07 September 2010

We caught up with two of the most influential heads in the breakbeat dance music scene, and picked their brains about music, the universe, life and everything... well, mainly music.

Toxin: For our readers, who are you and what do you do? Words & interview: Will Jobbins
Pics: Supplied by kind permission

RB: Richie Balboa, DJ and manager of NSB Radio, the world's #1 breakbeat station.
WS: Will Streetwise DJ, producer and owner of Streetwise Music.

Toxin: We occasionally hear people whispering that breakbeat, as a genre, has stagnated recently. What are your thoughts on that?

WS: Yeah maybe it hit a peak a while back, but we think that happens with most music genres, they can't keep growing forever. Someone hit the nail on the head lately when they said "Play someone a breakbeat track and they'll dance to it, but ask that person if they like breaks and they'll say 'no, not really'."

RB: We've played a number of sets this year to younger audiences who, to be fair, don't really know what breaks is, like at Nassfest which is Europe's biggest Extreme Sports Festival and also For Boarders By Boarders, with whom I've done the first ever tour of all the UK snowdomes in one year. Whilst I've diversified my track selections to include hip hop, funk, dubstep and DnB, not at any point has playing breaks been a problem, it always goes down perfectly.

WS: We think it's just a sign that other genres are thought of as 'cooler' right now, but things can change real quick in music; one track can change everything. And marketing plays an important role - Richie spoke with Jimmy Mofo from the Beat Assassins this summer and discussed his Urban Electro Project. This is essentially breaks but marketed slightly differently, and as a result they've had more success taking their tunes to wider audiences who wouldn't necessarily accept a breaks tune.

Toxin: How do you see the breakbeat genre progressing in the future? Any subgenres or particular artists that have got you really excited at the moment?

WS: If you look at the Breakspoll (the annual breakbeat awards event) lineup this year, its fair to say that times are changing and a new breed are coming through, spearheaded by the likes of A Skillz, NAPT, Diverted and The Beat Assassins. One of the aspects we find so fascinating about the genre is its diversity, ranging from the more eclectic 110bpm nu funk from guys like Nick Thayer and the Beat Vandals to 138bpm rib-shaking tearout breaks and breakstep from guys like Ctrl Z, Specimen A and Afghan Headspin.
On a personal tip, we have been really feeling the funk over the last year or so - the whole nu funk thing could really grow. It's incredibly versatile and is in safe hands with A Skillz at the helm, that guy is one hell of a DJ and producer. We have had the pleasure of playing before and after him a couple of times this year and he has smashed it every time. Scarily enough, last time we supported him, we saw Krafty Kuts the next night who told us he wrote his car off after our gig! Luckily he got out unscathed.

RB: In terms of artists, the guy who's killing it for me right now is Eshericks. He's a new producer to the breaks scene based in Japan (I think). The guy doesn't speak a word of English but I keep in good touch with his manager and for that I'm truly grateful. Elsewhere Splitloop have dropped some bombs this year and I've also got a lot of time for Deekline and Wizard, two wicked dudes who really know how to make dance floor tracks. I had my first experience of the Miami Winter Music Conference this year and those guys are seriously big over there.Will would have found this out too, but he missed his flight! Oh dear! 

Toxin: Richie, you run NSB Radio. How did it start, where is it now and where do you see it going in the future?

RB: NSB Radio started as an offshoot of NuSkoolBreaks.co.uk in July 2004 and has been running ever since. We started out just broadcasting on weekdays, but quickly upped our timetable to make it the first completely live breaks radio station. We are now broadcasting live, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from Canada, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, South Korea, Russia, Latvia, France, Holland, Germany, Belgium and of course the UK and Ireland. All of this has happened in the last couple of years, so when I hear that breaks is in decline, I don't really believe it.
Right now we're really focused on developing our brand which includes developing our website - www.nsbradio.co.uk - and pushing the live broadcast aspect with fellow DJs Kid Chameleon, Mjoogoo and Ali Kat. This year Will and I kicked things off with a broadcast from Beijing, China, and from there we've streamed live from events all over the UK as well as making our first live broadcasts from Australia, headed by an up-and-coming DJ producer called Llupa. We even hosted our own live party from the Winter Music Conference Miami, hosted by the main man, Scritch. This is alongside our regular slot at Glade festival, and Mr Jimmy Brayks was very proud to host a NuSkoolBreaks tent on the Saturday. The final thing that's gotta be mentioned is the FBBB tour I've been doing with fellow DJ Boy Wonder; we've broadcast live from the freezing cold slopes of snowdomes in England, Scotland and even into Holland, and its been a mad experience and one that's going to go from strength to strength.

Toxin: Will, I hear you've taken over the South West's first Superclub. What's it like and what have you been doing?

