HCBXCast 66 Interview With Kenny Campbell

Scotland’s own Kenny Campbell makes a welcome return to the show with a set even more brutal than his last. Mr Campbell releases his inner rage with hard and fast tracks from the likes of Brandon Spivey, DJ Freak, Delta 9, Re.Pete and more.  This is an hour of punishing hardcore techno abrasion with an ever-increasing BPM count.  I caught up with the man himself, and found out about Soundlab belt drives, getting released on Industrial Strength, and old naked men doing the helicopter.

 

HCBX: How are things with you, Kenny? What’s been keeping you busy?

KC: Alright mate. I’m good. We’re back into the football season so work and football are the main things these days

HCBX: Great to get you back on HCBXCast. Your set is pretty aggressive to say the least, and you go so far as to call it "Release Your Inner Rage". Tell us about the set?

KC: Thanks for having me back. The set was recorded at home. No planning or forethought. I’d listened to some records during the week before recording. Everything from much slower 140bpm stuff right up to speedcore. Then just seen what I fancied on the day. The set was heavily inspired by living with a teenager. Every parent will understand that :D

HCBX: When I was doing some digging about for the interview, You’ve said that Mescalinum United’s We Have Arrived was a turning point for you. What was it about that track and what other tracks got you down the hardcore and techno rabbit hole?

KC: Still the greatest track of all time. I was in Sleeves Records in Falkirk. It was 1991 and I’m certain it was May. I grew up in a small village and although I had friends my age I used to love hearing the music coming from cars from the older ones that used to hang about the shop. It was other worldly to me. I started to seek this stuff out and was buying mix tapes and records when I could to play on the Hi-Fi in my room. On that day they put Mescalinum United on. And that intro noise just grabbed me. It was different to anything I’d heard. Dark. Angry. Noisy. Utterly fucking beautiful. I was hooked on that sound from then and moved away from the acid and breakbeats stuff.

HCBX: You had your first DJ gigs when you were dead young. Tell us about what that was like? And any stories from those early days of raving and playing out?

KC: The early days were the best. The first rave I went to was something else. I’d heard there were some illegal raves happening up into the hills and farmland where I grew up and had to seek them out. When I found them they wouldn’t let me in. I’d peddled a good 6 miles to get there and they were saying no. So I told them they better let me in for a little while or I’d be peddling to the police station to let them know what was going on. Obviously the cheekiness worked and they let me in for 2 hours. Even put my bike safe backstage. It was an eye opener. Hearing this music in the right environment for the first time is still hard to put into words. After that I started to going the Fubar and Rez in 1994. Event 2 being my first Rez and The Rotterdam Experience 2 my first at the Fubar. I was well and truly hooked at this point. It was at the Event 2 I decided I wanted to try DJing. Lenny Dee blew my head clean off that night. It was that set that made me want to try it. It was also that set that made me want to release on Industrial Strength. Even though I had no clue how to make music.

The first gig came for the same illegal crew that let me in when I was 13. I’d gotten to know them and they knew I could play a little so let me do a closing set. When everyone is exhausted and leaving. I didn’t care. I thought I’d made it and was about to be the greatest DJ of all time. I started with Strychnine - The Sacrifice. It was my first time using Technics and I quickly realised it was nothing like mixing at home. Took me 5-6 tracks to get any feel for them. But it was still an incredible experience. Playing hard as fuck to a crowd that initially looked puzzled but eventually came round. Not sure if that was the music, party supplies or just reacting to me losing my shit with each track. But they went with it.

HBCX: You play across quite a broad range of hardcore, techno, industrial, EBM etc. You got a favourite style, or is it just how you feel on the day?

KC: it really depends on the event. 99% of the time I know what I’ve been booked for so have a rough idea of what style to go with and just play. I don’t pre plan any set in advance. Occasionally it’ll be something different. That’s the good thing with modern DJing. Multiple USBs for every occasion

HCBX: Your label Pitch Dark Records is a cracking label, and started as a joint venture with Alex Mullin (DJ Technotrance). How did the collaboration come about? Do you have and future plans for the label?

KC: Pitch Dark is on hold for the foreseeable future. It was great fun running the label but I’d become quite disillusioned with techno and the style I was looking to release just wasn’t around. Everything had went hard, fast and trancey. So I put it on the back burner and it’s stayed there since. I’ve toyed with bringing it back again but techno has gotten even further from the place I want it to be so the hiatus will be for a bit longer now.

The highlight was probably putting out the Sonic X release on PDR20. For those that don’t know, those were tracks produced by my son when he was 7. And they went down a storm.

It started after Alex messaged me to see if I’d be interested in getting it running. He had the idea already and was looking for help and someone with knowledge of the techno scene.

HCBX: I have fond memories of going to Judgement Day event back in the 90s and beyond - how did you get involved with that and are there plans for the future with JD?

KC: This one came about as Alex and I were looking to do some old skool style hardcore and bouncy techno. And again it was good fun. Doing the releases on record too was good. But like most things, costs killed it. Brexit fucked up taxes and postage costs from Europe and it became increasingly difficult to do. It’s another I’d love to bring back as there’s a market for old sounds but it’s finding the time and patience to do it

Judgement Day Records

HCBX: Your first release on Industrial Strength must have been a big moment for you. How did remixing some iconic tracks, and putting a completely different slant on them, come about? And how did you get one of the most influential labels of all time pick them up?

