DJ's and MC's

October 2009

DJ VINYL JUNKIE

Interview by Tekno Jay - Original Eternity Kru.

Vinyl Junkie Interview - Eternity Magazine - December 1996

I first interviewed Vinyl Junkie over 10 years ago for Eternity Magazine. Even back then he was an old hand on the scene, determined to stick at it and push things forward. What's changed since then? Well, he's as determined and inventive as ever. Having been off the scene for a few years, for reasons beyond his control shall we say, once again he is back, and he means business.

Vinyl Junkie is one of the lucky elite that spent the summer of 1989 on extacy drenched island of Ibiza, and soon after attended numerous legendary events including Sunrise and Energy. But it was at an event called 'Dance 91' at Aston Villa Leisure Centre, early in 1991, which was the turning point. For this was the first time he could actually see what the DJ was doing. Watching Simon “Bassline” Smith and being totally blown away is what inspired him to pick up his first set of decks. He was an extremely fast learner and within a couple of months he was playing out.

Around the same time there was a big free party scene in the South West. Being a regular at these parties he'd work hard to get a slot on the decks. Sometimes this would involve standing behind the decks all night to ensure his name would not be taken off the playlist. But it was all worthwhile because he got to play at some awesome parties to thousands of ravers, including the Chipping Sodbury and Castle Moreton free festivals.

At the end of 1991 he started playing for Vibes Alive, his first big proper paid event. This soon led to lots more gigs up and down the country including playing in the main arena at the legendary first Tribal Gathering in 1993.

Fast forward to the 00's and the old skool revival kicked off. He soon started putting on Absolute Old Skool in Bristol, which effectively led to his involvement in the invention of 'Hardcore Breaks' with his Warehouse Wax label. It was then at the start of 2006 that, in his own words, he very stupidly got arrested on drug related charges, and got 7 years.

What affect has that had on you personally/professionally (going to jail)?

"Professionally it's put me back quite a bit. I've missed three and a half years worth of parties (this was the eventual amount of time he served) and the music's changed quite a bit. There is now Dub Step and the J-Tek thing. A lot of the guys in the scene were just up and coming before I went to jail, and now they are up there playing at the big parties. A good thing professionally is I am a lot more focussed now, probably due to the fact that I don't smoke weed anymore. Also now I am doing a Music Technology degree at Canterbury college.

It's opened my eyes to a lot really, I've educated myself quite a bit, met some mad people, and I've realised what I want to do. Jail makes you think a lot, evaluate your life, what you've done, and what you want to do"

A few years back you were basically owning the Bristol Old Skool Scene, is that Still going.

"Well I've not really been around so I don't know. We ran Absolute Old Skool from 2000 to 2005 and had lots of events, at one point we were doing four or 5 a year. I think, to be honest, we cained it a bit. The thing with Old Skool is there are only so many DJs you can book, and a lot of them play the same old tunes every time you book them so it can get a bit boring. Maybe we are ready for another crack of the whip, we shall see. Personally I played a totally different set at every Absolute Oldskool to try and keep it interesting. As did my main man The DJ Producer"

Since the Old Skool revival there seems to be a glimmer of a new wave rave scene, have you been involved in that?

"I think the music was moving so fast back then in 92 that the vibe got bypassed very quickly. Back in 2002 I started a label called Warehouse Wax with a friend of mine, Darkus. The idea of that was to recreate the sound of the early nineties, more labels emerged over the following year, and a new genre was born which someone saw fit to call Hardcore Breaks.

Billy Bunter was playing on a radio station at the time called Pure Dance, and I did a guest mix for him. I later read in an article with Billy Bunter where he says that that mix of mine was the first of hardcore breaks he'd heard. Soon after, he teamed up with Slipmatt and they made their own version of it, which was a bit slower, about 140bpm, and a bit more on the breaks tip, this became known as 'Rave Breaks' which got quite popular, featuring on Ministry of Sound albums and the like. There is also the J-Tek sound as well"

You recently started Grooveclick.co.uk was this whilst you were inside, tell me a bit more about the project.

"The original idea of grooveclick was to have an mp3 shop where anyone, even if they weren't signed can go on there, upload a tune, and start selling it. Then the idea got expanded out to have a radio station, and established artists and labels on there too, the idea of it really became for social networking for the music industry, incorporating a shop.

It's an idea I had whilst I was in jail, it was put into beta testing mode while I was still inside with me not being able to have anything to do with it for obvious reasons. It's functional, but still in beta testing mode. We're going to full launch on around the 1st of October.

We've got some good ideas for it, and will be looking to push it forward soon."

