He's been DJ'ing for 24 years, runs Rise Nightclub and is the winner of "Best Trance DJ" at the PDMA's two years running, he also shows no signs of slowing down! Walk into Rise any Friday or Saturday night and you will see why Simon Barwood is Perth’s master of Trance.

1. Name?
Simon Barwood

2. Describe the style of music you play?
Predominantly big room uplifting trance but I also play a bit of hard dance, electro and the occasional 80s/90s retro set.

3. How long have you been DJ’ing for?
My first gig was in May 1985 so that makes it exactly 24 years.

4. How did you come up with your DJ name?
I have my parents to thank.

5. If I took a look inside your fridge, what would I find?
A lot of fresh fruit and vegetables plus all the other food groups needed to build strong and healthy kids (including chocolate of course!).

6. What was the first record you bought?
"Blue Monday" by New Order in 1983.

7. Who is your biggest musical influence?
Originally it was early eighties electronic bands like New Order, Depeche Mode, OMD and Eurythmics but the late 90s trance ascendancy has provided a second major influence particularly by Ferry Corsten and Armin van Buuren.

8. What/Who inspired you to start DJ’ing? 
Music, and having the best excuse to not dance (I couldn’t then and still can’t…dance that is).

9. What DJ have you met that turned you into a tongue tied stuttering silly billy?
I don’t think there’s any DJ that would have that effect on me, that would take a bonefide rock/pop star…well maybe Boy George; he’s kind of both.

10. Vinyl or Digital? 
Both, digital for it’s availability and accessibility, vinyl for the pure pleasure of it.

11. Tell me about the first time you played out?
I was 18, had some records and my best mate had just scored a spot on a Thursday night at the Underground (now Underground Backpackers) so I asked the resident DJ, Warren Haslim, if I could have a go the next week. Warren taught me the basics of beat mixing, the club closed for renovations, Warren moved on and when it reopened I became resident DJ playing 4 nights a week for the next three years while studying full time at uni. I was earning $200 a week, paid $18 in tax, spent $50 on rent, $50 on food and bills, $20 on petrol and whatever was left on records.

12. Do you have a message for the bedroom DJ’s out there?
Watch out for our annual DJ competition, “From Bedroom To Bigroom”.  This year, in it’s tenth series and we will be calling for entries soon.

13. Where can the Perth punters see you play?
Rise most Friday and Saturday nights.

14. What are you doing after you finish this interview?
Putting my two and a half year old son on the back of my bike and riding to school to pick up his sister.

15. Open mic - 25 words or less.....
An emcee I’m not but I’ll give it a shot. Thanks everyone who’s danced to my sets and no, I’m not quitting yet.