The Early Years
I started DJing at a holiday park in the UK at 14 years old on my school holidays 1981. Back then we used to buy our records from Woolworths. Top 40 every week was there. No pitch control on turntables and we introduced every song on a mic. Everything from Elvis to Madona. But even then, it was about filling the dancefloor with the crowd you had. That is what I believe a true DJ should do. Make people dance. Electronic music had begun to take over even then. Human League, Soft Cell, Micheal Jackson but also in the same chart was Shakin Stevens, The Specials and Adam and the Ants.
Clubhouse discos, weddings, Birthday parties I played them all.
I started drumming at 6 years old. At 15 joined a 3-piece boy rock band called “Band of Angels” from Clacton, Essex. The drummer left, I stepped in with the two brothers John and Jeremy. Tight guitarists with a professional 8 track (tape) studio in their basement engineered by their stepdad Tony, also a drummer with the “Buster James Band “ back in the day. Now our producer. Their Mum Jenny kept us all in line and well fed. An amazing family unit and all about business when it came to music. At the time my Dad was managing the band and trying to get us a record deal.
Over the first year or so we evolved. The New Romantic, Pop Rock and Electronic revolution came in and we were heavily influenced. Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, New Order, Prince, Eurythmics and the Police-Stuart Copeland being my drum idol.
As our music changed, I became the lead singer. Making songs and writing lyrics and melodies came naturally. I loved singing and our sound was original. It was an amazing time and special in my heart. One of our close friends at the time was Dave Lee, later to be known as Joey Negro, yes, the legend. In those days Dave and I would sit in the back of Jeremy’s BMW 2002 (with sheep skin seat covers), beat boxing and totally into breaks, disco, soul and funk. Dave had such a passion for music but played no instrument at the time. He had so many music ideas even then.
Subway Joe, our new band name played the Isle of Whyte song festival, a song competition with several categories. By then our band was now 8 strong. Andy replaced me on drums, Lincoln Anderson on bass and backing vocals with Sarah , Reg Webb on keyboards and Clive on Saxophone also. I was now lead singer. We played a 20-minute set including our entry song and won the best performing band of the night. The prize was the first Yamaha music computer just released and a gig in London in front of record label A&R. We then played around London. The Rock Garden in Covent Garden , Zetas in Putney and others, also American Airforce bases. At the time, “Boy Bands” weren’t taken seriously by the music business as there were none. Despite connections in the industry, we couldn’t get a record deal. I then went to College in Ealing in London and after a year of travelling back to Clacton most weekends, I left the band sadly. Shortly after BROS were signed and then a later a shed full of made-up boy and girl bands, often with no musical experience. As I always say, it’s all about timing.
Acid House and the Rave Scene
When Acid House and then Raves came in my love for electronic music was intensified. Dancing for 6 hours became the norm when possible although I always worked. It was the start of my future although at the time I did not know it.
In 1995 I moved to London and fell into the scene immediately. Friends were party promoters, DJs, producers and clubbers. It was an amazing time in London. One early morning, round Grant’s flat in Wandsworth, after a party with 3 DJs, I started to play again. But this time it was with the records my DJ friends had and on Technics MK1s (vinyl only of course) purely by accident. Noone wanted to play. So, I said show me how the mixer works, and I’ll have a go. I turned round 2 hours later, and everyone was shocked. I took to it like a duck to water. The following Wednesday, after playing for hours at Grant’s place, JayJay aka “Jesus at Work”, gave me an hour of his set at Lost Weekend on Fulham Road, Chelsea. Bless his heart, after only 30 minutes he said, “do the whole 2 hours mate”. I was smashing it. To be honest I was using his records as I had only a few at the time. I will be forever grateful to him and Grant for opening this new direction for me. Jay Jay and I still talk weekly, and he has become an established recruiter by day, fashion photographer by night as well as a lifetime friend…30 years and counting.
Within weeks I was playing 5 nights a week and even Sunday mornings. Mostly with the legend promoter Roger Micheals. Lost weekend, Iceni, Hanover Grand, Subterranea and School Dinners. After came Ministry of Sound, Chunnel Club, Bagley’s and so on….rarely out of London or Essex. Under various guises including DJD and Mr Nice, but I finally settled on djDOUBT.
The Move to the US
In late 1996, my Mum fell ill in America. By that time the “scene” had me exhausted. Wednesday to Monday. As we used to say then, 5-day nights. The “life” was relentless, fun but full on. I decided to move to the US to take care of my Mum.
