The question I get asked the most is, “are you a real Reverend”? the official answer is, “Sort of”.
In the mid 1990’s I discovered a website whereby you could simply register your details and become ordained instantly.
So I did, and the Reverend title stuck with me as a nickname amongst close friends. Hep came later.
Having started out in the 1970’s as a teenage Rockabilly Rebel and Hep Cat, I’d worked my way listening through multiple mid century musical genres Swing, Jazz, Blues, Rhythm n Blues, Western Swing, etc etc (Have a listen to my musical ife story HERE). What I couldn’t do was partner dance to any of them.
Mrs Hep and I took up swing dancing in our 50’s, Lindy Hop, and Collegiate Shag. However as we progressed and started teaching and running class events, I also cut my teeth DJing for swing dancers. At this time we also traveled around the world for lessons and festivals and I realised that the local dance scene wasn’t doing it for me
So in 2014 I started my own club night at The Beaufort Hotel in nearby Chepstow, a place to hang out, listen to the hottest rhythms, and dance to the coolest tunes. I like to think I properly put the Hep back into “cHEPstow”
I’d often wanted more from nights out whether drinkin’ and hangin’ with friends, or rippin’ it up to the best music from the 50’s, 40’s and 30’s. I’d wanted so much more than what was on offer locally. I decided to create a night out that I thought others would like as well. I called it Hep Club
The idea for Hep Club was to recreate a 1930’s jazz club vibe, hence the Casbalanca style Fez, which was also popular with the Shriners in the USA. The Reverend Hep Fez has since become a bit of a trademark
Unfortunately following some problems with the venue things moved on and Hep Club nights ceased to be, but by that time I’d really gotten the DJ bug and the Reverend Hep had been born.
Finally my DJing philosophy is, “it’s the music that matters not the media”. FLAC, MP3, CD, 8 Track Cartridge, Cassette, Vinyl, Shellac, or Wax cylinder, they’re all just storage. I make sure I play the best tunes to entertain dancers, whatever medium it was stored on originally.
So whether you’re a sitter,watcher, drinker, listener, hipster, flipster, finger poppin’ daddy, hip shakin’ mamma, or floor hoggin’ rugcutter, The Reverend has something for everybody.
Rock You Sinners Rock!
DJ Reverend Hep 