‘If you’re looking for trouble, you came to the right place’
Chad, I can never walk into The Royal Albert Hall ever without amazing memories of your night of triumph back in 1987. Before we go there though, what is your earliest memory of a World DMC Mixing Final?
“Watching the 1985 Final and thinking one day this will be mine! I then ran to the toilet to be sick from nerves at meeting some undoubted legendary figures at the event.”
Tell us what you think was the major factor that won you, your DMC title?
“Damn fine entertainment.”
Can you tell our new breed of DMC fans, your famous trick that never happened…
“I had prepared two sets for that night in case of any mishaps/records getting broken etc. This came to fruition at the end of the set. In the early days, Turntablism was very visual, it popularised the DJ performance to people who had never experienced such an alien art-form before. At the end of my set, I was going to levitate the last record I played over the crowd at The Royal Albert Hall. I had set up the illusion with a magician friend of mine, and to protect the secrecy of members of the magic circle, I am not allowed to divulge the details. Suffice to say, we had rigged up thin supporting lines enabling me to throw the last record into the crowd like a frisbee and the record would ‘fly’ across the Royal Albert Hall. Towards the end of my set, my magician friend crept over to me whilst I was performing and informed me that someone had sabotaged the illusion by burning the wires! As I was only a couple of records to the end of my set I had to freestyle the ending. This involved my back-up plan of scratching with, and then throwing an American football at the end of the performance. A shame it is in slow-motion on the DMC videos as I managed to throw it perfectly in time with the final chord of the last tune. After watching the performance on video after the event, I also noticed a photographer walking in front of the decks and tripping over some leads – jumping the needle off the record I was currently playing (a Beastie Boys track) and losing me my place on the record. It forced me to frantically try to find the correct spot on the vinyl where I could do some death-defying scratch pattern. At the time I thought it was my own heavy-handedness that had jumped the record. It wasn’t!”
What are the five most important five records that you ever used as a Turntablist…
“Beside / Fab Five Freddy – ‘Change The Beat’ (Celluloid)
A nice deep US import cut, a 33 rpm original pressing from 1982. The original sound that launched a thousand cuts/chirps etc.
Beatnik ‘Tour De Brakes’ (Reverb)
When breaks and beats albums were in their infancy, I produced this one in 1991. It has consistently been one of the most useful records in my box since it’s creation – as the loops and samples were specifically selected to be playable at 33 and 45 rpm. A great help in those years when the tempo of dance music started to rise consistently.
LL Cool J – ‘Rock The Bells’ (Def Jam)
In 1985, following on from the Beastie Boys rock influenced releases, this one showed us all what a useful sound a distorted rock guitar chord was for scratching and transforming. Respect is due to Jazzy Jeff who inspired me with his superb original use of this cut.
Rock The House – US Bootleg (TD Records)
Great re-edit released in 1986 of James Brown ‘Give it Up or Turn It Loose’ from 1970 and Magic Disco Machine ‘Scratchin’ from 1975 – which is an old Northern Soul b-side that I used to dance to in my Northern Soul days. The past always feeds the present and the present always feeds the future – great for hyping up the crowd.
Herbie Hancock – Rockit’ (Columbia)
Being a jazz aficionado for many years, I was not surprised that Herbie pulled this one out of the bag in 1983. Another large-grooved 33 rpm US cut, with a great intro – that still sounds current. The useful sounds at the intro left a lot of room on the vinyl for the all important hand-gymnastics. God I love Electro Funk!”
What track that when you heard up on stage spun by a rival, did you always think, ‘oh god not that tune again’
“I have never viewed my fellow Jedi as rivals, only as colleagues and mentors. I love watching the DJ artform more than I enjoy doing it (in those intensely stressful battle-type situations). I will say, though, it is like a drug – once hooked always an addict. I have thought ‘not that tune again’ to many of my own performances, though.”
What has been your best ever display on the wheels of steel?
“You cannot really beat The Royal Albert Hall, for sheer adrenalin. It was a very substandard performance of a set I had been preparing for the past year, but you are seldom as good as you are in your bedroom – without the pressure of performing live and representing your country. Man, that was a big deal to me.”
What goes through your mind as you are waiting to step up on the biggest stage of your life, moments before you hit the stage?
“Shit – did I button my flies?”
Who in your opinion, has been the best ever DMC Champ we have ever had?
“They are all equally inspiring to a junkie like myself. People who have never lived the life will never realise the time, dedication, skill and knowledge it takes to even be considered as a contender in the competitive DJ / Turntablist field. That is why I salute each and everyone who starts with the thought ‘I am going to enter that!’. Bring on the nerves!”
Best Hip Hop record ever made?
“I think Public Enemy’s ‘Rebel Without A Pause’ takes some beating. The absolute discordance was a revelation. Meeting and working with them was an experience that could only have been bettered had I met John Coltrane.”
Which one Turntablist over the years has performed the ‘one piece’ of magic in his set that you simply had to look away in absolute disbelief?
“DJ Pogo. I remember back in the early days I was in his bedroom with Cutmaster Swift and DJ Biznizz. He mixed up a quick 10 minute set that blew my mind with it’s dexterity. It always amazed me that he never quite secured the title.”
How many weeks/months before the big night do you start planning your set?
“The whole of the previous year was spent preparing.”
How many records do you own?
I gave up counting a while ago – but I would definitely include all the CDs (and now various file formats) of songs that I own, as I have wholly embraced digital DJ formats and computing. As a result of my DJ and academic studies, it is one of the largest private collections of recorded music in the world. It takes up my studio, garage, and two extra rooms in the house!”
What did your parents think back in the day of your chosen career profession as a DJ?
“Get a proper job – which was very good advice as there have been some very dark times indeed. But luckily, as a result of my rebellion, I have now come out the other side with a highly respected DJ / Musician / Producer / Remixer / Songwriter / Music Lecturing career. I think this has calmed my parents down a bit.”
The DMC World Mixing Finals are 25 years young/old this year – how do you think the art of this craft has changed over the years?
“It is a constant mirror of human invention. Whenever you think, as we did back in the day, that it has reached it’s apex of creativity – you are viciously bitten on the arse, as some new technique totally blows your synapses. It truly deserves the term – ‘artform’.”
How did winning the DMC title change your life?
“Visiting countries that I would never have had the opportunity to visit and being honoured to play alongside some truly legendary people.”
What country/city that you have visited after winning the DMC title has really blown your mind?
“Japan. Bonkers.”
Is there a Turntablist out there over the years that you would fancy having a Battle against?
“Are you kidding – a man of my age?”
Can you breakdance?
“Badly. I recently fractured my ankle headspinning at a friend’s party when someone stupidly got some lino out. It was comical.”
Greatest ever Hip Hop DJ?
“Cash Money or Jazzy Jeff”.
And finally, please give DMC a message of love for pioneering this amazing artform we have all created…
“Love Life – Live Love”
