DJ Sharkey

DJ Sharkey

DJ Sharkey performing at Vibealite 9th birthday on 4 October 2002 at The Emporium, Leicester.
Background information
Birth name Jonathan Kneath
Born (1974-07-25) July 25, 1974
Origin Plymouth, England
Genres UK hard house, hardcore techno, gabber
Instruments Turntables
Years active 1992–2011

DJ Sharkey (born Jonathan Kneath[1]) is a British record producer, disc jockey and rapper who, as of September 2011, is mostly retired from music production and performance.

Biography

Sharkey was born on 25 July 1974 in Plymouth, United Kingdom.

Career

Sharkey initially became known as an MC at "hardcore rave" events in Great Britain in 1993. In 1995, he moved into music production, teaming up with DJ Hixxy to release the track "Toytown", which proved one of the most significant signature tunes of the UK's happy hardcore style in the 1990s. This led both Sharkey and Hixxy to being signed by the UK's leading dance music label, React Music, and the pair released "Bonkers", the first in a series of albums which has become the best-selling hardcore compilation series of all time. "Revolutions", a release on React, reached 53 in the UK charts, and Sharkey consequently released the album "Hard Life" in 1998.

Sharkey also produced mixes for Bonkers 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Volumes 4 and 5 achieved silver sales status in the UK with Bonkers 3 reaching gold status.[2]

In 2001 Sharkey made his first appearance on the eurodance compilation Dancemania series, at Speed 6, along with Hixxy.[1] He was also invited to mix on BBC Radio 1 in 2003, performing John Peel's Essential Mix.

Nu Energy Collective

He established a relationship with the up-and-coming DJ Kevin Energy in 1998, and the pair were instrumental in the creation of the Freeform genre of hardcore (a term which was coined by Sharkey himself). This moved the sound away from happy hardcore to a faster, and more layered and complex sound. A major keystone of the freeform movement is the Nu Energy Collective, of which Sharkey and Kevin Energy are the best-known faces, as the freeform sound played a lead role in the renaissance of the hardcore sound in the early 2000s.

Touring

Sharkey has performed in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada,[3] and Japan.

Retirement

In January 2011, Sharkey announced his retirement from Hardcore and Freeform. He completed a final tour, playing in various countries around the world,[3] and then officially retired in September 2011. The artist expressed an aspiration to pass his knowledge and skills onto those involved in the future of music, with this occurring following his completion of a teacher's qualification.

While Sharkey has previously stated that he has completely retired, his current status is under speculation. There is at least 1 instance of DJ Sharkey performing in 2015.[4]

Sharkey runs a self-devised music technology course for unknown musicians that is eighteen months in length.

References

  1. 1 2 Unknown. "Sharkey". Discogs. Discogs. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  2. ↑ Staff (1999–2012). "Bonkers 3 goes gold (100,000 copies)". HappyHardcore.com. HappyHardcore.com. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  3. 1 2 amwise (28 March 2011). "Dj Sharkey (uk) & Lenny Dee (usa) @ Heroes Vs. Villains !! - July 22nd" (Forum thread). Ravesound. Rave.ca. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  4. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/events/809767592440858/820701544680796/

External links

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