WS: Yeah I got offered the chance to be the Promotions and Events Manager for Newquay's new superclub, Pure. They are the same people who own Pure in Manchester (the biggest club in the city) and they also set up Heaven in both London and Ibiza. It's the direction I'm going in since I closed down the retail side of Streetwise last year, so we are now concentrating on the Events Consultancy and Promotions side of things. I'm basically responsible for all the act management and booking for Pure as well as running all their promotions. It's a full time position so I'm working every hour during the summer, but now September is here I'm looking forward to working a lot more with Richie on our future plans for us as a brand/act.

Toxin: You've had a busy summer - some of your best bits?

RB: There was one crazy weekend in May that sticks out. Will and I played in Cambridge on the Thursday night alongside A Skillz and DJ Zinc who was showcasing one of his new 'crack house' sets, which totally rocked. So, as mentioned earlier, A Skillz wrote his car off on his way home from the gig but Will and I jumped in his car at three in the morning for a seven hour trip to Newquay for the South West Drum n' Bass and Breakbeat Awards, held at the world famous Eden Project. What Will forgot to tell me 'til we got in the car was that he was actually moving house to Newquay the next day and had just been told he was hosting the awards in front of 2,000 people. So we pitched up in Newquay, spent the afternoon unloading vans and then with no sleep jumped back in the motor to go to the Eden Project, which really was a sight to behold especially when the massive bio-domes were lit up at night. Then we smashed it with Krafty Kuts and Rennie Pilgrem which was a real pleasure.

WS: Yeah that weekend was a highlight no doubt, being asked to compere the awards was a big thing for me. I've put a lot of time into the scene in the South West and standing on stage and presenting the awards was amazing - giving awards to the likes of Krafty Kuts and Andy C will be a moment in my life I will never forget. Also, being able to present the Freerange DJs with Outstanding Contribution to The Scene award meant a lot to me on a personal level as they are dear friends of mine. It truly was an amazing weekend - Thursday we supported Zinc and A.Skillz, Friday it was the awards and then supporting Krafty and Rennie Pilgrem on the Breaks Stage, and then playing at the afterparty with the DrumAttic Twins and Nick Thayer. Also, for me, getting asked to open Jay Cunnings' Nu Breed stage at Glade was fantastic, Jay has been amazing supporting me as an artist and has even opened a few of his Kiss FM shows with my tunes. Big up Jay!

Toxin: And the worst bits?

WS: Getting home from NassFest, that sucked. We hosted a secret soundsystem in the woods with the Simian Sounds Crew from Falmouth, and after two days non-stop raving I had to drive all the way back to Newquay doing 40mph in my mates 1979 VW Beetle as my driver was too wasted from the weekend.

RB: Yeah, the train back to London was pretty grim as well. I waited at Castle Cary station for two and a half hours, only to get on a train with no spare seats, I was a proper mess. That was the last time I'm ever taking public transport home from a festival, it was a complete nightmare.

Toxin: And the funniest bits?

WS: New Year's Eve in Beijing! What a riot of a time, I think we just laughed for three days. It's quite a surreal place to go and DJ, but what a night! It was nuts, at the afterparty we had a proper 'Matrix moment' where someone said, "Take the blue pill or take the red pill". We took a red one which was about the size of a XXXX mint and felt proper wonky for the next two days. God knows what that was.  

RB: All the times with Krafty Kuts, he's absolutely hilarious.

Toxin: Who have you been working with during 2009?

WS: So far this year we have shared stages with some big names; Stanton Warriors, Krafty Kuts, A.Skillz, Rusko, Chase & Status, Brookes Brothers, Micky Finn, Jaguar Skills, Nick Thayer, Benga, Andy C... pretty much everyone in the UK dance music scene.

Toxin: And who would you like to work with in the future?

RB: We have just been asked to support Jurassic 5 for the only Cornwall gig of their European Tour, and there is talk of us doing the same for Lily Allen when she comes to DJ in the South West. We have also just started to work with a very talented MC called Benni C, this guy rocks and he is going to become the third member of our live show. All three of us are excited about this and we can't wait to get out and tour the new look DJ battle style we are going for. Also keep a look out, for the first few releases we have planned, featuring Benni on vocals.

Toxin: And finally, what are the top three secret weapons you've been dropping this summer?

RB:    
- Future Funk Squad & Crystal Method - Isolate (Eshericks remix).
- Rico Tubbs - The Party (Splitloop remix).
- Plump DJs - System Addict (Mr No Hands re-rub)

Will's:
- Josh Wink - Higher State of Consciousness (Will Streetwise edit)
- Beach Boys - Good Vibrations (Stanton Warriors edit)
- Fun Lovin Criminals - Skooby Snax (A.Skillz vs Nick Thayer edit)

Tune in to the NuSkoolBreaks radio station at www.nsbradio.co.uk, and check out the rest of the site with forum, shop, news, reviews and loads more at www.nuskoolbreaks.co.uk.