John Bryn Williams (Cellular Biology, 1995-98)

JOhn B standing in front of an audience I was at Van Mildert from 1995-1998 studying Cellular Biology but have since ended up working in Music. I produce dance music (drum and bass mainly), run a record label, travel around DJing at Clubs and Festivals and also livestream music production and DJ sets on the internet – something I started during Covid while touring wasn’t possible.

Van Mildert was definitely where the music stuff properly started for me, and the College community played a big part in that. Meeting like-minded people who shared an enthusiasm for dance music, and corridor mates who’d patiently listen to my new songs or tolerate it when I was practicing my DJ sets was such a lovely thing.

I was no sportsman, but I loved how College made you feel part of a larger ‘team’. It was great to be among all sorts of people with different interests and to take inspiration from them.

The vibe at Van Mildert was really supportive.

It was great to feel accepted and appreciated by the other students (even if they weren’t really into what I was). The JCR and College supported the odd special party in the JCR or let us perform at the ‘bops’ – some of my first ever DJ sets! My favourite was the night we got our finals results: the College paid to hire a really quite big sound-system and a bunch of us did DJ sets playing to a packed crowd – one of the happiest nights of my life. To this day I don’t think I’ve ever felt such relief!

At Durham I learnt the value of finding a solid team to work with. I teamed up with my friends Simon (Hedley) and Karl (Roscoe, from Collingwood) to run a night at ‘Club Elysium’ or ‘Rixy’s’ as it was referred to back then. I got early lessons in marketing and music promotion too – I remember photoshopping up posters for our events in the same presentation style as the Durham Union debate ones, which was good fun.

I’m not sure I mastered dealing with crazy workloads and little sleep at Durham, but it was probably a good warm-up for relentless touring and travelling. My life as a DJ – production deadlines looming, late nights and partying, busy tour schedules and keeping it all together without much sleep – is quite similar to student life, really!

One of the many reasons I’m sober now – no way I could manage all that with a hangover at my age.

I came back to Durham a couple of times last year, once for a club night organised by a Mildert student and again to perform at the legendary Mildert Day. It was amazing to return and of course a big personal honour.

All the memories came flooding back.

It was so nice to see a new generation of enthusiastic young people enjoying the music I love, the College supporting live music and making cool things happen, and so heart-warming looking out into the crowd seeing similar characters in the mix that reminded me of friends and good times I had when I was at Mildert.