You are arguably one of the most important drum n’ bass DJ and producer’s the world has ever seen… obviously listening to hip hop, funk, soul as a teenager… who were your influences that drew you into the music industry?
“My house was filled with music, my mother loved all the Motown stuff, especially people like Dionne Warwick. My brother got me into the music really, James Brown, early Electro stuff, George Benson, Herbie Hancock – The Specials were really important to me. Then there was The Eurythmics, Bad Manners, The Beat. The whole breakdancing thing took control, we lived it, breathed it, danced to it…”
Why did you choose the name Krust?
“Ha, it was an unfortunate nickname from school, never have been able to get rid of it.”
Bristol. I have put on parties in your cities since early Thekla days and have never found a city so strange, they don’t like outsiders coming in and trying to run the show – true?
“Oh I don’t know, surely it’s the same with any city, people coming in and trying to take people’s business away? It may be down to pride?”
What is the best drum n’ bass / jungle record ever made?
“Wow, I know you get this all the time with your interviews, but you can’t just pick one as everyone has a different choice and taste. For me, it was the era when Jungle had been around two years and suddenly went to the next stage, early 90s when Goldie and everyone kicked in…”
What other drum n’ bass DJs will get props from you?
“You know, I keep myself to myself and concentrate on what I do. So, at the moment I am heads down on new ways of making music, creativity is what it’s all about. I am seeing a return to the creation on Analogue sound, defining the sound even. We have done the sampler thing, computers took away our individuality, I think it’s now time to stamp our own musical take on things…”
You have hooked up work wise with some of the big players on the scene over the years, Glastonbury in 1990 meeting Roni Size, then DJ Die, Suv, all the Full Cycle stuff, Jumping Jack Frost.. .what has been the best record you’ve ever made?
“I would like to think ‘Soul In Motion’ and ‘Warhead’ – tunes where I pushed the envelope to the next level…”
Tell us about the art installation work you are involved with at the moment…
“Well myself and my bro G7 who has been such an influence to me over the years designing sleeve notes have set up a new company called Rue. We are looking all the time for creative people who would like to get involved with us in anything from cartoons, clothes, visuals, music – anything experimental and forward thinking. We are doing five parties next year in places like China, America and around Europe, it’s getting times…”
Winning The Mercury Prize with ‘New Forms’…what was that like?
“A great achievement for an individual crew, it took drum n’ bass to another label…”
Beastie Boys or Public Enemy?
“Public Enemy every time”
Why has drum n’ bass kept it’s cool cutting edge for so long whilst house ebbs and flows in being great and then tacky?
“Jungle is about beats… its like a competition between us all. We have to pull it out the bag every time. Our music is dirty, grimy sounds which somehow keeps it one area. It has a high rate of turnover, you really don’t get a chance to perfect one particular style for too long. We are now going back to Jungle, Drum n’ Bass served it’s purpose in the late 90s, Drum n’ Bass simplified the whole sound, it’s now getting back to the beats…”
So, your new band, The Rules…?
“Yeah, we’ve been working on it for two years, it’s like a Jungle/Punk band…very political. The album will be out in January and the band has some superb members, people like the drummer Yuhall, Liam Duggan on keyboards and new cat on the vocals Nick Toots.”
Check out the dude Krust on www.kodedk.com
