Music : Drum and Bass
DRUM AND BASS ORIGINAL JUNGLE DON DJ RANDALL HITS THE FUNKTION ROOMS FOR A 1 AND A HALF HOUR SET WHICH IS GURANTEED TO BLOW THE ROOF OFF.
ANY OF YOU INTO JUNGLE WILL KNOW RANDALL IS A PIONEER IN THE SCENE AND IN MY OPPINION THE GODFATHER OF JUNGLE/DNB DJS.
THE DJS DJ.. THE MAN WHO TAUGHT ANDY C TO MIX , THE MAN GOLDIE DESCRIBES AS THE ORIGINAL PITCH MANIPULATOR A DJ ALL DRUM AND BASS DJS SHOULD ASPIRE TO BE SELECTION AND MIXING WISE AND ONE OF VERY FEW PEOPLE IN DRUM AND BASS WHO HAS MADE IT THROUGH DJIN SKILLS ALONE AND NOT PRODUCTION SO HE DOSENT GET CAUGHT UP IN ALL THE POLITICS HE PLAYS WHAT HE WANTS TO PLAY AND KNOWS HIS TUNES LIKE NO OTHER DJ SO CAN READ THE CROWD LIKE A BOOK NO GIMMICKS PURE ROLLING BEATS.
SO IF YOU NEVER WITNESSED A SET FROM THE LEGEND COME DOWN AND GET EDUCATED AND PREPARED TO GET BLOWN AWAY.
RANDALL IS DOWN IN REGARDS TO GSTAR AND KEENS BIRTHDAY BASH *SALUTE*
*NO OPEN MIC*
interview with Randall ...
I’ve been wanting to interview Randall for a long time, but he’s always managed to elude me up until now. He’s forever busy, and you get the feeling he’d rather be in the music than answering questions, but promotional commitments for his mix on ESP’s “Dreamscape Volume 1” compilation mean I have my chance. My expectations of non-committall, one-sentence replies were unfounded, as Randall is chatty, jovial even, but somehow still manages to say something without giving too much away. Fair enough really, I don’t expect him to bear his soul. He’s very modest, much preferring to talk about other DJs and producers in the scene than himself. However, if you conducted a ‘favourite DJ’ poll amongst all the people Randall namechecks, I’m sure you’d find the feeling is mutual.
The reasons why are clear. This guy is an individual and has always explored the rich chasms of jungle for a journey from the subtle right through to the extreme. He might not favour the immediate and obvious anthems, but his sophisticated fusion of hard, rolling beats and deep, heavy basslines are just as sure to move the floor. His legendary mixing skills play a part in this. The art of mixing isn’t just playing one record after another, even if they are the freshest dub-plates and test-presses.
In a scene where a surprising amount of top DJs still drop the odd clanger or chase mixes, Randall seamlessly blends and creates new tunes in the mix and knows when to drop the incoming tune for maximum impact. DJ Rap reckons there’s nobody better: “I’m into harmonious mixes, sort of like creating remixes whilst I’m on the decks, and I think Randall is the best person for that. He really inspired me AWOL days at the Paradise Club.” He also realises the importance of programming a set, equating it to a story.
Like the plot of a complex thriller, Randall sets the tone early, builds up to climaxes and plays with our expectations. “I try and move up and down in stages,” he explains. “It’s really hard to try and keep them going up and up and up, until you’re hitting some really angry, angry tune. It’s easier and more satisfying than trying to hurt them every five seconds.”
Randall is definitely a natural when it comes to mixing, saying that the basics took him only a week to learn back in the mid 80s. However, he still had to continue refining his skills by studying music and making tapes every week. One of these tapes landed him a small gig at a club called Delerium which, in turn, got him a regular slot on legendary pirate Centreforce FM in 1989. It was here his reputation really started growing. He began playing out at clubs more and, as times changed and music progressed, so did his style towards what we know and love today. Randall’s style has always been fluid and probably always will, but changes in his selection have been noticeable in the past couple of years, with more emphasis on darkside flavas than before. This can be illustrated crudely by his transformation from AWOL resident to Metalheadz regular. Randall is simply refelecting what’s going on around him and, even though some might say his sound has got ‘darker’, he inhabits that overlap between ‘jump-up’ jungle and ‘darkside’ drum & bass. He’s always had broad tastes and, as long as those beats are running, there’s easily enough room in his set to contrast a wide range of flavas.
When you have nothing, your hunger can focus your mind to the task in hand, and sometimes it’s a harder job remaining at the top once you’ve got there than getting there in the first place. This situation increases the longer you’re there – how many DJs out would like to be in the position of someone like Randall? Whilst he doesn’t guard against complacency consciously, a significant factor to his continuing success is his sheer passion for the music. You can sense it in his voice when he talks about particular tunes and believe him when he says it’s a drug and he needs a fresh fix of tunes in his box every week.
When it came to mixing the drum & bass third of the “Dreamscape” album (which he also compiled), Randall was offered Pro Tools technology which basically would have done it all for him. However, he wasn’t really with it, and as he had all the tunes on vinyl, said he would rather do it on decks. The only problem was finding the first tune, but once he settled on Dom & Optical’s “Quadrant 6”, he rolled out the rest first time in true Randall style. The mix also features the vocal talents of his long time MC, Fats. Fats actually did his thing after Randall and, while his soulful style of MCing might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it compliments the hard-edged music perfectly.
Randall is better known as a DJ than a producer, but all this may change soon if he has his way. He’s no stranger to the studio having co-produced “Sound Control” with Andy C in ‘95, “Flava’s” with Tek 9 on Reinforced’s “Above The Law” album and “Hard Noize” with Tee-Bone on his “Strictly Business” compilation. As you can see, all have been collaborations, but Randall now has all the equipment necessary and has been learning it all so he can do everything himself. However, Randall is in no rush, probably because of everyone’s high expectations through his DJing, and is under no illusions about his position in the production game. “I’m at the starting post of making music, and all I’m getting from people that I know that are well in it, doing albums and what not, is ‘take your time’. If you love it enough, it will come. I might not make a tune that hits top ten, but if I make a tune that satisfies my heart, that will be enough. It’s quality not quantity that counts to me but, at the end of the day, I just want to make good tunes and be out there representing.”
Check the results for yourselves on his own record label, Mac II.