Rhythm Masters

The boys are back in town…


The No. 1 remix and production maestros of the 90s are back!! Relaunching dis-funktional, a new single ’20 Year Cycle’, getting ready for their live shows, drinking beer in the south coast sunshine again…the boys are back in town. Dan Prince pops down to Brighton and throws open the curtains for a few minutes in the company of two of house music’s all time greats…


Steve a huge welcome back to DMCWORLD…where on the planet can we find you today?

Hi Dan, thanks for having me back . Right at this moment I’m in my studio in Brighton with Rob working on new Rhythm Masters material. Really difficult today as the sun is shining, not a day to be locked in a dark basement. Rob says hi by the way.

Well greetings to you both. The world of house music is a happier place with you two back together! So, the first piece of music you heard this morning after springing out of bed?

Was an early start for me today 7.30 in the studio. First thing I heard was a heavy drum beat that I made yesterday for the new RM single. Rob has the system on full blast throwing some heavy bass sounds over it as we speak. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. 

Well what a few weeks for you, an amazing response from the world of music due to the news that after a decade away, one of the biggest house music partnerships are back together making the grooves – I guess this is all about unfinished business?

Yeah been a crazy few weeks. We have been talking about doing it for years but now felt like the right time to do it. In fact we have been in the studio doing sessions for the last 18 months coming up with ideas and music. Was definitely unfinished business, you’re so right. 

The Rhythm Masters story is a unique one. Let’s kick back first to that holiday when you first met in Malta, you managed to secure a job at a large nightclub there, Rob was a local lad who loved his jazz and played a mean keyboard. Is the story true that he had a W30 and didn’t know it had a sampler in the machine??!?

Yep the story is true. I landed a job in a nightclub called Axis, I was 17 years old and playing techno. Early RNS Lenny D, Beltram etc. and I became friends with Rob. We started messing around together making techno and early rave stuff using breaks samples. Rob was a proper jazz head and I was a breaks/rare groove record collector guy. Yeah we did everything on a Roland W30. Great thing about that machine was the shit quality of the sampler that made it so good. Liam from The Prodigy still uses it I think. 

You set up home together in Brighton and in your own words…’were that obsessed in making music we never really grew up, never became adults. We were a couple of knobheads really.’ Can you elaborate on this quote?

We started very young in the game and were very hungry. All we did was work round the clock, we did not have much of a life outside the studio. I suppose that’s how we got to where we were. ‘Knobheads’ hahaha – yeah a little maybe as we had no life outside music, it’s crazy when all you do is eat shit sleep talk music. It’s like you’re talking in constant interview mode haha like now…

“I have been writing some of the best music I’ve written in 15 years” you readily admitted this month. What are the plans for the future release wise after ’20 Year Cycle’ for Rhythm Masters and Dis-funktional Recordings?

Personally I’m in a really good place right now. I built the studio I always wanted and the ideas are just flowing. We are working on new RM material, got lots in the pipeline. Plus working on material for my Black Rock imprint which is growing nicely. Just finished an acid house album which will come later on the Black R OK imprint, was quite fun just using all the old machines such as the 303 808 909 606 and 101 – t’was a Roland fest!

Have you both just slotted back in the groove together? Is it just like the old days?

Not much has changed. We are back doing what we both love, just making music. We both agree that it’s great doing something that you adore like this. We did some great stuff back in the day, it was all very innocent and I thing that’s what made it so special.”

When Rhythm Masters stopped and you both went into different areas of music making, what was the friendship like? Did you keep in touch?

We didn’t for a couple of years as we lived in each other’s pockets for 10 years, so we needed the break…then after we did . We used to hang out, go drinking etc. – then we did do a few things together a few years back but it was more producing bands . Was just a bit of fun and a massive learning curve. 

So tell us about the moment or lead up to when you both decided to get back in the Rhythm Masters hot seats…who first pushed this forward as an idea?

We had been talking about it for ages and I think it was the point that we realised that it was about to be the 20th anniversary since we put our first track out. So we were like ‘come on, let’s stop talking and do this – and here we are today talking to you. Nuts innit? 

What are the 5 big tunes in your box this weekend?

Rhythm Masters 20 Year Cycle (of course) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQpW8QW8W8A

Mat Playford ISON Paul Woolford Remix (this is gonna be so big amazing remix) 

Steve Mill Roller Track (dancefloor killer) 

Steve Mac Me N My Houses (new thing from me that has an 80s house vibe to it) 

Todd Terry Bounce To The Beat – Rhythm Masters 2015 Mix (yep, it’s a monster)

How did this year’s Brighton Music Conference go for you a few weeks back, is it getting the support it needs from the industry?

Yeah it went well. I did a panel with Robert Owens, Freemasons etc. on vocal production which was quite interesting. Funnily, I spent a lot of time with DMC legend Chad Jackson talking about old records over a few beers of course. Met up with lots of friends and went to a few parties and with the Wildlife Festival on the same weekend, the city was really buzzing. 

Who are some of the producers new and old, that you are digging this summer?

Waifs ‘n Stray, Josh Butler and Bontan. These guys are great from the new breed . The old skool Carl Craig, DJ Koze, Green Velvet, Ron Trent Mr G, Kerri Chandler – Dan, I could go on forever. There are so many great artists in house and techno that I love and still making amazing music. 

You remixed and co-produced literally hundreds of international best selling singles from artists including Michael Jackson, INXS, Todd Terry and David Morales. There must be one that you still chuckle at because it was so damned good?

Has to be Todd Terry’s Jumping Rhythm Masters Rhythm Masters, I still get this piss taken out of me for that one till this day. Ha. Did the job though. 

The last time you had a proper argument with someone over music?

Ha, every day with myself. Seriously though? I can’t remember. I’m all about peace and have no time for arguing. Life is too short. 

Are there any plans to take Rhythm Masters back on the road?

Yes we are going back on the road DJing and more importantly, putting a live set together. To start with it’s aimed more at the clubs with a small set up – drum machines, synths, 303 boxes…It’s all work in progress. We have some great ideas for our sets. Then we will grow it naturally. Can’t wait to get it out there…

And finally – what has been the response from the industry – did you expect such love and devotion so quickly?

We are both overwhelmed with the support we received. We did not expect anything. I thought everyone would of forgotten about us but maybe we did have more of an impact back in the day than we thought we did. We are both grateful for the support from everyone. Also thank you Dan and DMC for always being supportive of what we do. Big ups. Always…

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https://twitter.com/RhythmMastershttps://soundcloud.com/dis-funktional-recordings

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