From its HQ in the mean streets of Maidstone, Toolroom Records has emerged over the past eighteen months as one of the most respected dance labels in the UK, culminating in a nomination for “best breakthrough label” at the inaugural House Music Awards. How on earth has a Maidstone-based, independent label come to develop so quickly?
Well, in the beginning there was Stuart…and Stuart didn't have a groove, but he had a damn good idea. Toolroom was born in December 2002 - headed up by label manager Stuart Knight, it was originally conceived as an outlet solely for his brother's productions.
“Seeing some of the deals Mark was getting, we basically thought we could do a better, more professional job ourselves. Then we saw a gap in the market with the download situation, so we wanted to offer people the chance to buy mp3s as well as vinyl and CD”
From the outset Toolroom has prided itself on its professional approach, and the appointment of Owen as label manager to work alongside Stuart greatly added to this side of the business. Having run the successful record shop Plastic Surgery for ten years, as well as his own label Portent Records, Owen's experience ensures the label is run smoothly and proficiently. As well as being professional, Toolroom strives to be on the cutting edge of new technologies, embracing the prevalence of digital downloading by offering mp3s on the website.
But a successful label has to put the music first, and looking further afield, the boys recognised the need for new music in a scene lacking innovation.
“From the beginning we wanted to be in between the diversity of a label like Underwater and the solid conventionality of a label like Defected.”
They decided Toolroom was to be a label dedicated to releasing tracks by both well known and un-established artists, reflecting the new emerging sound of house music today - moving away from the commercial, soulful side, back to its underground roots. That's not to say their releases don't have a groove; the main label Toolroom Records caters for full, main-room productions, whilst sister label Toolroom Trax delivers the edgier, underground sounds.
With its music and business policy firmly in place, the label quickly took off following the release of Mark's “Filthy House EP”. Hyped big time by many top DJs in Miami 2003, this record really established Toolroom's reputation, and set the tone for the sort of house music the label stands for. More big records were on the way; rising talent Shahi's “Royal Bengal” got some serious attention; Allister Whitehead's re-working of the classic “Let the Music Use You” was all over the radio; Da Hool's “In the Beginning” outsold all expectations; and more recently, the Hedgetrimmerz “Trim My Triangle” has been tearing up dancefloors all over clubland.
The lack of a strict genre-led approach to releases has been another factor in the label's fast development over the past eighteen months. Rather than finding one sound and sticking to it, Toolroom puts an emphasis on quality rather than genre. This ensures everyone involved in house music will be eager to hear the next Toolroom release. The in-house production team of Mark Knight and Martijn Ten Velden also deserve some serious credit here; at home remixing the likes of Granite and Phunk, as well as producing the ferocious “Trim My Triangle”, their versatile work for Toolroom, and their acclaimed production skills have played a massive part in the label's growing reputation.
Looking to the future, the boys' main aim is to cement Toolroom's status as a main player in the house music scene. The past eighteen months has seen the label establish itself, and then emerge as a new force to be reckoned with. Stuart, Mark and Owen now want to prove they are in it for the long run.
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Toolroom Records has arrived with the main aim of releasing quality 'house music' by new and well established artists and producers in the music industry.
Our independent dance label has been set up and handled by people who are close to the scene and passionate about the music. We recognise the need for quality "new music" in a scene lacking new initiatives and innovation. We are about fresh, world class talent and cutting edge sounds. |
TOOLROOM RECORDS SOUND : Full Productions , The Big Room Sounds...
TOOLROOM TRAX SOUND : The More Trackier , Underground Sound…
Who's Here
The driving force behind the label and the music are a set of guys who have combined their talents to bring about this exciting new change in direction…
MARK KNIGHT DJ/Producer
STUART KNIGHT Label Manager
OWEN Label Manager
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Please send all Demos to:
Toolroom Records
Newlands
Pheasant Lane
Loose
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 9QR
United Kingdom |
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Label Managers
Stuart Knight
Tel: 0044 (0) 1622 744242
Email:
[email protected]
Owen
Tel: 0044 (0) 1622 744737
Email:
[email protected]
All Other Info/DJ Bookings Etc
Email:
[email protected]