‘Keep it underground’ was the parting words of Asides, 1/3 part member of ‘Citadel of Kaos’, the first release for new label Bombastic Plastic which is already creating a nationwide buzz on the strength of 100 test presses alone. We asked Jason, alias Asides, and Jan formerly Sub Terra why Bombastic Plastic was part of this outlook.
‘Things have got to be taken to a more musical point. The guys that are writing the underground stuff are the talented people they are using keyboards while the people these days who are making the money are just using 100% shit samples, that are being twisted or turned. They might sound a bit different but there’s no-one out there writing serious riffs’. Asides continues, ‘the samples have taken over from the music, there needs to be more rhythm, people are just writing what sells’. This is what Bombastic Plastic are reacting against and they herald as their philosophy a distinct sense of value for money. They also aim to keep the financial aspect away from the purity of the music, ‘At the end of the day we just want to get by and survive, do it because you love it’. Although they don’t agree with the high degree of sampling in most Rave/hardcore music (terms they express unease at using and feel the real underground ‘needs no title’) they appreciate the benefit of a sampler if used imaginatively in moderation. The third member Simon, from Earth Leakage Trip, although not present 1s highly acclaimed for his technical ability to construct a sample without the help of a sampler ‘The style of house selling at the moment, Simon could copy and improve that stuff so easily, but he’s just not into it — he’s an originator’. Asides adds amusingly, ‘he’s our secret weapon!’
Judging by the EP, all three possess a wealth of musical talent but what divine inspiration actually fused this alliance into existence? ‘I think we all got together through the problems we’ve had, we’ve ali been knocked — that is why we started up in the first place. You can’t trust anyone out there but we reckon we can tmust each other’. Indeed there has been problems by chance they heard two of their tracks at a pressing plant being pressed up unknowingly by another label, fortunately the situation turned out for the good and a deal was reached with Bombastic Plastic. The name of one of the tracks ‘Space Cakes’ has allegedly been adopted by another well known house outfit and recently a tune destined for Top 40 status used one of Asides samples! But with a possible Fabio remix of the EP and a one track signing to Telstar, they remain optimistic.
‘Out of everything that has happened, it has put this label together. They say something good always comes out of something bad, and we are turning bad things into something positive’.
Citadel Of Kaos
ADVERTS
Fascination – 8th August 1992 @ The Warehouse, 138 – 140 Nathan Way, Plumstead, London SE28
JPS Lighting Ltd
Core Promotions & Midi Management Lrd present ‘The Prodify’ @ Basildon Festival Hall
Shrine presents Sanctuary – Saturday 8th August @ Mallard Park Warehouse, Peterborough
Double Dipped – Saturday 15th August @ 12 Dalston Lane, Hackney, London E8
Labrynth / 2000 AD Productions present Desire ’92, Saturday 15th August @ The Tasco Warehouse
Premier Hardcore Rave Line
The Pirate Club, Delirium Promotions & Rave In Peace present Smiley Revival Party @ Roller Express
Volatile State – Friday 7th August @ The Tasco Warehouse
Bass Box – Sunday 30th August @ Unit H9, Hastingwood Trading Estate, London N18
London Laser Company
Erotica At Grange Farm – Every Saturday @ High Road, Chigwell, Essex
World Dance – Saturday 8th August @ Lydd International Airport, Kent
Vinyl Mania Records, 214 Northfields Avenue, London W13
Wax City Records, 306 -308 London Road, Croydon
PRS Productions present Shock To The System – Saturday 1st August @ The Tasco Warehouse
Aquarius – Every Saturday @ The Rocket, 166 – 220 Holloway Road, London N7
JPS Lighting Ltd
RAVE LISTINGS
World Dance (World Dance & Bliss) Saturday 8th August. Lydd International Airport, Kent
Various events are taking place to raise money for this annual appeal. It just shows how far raving has been accepted into the mainstream when there is the possibility that raves could be shown on TV alongside baths of baked beans, sponsored walks and knit-ins! Biggest rave events taking place are the Dance Nation all nighter at Weston Park, Shifnal in Shropshire who offer a major DJ line up, as well as a fashion show and a mellow Mixmag tent. They have a license for 8,000 and hope to be donating £25,000 from the profits to the appeal. Info on 0902 29674. In London, at the Roller Express, Edmonton, Upfront Promotions present Meridian from Noon to Midnight, especially for the under 18’s. Top line DJ’s, full production, and loads of PA’s including Wishdokta, Peter Bouncer and Reel II Reel. The tickets are priced at £10 and all the proceeds are going to Telethon. Phone 0279 413077 or 0831 174620 for your nearest ticket agent.
