn’t of gone much better, still loads more to do but the most important thing was that everyone loved it, the atmosphere in both the Sundissential arena and the Funkissential arena was incredible, people said to me it was the best it has ever been since PULSE and that’s saying something! PULSE 2, Will be a permanent home for Sundissential now, we are putting everything into this move making it a last move for the weekly Saturdays. Afterssential will be running weekly after Sundissential @ 9 Bar on Broad Street, the showcase launch we did was unbelievable and we will be expanding Funkissential taking it to the next level, it is launching in various cities across the country very soon! The Works New Years Day was probably in our top 3 events that we have ever put on, there were 2300 people in there and we had it right off! The Works is definitely the best venue in the country I cannot fault it in any way we will be doing regular big events here throughout the year the next being a Sundissential Classics night on Feb 29th.followed by the run of bank holiday Sundays etc.. We are currently discussing new plans for Sundissential North we will keep you posted on any new developments. Sundissential has come through so many situations that most clubs would not of, we’ve always done everything by the seat of our pants and that will never change, we are not a big corporate outfit, our aim has always been to put on a good show. Various people have been trying to stick the knife into SS to cause us trouble and spreading bullshit etc. But to be fair we couldn’t care less what they are saying, Sundissential is going nowhere it is 100% here to stay – we have worked too hard and are too dedicated to be knocked off track by anyone and they need to realize this. We are keeping our heads down and working our bollocks off to make Sundissential & Funkissential the best they can possibly be, this showed at the launch of PULSE 2. It has been difficult recently also with all the shit surrounding mine and Paul’s split within Sundissential, Paul and I were 2 peas in a pod, us against the world - I never wanted things to work out they way they did, but Paul knows the only person he has to blame for losing Sundissential is himself I could have come back and given all the gory details of the reasons behind the split but right or wrong I felt it would have been the wrong thing to do. I wish him all the best with what he is doing and hope he sorts himself out – for real this time. Myself and the team are moving on in 2004 creating a new improved Sundissential. Thanks to Danny for his time, for more details on Sundissential events please see
Re: Danny Kirk (SUNDISSENTIAL) interview I read this on the SS site and doubt this was so much an interview as a self-written piece of propaganda. The more he seems to defend himself and attack Madders, the emptier SS gets and the bigger Polysexual gets. Can't wait for Polysexual North...
