On 5 March, Grooverider will perform in Russia for the first time, at The World of Drum & Bass. For a long time now, he has been the number-one figure on the global drum and bass scene. Ask any well-known musician who inspired them to start making music, and Grooverider's name will inevitably come up. He is one of the people who laid the foundations of the genre both in the United Kingdom and around the world. And the legendary radio shows hosted by Grooverider with his longtime partner Fabio (originally on Kiss FM, and at the time of writing on BBC Radio 1) have had a direct influence on the development of drum and bass music for many years. Incidentally, Grooverider was also one of the first DJs to champion Goldie.
Grooverider, also known as the “godfather of drum and bass,” has been honing his DJ skills since the age of 18, performing both at semi-legal parties and at major international open-air events. As a resident of the legendary Rage night, he played for four years at Heaven (one of the best-known clubs in London), and was able to observe firsthand the entire evolution of musical styles from acid house to techno and finally DnB. “Everyone who is prominent in the world now played there at some point,” he recalls. “It was a kind of school for a huge number of people. For several years I went there and watched great DJs such as Paul Oakenfold and always dreamed of being in their place.”
His debut album Mysteries of Funk was released in 1998 on Higher Ground, a label owned by Sony. He also runs his own label, Prototype Recordings, which he launched in the early 1990s.
“Naturally, as I was becoming a musician, I was subject to the musical influences of the time and went through jazz, hip-hop, and techno. Even punk rock influenced me to some extent as well...”
But Grooverider still did not give up his work as a DJ and has a very busy performance schedule. He has long been recognized as a master of remixes. “I have my own queue of tracks that I would like to remix. I love remixing music from different styles and directions. As long as there is at least one track in that queue, I won’t be able to sleep peacefully, and I will try to do the best I can. I don’t do it for other people, but for myself. I’m very self-critical; I’m always trying to keep an eye on myself and improve.” Today, after 17 years behind the decks, Grooverider is still going strong and has no intention of giving up his position.
