DJ Presha - Next Level Show - 95bFM - Jun 2007

Biography of DJ Presha

DJ Presha has been a major player in the New Zealand Drum & Bass scene for the past six years. He has also conquered international crowds in Miami (Metalheadz) and the UK (Metalheadz, Valve, Movement), as well as Singapore and Australia.

Responsible for The Breaks and Glide, two of the most innovative and influential nights in New Zealand Drum & Bass history, his years of hard work and dedication to the scene have paid off with many of the UK's top producers providing him with new music virtually as it is made. He is also one half of the long-running Subtronix Promotions Organisation, helping bring the best of the world's Drum & Bass artists to New Zealand audiences for the last five years.

DJ Presha's most recent role of A&R for newly-formed label Subtronix Recordings has been another high point in his involvement with Drum & Bass, but at the heart of his drive is his passion for DJ'ing.


No one ever thinks about who put on the gig, booked the DJs or why drum'n'bass even exists in New Zealand. People know big local names like Concord Dawn, and eagerly await the arrival of internationals like Bad Company or DJ Marky. Nobody ever seems to ask how did this gig get here, or who fostered the scene or gave Concord Dawn their first break. There is always someone in the shadows, booking the acts, putting out the records someone who will probably never be repaid for all their hard work. One of those who have busted their gut for kiwi drum'n'bass is Geoff Wright aka DJ Presha.

Presha has been playing drum'n'bass since the mid-nineties and along with business partner Dave Roper (D-Rave) have brought over some of the biggest names in drum'n'bass, launched a record label and generally supported the drum'n'bass scene in New Zealand.

Presha started out DJing in Christchurch in 1994 while working at record stores, which helped fuel his passion for vinyl. Starting with Hip Hop, he worked his way through funk, house and techno, finally discovering jungle and drum'n'bass. 'That would have been about '94 or '95 and that was kind of it for me, I just kind of dropped everything else and only DJed that.'

He soon started the first drum'n'bass show on Christchurch student radio station RDU, and Christchurch's first all drum'n'bass night at Espresso 124 called 'The Breaks'. Presha eventually moved to Auckland where he continued 'The Breaks' at Calibre, and teamed up with Dave Roper to become half of Subtronix.

Subtronix Promotions has been responsible for bringing over some of the biggest international DJs and producers including Doc Scott, Grooverider, Storm, Grooverider, DJ Marky and Klute. 'There's pretty much no one that we wanted to that we haven't brought out, the only person that's really eluded us is Fabio.'

The record label side of Subtronix, built around both New Zealand artists such as Bulletproof and internationals such as Baron, has built a name for itself overseas. 'I think that our names become a bit of a global thing, all the DJs I've brought out here have gone back and talked about Subtronix.'

Presha keeps himself busy by distributing mostly drum'n'bass music around New Zealand.

Behind the decks, Presha has built himself a solid name as a DJ. Responsible for Auckland drum'n'bass party The Breaks and now a resident at Fu Bar. He is one of few kiwi drum'n'bass DJs to play outside of New Zealand, having the privilege of playing in the UK, US and in Australia.

'I've played pretty much with everyone I've wanted to play with…I've played in London, I've played at Metalheadz a couple of times, I've played at the Miami Winter Music Conference with Metalheadz and Decipher.'

When it comes to DJing it might be surprising to some that Presha rates radio as one of his passions. 'Radio's my favourite thing to do', he explains, 'I like it more than playing out sometimes because you have the freedom to play whatever you want.'

The Auckland drum'n'bass scene has a reputation for being a closed, cold bunch and Presha hopes that while that might be true, through radio he can reach people who might not venture into the darkness of a club.

'If we want to keep the music and people to get into it for the sake of music itself, you've got to be communicative with people, and I think radios the most important voice you have… and most people are too scared to come and ask the DJ what the tune was.'

Presha's initial forays into radio were unsuccessful, all the radio stations who might host a drum'n'bass show already had their slots filled up, but he didn't stop there. 'I thought I'm going to do something on the internet, so with the help of a friend of mine we setup and began broadcasting from my office.' A few stickers and a bit of web promotion later and people began tuning in. 'We had listeners from everywhere in the world and we were doing really, really well.'

The show ran for five years up until recently when Presha was offered the chance to do a drum'n'bass show on Auckland's Bfm.

Asking Presha about drum'n'bass in New Zealand got some interesting answers, when it came to signs of growth, or change in the scene, Presha was pretty philosophical. 'It's not getting bigger, but its not getting any smaller…the thing is so many people buy drum'n'bass records, everyone would be surprised at how many records get sold around New Zealand and I just wonder where all those people are?'

Presha has gone to some lengths to find some of those people without a lot of success. 'I said on the radio show to all those bedroom DJs I want to hear you,' asking DJs to send in mix CDs, the best of which he would play on his show. 'After two months of saying that, I have only got three CDs. I've even gone as far as to say that I would pretty much guarantee that I can set them up at a club in any city they're in but they are just too scared.'

Maybe on the DJ front people are a bit scared but when it comes to producing, New Zealand along with Australia are sitting pretty at the top of the world as far as Presha's concerned. 'Concorde Dawn and Pendulum are pretty much in the top ten producers in the world right now.' Even the in UK where drum'n'bass was invented people have begun looking south for new tunes. 'I think that at first they were shocked and kind of resistant to someone else bringing their style back to them…a lot of the English guys are saying that they've (Concorde Dawn and Pendulum) set the standard now and that's what people need to look at.'

As far as up and comers go Presha pretty sure about that 'I know' he says confidently, 'in Australia some guys called Skyver and Djon and in New Zealand it will be and I can pretty much guarantee it's the Upbeats in Wellington.'

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