DJ Force & Styles

DJ Force And Styles were a happy hardcore act comprising of Darren Styles (alias: Darren James Mew) and Paul Hobbs. The group were founded in 1995 when Darren Styles and Paul Hobbs who were previously in a breakbeat hardcore group called DJ Force & The Evolution decided to set up their own label UK Dance Records so they could quickly release more material and have complete artistic license over their records. They began producing using the alias Force & Styles and released many 12-inch records on UK Dance and by 1996 their popularity had grown so that they were DJing every weekend up and down the UK, as well as touring Australia, North America, and Ibiza on a regular basis. The two also held residencies at various events including those by Slammin Vinyl, Helter Skelter and United Dance. By 1997, they had produced some of the biggest happy hardcore tracks of the time, many of which went on to be covered by commercial dance artists, including singles "Heart of Gold", "Paradise & Dreams", "Pretty Green Eyes", "Pacific Sun" and "Field of Dreams". Force & Styles picked up many awards at this time and they were the first ever hardcore DJs to do a guest mix for Pete Tong's Essential Mix radio show on BBC Radio 1. Force & Styles released three albums: All over the UK (1996), Simply Electric (1998) - a compilation of tracks by DJ Force & The Evolution and Force & Styles - and their greatest hits album Heart of Gold (2000). After the group disbanded, Darren Styles later formed Styles & Breeze in the early 00's with Mark Brady and adopted a trance influenced sound, while also collaborating with other artists and having a solo career.

Links To Peel
Peel was a big fan of happy hardcore, especially DJ Force And Styles' Fireworks track, which on his 30 March 1996 show called it the most requested record of the year so far.

The record ultimately reached number 30 in the 1996 Festive Fifty where he mentioned on his show on 22 December 1996 that it was the most requested track at Peel Acres.

On Sheila's 50th birthday at a party, Peel mentioned on his show on 08 November 1998 (BFBS) that he requested the DJs to play Fireworks, but instead they put the 12 inch in the wrong sleeve and got DJ Kaos instead. There wasn't much evidence that Peel liked the other DJ Force and Styles tracks.

However after the group disbanded, he did enjoy playing Breeze & Styles' Electric track and Darren's solo work of Skydivin in 2004. Plus he also invited Darren Styles to do a session for his show, which he played on his show on 31 August 2004.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1996 Festive Fifty: Fireworks FF #30

Other Shows Played
1996 1998
 * 01 March 1996: 'Fireworks (12")' (Essential Platinum)
 * 30 March 1996: 'Fireworks (12")' (Essential Platinum) (JP: 'Most requested record of the year so far, by some distance I'd say.')
 * 22 December 1996: 'Fireworks (12 inch)' (Essential Platinum) (JP: 'Probably the most played record at Peel Acres this year.')
 * Peel 1996: 'Fireworks (12 inch)' (Essential Platinum)
 * 08 November 1998 (BFBS): 'Fireworks (12")' (Essential Platinum)