The Electric Dreams 80s Disco has been operating in various guises for over 25 years. My first gig was in 1981 for my little sister’s friends. I used a home-made mixing console and my dad’s B&O hi-fi (which I shredded much to his delight). It wasn’t brilliant, but it was a start. I quickly moved on to a regular Friday night slot, at Ringwood Town Football Club – which was great because they served beer!! Equipment-wise I was cooking on gas – I now had some Wharfdale speakers and a great lighting show that my mate at sixth form (Tim Watson) built for me as an electronics project.

By now I was really hooked, but the big time really arrived at Bristol University where I quickly realised that the way to get on was to be installed as Ents rep which meant I could organise huge parties several times a term (with me as the DJ of course)!

A typically quiet night in with a few friends

These mammoth events played to thousands of over-excited students with mega sound systems and sophisticated lighting rigs – pumping out the sounds of those dreamy days. I was so successful one year and made so much money (which I wasn’t allowed to keep for myself) that we kitted out an entire laundry facility with brand new equipment – never did get my plaque on the wall for some reason. After I graduated I carried on where I left off and regularly played other universities such as Southampton, Surrey, Portsmouth and of course Bristol.

Then the masterstroke – a brand new craze called Karaoke was just starting to reach the UK and I bought the 4th system ever to be sold on these shores. The Laser Karaoke Disco Roadshow was born, I got myself an agent (Tony Denton, who now runs the successful 80s “Here & Now” tour, check out www.here-and-now.info) and off I went touring the UK.

I remember one night in Carlisle I was playing a holiday camp where Showaddywaddy had been the headline the week before. This week it was me and my Karaoke machine plus a couple of hundred bemused looking people that did not have a clue what was going on! Well 2 hours later my singing voice was getting a bit croaky, but thankfully the crowd warmed up after the alochol had an effect. Once they got going there was no stopping them and we finally finished at 3 in the morning – which was fantastic except that I’d been in Bermondsey, just south of the river in London the night before and really, really needed some sleep.

At last - a well earned rest!

Since those days, adulthood, maturity & responsibility have all attempted to derail my passion for 80s music, however they’ve never succeeded and my car has been a constant homage to those sounds (much to the bemusement of girlfriends and now wife / children) who would much prefer me to listen to something slightly more contemporary (Lady Ga Ga gets a look in from time-to-time). But why bother? You can’t beat a bit of Billy Idol when piling across desolate Scottish moorland in a giant Winnebago can you?

Coming right up to date the Electric Dreams 80s Disco is enjoying renewed success due to the fact that 80s are now 20 years ago and people are looking back at them in a bleary eyed, nostalgic manner – thankfully I can help people recapture their youth (at least for one night anyway)! I’ve played all manner of gigs recently – from 40th birthday parties and corporate events such as Christmas & New Year's parties, to my totally excellent showcase event.

I'll be back

So if you are thinking of having a memorable 80s party, with someone that was there in the thick of it – please get in touch.

All the best – Ed