Going back to the earlier days of your career, you were part of the "big beat" trio Ceasefire on Wall of Sound records. Was this your earliest successful forray into dance music or had you been knocking out beats before then?
Ceasefire was my first electronic project, but before that I'd played in skate punk bands and liked hip hop and it's scene.
Do you have happy memories of those "big beat" days? It seemed like a hedonistic scene to be in that kind of carried on where britpop left off.
It was a great time for people like me with broad tastes. Big beat had close links with the indie scene so many cool bands had came out of that era too. It was like acid house all over again, no rules............. I Have really happy memories of those days.
What do you feel the real turning point was when big beat died and "nu skool breaks" reared its naughty little head?
By the time big beat took a turn for the worse, I had set up Whole 9 Yards which had a real techy style (Dark Globe, Dylan Rhymes, Elite Force, DJ Hyper, Rhythm Division were all artists on the label). I was already using less samples in my production, leaning more towards electronic sounds.
In all fairness is was a natural progression for many. It's a complete myth that nuskool breaks came directly from jungle & hardcore - it's just a few key people did (Rennie Pilgrem, Shut Up & Dance, Freqnasty, Blim). Again it was an interesting time but a lot of the music was too dark to reach the audience big beat did, thats why it's taken so long for breakbeat to get its footing in the world of dance music in general.
Taking things up to present day, you must be pretty please with the way things have gone for you. What have been your proudest achievements along the way?
To be honest, I feel proud to still be doing what i love for a living! Just still being here is an achievement; not to blow my own trumpet, but I feel like ive only just got started.
You are famed for playing some of the more eclectic sets in the breaks scene, combining techy, funky and progressive breaks with 4/4 based house and techno material. Do you tend to get bored if there's only one style of music on choice all night?
I find it a challenge to throw all your ideas into a melting pot and make a dancefloor move to different flavours. It would do my head in just being limited to one genre as there's so much good music out there. DJs should be creative. I think my personality comes out when I play, I do love breakbeat but it is only about 60% of what i play, (and even make).
Which other DJs do you admire for their ability to mix things up and keep things interesting?
Im really into what Marco Bailey does - techno but with an edge. I like Erol Alkan too.
You've collaborated with many of the leading lights of the breaks scene. Who made for especially memorable studio sessions?
I love working with Elite Force, we always seem to come up with interesting ideas and he's also a great musician, so skys the limit.
What gems will be coming out of the MK studio in the near future?
I have a whole new album, 'Vibrator', which will be released in June on Adrift Records. There's loads of new stuff, a few collabs with people such as Elite Force, D.Ramirez, Aquasky, Jono Fernandez, Kathrine Ellis, Roland Clark and Christian J. It's a full on ride as I wanted to do something that represented where my head is at - why pretend to be something I'm not.
April 15th sees you headlining the Platform 12 Breaks Foyer at the massive South West Four Launch at Brixton Academy. What have you heard about the South West Four Festival?
I've been travelling loads, so I've not been in the UK much. I know the Platform 12 line up is pretty cool though: Lady Killa, Clive Morley and Future Funk Squad. Regardless, Carl Cox is playing so that is reason enough to go.
In recent years Brixton Academy has only been used as a club venue by Hard Dance and Drum 'n' Bass promotions. Do you think that massive scale house/techno/breaks events are something that London could do with?
It certainly feels like something special. We'll soon find out!
Have you partied with the Platform12 crew before? What can we expect?
Only when I met the guys at HUM a few years back. You can expect a heavy dose of dirty late night funk from me - no idea what the other guys are gonna play...I'm sure it will be along those lines though!!
