Randall - Awol - Paradise Club - 1993 - Part 1

Biography of Randall

Randall is definitely a natural when it comes to mixing, saying that the basics took him only a week to learn back in the mid 80s. However, he still had to continue refining his skills by studying music and making tapes every week. One of these tapes landed him a small gig at a club called Delerium which, in turn, got him a regular slot on legendary pirate Centreforce FM in 1989. It was here his reputation really started growing. He began playing out at clubs more and, as times changed and music progressed, so did his style towards what we know and love today. Randall's style has always been fluid and probably always will, but changes in his selection have been noticeable in the past couple of years, with more emphasis on darkside flavas than before. This can be illustrated crudely by his transformation from AWOL resident to Metalheadz regular. Randall is simply refelecting what's going on around him and, even though some might say his sound has got 'darker', he inhabits that overlap between 'jump-up' jungle and 'darkside' drum & bass. He's always had broad tastes and, as long as those beats are running, there's easily enough room in his set to contrast a wide range of flavas. When you have nothing, your hunger can focus your mind to the task in hand, and sometimes it's a harder job remaining at the top once you've got there than getting there in the first place. This situation increases the longer you're there - how many DJs out would like to be in the position of someone like Randall? Whilst he doesn't guard against complacency consciously, a significant factor to his continuing success is his sheer passion for the music. You can sense it in his voice when he talks about particular tunes and believe him when he says it's a drug and he needs a fresh fix of tunes in his box every week. When it came to mixing the drum & bass third of the 'Dreamscape' album (which he also compiled), Randall was offered Pro Tools technology which basically would have done it all for him. However, he wasn't really with it, and as he had all the tunes on vinyl, said he would rather do it on decks. The only problem was finding the first tune, but once he settled on Dom & Optical's 'Quadrant 6', he rolled out the rest first time in true Randall style. The mix also features the vocal talents of his long time MC, Fats. Fats actually did his thing after Randall and, while his soulful style of MCing might not be everyone's cup of tea, it compliments the hard-edged music perfectly. Randall is better known as a DJ than a producer, but all this may change soon if he has his way. He's no stranger to the studio having co-produced 'Sound Control' with Andy C in '95, 'Flava's' with Tek 9 on Reinforced's 'Above The Law' album and 'Hard Noize' with Tee-Bone on his 'Strictly Business' compilation. As you can see, all have been collaborations, but Randall now has all the equipment necessary and has been learning it all so he can do everything himself. However, Randall is in no rush, probably because of everyone's high expectations through his DJing, and is under no illusions about his position in the production game. 'I'm at the starting post of making music, and all I'm getting from people that I know that are well in it, doing albums and what not, is 'take your time'. If you love it enough, it will come. I might not make a tune that hits top ten, but if I make a tune that satisfies my heart, that will be enough. It's quality not quantity that counts to me but, at the end of the day, I just want to make good tunes and be out there representing.' Check the results for yourselves on his own record label, Mac II.

Kenny Ken - Awol - Paradise Club - 1993 - Part 1

Biography of Kenny Ken

Kenny Ken started DJing back in 1989,before that he was workin as a ticket collector and railman on the London Underground.He got into playing music by going to the early warehouse parties like,Genesis,Sunrise,Biology,Energy and so on.I used to go to all the so called incrowd parties where DJs like Grooverider,Fabio,Frankie Valentine,Tony Wilson,Paul Oakenfold,Bones and Carl Cox used to play.It was while going to these all night parties and then having to go straight to work that he decided to try being a DJ.I went out and bought myself a set of Technics and started to practice and was given a really good mixing lesson by Dean who was one half of Dem 2 who were big back then.

I started of by playin Acid House and Garage at small gigs for my mates Jimmy Evans and Steven Mills(thanks guys).I started playing regular on the radio on a pirate station called Centerforce which I left after about a year and moved to Dance FM along with DJs like Mr C and Rob Atkinson.One night I was at a Genesis rave and Lenny Dee hadnt turned up and the DJ who was playing had another gig to go to so I begged Wayne the promoter to let me go home and get my records,itll only take me five minutes.I came back with a converted milkcrate full of records and got behind the decks which is when my bottle went a bit cos now Im on the best party at that time, infront of a massive crowd of hardcore ravers.I played for about half hour and played well before Lenny turned up.That was when I decided to leave my job and start Djing full time.I had a really good relationship with the guys at Blackmarket records so it wasnt a problem getting all the latest tunes.I also used to go to Reading to a shop called Record Basement which was owned by Phil who now runs New Urban Music.I met Sue and Joe from Labrynth who gave me regular work and while I was playing for Labrynth I was also becoming a better DJ.I used to go to a Sunday morning rave at Crazy Larrys on the Kings Road in Chelsea which is where I met Carl and Dave who used to run the Crazy Club and I would pester them to let me play,so one day they said bring my records to Buzbys in the West End and if I play good theyd make me a resident which was beyond my wildest dreams cos now Im getting a chance to play in the premier league of DJs.

