I hold Gabber and Hardcore culture very close to my heart – it has been a fountain of inspiration over the years and has duly impacted how I perceive and create art. My father moved from Belfast to London in the early nineties to escape the violence of the troubles, there he discovered a passion for production and DJing through underground raves in North London. Using the money he made as a plasterer, he bought two Technics 1210s, a 303, a 909 and a plethora of Mokum and Ruffneck records. Becoming absorbed in hardcore culture he told me how himself and his mates would march around in Nike Airmax and full “bin bag” nike track suits – Dancing, Djing and performing at raves.
I very vividly remember the soundtrack to my childhood being the Thunderdome XVII and Tidy Trax CDs – I loved these compilations. The intensity of these tracks pathed the way for the art I’ve grown to become interested in today. The tracks had so much energy and personality – they’re cool, not taking themselves too seriously, having a cheeky sense of humour. I still find the reoccurring themes of anti-authority and chaos to be incredibly inspiring today. I find hardcore and gabber culture so inviting. I always find myself returning to a Thunderdome CD when I need to remind myself of how to inject personality into music.