{{Short description|British trance music disc jockey and ex-footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Use British English|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = | caption = | name = Matt Hardwick | birth_name = Matthew Hardwick | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|09|12|df=y}}<ref name="squad">{{cite web |title=FootballSquads - Sheffield Wednesday - 1994/95 |url=https://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1994-1995/faprem/sheffwed.htm |website=footballsquads.co.uk |access-date=23 May 2024 |archive-date=26 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126180506/http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1994-1995/faprem/sheffwed.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> | image_size = | background = | origin = Rotherham, England, United Kingdom | instrument = | genre = trance | occupation = Disc Jockey, record producer. footballer | years_active = | label = | associated_acts = | website = {{Official URL}} }}
'''Matthew Hardwick''' (born 12 September 1974)<ref name="squad">{{cite web |title=FootballSquads - Sheffield Wednesday - 1994/95 |url=https://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1994-1995/faprem/sheffwed.htm |website=footballsquads.co.uk |access-date=23 May 2024 |archive-date=26 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126180506/http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1994-1995/faprem/sheffwed.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> is a British trance music disc jockey, record producer and former professional football player who played as a midfielder for Sheffield Wednesday for the 1994–1995 season. Since then, he went on to be resident DJ at the Gatecrasher nightclub from 1996 to 2004. Hardwick has been featured several times in the DJ Mag top 100 DJ list, last ranked number 68 in 2008,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-11-01 |title=Matt Hardwick {{!}} Top 100 DJs 2008 {{!}} DJMag.com |url=https://djmag.com/top100djs/2008/68/Matt-Hardwick |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=DJ Mag |language=en}}</ref> and has performed for the BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix.
==Club career==
Hardwick started as a professional football midfielder, being named in the first team squad for Sheffield Wednesday for the 1994–1995 season.
==DJ Career==
Later in 2005 he stated that following moving from the amateur game to professional that "all the fun went out of the game for me".<ref name="squad"/><ref name="Echo">{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Emma |title=Clubs: Dreams can come true - just ask Matt |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/340263535 |access-date=23 May 2024 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=11 February 2005 |id={{ProQuest|340263535}} |archive-date=1 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901085155/https://www.proquest.com/docview/340263535 |url-status=live }}</ref> Hardwick started his disc jockey career in {{circa|1994}}, performing for a pirate radio station in Sheffield. He "talked his way" into become a DJ at the Gatecrasher nightclub, including playing the first record on the first night. Hardwick was resident at Gatecrasher for 8 years until leaving in 2004 to focus on his development as a DJ.<ref name="Echo"/><ref name="fest">{{cite web |title=Matt Hardwick |url=https://www.ukfestivalguides.com/artists/matt-hardwick/ |website=UK Festival Guides |access-date=23 May 2024 |archive-date=1 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901085206/https://www.ukfestivalguides.com/artists/matt-hardwick/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
As well as his live gigs in the UK, Hardwick has built an international reputation for his live performances, and has toured across the Americas, Europe and Asia. He has also played festivals such as Global Gathering, Creamfields, and Escape into the Park. In 2002 Hardwick performed an Essential Mix for the BBC Radio 1 Pete Tong show. This was considered a success and in 2005 he performed a further mix, which was shortlisted for the Essential Mix of the year award.<ref name="fest"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Matt Hardwick · Biography |url=https://ra.co/dj/matthardwick/biography |website=Resident Advisor |access-date=23 May 2024 |archive-date=23 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523202605/https://ra.co/dj/matthardwick/biography |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC - Radio 1 - Essential Mix - Tracklisting |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/essentialmix/tracklistingarchiveshtml.shtml?20020217 |website=BBC |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=2002 |archive-date=18 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118180959/https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/essentialmix/tracklistingarchiveshtml.shtml?20020217 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC - Radio 1 - Essential Mix - Tracklisting |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/essentialmix/tracklistingarchiver1comments.shtml?20051023 |website=BBC |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=2005 |archive-date=16 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316142940/https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/essentialmix/tracklistingarchiver1comments.shtml?20051023 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Hardwick has been voted