This post is also available in: Nederlands (Dutch)
We often run into each other at various (underground) parties. In this edition of the MY FIRST GIG series, Dutch Bart Sloot, a.k.a. DJ/producer B-Savage, shares his story. "Suddenly, I was in front of about three thousand people!"
“I grew up in Hilversum. Music was pretty standard at home; the radio was sometimes on, and I listened to mixes by Grandmaster Slam, and especially a lot of reggae. I never really thought about becoming a DJ, nor did I feel the need to. In fact, it’s nothing more than a hobby that got completely out of hand.” (laughs)
Multigroove
“When I was around 18, I often hung out in coffee shops, which is how I got introduced to house music. By the way, I haven’t smoked weed for over fifteen years now, but that’s beside the point. The music spoke to me, so I went with a buddy to Multigroove. One day, my friend was asked if he wanted to buy two turntables, a mixer, and a box of records. He was up for it, so we picked them up, and I started mixing at his place before we went out on weekends.”
Limit Sounds
“Pretty soon, I wanted my own DJ set. Since I had been earning my own money as a carpenter from the age of sixteen, it was doable. Eventually, I bought my own turntables. My first set was from the brand Limit Sounds. The turntables still had belt drives, but I could pitch with them.”
Go Wild
“Of course, we still went to raves and parties like Multigroove, Pacha, The Palace, and Thunderdome, but back then, you didn’t go out to watch the DJ; you went to go wild. Looking back, I now know who the DJs were whose music I was going crazy to. Those were people like Pavo and Champ-E-On.”
Midtown and Attalos
“To practice at home, I obviously needed vinyl, so I visited local record stores in Hilversum every week: Dance Department and Music World. Of course, we also went to the famous stores in Amsterdam. I usually went to Midtown and Attalos. Sometimes, I would drive all over the country, even to Belgium, looking for that one record.”
Open Dutch Hardcore Mixing Championships
“My first gig was no small affair. I was still going by the name Bartello back then, and I was one of 35 people selected from thousands for the 1996 Open Dutch Hardcore Mixing Championships at Hemkade in Zaandam. I think I had sent in a mixtape, but I can’t quite remember. What I do remember is that Jeroen Flamman was on the jury, and my entire group of friends was there to support me.”
Three Thousand People
“Was I nervous? You bet! Suddenly, I was standing in front of about three thousand people! No wonder I had a beer beforehand for courage, but unfortunately, it didn’t help much. I had prepared a set at home, but when it was my turn, my hands were shaking so much that I could barely get the needle on the record. Luckily, the mixing went well. And guess what? I ended up coming in third! I was super happy and felt on top of the world!”
Every Youth Center
“Since then, I’ve been DJing non-stop, everywhere and anywhere. I’ve played in just about every club, starting with Repetitiehuis and Powerzone in Amsterdam, and I’ve played at Hemkade multiple times since that first gig. I was also a resident at the legendary T-Time parties hosted by Cocky (Champ-E-On) and his wife, Lydje. Plus, I’ve seen the inside of almost every youth center in the Netherlands.” (laughs) “I was a resident DJ at all the hardstyle parties at Tagrijn in Hilversum and Boemerang in Baarn.”
Organizing
“Besides DJing, I used to organize a lot of events, including some at Repetitiehuis in Amsterdam. Together with Micha B, we also did Hardliners on a boat behind Amsterdam Central Station and at Club Marcanti Plaza. At Tagrijn in Hilversum, I wasn’t just a resident DJ; I also organized a lot of events there.”
“Of course, DJing has been on the back burner this year. So, I’ve been focusing a lot on producing. With an eye on new opportunities in the hardstyle scene, I’ve changed my DJ name from Bartello to B-Savage. I’m also working on starting my own label called Twisted Tunes. My focus has shifted from old school and hardcore more towards hardstyle. That’s what I’ll be concentrating on with this label.”
This interview with B-Savage is originally published in December 2020 on This Is Our House.
Who is B-Savage?
Bart Sloot a.k.a DJ Bartello a.k.a. B-Savage started his career in his attic on 1993. After 4 years of practicing at home B-Savage got his first bookings on parties such as ‘Coming Hardcore’ in the Tagrijn (Hilversum) and ‘Massive Hardcore’ in Baarn. After that it went succesfully upwards for B-Savage. Then came a new challenge for the DJ: B-Savage played on all events of ‘House Van Toen en Nu’
B-Savage also became a resident DJ at the T=Time events, that took place in Amsterdam.The organisation VHS made him resident.
B-Savage is still active performing on at oldschool and early hardcore events in cities such as Amersfoort and Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands.
B-Savage owns a studio and likes to create oldschool mashups and freestyle on his label Hatix Records that he owns together with another early hardcore DJ of that time, DJ Wicked.
More B-Savage?
More First Gigs? Check them all here!
