“I’ve been collecting records since I was about 16, but I’ve been DJ’ing for the past four years or so. I started out in the Manchester scene mostly playing Soul, Funk, Disco type stuff but I now play a lot more House based music. I like to play around with the House music I play though so it often has Chicago, Afro, Latin, even Panjabi influences. Since I moved to London I decided to start my own night which has been hard work but so so rewarding! The night is called No Boundaries and we focus on global club sounds and ensuring we have diverse and inclusive line ups.
I’m from Manchester but now live in East London, and outside of DJ’ing and record collecting I’m involved with community radio and working behind the scenes with various projects on the London underground music scene.”
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Each week we will be taking a dip into the crates and minds of some of the digging scenes most prolific collectors.
🤔 Who should be on the next RPM feature?
What were your earliest musical influences?
“Growing up music was always a huge part of our home. My mum collected 90’s Hip Hop with Grandmaster Flash and Fugees, but also loved her House music so I remember singing along to ‘To Be In Love’ by MAW featuring India from a really young age. Every Sunday was “Frank Sinatra day” and we’d blast the whole album whilst cooking Sunday dinner. I also remember around the age of 12 getting into my mum’s CD collection and that’s when I found Arrested Development. Damn, that album did not leave my CD player for a good month I was obsessed! That and Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation…”
Favourite record labels of all time?
“I mean of course Strictly Rhythm has to have a mention. Also Defected, Greensleeves, Brownswood Recordings, Nervous Records, Dekmental Records, Positiva, Def Jam, Death Row Records, Roc-A-Fella Records, Ninja Tune, Philadelphia International Records, and Stax Records. Some smaller more independent labels to note are Mas O Menos ran by my friend Levi Love in Manchester, also Dim Sum Records, Sprechen, Dancing Family Records and On The Corner.”
What is it about vinyl that makes you dig it?
“I think it’s just a different way of looking at music really especially in terms of digging it. For example, I was recently in the record shop at All My Friends in Hackney Wick and me and the guy were chatting for ages about music, and he then just goes I think I’ve got some stuff you’ll like and hands me a pile of about 8 records, 6 of which came home with me! It’s that raw human connection with other people that love music just as much as you do, but it’s also the suprise of what you might find on the shop floor. Some of my favourite tunes are £2 vinyls that I got in some basement record shop and I can’t even find a version of the tune online. It’s special man.”
Name a song to soundtrack the sunshine….
“The Souljazz Orchestra – Dog Eat Dog”
Motivated Mondays… What tune gets your engine going?
“Probably something like Let The Rain Come Down (Down Pour Mix) – Intense! and Tony Humphries as it’s just a feel good sing a long vibe. “
