Noyeahno - Electro, UK Garage, Grime - DJ Sets

It all started at the Asylum in Woolwich (South London), a small forgotten acid house party held in 88 with the likes of Darren Jay and Mickey Finn on the decks. The music flowing from this dark dingy venue was mind blowing, I just couldn`t comprehend how the DJ`s managed to blend in a tune and then let it disappear again……..this was my introduction to mixing! As with any vinyl junkie, I needed to find out what these tracks were, so at 16 I began to enter the world of record shops, delving... Read more It all started at the Asylum in Woolwich (South London), a small forgotten acid house party held in 88 with the likes of Darren Jay and Mickey Finn on the decks. The music flowing from this dark dingy venue was mind blowing, I just couldn`t comprehend how the DJ`s managed to blend in a tune and then let it disappear again……..this was my introduction to mixing! As with any vinyl junkie, I needed to find out what these tracks were, so at 16 I began to enter the world of record shops, delving into the likes of Groove records (now a sex shop I`m afraid….oh how sad!) and Red records in Beak Street, Soho.

After many warehouse parties later, I landed a set on the now infamous Fantasy FM (Nov 89), playing alongside such legends as DJ Hype, Rhythm Doctor, DJ Krome and DJ Rap. As the youngest & least skilled on the station it was time for me to get educated and buy a pair of decks. After a good few months of learning in the darkness of my bedroom, I landed sets at places like the Astoria, Michael Sobell Centre, The Dome (Tuffnell Park), Red Lion Gravesend, up in Scotland, Blackpool, Birmingham and Club Kinetic in Stoke. The Rave scene was in full effect and as well as Djing I was also raving hard, at Land of Oz, Rage, Labyrinth, Raindance, AWOL, feeling privileged to be part of this new and exiting dance music explosion.

The scene then took on a new direction, Breakbeat, and the early form of Jungle took hold, which I loved but the vocals were speeding up so fast it was becoming ridiculous. I then looked further afield and found Techno with the like of Jeff Mills ripping it up, reminding me of fond memories of the dark side of acid house. I again started playing on a pirate, this time, Chillin FM, with a weekly Saturday show along side the Controlled Weirdness and from this I played at parties like Analogue City, Gardening Club, Dead by Dawn VFM and partying at the likes of Lost and various London squat venues. At the same time I took a strong interest in Drum and Bass and I could be found many a Sunday at the Metalheadz sessions at Blue Note which will always hold special memories for me.

By 98 I was needing a change again, techno`s locked groove wasn`t doing it for me anymore and along with the Warlock in May 99 fled the country for 2 years to travel the world without any London influence or scene. This is where Rag & Bone Records was born, in (of all places) a bar in Alice Springs. There a decision was made to set up a label that incorporated all the sounds that we had gone through and the ones we hoped were to come.

Our return in March 2001 was a shock, London now held a healthy electro scene, an interesting break scene and out of the ashes of the UK garage, there was 2 step! Alongside the birth of the label, the vinyl addiction took hold again to find all those tunes that we had missed while away. With the warlock, we set the Rag & Bone parties up, which have been held at various venues since our return (and are still going strong) as well as djing at parties with the Deadsilence crew, Rebel Bass, Phat Bitch, Rude Nation and others. Again radio is always a passion with shows on the pirate Rude Awakening and the internet station Breaks FM.

As with any history, it makes a mark on your style so at this point in 2004, I am playing a hybrid of breaks, 2-step, electro and techno, just bass driven music really, and at any time dropping one of the many styles that passed through my record bag over the last 16 years. Show less