About Me
"Darren plays the Drums" mum tells everybody. She says that she cannot actually remember the point in time when I actually started playing, she thinks it was probably about the age of 3 or 4 that I started to beat pencils onto a marble tin.
From a very early age, when my parents wanted to hit the town, I would stay at my Auntie & Uncle's house. My Uncle was a keen keyboard player, all be it in a very hobbyist vein and I would marvel that his new 'Farfisa' keyboard could play a very basic backing track whilst Ted played along to its built-in rhythm section. I remember putting on the headphones and being totally lost in this whole new world, (You'd have thought that my skills as a pianist would have developed ten fold, but alas my keyboard playing remains terrible to this day).Into double figures now and I start to go to regular gigs with an old family friend who happened to be a great drummer playing predominately jazz. He would play mostly intimate jazz clubs in town (London) This was it for me, I knew exactly what I wanted to do fromthat point, everything suited the way I wanted to live, the personalities, nocturnal existence, style, travel, every last thing, it was time to knuckle down.All through my childhood and into early adulthood I would be exposed to every possible style of music imaginable (See influences) This was due to my parents wildly eclectic taste in music.During my teens I worked hard on an 'originals' project and signed managment, publishing and recording deals, opening up for multi-platinum selling artistes, playing venues such as the Hammersmith Odeon among others. Inevitably the band split, strangely only a month or so after signing the recording deal, hey it was a long time ago with testosterone and Egos flying high.I was now approaching 25, a mythical turning point for musicians at the time, the general concensus being that if you hadn't 'made it' by this time then the Industry would deem you too old (What would they think now ? That was over ten years ago, frightening !).
Inevitably I became a freelance musician, playing an eclectic range of gigs. One night I was depping for a friend of mine when a very fine and highly respected Baritone player called Sid Philips asked me for my contact details, the very next week I was back playing the venues that I so enjoyed and secured the drum chair for Motown artist 'Cliff Bennett' the first white artist to be signed to the legendary Detroit label.From there to the present day I have been blessed with playing drums for many great artists including Cliff Bennet, Zoot Money, Lol Williams, Freddie Starr, Gary Wilmot and literally scores more, touring the international stage in the process.Around 1998 I put together a small studio at home based around a computer and an 8 channel recording desk to colate some song ideas that I had been working on. I had more or less lived in studios playing drums since the age of about 15 and absolutely adored the whole recording process.
People seemed to like the sound that I was producing and it was only a couple of months before I was recording other artists' material.
Since my main instrument (Drums) isn't a tuned instrument, I enjoyed working on melodic parts rather than just the rhythmic elements and found that my forte was listening to the song as a whole.
I found also that because I listened, enjoyed and grew up with most genres of music I could produce in most genres, enjoying everything that I done and bouncing ideas across genres.
I had outgrown the studio at home and together with 3 likeminded friends and great musicians aquired 'The Headquarters' studio in Hertfordshire. We would quickly establish ourselves as a production house serving both major and independant record companies' as well as emerging artists, also writing and producing songs for British independant film and best selling novel 'The guv'nor' for Arrival Films, also producing 'Shiloh's' 2002 ibiza club anthem "Can you feel it ?'
We began to be taken seriously when in 2001 when we were asked to rework a track for a little known artist called Ms Dynamite. The remix went A play on most UK radio stations heralding the start of her incredible and well deserved career.
From there on we were asked to remix for many artists including The Sugababes for London Records.
Following the amicable departure of the rest of the guys from 'The Headquarters' I formed 'Unit Q Studios' and ultimately 'Orgy Music Group' with long time friend and fellow musician Martin Hayter, with a goal to embrace and develop the finest UK homegrown talent. Meanwhile I had began my solo production career with Public Demand/ London Records artists 'Krome Angelz' producing records for Compilations including Warner Bros. 'Urban Essentials' collection etc. Vula (Basement Jaxx) was also a regular visitor to our facility alongside Drum & Bass MC 'Demolition Man', DJ Artful Dodger, Grace (Patti Low), Cyba Chik and Juanita Diaz. At around this time we had been approached by UKHH crew 'Ill Psychosis' with a view to working with us. I Began work with I-ty from the band producing the 'Shining' EP. After a brief interlude (due to crew member Dirty Verbals' stay in an New York State Penitentary) we began work on the debut album.
During this period I met and started to collaborate with UKHH Beat Meister 'Jaimez' he had starting building beats for UK Rapper (Also a member of IP) 'Jibbarish' If you have never heard of these guys before, go to a specialist UKHH outlet and purchase the Double A 'Drop Bombz/ Great White' this is some of the finest rapping you will ever hear, not just in the UK but in the world, trust.
After that I joined forces from a brief period with two friends and fine producers in their own right, Pierre Duplan and Tristian Powell to form production collective 'Boot T'
Remixing artists such as Carly Simon and Will Powers, also a remix of 'Rise' for 'Krome Angelz.
Much of '05 was taken up co-producing UK rock outfit 'Reculver' debut long play 'Food for Kings' and singles 'Wake up call' and 'Sharp Sand'.
Shortly afterward I was delighted to have the opportunity to commence production duties on 'Redjetson's AA 'The Unravelling/ Racing in the Mire' following the guys' succesful and extensive tour of Europe (This record is a fantastic release showing two very different sides of jetsonville). I am delighted and blessed to be working on some fantastic music this year including the follow up album to the amazing 'New General Catalogue' (Drowned in Sound) for 'Redjetson' An EP for Perrier Jazz Vocalist of the Year winner 'Sophie Garner', a debut EP for Kat Dewey (Virgo Intacta) fresh back from 'White Stripes' tour. Brand new and beautiful songstress, 'Kimberley Stoker's debut release, Blonde Bombshell Emily C's follow up to 'Teenage Fantasy', the debut release for 'Project OCD' featuring the beautiful and very talented Ms Juanita Diaz on Lead Vocals and last but certainly not least, the gorgeous Australian singer/songwriter 'Lyla Jane D'Souza' begins work on the follow up to her debut release 'Loose Cannons' . My thanks, love and ultimate respect to all the artists and musicians that I have had the honour and pleasure of working with past and present. (djb)
