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 ++ for immediate release Monday March 15th 1999 Grind in association with Subtronix presents: Grooverider (Prototype/Higher Ground)
Bass Frontiers Special Edition 01 Ask anyone in drum'n'bass what first inspired them to make music and Grooverider's name is sure to crop up. A handful of DJ[base ']s and producers can rightfully take credit for their significant contributions to electronic music: Marshall Jefferson and Frankie Knuckles pioneered early house; the origins of techno can be traced to the musical experiments of Detroit teenagers Derrick may, Kevin Saunderson and Juan Atkins. On the drum and bass tip, one mans artistic evolution mirrors that of the genre itself. Before Goldie and Bukem, there was Grooverider. For over a decade now, the 'Rider' has been shaping both the present and the future of Englands first original dance music export. Grooverider has earned his name - The Godfather. Not only has he notched up an incredible twelve years behind the decks, DJing everywhere from dingy illegal warehouse parties to huge outdoor festivals, but his legendary radio shows with longtime companion Fabio (first for Kiss FM and now Radio One FM) helped spread the gospel of drum'n'bass further and further afield. As resident at seminal London night Rage throughout its four year stint at Heaven, he personally oversaw dance music's evolution from acid house to techno and finally drum'n'bass. These days he organises Goldie's Metalheadz club nights usually topping bills that invariably read like a who's who of drum'n'bass. 'Everybody wants to play for us,' he announces proudly, 'we do good parties then people want to play at them.' All a far cry from the days in the mid '80s when Groove first ventured behind a pair of Technics at Brixton pirate radio station Phase One, 'I couldn't mix or nothing when I started at the station, but it didn't matter, because its not about how well you mix, it's about what music you play. A lot of people have forgotten that over the years.' Forget the semantics -- darkstep, techstep, jump up -- Grooverider blends them all selecting only the top notch rinse-out material for his next level sets. An all-encompassing attitude that's served him well on his journey from unknown pirate spinner to one of the biggest and most respected names in dance music today. The establishment of his own Prototype label back in 1993 first brought Groove's futuristic visions to vinyl and the majors chase to sign him first began. Three years later he signed to Sony's Higher Ground imprint, bringing the 'Prototype Years' compilation shortly afterwards and now, over a year later, the rider's long awaited solo longplayer 'Mysteries of Funk' makes general release. 'I was frightened when I started out,' he admits, ' its a frightening thing to do. I'd never done a tune under my own name before. I'd always used aliases. When I started my label Prototype I made all the tunes myself because I had a few bits of gear and I was just practising, testing thingsout, just fucking about basically.' Although initially suspicious when approached by the major - 'I thought, do they want me to start making pop music or something ?' - 'Rider now applauds Higher Ground for giving him the time and freedom to experiment and push his music beyond the strict confines of the dancefloor. 'Because it's two years since I signed with Sony. But they've not put me under any pressure at all and now - finally - I've produced an album for them.' After ten years involvement from inception to the present day, Grooverider explains what keeps him enthusiastic: 'If someone makes a tune I like I want to make a tune that's better - if someone plays a tune I like I want to play a tune that's better than that. It isn't a competitive thing for me, I just get my vibes from the music and when I hear a good tune it inspires me to go out and make good music.' Grind is proud to be associated with Subtronix without whom this tour would never have been possible. A relationship we hope will continue through to the new millenium providing the Wellington massive with the finest DJ[base ']s working in the world Drum and Bass scene today. The Studio 9 environment will be fully tweaked for the occasion, expect custom GrindTV visuals and venue transformations. Bass Frontiers Special Edition 01 Thursday April 8th 1999 @ Studio 9 11pm
Featuring >> limited presales $25 from Flipside and Paris Texas
Updates and data via Grooverider data via http://www.grooverider.com
Subtronix present the Grooverider New Zealand Tour 1999 BASS FRONTIERS: Special Edition 01 >> Grooverider 08 April 1999 @ Studio 9
Darryl Mcgown ++ |