CLICK, DRAG & DANCE
With time in perspective, DEREK“TheBandit” Richardson once again, and very successfully, continues to re-invent, re-engineer and energize himself across each of his impressive entertainment platforms
Think critical music. Think 18 years of real radio and then add names like Carl Cox, Judge Jules, Pete Tong, Tall Paul, Sister Bliss, Paul Van Dyk, Dave Morales… and the only one missing who played it so – DEREK”TheBandit” Richardson. When you hear or read the words Dance Web Radio, when you download one of his dance dedicated and very exclusive podcasts or if you’re merely looking for a place to party, it’s clear that that DEREK“TheBandit” continues to grow his dance domination with his trade-mark combination of passion, foresight and talent – all from a man who continues to break boundaries at every turn.
For the past 18 years the world of radio and dance music has become a better place. Today Derek Richardson a.k.a. “TheBandit” retains and continues to garner respect from not only the music industry, but also from his ever-increasing fan base that delights in each new album or show, terrestrial or digital that he compiles and mixes. With his first love being radio, as with everything else he embraces, Derek has excelled from humble beginnings as producer in late 80s, through to commanding weekend airwaves on national radio with The World Of Dance on South Africa’s only national music station 5fm, through the 90s and comfortably into the nulls. A show that in mere months of it first hitting the air not only became a weekend favourite for hundreds of thousands of fans hungry for discerning listening, but which grew into an entire compilation series. Today Derek spins the airwaves across the greater Gauteng every Saturday night from 6 to 10pm on South Africa’s Largest Independent Radio Station, Jacaranda 94.2
In celebration of his rather momentous and monumental year where Derek has brought his music to the world and the world to our very doorstep – Gallo Record Company, the home of RPM Dance recently celebrated the beginning of great new Dance Republic CD series in partnership with DEREK“TheBandit”, the first in a new series of double discs celebrating the power of dynamic dance.
Coupled with his on-air, behind-the-decks and in CD compilation production, Derek also shares his wealth of knowledge by offering a three-day course to radio stations across the country keen to coach their on-air presenters in the art of generating engaging listening.
Added to this Richardson spends a great deal of his time talking to corporate South Africa about new media opportunities and how best to integrate these into their business. Derek has always prided himself of being the first-to-market on a variety of entertainment platforms and with a keen understanding of both technology and content, his success comes from harnessing and incorporating the best both have to offer and delivering solutions that affect real change and growth.
2006 was the year in which Derek took his music beyond the traditional airwaves and into the digital domain as South Africa’s biggest name in genre. How you ask? Podcasts – with brand new shows uploaded monthly to soundrepublic.co.za Derek can be heard, at any given point, on any continent on the planet. With more than two-dozen and building, “TheBandits” podcasts have fast become critical digital downloads of tastemakers; party planners and anyone who challenges dance convention.
Dance Web Radio was Derek’s first, formal weekly global plug-in to the real big wide world of dance heads looking for tracks and mixing deserving to be heard beyond our borders. With that came the realisation that great compilations of house and trance travel particularly well, especially if “The Bandit” has anything to do with proceedings. This Durban-born, Boksburg-bred New Romantic virtuoso took on radio and dance culture and has, in little over a decade, single-handedly given South African fans of dance and legitimate radio an identity and an outlet to plug into, either through CD, on the decks or on real personality-driven radio shows.
South Africa and the better part of the Europe, the UK and America, too, have been fortunate to sample the genius that comes from a man born to entertain – with invitations affording him the opportunity to perform seamless sets in front of 30 000 Knebworth attendees through to guesting on Ministry Of Sound’s weekly global broadcast.
Derek’s quiet respect and eclectic ear serve him well in delivering just what the market prescribes. “With the face of popular music changing almost daily, it’s essential to be able to adapt and grow your personality within the music you play,” Richardson points out. “Remaining humble to the source has always been key to me – to steer clear of the derivative and play music that represents the tastes and flavours of where I am, and to represent that in an entertaining and edifying way.” Richardson represents the convincing face of what’s often lacking in radio and the DJ fraternity in general – integrity, ability and the will to want to push the boundaries. With a track record that has seen him perform alongside the world’s biggest and most respected DJs. Camden and Kiss FM, London, too, have been exposed the cunning and competency of Derek’s exceptional sets and aural magnetism.
“My mission is to give people what they want,” he exits. “As a DJ my job is that of conduit to the fans of great music and the more platforms I have to do that, be it a podcast, in a club or through a compilation I mix, the better.”
Today DEREK“TheBandit” doesn’t need a plane ticket to turn the world onto the very finest in trance and house. Instead the VIP, all-access pass to all things dance discerning comes in the form of soundrepublic.co.za, a place where more than a million good reasons exist to click, drag and dance, all without breaking a sweat. “If dance music is an institution, DEREK“TheBandit” is the authority and the man single-handedly rewriting the rulebook year on year on year” – Musica’s PULSE Magazine
SOUND REPUBLIC
SOUTH AFRICA
TEL: +27 11 326 4043
www.soundrepublic.co.za
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Graeme Harrison - Xanthe