I arrived in San Leandro, just outside Oakland in California, with two record boxes and a suitcase. Not wanting to go back into catering, hotel management or construction that had eaten my 20s, I wanted to continue my music / DJ journey. No money, no contacts and a new city. Neighbouring Oakland was the epicentre of Hip Hop on the West Coast, so San Francisco, just over the Bay was my focus. A very developed House music scene especially for vocal house and the new Armand Van Helden garage sound, both which I played.
Mum bought me some decks, a mixer and speakers and I would record shop at Rasputins music where I met Brad and Charles. Brad would order international music that I wanted, and Charles was a doorman who used to shop there. Both became close friends and made my transition to the US a special experience. Without going into details, maybe later in interviews, I ended up living at Charles house and he got me my first gig at the Sound Factory in San Francisco which became my first SF Club residency.
I owe a lot to Charles, and I taught him how to mix while at his house. In return he introduced me to Israel at Zebra Records in Haight Street, where I later started as their House buyer and resident DJ at their parties. Kate O’Briens and Pool Parties. I even DJ’d at Chris Lum’s wedding whose role I took when he started Moulton Street studio and label with J Jay Hernandez, both SF legends. DJs including Rasoul, Mauricio, Alan Corazon and Ruben Mancias were other Zebra residents on the House side. But Zebra was equally prolific with local hip hop and scratch artists from the Bay Area involved in Radio, selling equipment and most elements of that scene. It was an amazing opportunity for me with the best people, best support and the kindest hearts. All top musicians and DJs with Israel as the top man. They had the only Turbo Sound system in SF. Those who know will understand how amazing that system was at the time. A UK system banned in the US due to its power. Our parties rocked!
Soon I was playing everywhere including 1015 Folson and The End Up. I played parties with Dave Harness, DJ Dan, Mark Farina, Behrouz, Arturo Garces, Mustafa, Doc Martin, Markie, Carlos, Jeno, Simon, Jim Hopkins and others. At raves like Ground Zero, FedEX I played on 4 turntables (2×4) with Jim Hopkins or Joey Mazzola as well as solo. I travelled all around the US. 42 States. I was a resident DJ for Diesel and played in the San Fransico store weekly, occasionally playing in the New York store, their launch parties or promotional fashion events. Back then you had the options, paid in cash or double the rate in clothes. Anyone who knows me understands why I had nearly every Diesel clothing release in my size over that 3-year period….I took the clothes.
Joey Mazzola and I worked with David Garcia, a young talented DJ and producer. Together we had a weekly Radio show on WiLD 94.9 FM called “House Nation” with Saint John. A weekly 3 hour live mixed show with a party on Saturday nights at Club X. These guys became my boys at this time and the show travelled to Hawaii and other states.
Influence Recordings and LiveDjs
Now living in SF, my life changed again. Mixing some new records in Zebra one day a lady walked in, saw me mixing (without headphones) and asked if I gave lessons. I said I hadn’t but if she wanted them, she needed tables, a mixer and speakers and to know what music she wanted to play. She had the gear already and knew the record labels she liked, so I agreed to give her one free lesson to see if she had rhythm and enough passion. 6 months later she played at the Sound Factory and became my business partner in what was to be Influence Recordings and LiveDjs, the next phase.
While setting up our studio with Steven Baber aka Flip, a super talented musician, DJ and next level sound engineer, I had a vision. 2 DJs playing together on 4 turntables and broadcasting on the internet which was expanding at light speed, but still dial up. I set up a rough 2×4 system and video recorder, then invited a couple of close DJ friends to test the concept. The first sessions were so good, we sat at watched them back all night. It was mesmerising. All the things you don’t see or hear when focussed on your own mix. That was the true birth of what was to become LiveDJs.com launched in 1999, realising that others should hear, see and understand this artform up close. After 3 months of planning, designing, buying , we set up the ultimate DJ room with a new engineer Jair. DJ Russel Vargas installed the cameras, our Tech guru Dan installed ADSL into the house and DJ Dearec built my site with live chatroom. Built by a DJ with DJs for DJs. Full video and audio live online broadcast, 6 turntable engineered DJ room, Studio and office and online and a chill out room with 5 sofa beds and a seat height mixing station on wheels for when you just couldn’t stand up anymore. All this with a huge corner window of the Bay. 12 cameras in all, set up to capture DJs spinning solo or together, and DJ life. But it became so much more. It became a multicultural, all music styles community. DJs, singers, musicians, rappers, producers….every genre. Good people in a free, creative high-end environment, never seen before or since.