MS Promotions Republic of Love
ADVERTS
In-ter-dance / Sterns Productions presents Club Night Malarke – Every Friday @ Basildon Festival Hall
MS Promotions Republic Of Love – Every Friday @ Republic Of Love
Labrynth / 2000 AD Productions present Desire ’92, Saturday 18th July @ The Tasco Warehouse
The Illuminati Parte – Saturday 18th July @ Roller Express
The Bass Box, Lea Valley Trading Estate, London N18
Double Dipped – Saturday 18th July @ Four Aces, 12 Dalston Lane, London E8
Unity Records, 47 Beak Street, London W1R 3LE
Vinyl Mania, 214 Northfields Avenue, London W13
Jem 77 – Never Felt This Way / Pure (Live PA @ Elevation July 10th)
RAVE LISTINGS
Double Dipped (Ravescene) Saturday 18th July. Four Aces, 12 Dalston Lane, London E8
Desire ’92 Saturday 18th July. The Warehouse, Nathan Way, Plumstead, London SE28
Everson Allen has been there, seen it, done it and more to the point he’s still doing it and doing it his way. When he wanted to release ‘Rizla’ his record company told him that it wouldn’t get any airplay. Radio 1 returned the record saying that they wouldn’t promote drugs. A week later the record was No 1 in all the dance charts including the Radio 1 Nightline chart, and they had to ask for another copy. Amusingly, Pete Tong then played the uncensored side by mistake.
Ratpack goes back a long way. At the age of 12 Everson was DJing at school parties. “They called me a dreamer at school” he said, “now I can earn more in one night than a schoolteacher does in a month” But is money what it’s all about? “No way, I’ve done all nght, but I could have done better if I’d been greedy. Where I am night now, yes I do want to earn. My dream is to buy Centre Point and make it into the biggest studio block that you’ve ever seen in your life. I want to get the kids off the street to give them the chance to make music and if it runs as a tax loss then the Government can pay for it. There’s so much talent around from people who never get a chance. I grew up in Islington at a time when you never saw black people on the telly, and I grew up angry and fought back. House music changed that for me and has done for so many others. I can’t see that going away ‘cos the music’s healthy and changing all the time. Jazz, samba, industrial, reggae, all have a part in it. The music business should be run by the people who make the music, not Japanese men in business suits. In twenty years time it’ll be Ratpack v Sony!”
Hasn’t that been tried before, for instance in the days of Punk?
“No, no that was different. It wasn’t universal. Punks stick to their own. It didn’t cross class and race like house does. This music has had a good effect on society, it’s a positive force”.
What part does Ratpack play?
“Ratpack is now me, Lipmaster Mark and Robert. Mark is like my hands. I found him when he was 13 in a tower block. He was a skinny little white kid hanging around with black kids, but he was the one making the sounds. I kinda took him under my wing and eight years later our work together is instinctive. Everything I know about computers and programming I learn’t from him, but he still does all the complicated stuff. Over the years others have been part of Ratpack, like Steve Jackson, Matthew B, Frankie Valentine. Devious D is our best new apprentice. We teach them the Ratpack attitude, remember where you’re coming from and respect the ravers.
You’ve been to Japan, Holland and Belgium. You started Trip City and Cronin Road. You were resident at Labrynth and Telepathy. The new track is out soon. What’s next?
