Have you always been passionate about creating music?
"Oh yeah, definitely. I started off when I was about 8 years-old on this old 'music centre' that belonged to my mum - you know, the all-in-one tape deck, record player and radio kind of thing. It was really quite handy for what I wanted to create - my own mix tapes, which I did by recording vinyl and tape samples back onto tape. I started to experiment further, literally cutting up and re-sticking the bits of tape back together to get different outcomes. Then for many years I did nothing production-wise as Hip-Hop was starting to break through and I found myself wanting to be an MC instead.
I tried my hardest to learn all the lyrics to all my favourite artists such as KRS-One, Eric-B, Rakim, Public Enemy, Ice-T and also RUN DMC who were the main reason why Hip-Hop interested me so much. This led me in to entering school talent shows where I performed some of their tracks to an auditorium full of kids that seemed to really lap it up. Unfortunately though the teachers were the main judges and this kind of music wasn't seen to be 'the norm', so we never finished higher than third."
So how did you learn more about DJing?
"As DJing is the original form of Hip-Hop, it was only natural for me to sooner or later pick up the headphones and start pulling off mixes. After many years of playing in and around Leicester in bars, clubs and private parties, and increasingly becoming desperate to know how to actually professionally produce my own material, my ex-girlfriend stumbled across the Access to Music prospectus. It offered me the chance to not only gain a recognised qualification, but more importantly, to learn the trade that had eluded me for so long. This was a major turning point in my life and one I'd waited for for so long."
What skills did the course give you?
"The course (Creative Music Producer - CMP) offers a full spectrum of skill- learning, activity-based modules that are all guided by industry-experienced tutors from various musical backgrounds. These include recording skills, DJ skills, keyboard skills, and the music business (which is something any artist should have at least a basic understanding of).
In my opinion, the most challenging, interesting and exciting aspect of the course was the programming (in which you create and compose your own material using the latest music production software).
Of course there's a lot to learn and take in - lots of new terms and meanings such as practices, buttons, switches, sounds, functions, effects and so on. It can easily become pretty daunting, but you are helped and encouraged by the tutors, and the rest of the students all help each other. I found it really easy to settle there and, if you get stuck in and try to learn as much as you can, then the experience and your skills greatly improve. The buzz you feel when you create something that pleases you and others quickly becomes so addictive and it's one I hope to feel for the rest of my life."
How did the tour of India come about?
"My DJ partner Uri (a.k.a. Mr Manali) is Indian and has played out there on numerous occasions since the '90s. When the organisers and promoters in India found out that we had played alongside the likes of Pete Tong and LTJ Bukem, they were keen for us to showcase what we are about as a duo. We ended up organising a tour that took in gigs in Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad and Ahmadabad. We displayed our own style of performing where we mix together various genres of electronic music such as Dubstep, Breakbeat, Minimal Tech and Drum 'n' Bass, and introduce live scratching and other turntablist trickery plus live vocals by myself into our sets.
It went really, really well. The places we went to and the people we met were amazing and it was so encouraging how they took to our style. We've now made contacts for future gigs in France, Sweden, Germany, Holland, Dubai and even America."
Tell us about 'Start from Scratch'.
"This has been running for three years and we basically offer group and private tuition to kids, adults, anyone who is looking for the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge of DJing, music production, MCing and songwriting tips - all the things needed for that person to then go and create their own music. I think it's such a cool thing to be able to offer kids the experiences that Uri and I have had, as it would have been so helpful to me when I was younger."
Do you have any tips for someone keen to create their own music?
"Make sure you have your own style, be original. Copycats don't last that long. Carve yourself out a niche that's true to you and work on that. Also, don't forget or disregard the finer details in your production. These are what make your music stand out.
But I think more importantly, for me anyway, you just have to just keep enjoying making the music you want to and, if that is the case, then the chances for success will come."
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