KC: this was a dream come true for me. When I decided I wanted to release on ISR the only option was on vinyl. So that was always my goal.

I’d remixed a lot of old hardcore to play in my techno sets, mostly from ISR and the LD label. The Skinhead remix was the one everyone loved. That and Forgotten Moments. I sent them all to Lenny and Jules at ISR and they liked them. A while later they were releasing the Skinhead remixes and wanted to include mine. I was over the moon with it.

Later they asked if I’d like to remix DOA too for the remixes vinyl. I couldn’t say no. It was a challenge taking DOA down to a techno track and keeping that same ferociousness. Again it seemed to work and came out. That’s why I got the tattoo. I said I’d get one only when I had my name on an Industrial Strength record.

Then to be asked to contribute to the 30th anniversary release was extra special. My hand is also the cover

HCBX: You’ve had releases on some big labels – we've already mentioned ISR, Drøne, RIOT Radio Records SHISHI. Do you write tracks with a label in mind, or do you decide after the fact where something fits?

KC: I used to spend most nights just making music and I’d have a whole batch ready to go. So when asked I could pick some out that suited the specific label. Now I don’t make as much so generally make them when someone wants a release. The good thing with that is the tracks are always more tailored to the label

HCBX: You’ve played across Europe and even further afield – How do crowds in different countries respond to your style? Do you adapt your sets to suit the crowd, or just go in full Kenny Campbell (your range is pretty diverse I suppose!)?

KC: I’m lucky that I’ve managed to get a decent reputation for any gig I play so people generally know what’s coming and go with it. While I don’t plan any sets I’ll always check who’s on the line up and the promoters previous nights to get a good feel of what’s expected. And when in the night I’ll be playing. Once I start it’s always a bit of where I’ll be trying to go while being mindful that the dance floor is the most important part so playing what keeps them dancing also. It’s too easy to get caught up in playing only new and unknown music. But often while you’re thinking you’re cool you’re lost the dance floor

A weird highlight is still playing at a party in France and having a naked old man doing the helicopter in front of me for almost 2 hours. That was a bizarre experience but at least he seemed to be enjoying himself

HCBX: I read that you started off on the old Soundlab Belt Drives - I started on these too - think I got them from Pegasus Sound and Light in Edinburgh in the mid 90s. They were mad to mix on, but I really liked them. Was it a big difference going into a club or rave after practicing on these?

KC: I did. The DLP-1. Can’t remember what the mixer was but it was basic with 2 punch buttons. Bought them in Nieto Electronics in Falkirk.

They were great to learn on but you definitely noticed a difference when moving to better decks. I wished I’d had a chance to try Technics before my first gig. It may have went more smoothly!

HCBX: What’s your current studio setup like (Both for producing and and mixing)? How has it evolved a lot over the years?

KC: for producing everything is in the box. I use Ableton and really just a handful of VSTs. Serum mostly as you can do pretty much everything with that. I’ve got Push 2 and some other controllers for playing live but they’re rarely touched these days. I went through a spell of using hardware but I just didn’t enjoy it. Working solely in the computer is better for me

For DJing I’ve got an Alpha Theta XDJ-AZ and 2 Epsilon DJ 1300 turntables. The ugliest turntables you could imagine but they’re incredible things. Same Hampin motor as all the new Super OEM turntables but a fraction of the cost. And as close as I've ever had to my old Vestax PDX-2000’s

After my Soundlab I got a pair of Vestax and loved them. They’re the best turntables I’ve used to date and were miles better than Technics. And I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise

HCBX: Who's influencing you, or who do you admire these days across both hardcore and techno?

KC: I’ve kinda stopped listening to newer techno and don’t listen to newer hardcore. I’m not going to say either are bad, just aren’t to my taste now.

But for influences Lenny Dee and Manu le Malin will always be up there

HCBX: Scotland has its own hardcore and techno history. What’s your take on the current underground scene there compared to when you first started going to events?

KC: I’ll do my best not to sound like a grumpy old raver here. The scene is different now. In the 90’s it was new and fresh. There won’t be another period like it. But the current scene is the new crowds 90s moment. It’s new to them and I hope they get the same enjoyment from it I got back then. There’s a lot of revivalist stuff going on with lots of old skool nights happening. It’s great to see, but I feel there’s so many that it’ll burn out quicker than it needs to. Less is more with this stuff I feel

HCBX: What’s next for you – any releases, label projects, or collaborations on the horizon?

KC: I’m very quiet these days. Mostly as don’t take on as many projects for music now. It’s difficult when you don’t feel inspired by the scene as it is.

At home I’m finding myself going back and playing all my old hard trance records more and more. And lots of drum & bass too. I used to love drum & bass but fell away from it. Someone who’s opinion and views I trust put me back onto it and it’s been pretty refreshing

HCBX: Final word – anything you’d like to get off your chest, or any shout-outs you want to make?

KC: There’s lots I could get off my chest but I’m a reformed character and no longer go for the wind up…

Just a thanks to everyone who’s supported my music, hated my music, took the bait at my wind ups and generally been sound. And to the one, for keeping my head in the game in more ways than one.

And also thanks to HCBX for having me back on!

Kenny's set goes live on 27th September 2025 here: HCBXCast 66 - Kenny Campbell

Kenny Campbell on SoundCloud: KC on SC

Pitch Dark: Pitch Dark Bandcamp

Here's Kenny's last Outing on HCBXCast: HCBXCast 22