Get it off your hairy chest

Foresight began on a dark Friday night in October 1995 in a small basement under an Indian restaurant in Paisley. The club was formed by 7 friends, all of whom shared a passion for electronic music of all kinds. The 7 had been clubbing and listening to music together for the past couple of years and the realisation that there were no clubs on an intimate level playing the range of music that they and other friends wanted to hear of an evening was reason enough for the boys to approach Abdul, the venue's manager.

Abdul had already been working with the crew from Rub A Dub Records and their long running Saturday nighter Club 69 and was happy to entertain the idea of another weekend club albeit on a slightly different musical tip from 69. From this a strong relationship evolved between those concerned with Foresight and the Rub A Dub team which still flourishes today.

Without a single piece of advertising, the club took place the first night to a very enthusiastic crowd of around 50 who who had been gathered by word of mouth. None of the crowd on the first night could have predicted how the club would grow from here but grow it did and continued discussion amongst the original 50 ensured that the club became busier and busier.

The 7 DJ's were of mixed experience with a couple having been involved in other nights in Paisley and Glasgow whilst the rest were new to the scene but were backed with a wide and varied record collection. Over the next few months, it became easy to see where everyones tastes and particular sound lay and it's now relatively easy to guess who is playing without having to look over to the decks.

Whilst continuing with the Friday nighters in Paisley, the Foresight DJ's planned other events for 1996 which included a series of parties on the nearby Isle of Arran. Again, the success of these parties came as a surprise to everyone but have now passed into legend. There were four parties spaced throughout the Summer of '96 but it is the first one in Glen Rosa which was to many , an eye-opener. Followwing on from a night in a local hall, the DJ's and around 100 friends and club members alighted to the Glen Rosa campsite for the after-party where the sound system and marquee had been set up. The sights that were seen that night will remain with me forever as everyone went for it through the most amazing sunrise which was brought in with a game of football and three off their faces, bare chested, war painted individuals who shall remain nameless.

After complaints that the music could be heard 3 miles down the valley, the police finally intervened early afternoon on the Sunday to send us all homewards. The following 3 Arran parties were held on the North of the Island at Sannox where again madness and mayhem were the order of the day.

Summer 1997 saw Foresight organise a boat trip on Loch Lomond, again well attended by friends and members. A few hours cruising and dancing cilminated in a terrific after-party at St Vincents Crescent Glasgow.

From the start Foresight became a testing ground for people to try out their newly written tunes on an enthusiastic and by now, very educated crowd. Of the seven DJ's Neil and Bede had been writing their own Drum'n'Bass and each week usually involved a new tune being unleashed on the terrific sound system. Graham Duff, an old schoolfriend and recording under the name of Elmer was also a regular fixture behind the decks with DCC in hand.

Other local DJ's and friends also played at Foresight during 1996. Amongst those were Martin of Rub A dub, KMC and the Future Engineers along with others who were playing out for the first time.

The busiest night in the clubs history came on Christmas Eve when around 180 packed in to celebrate Foresight style. Christ, did we feel guilty for ruining a few Christmas dinners the next day!

1997 saw further consolidation of the club as it's reputation spread. It was also the first time that established DJ's played in the club. Colin Faver, who had become well known through his exploits on London's Kiss FM amongst other things was the first to step behind the decks and his set of hard techno went downn a storm.

Following on from Colin Faver was Drum 'n' Bass artist and DJ Ed Rush of No U - Turn. Over the previous 18 months the crowd at Foresight had become more and more enthusiastic about Neil and Bede's weekly Drum 'n' Bass sets and Ed Rush's brand of Techno edged Drum 'n' Bass pleased even the biggest techno - heads. A couple of months later saw Colin Favers Submerge patner, Brenda Russell play to the Paisley crowd and again this proved a popular choice

This year has been another interesting one at Foresight this far. Bede continues to produce some excellent Drum’n’Bass and a lot of new faces have come down to make sure that the club continues. However there were dark times in early ‘98 when despair set in.

We had to re-evaluate the club because after two and a half years we did lose sight of what the club was about, what it meant to other people and most of all what it meant to us as a collective. After a lot of clandestine meetings and quiet words, behind closed doors we managed to pull together, re-emerge..... I was gonna say triumphant but, refocused and, as anyone who goes will tell you, we think we are getting it right ‘cos everything is going swimmingly well'.

That covers about everything although some of you may be thinking 'What about this?' and 'What about that?'. If that’s the case get in touch (email to 'f_sight@hotmail.com' or search us out) and we will endeavour to stick in pictures, stories, reviews, in fact anything. But for now.........

the foresight collective