Edward Mandla

About me:

I grew up in the great land of soft rock and seemed to be alone searching for uplifting music which invariably came from the UK and later Europe.

Co-workers always found themselves smirking at the dance music bellowing out of my office and shaking my car but they always asked whether they could borrow my CDs!

Once technology came, I started making my own compilations and found my friends and even my teenage daughter coming to me looking for the latest Dance, Trance, Europop and Hardcore tunes.

I like my music to lift me. I love shutting me eyes with the feeling the music is taking me away. And there is nothing wrong with sporadically just breaking out in dance - even for a big older fella like me!

My biggest whine has been Australia has been devoid of a Dance Radio Station. Dominated by large corporations, "the suits" always end up with a safe mix of 80s, 90s and current pop/rock. I should have been born in the UK!

All my life I search for the latest sound and I really don't understand people who continually reminisce over sad old love songs. Much better to listen to uplifting beats with "I will love again" rather than getting depressed with negative songs of the past. The future is good and having some powerful sounds to get your moving is a big help in my opinion.

So, it makes sense that I do my bit and have a radio show "WeeKenDance" highlighting the best new Dance, Trance and Progressive, Garage and Happy Hardcore music. I'm flat out doing a Graduate Diploma of Radio Broadcasting at AFTRS (Australian Film, Television and Radio School) where I am being mentored by the industry's best. Who knows where it will all lead? But in the meantime, it's just fund blasting out the beats I love and people asking me where they can get that tune!