SOME say that video games rot your brain.

But playing the Sony PlayStation helped launch Josh Butler's career.

The Stockton Heath DJ used to make dance tracks in his bedroom using Music 2000 when he was nine.

Josh has now performed sets in Ibiza, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and can count electronic music duo Chase & Status among his contacts.

The former Great Sankey Primary School pupil said: "One of my friends lent me Music 2000 I was just hooked.

"After making a few little tracks on that, I’d record tapes and take them to my mates’ birthday parties.

"I ended up getting some computer programmes after that and I spent the next few years making my own music.

"But I didn’t realise what I was doing at the time though. It was just a hobby. I just enjoyed doing it but I never knew you could make a career out of it."

Then Josh's family moved to New Zealand when he was 14.

He had to say goodbye to his friends at Penketh High School but continued to teach himself music production and mixing in the town of Kerikeri.

Josh, who recently won a DJ Mag Best of British Award for Best Breakthrough Producer, was inspired by the likes of Tiesto as well as more accessible dance music like Ministry of Sound.

"Where we lived was paradise," added Josh, who often works alongside Great Sankey DJ James Glover.

"It was a beautiful place but it was so remote. There was very little going on

"Over there they just had parties in fields but all the DJs played hip hop and rap which was a million miles away from what I was into.

"In my spare time I was still making dance music in my bedtime but I started DJing at some of these parties just because I enjoyed playing music to people."

That was where Josh gained the confidence to perform live and when he returned to Warrington when he was 17 he started to organise student parties and had a regular set at the former Casi nightclub.

Josh said: "That my first taste of playing on a club sound system.

"A couple of years later I moved to university in Leeds. This was where I started to make my real contacts and got a good bunch of friends with similar interests to me.

"I was releasing music on small labels then one day I got a phone call from Chase & Status to say they wanted to sign one of my records.

"At the time I was coming back from Morrisons. I couldn’t believe it. They invited me to their office in London. I was really nervous but they’re a lovely bunch and I still work with them today.

"I used to go and watch Chase & Status at Liverpool so be on the other side and see how they work was pretty insightful."

The track 'Got A Feeling' went on to win a Beatport Award.

Josh has since got DJ work all over the world through his agency, Paramount Artists, but one of his most memorable gigs was on New Year's Eve in London.

The 25-year-old added: "There must have been about 3,000 or 4,000 people in front of me and I played at midnight as well.

"They had fireworks and pyrotechnics and all this glitter falling from the ceiling. It was mad.

"Playing my own music to a crowd is one of the best feelings in the world."

Josh is now collaborating with Bontan, a producer from the north west, for a house music project called 'Be True'.

- Josh and Bontan will be at Sankeys in Manchester on February 13

DAVID MORGAN