Francis is responsible for producing most of the tracks, VJing, editing, CD-making, the website and DJing (sometimes b2b with DJ Banny). He started out producing at the age of 9 (1988) on an Amiga 500 and a copy of ProTracker/Octamed v3 and later on learnt how to DJ in 1998 using Technics 1210’s and 1200’s and moved over to Denon CD decks around 1998 and then AtomixMP3 which was what VirtualDJ was called before it changed to VirtualDJ.

Back when he started producing, the ‘Rave’ scene was just kicking off and people like The Prodigy, Acen, Citadel Of Kaos and the various Hardcore Breakbeat DJ’s like Slipmatt, Sy, Seduction, Dougal, Red Alert & Mike Slammer & DJ Vibes, among so many others, had a strong influence on him. He was interested in Oldskool Hardcore/Breakbeat music but that style died a sudden death in ’95 when Hardcore turned to ‘Happy Hardcore’ which was like kiddies fairground music! The older stuff was actually bangin’ though.

Anyway, from there he went on to listen to Trance (when it was good). That didn’t last for more than about 2 years when everything in the Trance style had been tried and tested and there was nothing new or exciting about it anymore.
For the last three years he has been producing and DJing Hard House/Hard Trance and the odd bit of Oldskool Hardcore. Hard House is doing for clubs and warehouses now what Hardcore and Trance used to do. However, Hard House still has about a year left in it before it goes full circle back into Hardcore again. Let’s face it, it’s getting faster again and all of a sudden all the Hard House producers out there are sampling off old Hardcore tracks! Bleedin’ copy cats! Where do you think all those breakbeats are coming from? Hardcore… Sure, even look at the history of some of the Hard House producers around now. Vinylgroover, DJ Brisk, DJ Ham and DJ Sy. These are all Old Hardcore producers 🙂 Bring back the Oldskool!

Around 1997 Sonic Trip were given a radio show on Kiss 105.8 FM in Dublin for about 6 years with DJ XS and DJ Banny bangin out the Hard Dance tunes every Sunday from 6-9pm.
Later on around 2003, XS and Banny went on to DJ on a Sunday night from 9-12pm on Hot 99.4 FM (Dublin) promoting the latest & best in Hard House, Hard Trance and (now and again) the Oldest in Oldskool Hardcore.

Favourite Music: Hard Trance, Oldskool Hardcore & Hard House (not the ‘Hoover’ stuff, the bouncy happy stuff!)

Gallery: