![[quote]](http://static.biggie.co.nz/img/dis/message_quote.png "Quote message")
Hey whats your thoughts on this,personally I think he was dealt a bit of a rough deal here,would be interested in other peoples thoughts??
(07.01.07) ADAM LAB4 STATEMENT REGARDING THE HARD DANCE AWARDS....
Incensed by the way that the Hard Dance Awards has been organised this year as well as the way some artists have been treated by the organisers, Adam LAB4 has asked for this statement to be uploaded onto this site in response. Just because LAB4 has finished up now, does not mean that we have seen the end of either Adam or Lez, and certainly doesn't mean that their opinions are not taken seriously by many thousands of fans all over the Globe. As usual, we at the LAB4 and Queen of Clubs camp are some of the very few people on the scene who are not scared to make our opinion known, simply because we feel that you, the clubbing public should be made aware of what goes on behind the scenes at times.
We make no apologies to anyone who may find this letter offensive.
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ANOTHER COMMERCIALISED INDUSTRY BACK PATTING EXCERCISE?
Three years ago the Hard Dance Awards was started to give recognition to part of the clubs scene that is often ignored by the mainstream press and radio even though for over a decade it has remained, in many ways possibly the healthiest part of the club scene.
In it's first year, the collective 'Lab4 nose' was a little put out of joint due to the supposed 'oversight' of a best live act category in recognition of ALL the excellent live PA's that have become an important and expected part of any large event. This was added the following year, and while we (LAB4) have won it two years in a row I have personally felt both flattered and embarrassed because to us anyone prepared to get off their arse, lug all their studio gear around and get up on stage to play an entire set of their own compositions deserves equal recognition.
Our good friend Dj Proteus has worked up through the ranks by working himself as hard as any one possibly could, often having not slept for up to 24 hours before his first gig of the weekend when he is in the UK (due to travelling from Finland). He puts 110% into every set, has never compromised his beliefs or his integrity and always has time to talk to fans and even spend a little time on the dance floor. For this, two years in a row the Hard Dance scene has voted him their favourite Hard Dance Dj.
This year the Hard Dance Awards have moved to Brixton Academy and are being supported by MTV and Radio 1. At face value this would seem to be a good thing; the Hard Dance scene finally getting the respect that it deserves…… So why then, has the winning 'Best Hard Dance' DJ of the last two years (that's 2 out of the 3 years it has run for), as voted for by the people on the dance floors across the country, been put 11th down the line up and not only that but 2nd down the line up in the Foyer or Secondary arena? In my opinion that is just rude and disrespectful not only to Dj Proteus, but to everyone who voted for him over the last two years.
Also, the addition of a lifetime achievement award…… OK fine if you are dead or are 80 years old and retired - just my opinion, however why in this category do the organisers of the Hard Dance Awards feel that they need to decide on a short list? Are the people who vote not capable of making an adequately informed enough decision or suggestion for themselves? How different would the results be if such an award were open to true opinion rather than the Hard Dance Awards committee (one of whom, or at least someone with very close involvement, it would seem, has been added to this short list). For example, if a short list has to be made, where are the likes of Tony DeVit? Whilst all included in the short list have without a doubt achieved a phenomenal amount and had a massive and positive effect on the Hard Dance scene, whether it's a life times worth of achievement or not is questionable, and the fact that this vote should be open to free opinion is not.
I have two reasons for kicking up a little over this:
The first being that as LAB4 we were asked to complete the email interview that all of the DJ's that are on the HDA website were also sent. We were happy do the interview until it asked us for our top 10 tunes of the year - which is difficult enough being mainly a Live act rather than a DJ but actually impossible for me personally when we were told that it HAD to be from 'Trackitdown.net' otherwise our interviews would not be used! While I am aware that there are now interviews from DJ's who have not supplied top tens (Yoji Biomehanika being one of them) I would wager a bet that they are all DJ's who are signed to 'Most Wanted' - who have supplied 98% of the talent for the entire night. (For anyone not aware 'Trackitdown.net' is run by Ed Real and BK amongst others). I did not supply them with my top 10 because I couldn't find 10 tunes I liked - although I did answer the interview questions and low and behold there are no LAB4 interviews or features on the HDA website, despite us winning our catagory two years in a row.
Secondly, although we have finished up as LAB4, we will both continue to be involved as producers and DJ's and I personally feel that having been part of this scene for 12 years now, I am not prepared to sit by and not comment on a situation that in my opinion is just offensively ridiculing the whole scene.
In my 'humble' opinion, Dj Proteus, as the reigning king of Hard Dance should headline this event - regardless of who wins this year. Also the lifetime achievement awards should be re-opened as a totally open vote. It would seem that the only reasoning behind these idiot rulings could be that this year MTV and Radio 1 are involved and certain outcomes or billings could turn out to be less suitable for such commercial partnerships…..
Who Knows? But I urge you to think about it. By all means continue to vote for who you wish but if you are considering attending the Hard Dance Awards, be sure that you understand what you are attending before you hand them your money.
Finally, I am sure this statement will not be making me any friends within the Hard Dance Awards committee but I have not got this far in my career by not speaking out when I disagree. I do not care about winning or getting disqualified whether that be publicly or not and I know that Proteus isn't driven by such things either (we all receive enough praise from the dance floors we play to).
I would also like to make it clear that the views stated herein are my views only, not those of Lab4 collectively.
Adam LAB4.
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