Producer: Tom Newton

Tom lives in The English Lake District where he helps run the family business. Even though he’s a busy man, Tom still finds the time to create mixes exclusively for DMC. Technology now allows him to create mixes using just an iMac now, unlike the old days where he needed a whole room full of equipment! Tom started submitting his work to remix services in 1995 and has never lost his passion for mixing. This is reflected on the time he spends on each production where he believes every link should be as good as possible. “That’ll do” is not something Tom believes in.

Tom’s interest in MegaMixing began when he first heard Les Adams’s “Kool & The Gang Throwdown Mix”. At the time, DMC was being commissioned to create artist megamixes as ‘B Sides’ or bonus tracks on CDs. Once he’d figured out where they were being made, he became a DMC Member in June 1988 (member ID #2246 and the cost was £22.50 a month if you’re interested). Buying up all the available back catalogue, Tom learned the techniques and styles each of the mixers used. This could be adding extra percussion and instruments to disguise links between tracks, or examining complicated edit sequences that brought excitement to the mix.

After leaving school, he worked in his parent’s record shop and this allowed him to play DMC mixes all day and learn from the mix masters. 

In 1998 he was invited to join the DMC team with his pal Guy Garrett. They set about injecting new life and new ideas into the already legendary monthly sets and steered the mixes back towards commercial DJs whilst still catering for club DJs.

In a recent interview for DMC Radio, he revealed his time at DMC was among the best moments of his life. “Getting to work with the people I’d admired for so long was a dream come true. What surprised me was how down to earth and approachable the DMC producers were. It’s no secret I was star-struck when I first met legendary DMC mixer Brian Butler, my brain went blank. I forgot my name and how old I was when Brian asked me!”

Finally, we asked Tom who his MegaMix heroes are and his favourite mixes (in no particular order):

Mixers
Brian Butler
Les Adams
Paul Dakeyne
Amadeus Mozart
Guy Garrett
Martin ‘Megabass’ Smith

Favourite Mixes
Kool & Gang Throwdown Mix (Commercial Release)
One of the very first mixes he discovered.

Michael Jackson Mix 2 (DMC June 1988)
This was always a floor filler and people were amazed at the time.

Dance Insert ‘95 (MasterMix)
There’s a finite number of ways to get from Track A to Track B, this mix features every trick in the book.

DMC’s Full Length End Of Year Mixes (86-91)
I love long smooth mixes, and at the end of each year the preview album was turned over to the mixes meaning there were 3 LPs of full length mixes.

DMC Epic Mixes (Blue Monday etc)
Paul was ahead of his time.

DMC Dead Or Alive Megamix
Just take a listen to it! Sanny X was CRAZY with a razor blade and sticky tape!