Anyway,when I turned up at Buzbys I met Jack Frost and Ray Keith who had also been told the same thing so now I had to play wicked and better than Ray and Frost.I was the last to go on and Ray and Frost had smashed up the place along with Grooverider so I went on and smashed it too.Carl and Dave decided that they would take the three of us as it was hard to decide who had played the best.Because of my residency at Crazy Club and the way I played my music which at that time was House,Techno and Garage I was asked if Id like to be on the books of Dynamix DJ Agency.Thats when I started to go abroad which was round about 92.My first ever gig abroad was at the BCM Club in Majorca with Bryan Gee.While all this was going on I was resident at the famous Roast parties which were wicked and thats where as far as Im concerened Jungle started to take hold.There was a lot of breakbeat tunes that some Djs would say started jungle that came out before the Roast Parties like Micky Finns Some Justice and loads of Rebel MC tunes but it was the Roast Parties that put Jungle firmly on the map.By this time which is late 92 early 93 Im playing all over the place,World Dance,Telepathy,Cryptonite,Rave@the Cave,Helter Skelter,Pirate Club,the list goes on.Then came AWOL which as far as Im concerened were the best parties and have never been matched by anyone up to this day.I played at AWOL week in week out only being absent when I had to go abroad.The AWOL era is a big part of my DJing career cos thats when I made my first tune which came out on Boogie Beat Records which never sold much but it was a start,then Everyman which came out on Rugged Vynil.I was also the first jungle DJ bring the music to Toronto Canada along with MCGQ.In 1994 I won the Jungle Soundclash.Yes Ive still got the belt.I never got a chance to defend it because the promoters didnt do another soundclash after that.Too much politics and bullshit going on behind the scene.During the AWOL era I done a couple of shows for Radio 1 called 1 in the Jungle with MCGQ.

AWOL finished at the legendary Paradise Club in early 96 then in 97 I started Mix and Blen recordings which was a brand new direction for me cos I never had a clue about this side of things,all I knew was how to play music.The first release on the Label was a tune called Coppershot by GSquad who are now known as Supply and Demand.Second release was Reminiscence by DJ Mace who I started Planet Funk Recordings with.I was then asked to join the team at Londons Kiss FM where I had my own show on rotation which I really enjoyed doing because I had a lot of listeners and I could play stuff from the labels and gain some experience on legal radio.I have played all around the world in places that I never ever thought I would reach and met so many good people and all this is down to Jungle/Drum and Bass.Today Im still, playin out nearly every week but Im concentrating a lot on my studio work because I know Ive got it in me to make good music.Ive been doing some work with my sidekick DJ Mace who is really talented in the studio and Ive also been workin on my own which is a little bit harder but really enjoyable.

http://www.myspace.com/djkennyken

MC GQ - Awol - Paradise Club - 1993 - Part 1

Biography of MC GQ

MC GQ Intro: Since its inception back in the early 90's drum&bass has developed at a drastic rate, yet certain themes and characteristics have remained - The charisma, presence and distinctive sound of MC GQ is one such characteristic… MC-ing at the top of the chain for more than 15 years has taken GQ to all the corners of the globe, seen him achieve chart success, and even given him the opportunity to establish his very own record label 'Emcee Recordings'.

Music has been a big part of GQ's life for as long as he can remember: whether he was listening to his Dad's records or tagging along with his brothers soul & funk system, GQ has always been surrounded by music and always keen to be part of it. At school GQ and friend Det (MC) would freestyle along to beats banged out on their desks: but it was watching his neighbour DJ Ron on the TNT system that influenced him to pick up the mic and it was with his good friend Spoony that he managed to find his own unique sound. These were the solid foundations on which his career was built.

GQ's involvement in music turned professional once good friend Julie Braithwaite introduced him to Acid House in the late 80's. Tunes like Joey Beltram's 'Acid Thunder' and 'Big Fun' got under his skin and over the next two years GQ began to organise a whole host of parties, whilst MC-ing and even DJ-ing at others: from Skitzophrenia at Ilford Palais to the legendary raves at Croland Road, then down to KiKi's in Margate, and back to Clapham Common. Weekends were a string of parties going thru from Friday till Sunday night, rolling with the likes of Frankie Valentine, Rat Pack, Grooverider, Mathew B, Richie Fingers, Frankie Bones, and Tony Trax to mention just a few.

It's important to note that GQ had been in the game for close to five years before jungle let alone drum&bass came about. AWOL was a seminal club in establishing jungle, and it was here that GQ secured a residency at the top of the MC world. Representing alongside DJs such as Mickey Finn, Darren Jay, Randall, Dr S Gachet, Kenny Ken, Fabio, Frost, Grooverider & Ron week in week out, and with the tapes being sold all over the place, the buzz started to build and pandemonium soon followed.

It wasn't long before bookings abroad started flooding in: The AWOL tapes established GQ's name in places he'd never been, and so he was one of the first MCs to work in places as far away as Australia and Toronto. Highlights included playing at the same event as Public Enemy in Toronto with over 5,000 people holding their lighters up; being flown to a rave on an island off the coast of Serbia and a helicopter ride to play to 2,000 people in a warehouse in Australia with Andy C.

GQ has always been a DJ's MC, seeing his role as a middle man between the DJ and the crowd rather than constantly demanding centre stage. His versatility is such that he has always been able to switch up to double time and tear down a rave, or keep the crowd bubbling to a liquid set. 'It's all about reading the crowd, and adapting your style.' This approach has meant that you are as likely to see GQ at One Nation alongside Hype as you are to see him with Goldie at a Metalheadz session. Consistency and adaptability have kept GQ at the top of the MC ranks for 15 years and has made him partner to pretty much all of the top flight DJs…

http://www.outlar.com/artist.php?id=645