Biographies especially those for DJs are a bore. That is a fact. It seems like every single one you read these days sounds like the next. Picked up the decks at the tender age of something or another…inspired by the great DJs…played here and there and now is poised to be the NEXT BIG THING…so you better book me NOW. So for the benefit of the reader (and this writer) lets flip the script....... Sandy Turnbull is NOT the next big thing… Mainly because he never wanted to be! He is however a one of a kind DJ, producer and entertainer that just has the knack to hit the sweet spot time and time again.
No formal musical training did not in anyway deter him from learning the craft of putting together a whole load of songs together to make you dance all night. Neither did that stop him from heading into the studio to create original and sonically exciting tunes that respectfully nods to the foundations of house and disco and yet has its eyes firmly trained into the future. This writer can only attribute his extraordinary gift to two things. Firstly and most importantly a deep love for great music from past to present. And an almost unfathomable high work rate.
Put that together and you have got a guy who knows what he's doing and is only constantly improving. But his x-factor is without doubt his cheeky humour and outrageously daring feats behind the decks. You never quite know where he's taking you to next but it sure as hell is gonna be a ton of fun! This is probably why his gig list is not just the envy of many but also highly eclectic. You wouldn't normally mention Tribal Gathering, Gatecrasher Summer Sound System and Tramlines festival in the same breath would you? And yet Sandy lays claim to appearing in all three amongst his other club gigs and international tours. Club residencies were plenty but the one he will probably be recognised most for is the short-lived but highly regarded Pin-Up Club in Sheffield. Not long after that his talent was duly recognised by the powers that be from uber club brand Gatecrasher which resulted in a residency and regular gigs throughout their many clubs. Being tasked to play alongside many of industry greats never fazed him and instead left an indelible mark over them. His ability to adapt styles as well as injecting his own unique sound made him a him the go-to DJ not just to warm up for renowned international guest DJs but to also take mainstage for headline sets.
His next foray into his own productions are already bearing fruit having early tracks and remixes signed to New York label Open Bar Music. He then produced The Most Fantastic Thing featured the legendary Danny Krivit and was signed to relaunched Soulfuric Deep. It quickly went to number in the Traxsource chart and appeared on Bar Grooves Deeper. His follow up Camino was snapped up by John Julius Knight for his Blacklist label and also shot to the number one house record on Traxsource. His latest release is an EP on another of house music most respect labels, Chicago based Look At You
Things are getting exciting for Sandy but to be fair he has been working harder than anybody I know to get to where he is.
This was written by former Zouk KL, Bed, Gatecrasher and Pin Up promoter Adam Mathews