Now that you're out again you must be like a horse chomping at the bit. What projects have you got lined up?

"Well there is Grooveclick, that's the main thing really, I'll keep producing Hardcore Breaks and running Warehouse Wax, for which I have about 6 releases scheduled… Although now it will be a digital only label as the vinyl sales have diminished so badly over the last few years. I am also going to start a new J-Tek label with The DJ Producer called “Dominion” I have been speaking to Pilgrim quite a bit who has brought me up to speed with the J-Tek scene and the music, I gotta say, I am really liking some of the J-Tek stuff, Bangin'. First release should be ready soon, I will keep you posted.

And of course there is the DJ'ing"

Musically some of the styles around today aren't that different to those of 20 years ago, are things getting stale or there is space for original styles.

There is always space to be original, just it takes a bit more effort now, and a little bit more time"

Who or what inspires you musically at the moment?

"Artists at the moment, on the DnB tip I think Chase & Status are wicked, It's hard for me to say because I have been away for so long, so I haven't been to many parties. Simon “Bassline” Smith is still the man too!

Deekline and Wizard, they're doing some good shit, and the Dub Pistols album, not the sort of thing I play, but I like it. Stereotype and Ctrl-Z are good too, also a Breaks guy called Jinx and Sons of Mecca who are doing some really good stuff. But like I said I need to get out there and immerse myself in it a little bit more. On the Hardcore Breaks tip… Running Man is churning out some good bits… For J-Tek it has to be Madcap, Secret Society, Pilgrim and Requiem"

Any regrets?

"No, not really. Going to prison, although I missed a lot on the music scene, sorted my head out really. The length of time I spent there was a bit of a pisser, I little bit less would have been nice. It's been a mad experience, I wouldn't recommend it though!"

TEKNO JAY for oldskoolreview.co.uk

You can also catch Vinyl Junkie at the following places......

http://facebook.dj/vinyljunkie/

http://www.myspace.com/vinyljunkieuk

http://www.myspace.com/warehousewax

http://groups.to/vinyljunkiereturn/

http://groups.to/grooveclick/

http://groups.to/hardcorebreaks/

http://twitter.com/djvinyljunkie

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September 2009

MC LENNI

So Lenni, tell us a bit about where you grew up, and how that influenced you musically as a youngster.

"Ha ha, mind your business! I grew up in Birmingham and musically I was influenced by gospel. I Did my first concert when I was 9 and I've been playing the bass guitar since the age of 8. I've played in all kind of bands, playing all kinds of music. That's where I draw my influences from."

What was your scene before you started attending raves (hip-hop/reggae etc)

"I was with Simon 'Bassline' Smith doing Jazz Funk and Jazz. I was on the microphone, he was playing the tune."

Are there any other musical members of your family, or are you the first one to become a performer?

"All of them. All my family are into music, my brothers andsisters all into music. All my sisters are singers. My brothers? One is a drummer, one is a percussionist and my eldest is the guvnor He's played with everybody, including Kylie Minogue. He's also won a Grammy too."

What events did you first attend, and who would you say had the biggest influence on you as a DJ/MC? And why?

"The firstevent I went to was an early Eclipse, about '89. We were all doing this at the same time, but I'd have to go with the three amigo's. Fabio, Grooverider and Micky Finn, along with Everson (Ratpack) and Patrick (Top Buzz). These guys play music I understand on another level. They play music. I've got a lot of respect for them."

Can you tell us what prompted you to first pick up the mic? Was it a ‘I can do that' kind of thing or something else?

"I don't know really, but I'd have to say it was the performer in me."

What was your early philosophy as an up and coming MC? Who was your competition, and what did you do to stay ahead of your game?

"There was never any competition between any of us.There was never any competition between the top boys. We did our own thing. We all contributed to theMC game.

"I just be myself as usual. I never wrote a lyric in my life and I aint going to start now! I've always free-styled every gig I've done over the last 20 years."

Did you prefer, in the early days to focus on getting the crowd hyped, or was it about rhyming to you?

"Crowd hyping! That's me all over."

When the Hardcore scene split into Happy/Jungle did you find yourself wondering which way to go? Did you enjoy both scenes but decided to stick with one or the other?

"I got a lot of respect for the Happy, but I'm an out and out Junglist. With Jungle music there are more wicked samples, different beats, it's a bit more up-tempo..... The music had more formula and more format. The top Reggae artists where on top of most of them as well, artists like Top Cat, Super Cat, Barrington Levy etc.."

How far did you travel to perform at events? Can you tell us about some of the furthest travelled gigs? Abroad even?