“I want to keep raving and performing for as long as I have a voice. I feel the music and it comes out in what I say. My voice never sounds the same, but you have to flow with music, rather than shout over it to make yourself heard. Some MC’s shouldn’t be allowed on the mic, ‘cos they just give you a headache. I rate Moose and J Jay does OK, their attitude shows through in what they do. I like to rave all over the country, all the people are so different. Everyones got an opinion of what hardcore is, it’s a personal thing. You can’t make rave music unless you rave yourself and keep in touch with what’s going on. I’ve had a lot of things that I’ve wanted to do for a while. ‘Rizla’ dates back to Telepathy and although the accident I was involved in just before Christmas delayed it, it’s done now. Who knows what’s next? JJ at Sub 2000 is helping us out and maybe New Years Eve, the year 2000 we might be raving on the moon!
ADVERTS
The Bass Box, Lea Valley Trading Estate, London N18
Fascination – 4th July 1992 @ The Warehouse, 138-140 Nathan Way, Plumstead, London SE28
Rave World – 18th July 1992 @ Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent
Double Dipped – Saturday 18th July @ Four Aces, 12 Dalston Lane, London E8
Fantazia Takes You One Step Beyond – Saturday 25th July @ Castle Donnington International Raceway
Soul Sense Records, 16 Stuart Steet, Luton LU1 2SL
No one on both sides of the water has carved a name quite so respected on the techno/house scene as the Belgian producer and D.J. Frank De Wulf. In the business his name is a legend but in being responsible for over a hundred mixes and for the still much played B-Sides material he is endearingly modest. Last week he performed as a D.J., at Heaven. We cornered him on Saturday and dragged him down to Technopolis at the Astoria for a brief interrogation.
R.S. How does the U.K. house scene differ from Europe?
F. You cannot buy breakbeat tunes in Belgium, which is a great pity, much as it is that you cannot buy Euro easily here now, there is so much good music being ignored.
R.S. What do you think of the Breakbeat style?
F. Many of the samples used are very tired now, there is a dangerous lack of originality in the style but I like it very much. I have spent all my money on Breakbeat records this time here.
R.S. When can we hope to see a new B-Sides release.
F. We are still negotiating with R and S records so hopefully very soon but nothing is 99% we are still open to deals. Something we look forward to a lot as theres nothing quite like a B-Sides tune for an outdoors Summer stomp. If you’re not familiar with them check out the Reactivate albums Vol 1 & Vol 2.
ADVERTS
Delerium Promotions & The Pirate Club present Shipwrecked III @ Roller Express
The Wonderland Club, Rags, Buckhold Road, Wandsworth, London SW18
The Bass Box, Lea Valley Trading Estate, London N18
Delerium – Ibiza 92
Volatile State, Friday 19th June
A Mid-Summers Day, Sunday 21st June 1992 @ Winter Gardens, Margate
Labrynth / 2000 AD Productions present Desire ’92, Saturday 13th June @ The Tasco Warehouse
The Awakening Co presents Love Buzz Boat Rave, Friday 19th June
Volatile State presents Midsummer Nights Madness II @ The Tasco Warehouse, London SE28
Volatile State
RAVE LISTINGS
Bongo Furi Friday 12th June. Roller Express, Lea Valley Trading Estate, Edmonton, London N18
Fibre Optic Friday 19th June. The Eclipse, Lower Ford Street, Coventry
Kaotic II Friday 12th June. The Eclipse, Lower Ford Street, Coventry
Pirate Club (Delirium) Saturday 20th June. Roller Express, Lea Valley Trading Estate, Edmonton, London N18
Starlight Friday 3rd July. Aston Villa Sports & Leisure Centre, Birmingham
Volatile State Friday 19th June. The Warehouse, Plumstead, London SE28
Future (All Dayer) Sunday 21st June. Winter Gardens, Margate, Kent
Dance ’92 Friday 26th June. Angel Centre, Angel Lane, Tonbridge
Andromeda III (Pandemonium) Saturday 13th June. Donnington Park
Amnesia House Saturday 27th June. Brayfield Stadium
Universe Friday 19th June. near Newport, South Wales
Ravescene Party V Saturday 13th June. Four Aces, 12 Dalston Lane, London E8
Reincarnation Saturday 27th June. Kings Hall, Herne Bay, Kent
University Of Kent Friday 19th June. Leas Cliff Hall, Folkstone, Kent
