In 2006, Ryan Hawkins became the first raver in the country to be banned from organising illegal parties under the terms of a unique Asbo.Eighteen months later, he has turned that infamy into a career boost and even changed his stage name to Ryan Asbo.
Mr Hawkins was handed the order after admitting organising a string of illegal parties, mainly on the Ridgeway, and police described him as a “major player in the Oxfordshire rave scene”.
But since the banning order, Mr Hawkins’s stock has soared on the Oxford dance scene – and he now promotes and performs at three regular nights. The 24-year-old DJ said: “I don’t think I deserved to get one, but I am quite glad I did because I am a lot more successful.
“It did me the world of good. I am not rolling around in a field on Sundays.”
Mr Hawkins, who lives in Marston, Oxford, has also had fun with his Asbo, through his new stage name and a theme night organised in honour of Thames Valley Police. But insists it is all in good humour and he has taken his Asbo seriously.
He said: “I was just under Ryan Hawkins before. Most DJs have a name with some meaning so I went for Ryan Asbo.
“In May, we did a theme night on Thames Valley Police as a bit of a wind-up. We did truncheon trance and charlie-echo techno. “Everyone came dressed up as the police. It was one of our most popular nights.”
Under the terms of the Asbo, Mr Hawkins has to tell police seven days in advance if he intends to travel with records or sound equipment, say where he is going, when and give details of the car he is using.
The order expires in January and Mr Hawkins said he hoped to carry on promoting and set up his own business hiring out sound equipment. He admits that he misses the outdoor parties and is even thinking of planning a legal outdoor rave next summer.
But for now, he is concentrating on the three regular nights he promotes and plays at – Project Storm and Kinetic in Oxford and Surge Sound System in Banbury. Business at the Oxford nights is so good that one-off nights at the 1,200-capacity Oxford Brookes University are planned in the autumn.
:bounce_fl :bounce_fl
