K-Klass Interview: All we wanted was to hear one of our tracks played in the Hac

As we relayed to all you Skiddle readers earlier, the Hacienda is one of if not the most influential clubs in the history of UK club culture. A rich component of that heritage has been a group who epitomised house music in the North West, K-Klass. Bringing a live show just as readily as they did DJ sets, they're the band that have played more at the club than any other and can count a steady presence at other Northern clubs (most notably a residency at Cream) among their illustrious achievements.

Saturday 7th December they will be joining Greg Wilson in a Hacienda reunion at Rumes in Preston, and ahead of the show we caught up with Paul Roberts from the group to talk shop.

For the new kids on the block, who are K-Klass? 

Long time Dance/House Music producers/DJ's. There from day one in the UK.

What's your proudest achievement?

Got to be hearing 'Rhythm Is A Mystery' (below) played in the Hacienda. To be honest all we wanted was to hear one of our tracks played in the Hac when we first set out. We went on to do a bit more than that over the years though :) Honestly didn't think we'd still be going strong 25 years later.

Do you remember the moment you were offered your first gig / residency at Hacienda? How did it come about?

Yeah, it was a really big thing for us. We'd been going to the club as punters every Friday and most Wednesdays from February 1988 through till 1990 when we first played live. We'd seen the club grow from a few hundred people dancing to House Music to being a lock out every week.

It was, and will remain in our eyes, the best club ever, so we were all thrilled when we first got asked to play. We went on to play/PA there more times than any other band. A record we only broke by playing the Hacienda 30th Birthday, in the car park below what used to be the club on Whitworth Street!

If there was one club in the world that comes close to rivaling the atmosphere of Hacienda.. then what would it be? 

Really hard to say because the Hacienda was unique. There had never been an atmosphere like that in any club before. I just didn't happen. It was all so new. I've seen clubs world wide over the years where it goes off, but still nothing to compare to the raw energy of the Hacienda.

Which Hacienda classic will you never tire of?

Way to many to mention... come along to the gig and you'll hear plenty of them!

Would you say that people dance less expressively now in clubs compared to the 80s and 90s... if so, then why do you think that is?

Yeah definitely. There were some crazy dances going on back then. I can still picture the front row of the stage at the Hacienda in full flow at the height of the night (Which by summer 1989 was all night!). People just locked into the groove. Arms flailing "Trance Dancing".

The whole thing was based around dancing. Sure there was the drugs, there always will be, but now people just seen more reserved, self conscious if you like. 

Have you played in Preston before? If so, where was that?

Yeah, we've played Preston many times over the years. The one that really sticks in my memory was our first ever gig with our Full Live Band (Drummer, Bass Player, Percussion, Keys, Vocals all live). It was at a club called Tokyo Joes.

There was a kid in the front row saying "There's no way these will be fully live" he soon ate his words as the drummer counted the rest of the band in and we recreated our House sound completely live!

How well do you know Greg Wilson? Do you often play with each other?

Surprisingly we've not often played with Greg. That said we've heard him play many times and he never disappoints. Can't wait to hear him play on the 7th. 

And finally, if you had to pick a city from the states sound wise, New York, Detroit or Chicago, which would it be and why?

It would be a mix of Detroit and Chicago in that order. Listen to any of our early stuff and you hear that that's where all our influences came from. 

K-Klass play FAC51 Hacienda @ Rumes on Saturday 7th December.

They also play FAC51 The Hacienda Xmas party @ Tokyo, Huddersfield on Saturday 28th December.

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