Old-school raver. New-school psytrance. Considerably less hair.

Many people don't know this about me, but back in the early days of underground raves in New Zealand, I used to DJ under the name DJ Sandman. I absolutely loved it! There was something incredible about those early rave parties, the music, the people, the atmosphere, and the excitement of being part of something that was still finding its feet.

Fast forward a few decades, and while I've lost a fair bit of hair along the way, I've never lost my love for electronic music.

So I decided to have a bit of fun and get creative again. Thanks to some incredible advances in technology, I've been able to explore a whole new side of music, creating my own psytrance tracks under the slightly ridiculous name DJ Bald-EE.

What started as a fun little creative experiment has now turned into an album and three EPs, and I've been having an absolute blast!

This is really just about rediscovering something I loved when I was younger and giving myself permission to enjoy it again. And if there's one thing I'd love you to take away from this little adventure, it's that you're never too old to explore something new, revisit an old passion or simply create something because it makes you happy.

Anyway, enough about me. Let's get to the music!

THE MUSIC

From DJ Sandman to DJ Bald-EE

My love affair with electronic music goes back to the early underground rave scene in New Zealand. Back then, I was DJ Sandman, spinning vinyl at underground raves and having the time of my life. I also co-hosted a techno show on Access Radio for a season, which was another fantastic opportunity to share the music I loved.

There was something very special about those days. Finding new tracks, mixing on turntables, and seeing people get completely lost in the music was an incredible feeling. I have some wonderful memories of those early raves, and I still get a huge smile on my face thinking about them.

Eventually, life took me in other directions. I got busy building businesses, writing books, raising a family and all the other wonderful things that come with adulthood. But I never stopped loving electronic music.

Over the years, I'd occasionally think about getting back into DJing, but the whole industry had changed. When I was DJing, everything was vinyl. These days, it's digital controllers, laptops and software. I've got enormous respect for modern DJs, but for me personally, I just couldn't quite imagine getting back behind the decks without my trusty vinyl.

What I really wanted was a way to reconnect with the creative side of music.

I've always admired artists like Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, Infected Mushroom and Astrix, particularly their ability to create music that takes people on a journey. And as I've grown to love psytrance, I've found myself fascinated by the creativity that goes into producing those incredible sounds.

So rather than getting back into DJing, I thought I'd have a go at making my own music.

With the advances in AI and modern music production tools, it's become possible to explore creativity in ways that would have been incredibly difficult or expensive just a few years ago. I've been having a wonderful time experimenting, learning and seeing what I can create.

And that's how DJ Bald-EE came about. The name is a terrible dad joke, I know, but I figured if I'm going to reinvent my old DJ persona, I might as well have a laugh at myself in the process!

A little encouragement from one creative soul to another

One of the things I've really enjoyed about this whole experience is that it's reminded me how important it is to have something in your life that you do purely because you love it.

As adults, we get so caught up in work, family and responsibilities that the things we used to be passionate about can quietly slip into the background. We tell ourselves we don't have the time, or that we're too old, or that we missed our opportunity.

But I genuinely believe we're living in one of the most exciting times in history to rediscover those passions.

Technology is making creativity more accessible than ever. Whether you've always wanted to write a book, create art, make music, produce a film or try something completely different, there are tools available today that can help you get started.

You don't need to be brilliant at it. You certainly don't need to turn it into a business. You can simply do it because it brings you joy.

That's what DJ Bald-EE is for me. I'm not setting out to become the next big psytrance superstar, although the thought of a bald bloke in his fifties headlining a rave does make me chuckle. I'm just enjoying the chance to be creative and reconnect with something that has meant a lot to me over the years.

So if there's something you've been dreaming about doing, perhaps something you loved when you were younger, I really encourage you to give it a go. You might be surprised by how much fun you have.

And in the meantime, thanks for checking out my music. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I've enjoyed creating it.

Turn it up, have a dance, and never stop having fun!

Much love,

Vince
AKA DJ Bald-EE. Formerly DJ Sandman. Still a raver at heart, just with a lot less hair!