Nookie - Beyond Blue Album Tour - Bochum DE - Part 2

Biography of Nookie

Undoubtedly one of the leading lights in the Drum & Bass scene, Nookie, aka Cloud Nine/Second Vision/New Balance (along with Blame), is London/Herts DJ/producer/artist/remixer Gavin Cheung.

Already into pirate radio, electro and hip hop, as well as jazz funk, while still a school boy, Gavin served his musical apprenticeship working in Soho's Red Records (which later became Unity Records). Not only did he get to meet many important people in the industry, but managed to establish himself as a reputable DJ.

After producing a few bedroom mixes/demos for his hip-hop group 'Illegal Pressure', Gavin went on to study computer technology at college. “I’ve always been quite a technically minded person and my time in college helped me understand more the computer aided side of things, that has definitely helped me with my music production”. He then spent many years building and setting up his own home studio. Citing many musical influences he says:

'Personally, I'm into good music full stop, whether it be hip-hop, soul, house etc. Music is about feeling and I try to reflect that in my music, be it when I'm playing out or in the studio, in my opinion there’s only two types of music, good and bad”.

To his credit is 'Give a little love', one of the first underground rave anthems, which came out on absolute 2 records then re-released on Reinforced Records in 1993. 'The sound of music', another early rave anthem from 'The return of Nookie EP', also issued by Reinforced records was to catapult him into the limelight, 'Snow'/'Jazzmin' on Moving Shadow, one of the first tunes to use a real jazz double bass. He was also running his own label in the early nineties (Daddy Armshouse Records) with his long-time friend Pedro, and had a number of releases to his credit.

In 1995 Nookie released his debut LP on Reinforced Records entitled ‘The Sound of Music’. This proved to be a huge success and gave Nookie a more world-wide status. He has been lucky enough through his work to travel all around the world experiencing different cultures and seeing how others perceive the sound of his music. Countries that he has visited include Germany, Italy, Japan, America, Poland, Yugoslavia, Estonia, and Spain amongst others.


He has worked with many great artists and in 1998 he got to work on his second album with one of his all time heroes Larry Heard aka Mr Fingers. This was released through Sony Records in Japan and helped him reach a wider audience within the dance music scene. Included on this album is the Ibiza/Café Del Mar classic “Paradise”.

A year on and he released his third album also through Sony Records (Japan) under his other artist name ‘Cloud Nine’. During this time he got to tour Japan to promote this album alongside MC Five Alive, Ray Keith and singer Beverley who featured on this album project with the two main tracks “Distant Affair” and “Living in a Ghetto” which was later remixed by Peshay.

His status as a remixer continues to rise, not least due to his interpretation of Goldie’s instant classic 'Inner city life'. Other artists to have received the Nookie remix treatment include Cutty Ranks, Flourgon & Ninjaman, Doc Scott, Omni Trio, Adam F, Ganja Crew and more recently his remix of MC Conrad's 'Energetic Poetry' and The Pedge’s “What’s Up Partner?” released on Dread Recordings. DJ's who have helped promote his work over the years include Fabio, Grooverider, LTJ Bukem and Ray Keith.

Nookie has also been engineering for Ray Keith for over ten years and has helped him with such classics as Renegade “Terrorist” and Ray’s many album projects amongst others.

In terms of Good Looking, Nookie had already had various releases under his other aliases including New Balance 'Reflections' and Second Vision 'The Italian job'. Recently he has added multiple 12' releases, the First Light, Oceanic and Free The Funk EPs and 'In@thedeepend', his massive debut album on Good Looking Records and his forth album in total. Featured on his E.P’s was the massive “Continental Drift” which was a personal favourite of LTJ Bukem.

Tracks included on 'In@thedeepend' are “Innerspace”, “Dimensions of Sound” and the piano driven anthem “Natural Experience” which new Good Looking records recruit Makoto has remixed.

Despite these quality releases, Nookie is not resting on his laurels. He’s always looking at new ways to stretch his musical and DJ’ing talents and has already produced some House tunes for his “In@thedeepend”, album. His fifth album will include more House and Down Beat tunes as well as his usual dose of quality Drum & Bass.

'Artists that I rate have to include anyone with the persistence and determination to have a go and experiment with different sounds and not to just bite other peoples creations to make a few dollars, after all that is why I started to make music, to interpret what is going on inside my head into others through the use of sound'.

MC Five Alive - Beyond Blue Album Tour - Bochum DE - Part 2

Biography of MC Five Alive

It is impossible not to be taken in by the massive love Five Alive has for drum n bass. Anyone that claims drum n bass is dead, dying or anything but 100% perfect should talk to this bouncy, baby-faced MC for a few minutes as he would soon convince them otherwise through sheer enthusiasm alone.

It all started for MC Five Alive at the tender age of 8 by which time he was already dancing to a professional level. Aged 11, he began dancing at big ravers, and began meeting with various promoters on the scene at raves such as Batdance and Resurrection. These early meetings initially inspired him to promote his own events in Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, and alongside the Tenacious Soundsystem, a free party in Tring called 'Summer Breeze' It was only after becoming dissatisfied with the MCs at the raves he was promoting, that Five Alive began to MC himself, and its been non-stop ever since.

It wasn't long after the days of 'Summer Breeze' that Five Alive performed at the first ever 'Warning' in Cambridge. He has been a resident there ever since, and last year the crew celebrated their 10th Birthday. Ever since his first time at Warning he has played at all the major raves including Helter Skelter, Slammin Vinyl and Telepathy to name just three. To his credit he has also played at festivals, performed live on Radio 1 with Fabio and Grooverider, and travelled the world. It was during these first years of service that Five Alive first worked with Nookie. The two toured Japan in 1998 and for Five Alive it was a dream come true as he cites Nookie as being one of the two best producers in the business (Shy FX being the other).

Another MC Five Alive dream was to MC for a massive New Years eve rave. This dream came true when he performed at World Dance at Wembley Arena in the late nineties. However in true hyperactive fashion, the minute this dream was realised Five Alive was straight on to setting new goals. He then went on to team up with Nookie as part of the Good Looking Records stable for the next few years, the pair toured extensively all over Europe and the rest of the world whilst being a consistant feature on GLO's Logical Progression line-ups.

In the meantime Five Alive has continued to play on London's longest running pirate Kool FM alongside the likes of DJ Kane and DJ Hoodlum. He has toured with Infrared with J Majik and Wickaman , and provided the vocals for the latest Wickaman album. He is a regular at Grooverider's Prototype label nights at Fabric and of course Grace at Herbal on Sundays. He has also been a keystone at Essence of Chi, performing at almost all of their events from Plan B and Herbal, to their various tour nights and of course London Zu at the Scala.

As far as the day job of being an MC is concerned, Five Alive is having the time of his life inciting crowds alongside DJs such as Nookie. Like any MC worth his salt Five Alive is sensitive to the music and how he can compliment it as an MC, but have no doubt that he will find a way to get you dancing because as far as Five Alive is concerned:

'Its all about the party vibe.Zop zop!!'