There are few DJs who love camping, can navigate on road trips, and can’t play the piano… but then again, there are few DJs quite like the UK’s legendary maestro of the eclectic, Lee Burridge. Kick-starting his career in the early 1980’s spinning Wham! and The Pet Shop Boys to sell out crowds aged 5-95 at weddings, parties, and the odd ‘upbeat’ funeral, Lee was soon spotted by a local club owner who offered him a regular slot on Saturdays. Content playing a selection of the worst pop music in history (by his own admission) for several years, in 1988 he became acquainted with Acid House … and everything changed forever.
Furiously hunting and gathering as many Acid House records as he could, and going to as many raves near the M25 Motorway as he could; Lee became utterly obsessed with Acid House and started throwing his own cool underground parties and club nights. As luck would have it, it was at one these nights in 1990 that a leading Hong Kong club owner witnessed his talents and offered him a residency … in Hong Kong! Realising that ‘big gigs’ in the UK were like hens teeth, and always up for a challenge, Lee packed his toothbrush and records and landed in Hong Kong less than 12 months later. Arriving to discover (much to his chagrin) that there was literally no underground scene to speak of, after a couple of years of persistence, he single-handedly created one by throwing parties – parties that at first attracted 250 people, before growing to the point that international DJ superstars started adding them to their prestigious itineraries. As Hong Kong became one of the world’s uber-cool clubbing locales, Lee went from playing one Sunday gig a week to rocking sets six nights a week for a remarkable three years straight – not too mention sharing the booth with the likes of Sasha, Craig Richards and John Digweed. In addition to playing a pivotal role in the development of Hong Kong’s underground scene, after a visit to Thailand’s Haadrin Island in 1992 Lee also helped establish the now infamous Full Moon dance parties and beach party on its coveted shores. Visiting Haadrin annually for the next seven years (and for several months at a time), Lee still cites playing sunrise sets under the shade of a palm leaf, or the canopy of the Backyard Club, amongst his most cherished career highlights.
In 1997, Lee’s career took yet another positive turn when Sasha and Craig Richards offered to help launch his career back home, in the UK. Having both spun alongside him on trips to Hong Kong for several years, Sasha and Craig invited Lee to help create the now legendary Tyrant nights, and the rest, as ‘they’ say is history! Via Tyrant, Lee’s profile grew quickly, and within 12 months he was approached and booked by some of the UK’s premier clubs and events – including Golden, Ministry of Sound and Cream. At the end of 1998, Lee was asked to mix a disc and then his own compilation for Hooj Choons, and, with Tyrant throwing open its doors in London and Nottingham, life became very busy indeed! No less than two compilations for the world-beating Global Underground label followed in the following years … not too mention consistent appearances in the prodigious DJ Mag Top 100 Poll (#10 his ranking) … and two timeless Tyrant compilations alongside partner in crime, Craig Richards. When Sasha bowed out of Tyrant in 1999, Lee and Craig kept growing the night and continue to run it to this very day … making it one of the UK’s longest running and most popular club parties.
Although he’s been a self-confessed ‘slacker’ in the studio – due in part to a fear of machines that go ‘bing’ – Lee has complemented his remarkable DJ career with an ever-increasing string of popular releases. To this end, his first solo work, the ‘Lost and Found EP’ was pressed by Fire in the late 1990’s and went on to appear on several massive compilations (including James Lavelle’s ‘Global Underground’, Cass’s ‘Prologue’, and Sancho Panza’s ‘Carnival’); while these days his own label ‘Almost Anonymous’ is steadily releasing the fruits of the ‘365’ project – including collaborations with Andy Page and Steve Porter, and several more due to hit online/offline shelves in late 2007 …
Having featured the likes of Chris Fortier, Desyn Massielo, Paolo Mojo and Luke Fair, Australia’s ‘Balance’ CD’s have become an industry benchmark … and with Lee commanding his own within the coming weeks, it’s set to reach even greater heights. To support its highly anticipated release in Fall, Lee will be embarking on a world tour … so don’t miss your chance to see him in action, in a town near you!
Mercury-Drinker says...
Anybody able to ID any of the tunes here?? Listening now and will update with any tunes I'm familiar with.....
Mercury-Drinker says...
Anybody able to ID any of the tunes here?? Listening now and will update with any tunes I'm familiar with.....
lil dommie says...
Awesome vibe! Cant stop tappin my foot while I type this....
cRisp says...
does anyone know the last song i bought the cd because i liked this song so much but unfortuneatly it isn't on the cd is it possibly a remix of rejected - cliche ........? someone please help me