Well hello Richard, last time we met and partied together was in
Miami…less said about the better, my Liver is still kicking me all over
the shop. So you are back into the world of production after five years,
which we will talk about later. But before all that, well you are one of the
true kings of dance music from way back. I can’t believe though you chose
the name Mr C because you were a Chelsea supporter – fancy your chances in the league this year? My team Everton gave you a scare recently at the
Bridge?
I don’t know who’s interviewing me so I’ll take your word for it that we
partied together in Miami. If was on Saturday just gone then your kidneys
should still be hurting. lol I hadn’t left the world of production these 5
years as I’ve been doing the Sycophant Slag’s stuff with my good pal
Adultnapper. But it is nice to return after that time with a solo effort.
Many people think I chose Mr.C because of Cocaine or something equally
stupid but I’ve loved Chelsea since I was a kid & used the name Chelsea boy
on the CB radio. Must of pissed off many a Gooner where I’m from. So as I
was a rapper at 16 (& thinking I was coming of age) I went from a Chelsea boy to a Mr.C. I have a few stories as to why Mr.C but we’ll stick with the
truthful one today. Chelsea are going to win the league this year for sure!
Yes, even though you lot managed a 3-3 draw with us at the Bridge & turned
us over 2-1 at Goodison Park … … So i’ll be humbled & keep my mouth
shut as I only sing when we’re winning.
A Londoner through and through, a sixties born kid who at the age of 16
starting MCing in clubs, you gained quite a reputation as a fast-talking
rapper and soon started working with the likes of Jazzy M, Jasper The Vinyl
Junkie, Colin Faver (on a then illegal Kiss FM) and Evil Eddie Richards.
Two questions… 1. What style of music and artists were you listening to as
a teenager that got you into interested in raveworld…
I’ve always been into dancing so I pretty much exclusively listen to all genres of black music. I love funk, soul, reggae, jazz, ska, disco & electro, so the
natural evolution would of course be house, techno & quality electronic
music..
2. What were the most influential clubs for you back then when you first
picked up the mic?
I loved MCing at RAW at the YMCA in Tottenham Court road
with Dave Dorrel & The Boiler house Crew. Camie’s in Hackney with the LWR
radio Soul Syndicate was always special as was The Cricketers in Chertsey
with Jasper the Vinyl Junkie. There have been many fun raves when I’ve
MC’d & still do from time to time which can always be fun but the most
influential was MCing from Colin Faver & Eddie Richards at the Camden
Palace in ’86 & ’87.
Best DJ set you have ever witnessed?
Danny Tenaglia all night long at Groove Jet in Miami at WMC many years ago! Mind-blowing & so much debauchery. So mashed I can’t remember what year! I’d also have to put Eddie Richards in there again at RIP at Clink Street in 1988.
Who is your favourite DJ to spin alongside?
I don’t really have a favourite but I play back to back with Adultnapper as the Slags & sometimes with my pal Tim Sheridan. I like to play with all the good, fun DJ’s though, they all have something to give.
So, a move to Los Angeles from the big smoke to try your hand in acting
after studying Spiritual Psychology in The Art of Acting’ – what’s the story
here…?
I’ve lived in London all my life & I can’t do much here that I haven’t already done so after this it gets repetitive. It’s nice to go to the States for a new challenge, in my DJing & putting on events as well as acting. I’ve studied the “Spiritual Psychology of Acting” weekly for 6 years, right up until October just gone & have had some much fun & been so well rewarded from the experience of learning. I’m now excited about putting that into practice & enjoying the art.
Favourite ever Ibiza moment?
The after hours about 10 years ago, in the Dark Star (star of death) in San Antonio when the leader of the Rebel Alliance, Chewbacker, demonstrated his awesome power of control over both natives & tourists alike. You had to be there!
So new releases from Mr C and The Sycophant Slags on Wagon Repair and Poker Flat respectively – what can we expect in the New Year then?
Well the Mr.C Lunar EP on Wagon Repair went out 3 weeks ago on vinyl, the Sycophant Slags Keep Off 1 week after that, then last week the Keep Off track went digital & the Lunar EP got released digitally this Monday gone. I’m very excited about both releases & we’ve done a video for the Sycophant Slags, a piss take in true Slags style. So much fun doing the video with all our New York mates, especially when we’re all tearing the ass out of it!
Big ten tunes you are into at the moment?
1. Keep Off – Sycophant Slags – Poker Flat
2. Lunar EP – Mr.C – Wagon Repair
3. Purple Sweatpants – Mikael Stavöstrand – Lick My Deck
4. Evidence – Reade Truth – RWL
5. Hurt (Martinez Remix) – Seth Troxler & Matthew Dear – Spectral Sound
6. Freedom – Alex Agore – Royal Oak
7. Chicago (Live Version) – Henrik Schwarz / Áme / Dixon – Innervisions
8. Look who’s stalking – Steve Bug – Cocoon
9. B-Groove – Jay Lumen – Bitten
10. Wild Geese – Touch – Flashback
Craziest ever promoter you have played for?