several times into the DJ Mag poll as one of the world's top 100 DJs. He featured in the top 100 poll every year from 2004 to 2008, with his highest position at number 48 in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Matt Hardwick - Top 100 DJs 2004 - DJMag.com |url=https://djmag.com/top100djs/2004/59/Matt-Hardwick |website=DJ Mag |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=2004 |archive-date=13 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513232128/https://djmag.com/top100djs/2004/59/Matt-Hardwick |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Matt Hardwick - Top 100 DJs 2005 - DJMag.com |url=https://djmag.com/top100djs/2005/58/Matt-Hardwick |website=DJ Mag |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=2005 |archive-date=2 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502164859/https://djmag.com/top100djs/2005/58/Matt-Hardwick |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Matt Hardwick - Top 100 DJs 2006 - DJMag.com |url=https://djmag.com/top100djs/2006/64/Matt-Hardwick |website=DJ Mag |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=2006 |archive-date=2 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502214531/https://djmag.com/top100djs/2006/64/Matt-Hardwick |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Matt Hardwick - Top 100 DJs 2007 - DJMag.com |url=https://djmag.com/top100djs/2007/48/Matt-Hardwick |website=DJ Mag |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=2007 |archive-date=1 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901085314/https://djmag.com/top100djs/2007/48/Matt-Hardwick |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Matt Hardwick - Top 100 DJs 2008 - DJMag.com |url=https://djmag.com/top100djs/2008/68/Matt-Hardwick |website=DJ Mag |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=2008 |archive-date=1 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901120503/https://djmag.com/top100djs/2008/68/Matt-Hardwick |url-status=live }}</ref>
Hardwick has released several dance music compilation mix albums, including ''Platipus 8'' which was released in 2002 to positive critical reception.<ref name="muz"/> His 2009 release, ''Gatecrasher’s Trance Anthems 1993–2009'', peaked at #1 in the UK official compilation chart.<ref name="occ2009"/> Hardwick also releases and produces his own music productions, including under the pseudonym the Prophets of Psych.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Birchmeier |first1=Jason |title=Matt Hardwick Biography by Jason Birchmeier |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/matt-hardwick-mn0000321602 |website=Allmusic |access-date=23 May 2024 |archive-date=25 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125165222/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/matt-hardwick-mn0000321602 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Discography== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Matt Hardwick Albums |- ! Title !! Artist !! Year !! Peak <br>UK Comp!! Peak <br>UK Dance |- | ''Platipus 8''<ref name="muz">{{cite news |author1=CK |title=Platipus 8 |url=https://archive.org/details/muzik090_november_2002/page/n71/mode/2up?q=%22matt+hardwick%22 |work=Muzik |date=November 2002}}</ref> || Various / Hardwick ||2002|| || |- | ''Gatecrasher: Resident Transmission'' || Various / Hardwick ||2002|| || |- | ''Gatecrasher Immortal''<ref>{{cite web |title=GATECRASHER IMMORTAL – VARIOUS ARTISTS - Official Charts |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/various-artists-gatecrasher-immortal/ |website=Official Charts Company |access-date=23 May 2024 |archive-date=23 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523202605/https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/various-artists-gatecrasher-immortal/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || Various / Hardwick ||2007||style="text-align:center;"|2 || style="text-align:center;"|1 |- | ''Gatecrasher’s Trance Anthems 1993–2009''<ref name="occ2009">{{cite web |title=Gatecrasher's Trance Anthems 1993-2009 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/various-artists-gatecrashers-trance-anthems-1993-2009/ |website=Official Charts Company |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=2009 |archive-date=1 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901085157/https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/various-artists-gatecrashers-trance-anthems-1993-2009/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Shooman |first1=Joe |title=Gatecrasher's Trance Anthems 1993-2009 - Various Artists |url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/gatecrasherstrance-anthems1993-2009 |website=Record Collector |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=21 August 2009 |archive-date=5 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105114630/https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/gatecrasherstrance-anthems1993-2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> || Various / Hardwick || 2009|| style="text-align:center;"|1|| style="text-align:center;"|1 |}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs artist}} * {{AllMusic}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardwick, Matt}} Category:Living people Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players Category:British electronic dance music DJs Category:Musicians from Yorkshire Category:21st-century British musicians Category:1974 births Category:British club DJs Category:Anjunabeats artists