Terminal V Podcast 037 || Alan Fitzpatrick

Time and time again Alan steps up to deliver performances that are worthy of his billing and loyal following. One of Alan’s biggest strengths is his wide-ranging appeal, from his classic track reworkings to his industrial bangers Alan Fitzpatrick has many styles in his locker. It is no surprise to see him elevate himself to the upper echelons of the techno community.
Alan has consistently delivered standout tracks for some of the genres top labels, but it is his own We Are The Brave imprint that has been pivotal in development of this top tier artist. We have been looking forward to welcoming Alan to our podcast series for some time and as always Alan comes up with the goods. We suspect this edition is one that will be revisited time and time again as Alan’s sets tend to stick in the memory…
Thanks for joining us Alan, how are you finding adjusting to travelling to gigs post Brexit and Covid?
Thanks for having me. I’m loving it, it’s good to be back and in a way feels like clubbing and travelling never stopped.
With such a busy touring schedule how do you find the time to produce new material?
I always make time to dip in and out of the studio when I’m at home, even if that’s just a couple hours to get some ideas down. I mainly travel at weekends so my weekdays are dedicated to studio and family time and when I’m touring I do have the opportunity to write some ideas / loops when I’m chilling in the hotel. After big gigs I’m still feeling buzzed from the crowd vibe and energy, so I tend to be weirdly creative during airport lounge and hotel downtime.
Are you a studio only artist or can you write new tracks from anywhere?
I get ideas anywhere and everywhere, but I like to finish things in my own studio at home.
Your recent release with High Contrast is perhaps not the most obvious collaboration, where did the hook up come from?
I’ve always had a soft spot for DnB. Link and we would bump into each other a fair bit when we were touring and we have a lot of mutual respect for each other. We emailed a bit over lockdown and sent some ideas back and forward. Having the opportunity to work with High Contrast and have him feature on the album was quite special for me, he’s a legend and the track is next level.
What else can we expect coming out of your studio in the next few months?
I’ve got a big collab coming with Bklava, it’s a track called ‘Flashing Lights’ that we made together for Danny Howard’s BBC Radio 1 Lockdown Linkup. I’m pretty happy that’s being released, it goes off in the clubs. Then I’ve got some big remixes for my album dropping in 2022, a collab on Shall Not Fade and some other music under my 3STRANGE alias. Buzzing to get back to releasing on We Are The Brave again too as it’s been a while.
Speaking more about your actual performances, are you a strictly CDJ kinda guy or do you incorporate any other hardware into your sets?
I used to use BOSS pedals but now it’s integrated into my mixer, the DJM v10 is an absolute beast. I use a DJS1000 drum machine / sampler too but other than that I’m a straight up CDJ man. Got a lot of respect for the artists who do it all analogue, that’s serious commitment to the craft.
You recently reworked BK’s Hard House anthem ‘Revolution’, what is your connection to the track and the genre as a whole?
It’s a classic, such a big track from my youth. I’ve known BK for about 20 years, he’s a legend. Revolution is still an anthem, so it was an honour to be trusted to release the rework on We Are The Brave. We had some BIG remixes on the package too and the vinyl will be landing in 2022.
You have quite a few classic reworkings in your locker how do you choose which track to give the Fitzpatrick treatment?
It’s just personal preference. I usually only edit tracks that I like or have a proper connection to. If it’s an old track which I buzz off and is nostalgic to me or gives me the feels then I’d definitely consider adding my own twist to it.
Is there any unreleased reworks that have not seen the light of day?
Absolutely loads but I can’t reveal those just yet ha!
Your We Are The Brave event is coming up in Edinburgh this month, tell us about why you chose the featured artists that you did?
I’ve got my residents warming up for me in Room 1, they’re both great lads, full of passion for the scene. Ronnie will set the room up nicely with his chunky grooves and A.S.H is great at building the energy in the crowd. Then I plan to rip the roof clean off, that’s usually how it goes anyway ha! Room 2 is going to be ridiculous too.
What can we expect from a WATB event over one of your normal parties?
It’s just a different vibe, it’s hard to explain properly unless you’re there to experience it. I think when the WATB squad are all out together, the energy is different, and the crowd can feel that and give it back to us. It’s crazy. We’re all mates at We Are The Brave so everything just flows really well and I think the crowd can feel that. We don’t like to make any separation between the artists and the fans, more of a ‘we’re all in it together’ vibe.
You have performed in Scotland many times before, for somebody that has never experienced a Scottish dancefloor how would you describe it?
HWFG ha!! Scottish crowds are some of the best in the world. The people are passionate and educated and the atmosphere in Scottish clubs is so dark and intense, it’s the sort of atmosphere that lends itself to techno.
Tell us more about the mix you have recorded for us? How did you choose the tracks to include?
It’s a big set from me; fast, furious and loaded with energy. It’s quite typical of my style now. I’ve included a few gems coming on WATB in 2022 along with some tracks that I’m into at the moment. It shouldn’t disappoint ha!
Interview by Stu Todd