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Richard Tracey Richard Tracey started DJing on hi
s dad’s old Technics 1210s when he was nine years old, armed with two copies of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic 2001. It was an invaluable form of escapism at a time when he was being bullied in school. Little did he know that a mere three years later he would be playing his first gig. “The Wright Venue was really stuck for a DJ for this birthday party. The resident DJ knew me so they said fuck it, go on. At first, I had a few people up on the dance floor, thinking ‘this is grand.’ Then I played Martin Garrix’ Animals and that did it, that was me done! It was the first major adrenaline rush I got from it.” Soon Richard was getting gigs at the underage discos in the Wright Venue, playing to crowds of 600 people. “I was playing four-hour sets for fuck all money in a really sweaty room. I was 13, baby faced, really a lot fatter. It was great!” Richard’s confidence grew as he continued to play discos. Kids much older than him were eating up his music, and pretty soon he was gaining the respect of his peers in Maynooth. At a time when most of us were learning to shower regularly, Richard was becoming a shit hot DJ. You’d think these were golden years, but life has a way of throwing a spanner in the works. “The second underaged disco I did was on the day my da and my mam split up. It was the best way to get out of the house and just have a good bit of craic. That’s what made me realise that music is a really good way of forgetting about everything.” By the age of 15, Richard was starting to play overage clubs. Then came his dad’s cancer diagnosis. “It’s weird because that happened as my DJing was going crazy. I was just getting adjusted to this new vibe in overage clubs where drugs are obviously a super prevalent part of the culture.” Richard is frank about his struggles with depression and anxiety. There were many dark days spent alone in his bedroom. By his own admission he developed a lot of unhealthy habits, but with counselling and mental health services, he’s put those habits into writing music. “Because I was trying so hard to forget what was on my mind, I saw this opening for music and I thought yeah, that’s the way I dealt with my stuff. I’m not going to sugar coat it, I write my best music when I’m depressed.” Now 19, Richard has emerged from the other side of his troubled teenage years, going from strength to strength. This summer he played a set in Santa Ponsa after meeting Dublin producer Robbie G, and he has regular sets in the city centre and Maynooth. All the while, he keeps producing music. Just recently, The Wright Venue closed its doors for the final time, marking the end of an era for Richard. He was playing at the underage disco on its final night, an experience he describes as deeply emotional. “It was the first club I ever set foot in. There’s a lot of nostalgia there, and as much as people hate underage discos, I have a lot of love for it. I would not, for a fact, have the amount of gigs that I have today if it was not for that place.” You can follow Richard Tracey on Spotify I was playing four-hour sets for fuck all money in a really sweaty room. I was 13, baby faced. It was great! 28