"Japan is the furthest, for a party called ‘Rave East' with Bass-O-Matic (William Orbit) & Fabio"

What did you think of the scene going from the illegal party scene to professional business ventures?

"I think it took away the 'naughty boy' element from it. We weren't saying 'fuck the police' any more. We was agreeing with them and conforming to society."

Can you tell us your top five events of all time please, and why they were so special to you?

Helter Skelter, especially as it was so big at the time. I had some great laughs and I played aDJ set there which was funny. It was early doors mind! I had a lot of time for Dave Pratley.

Rave East Japan for obvious reasons. I wason tour with Fabio and Bass-o-Matic, who had just brought out 'Fascinating Rhythm' which was a good tune. It was a great laugh and I enjoyed it immensely.

Club Junglist because the second record I ever made was played out there for the first time. ‘Make some time' on Rough Tone Records. It was my first Jungle tune.

Coast 2 Coast as that's where I made my name.

Finally Time at the Rag Market, which was the maddest thing at that time. It was one of the craziest things to ever happen."

Can you give us your top five MC's, and why you have chosen them please. MC's still performing today can be included (not strictly old skool).

Everson as he's one of the best MC's of all time. He's done as much as me and much more.

Patrick, as he was one of the innovators of the MC'ing game anda member of the awesome Top Buzz.

My partner which is Bassman

Fearless who is tops. He rocks the crowd.

Skibba as he kills it! the boy merks it out !

Which DJ's really did it for you personally back in the old days, and why? Did you ever form a DJ-MC partnership, like Bukem and Conrad for example?

Carl Cox, Sasha (he never missed a mix, he was like a robot), along with Fabio, Micky Finn and Grooverider. As for DJ/MC combo, it would be myself with Fabio, Mickyor Groove.

OK, give us an example of the top rhymes or slogans that the massive will instantly know you by. What, if you had one, was your catchphrase?

"The 'Good Morning Mr Walker' that I do is a crowd favourite.

Can you recall the way you felt when you first went up on a big stage?

"It felt normal, asI've been performing since I was 9. The stage is like my office.It's a different worldwhere youdont let anyone get to you."

What about any embarrassing slip ups, or disasters?

"Yeah, I had a few. Like when my foot went down the gap on the stage when I was working with The Prodigy. I had Maxim and Leeroy right in front of me. That was funny."

What do you think of the old skool scene today? Have you noticed a mixed audience age, or is it mostly the original ravers?

"Well I've been involved in it for a long time now and been responsible for bringing it back to Birmingham with the help of Nitesh (http://www.jungletechno.com/) and Magika. It's great to see the youngsters enjoying Old Skool music. With 'Ravers United' we're giving the chance for the original ravers to enjoy what THEY created."

What events are really ‘avin it at the moment? Could you recommend one to our readers?

"Starlight , Cloud 9 & Bassman Bash"

What advice or knowledge would you pass on to any youngsters that were showing an interest in the old skool scene?

"Keep listening. Itsimoprtant to hear what was has been done before, because you got to deal with the past before you can deal with the future. The past is the template and foundation."

What events do you perform at these days?

"Starlight, Cloud 9, Pandemonium, Bassman Bash to name a few."

Where can you see the old skool scene in ten years time? Do you think it will go on, like the Northern Soul scene has?

"All of us are gonna be too old, so obviously the younger ones will pick up the baton and keep it alive longer. It'll never die. We'll all be on celluloid. It'll be up on youtube. It's gonna be there for life. My kids can see me performing now and my grandkids will see what I did too.

When do you think you might hang up your mic lead?

"Ahhhhh!!! Good question. Soon."

Are you involved in any other non music projects?

"I'm trying to set up a school to help MC's and DJ's get better. I'mjust trying to put something back into it. I'd like to seeDJ classes go into uni's. That what I'm gonna do."

Tell us a bit about your latest event.

"My Latest event is on Friday 25^th September 2009 in Birminghama the Medincince Bar Custard Factory. The ethos behind Ravers United is to present a night catering strictly for the over 30's - The Original Ravers. We want to put on an event dedicated to those who were there back in the day. A night for those to totally lose there inhibitions and not to worry how to dress, to dance. Just come out and party with like minded people from the original Rave Generation.

Any shouts etc………….

"All my usual suspects, KJP, Ranski, Bassman, the Birmingham crew, All the Welsh massive, all the DJ's, MC's, All the Organisations, blah blah..... Groove, Fabio, Micky, Darren, Randall, Kenny , Fearless, Nitesh etc all the usual suspects, you know who you are...............

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