Dave Beer is the 1st to spring to mind!
You have played all around the world smashing up countries like the US,
Canada, Mexico, China, Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Lithuania, France, Croatia, Greece, Latvia, Russia – to name but a few – what have the messiest, memorable, mind blowing clubs and countries you have experienced?
I see that’s in the plural. Superfreq in Montañita, Ecuador was pretty
amazing on Saturday, in fact almost as amazing as it was in December, I so
love spinning there. In fact, Latin America is so off the chain. My favorite messy times have been, in no particular order are: Superfreq E’special, Paramount, London, UK Superfreq, Montañita, Ecuador La Santanera, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico HardPop, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Garage (all 3 venues in Brazil) Pacha, Buenas Aires, Argentina Circoloco, DC10, Ibiza Anywhere in Bari, Italy Back to Basics, Leeds, UK Sunday School For Degenerates, WMC, Miami, USA BlkMarket Ltd, Brooklyn, USA Solyanka, Moscow, Russia
We’ll stop there as I could quite literally go on forever.
So you joined The Shamen – a groundbreaking, massive dance band in the
early 90s. Obvious question, but I’m going to ask it – Will Sinnott drowned
whilst swimming off the coast of Tenerife on a video shoot for ‘Move Any
Mountain’ – Colin Angus later said that after he came to terms with the
death when he realised that there was ‘positivity’ that had come out of the
situation, that’s what The Shamen was all about. Positivity. Thoughts on the
whole experience?
My thoughts on the whole experience where actually very negative. We lost a
friend & an amazing man. Some to be looked up to, admired & respected.
Let’s drop that 1 right there!
Other than your role in The Shamen, over the years you have been the founder and owner of Plink Plonk Records, co-founder cofounder of End Recordings & cofounder & owner of Superfreq Records. Mr.C has recorded under the names, Myster-E, Nu Jacks, Bass Bureau, The Shamen, Mantrac, Somnambulist, Animus Amour, Killer Loop, Mr.C & Tom Parris & Mr.C & 16B. What one piece of music are you most proud of?
Good question. Usually the latest record I’ve done but for the sake of this
interview I’ll say the “Don’t Run Unless God Say” LP by Animus Amour.
Best producer ever in the world?
That’s easy, Carl Craig
The one album you would never sell?
Padlock by Gwen Guthrie
What was the story behind Plavka Lonich leaving The Shamen in ’91?
I didn’t know there was a story behind it although if I remember rightly she may
have thought that The Shamen was over without Will , which is totally fair
enough.
Who was the brains behind e-tune anthem ‘Ebeneezer Good’?
Colin came up with the general concept & idea, I wrote the verses which Colin then edited & improved but brains? Are you kidding me? hehehehe. 😉
Did you think you were going to get in the shit and not hit national radio
with the record?
I knew the day we finished the record that it was going to be number 1 in the pop charts. I also knew we were going to get shit for it but our story was airtight so we didn’t care.
The finest live gig you have ever performed, that you still get goose bumps
thinking about?
The 1st time we headlined the NME stage on Saturday night in 1993 with the Shamen at Glastonbury will live with me forever. 100,000 people & 1 telepathic community. Awe-inspiring.
So back to Mr West. You opened, in my humble opinion, alongside Fabric, The Hacianda and Zouk, Singapore – one of THE four most important nightclubs in the world. Tell us how a cockney kid managed to swoop in and develop a club that every dance music love on the planet, fell in love with due to your amazing selection of DJs and live acts. And simply, class. You must
have had an amazing team around you, what was your vision from day one –
what were your own personal favourite weekly nights, best DJs you had on,
songs you think The End broke, tell us about how it all ended – and finally
– what do you think The End brought to the world of club culture?
I managed to pull it off in the same way I manage everything in my life, a
combination of absolute optimism, self-belief & balls that’s been based on
knowing. I had a dream & it was achieved. Of course we did have an amazing
team around us that ran the place with a great business sense led by Zoe
Paskin. It was like a family in the End office & everyone played their part
for which I thank them all dearly.
What’s next from Mr C?
A new life now that I’ve moved to Los Angeles. I’ll continue playing records, even when I’ve killed it in Hollywood as spinning will always be a passion. I’ll do another Mr.C EP this year for Wagon Repair & Adultnapper & I will make our debut Sycophant Slags long player. Children (if I’m not a jaffa) & a vastly improved quality of life.