The site went live 24/7 and it was run like a hospitality suite. If it wasn’t one of the scheduled live 2 hour sets between 10am and 10pm, it was me and my local or international crew spinning all night or playing one of the sets recorded on SVHS tapes archived earlier. Over the next 2 years, 300 DJs played on the site. From international artist friends like LTJ Bukem and Conrad, Leon Roberts (King Unique), to local legends and some new talent trying to break into the scene. We recorded their sets, produced CDs and even helped with artwork for them. It was a home for likeminded, quality DJs, professional or not, but skills were essential. No fakes. If you didn’t sound good you didn’t come back. If you rocked, you became a part of the LiveDjs family. For many, it was the only place they could play their music loud. The location was 301 Gambier Street, off Silver Avenue, San Francisco. The same neighbourhood as DJ Q-Bert. He and some of his crew would play on Hip Hop Thursdays, called the Almighty Broadcast Network, run by Rizal aka MC MYSTISO – Head of Hip Hop, who lived in the house with me for a sometime. Ragga and Reggae were big too. Sound Unity crew would play and sometimes have 6 DJs on 6 turntables with a live singer. It was incredible and a lot more smoke in the air on those days. Lady’s day and D&B / Breaks days were also scheduled weekly.
Breaking Point
My career was full on. Playing in Amsterdam with DJ Marnix, Barcelona at Torres D’Avila or at Les Bains Douches in Paris while flying all over the US most other weekends. But eventually my focus became the web site. Managing the house and site was work. Steering it to try to make it pay for itself was difficult. I would never sell the site out and lose control or its integrity despite offers. When I parted ways with my business partner in 2001, the site moved temporarily to DJ Russel Vargas and DJ Xtian’s home, where they gave their all to keep a stream running. I moved to Lake Tahoe, finally rescuing my Mum from an abusive stepdad, and I was working in construction for Greg, Western Mountain Construction, while trying to continue a DJ career. 2 years later I was back in the UK, near my son again. Enough was enough. I wanted a stable life again for myself and family. The LiveDjs dream was pioneering but way too early to be seen by many on dial up internet. Most of our viewers worked in big companies globally as they had DSL internet. It had cost us nearly 1 million dollars. The lifestyle had me exhausted and defeated.
Back in the UK
I shipped 7 tonnes of records, equipment and belongings back in a container and moved into a 4th floor office with no kitchen, only a shared toilet and sink. I had no money but was 3 miles from my son’s house where I walked most days to see him or put him to bed after work. I was a Chef for a while, started a successful small restaurant with Ian Kew (legendary local Norfolk chef) until we lost our location. When I was offered a job back in construction in oil and gas, I jumped at the chance. It was working for my friend AJ for £10 an hour and worked 70+ hours most weeks. Hand digging holes to start, a Health and Safety senior leader by the end of this 20-year day job that took me, my wife, son and daughter to live all over the UK and 3 other counties. I set up Doubt Management and Dangershare through those years and contracted to Amec, Fluor, Eitech and Bravida for clients including Intel, Astrazeneca, Northvolt, Google and Shell. During that time, I appeared on Dragons Den with an invention idea and started my own limited-edition brand, DB Stockholm. I never stopped mixing and recording my sets.
Onwards and Upwards
Now I am making music again, playing out at select parties and finally able to share much of the music and videos from LiveDjs and me touring. For years we carried boxes of SVHS and mini DV tapes around with us. Now finally digitised, what I had saved is here, on my site, as a catalogue of my media production past mainly promoting others. Even the DJs from the site have not seen this yet. I am excited for them to add their stories to the videos about their experiences back in the days of turntables and vinyl only.
Do I want to play out widely again? Yes, absolutely, it’s still my unfinished dream. I still love to make people dance with my mixing. In terms of money, I will play and produce for the pleasure, and any money made will be used to sustain the music and the rest will go to charities. Charity Water and Great Ormond Street hospital being the main ones that I have supported for years. There is a donate button on the front page. My mentor and great friend Mu Shabbar aka Mustafa & Harry Knuckles is steering me along the road of new software and engineering excellence and will be integral in bookings and releases to come.
Enjoy the site looking into the past and present as you watch my future unfold in this ongoing journey…Oh and please donate to the Charities. Peace x
