Member Since: 12/21/2005
Band Website: nakedbeatz.com
Band Members: S.L.B - [Sout London Bwoy]
S.L.B is a respected performer on the burgeoning drum and bass up and coming and internet radio scene. So far, he has represented his own unique sound on a number of stations, including on Interface Radio, Live For Beats; Boups Radio and Life FM., not to mention UK Rumble, where SLB has played for the last nine years, including the last five on the management team. Having been introduced to the rave scene at the age of 14 thanks to pirate stations such as Sunrise, Pulse, Destiny and Kool FM, DJ SLB began mixing at the age of 16 with the help from dj Skie having been inspired by every aspect of rave culture. He soon began to make a name for himself on various pirate stations such as Feeling Fm, Breeze FM, Renegade FM, Hyper FM and Rude FM, Ruud Awakenin, Kool fm & Eruption 101.3 fm where he now does a show with 1 of his partners in crime Smoove Friday's 12-2am. He also features in alot of South Londons vibrant drum and bass scene at events and squat parties... Over the past few years SLB's career has progressed immensely, and now regularly appears at a number of top nights World wide. And is also currently on a production tip along side one of his other partners in crime Manga and enjoys this path.
Smoove -
My first experience of the rave scene came back in 1992 when I went to Orange at the Rocket club for a friend’s birthday. After that I was hooked and started raving regularly at events such as World Dance, Laserdrome and Labyrinth and soon after I got my first set of decks. My first real break came while at University in Norwich. After playing at house parties and student events I was booked to play a new monthly night Camouflage where he made a number of appearances alongside Hype, Rap, Grooverider, PFM and Randall. On moving back to London, I secured a weekly show on Origin FM, before moving onto internet station ukrumble where I still play today. I also have a weekly show on Eruption FM which I play alongside SLB. I have appeared at a number of events in London and i'm currently involved in promoting Nakedbeatz Sessionz where I hold a residency.
Arceye -
HISTORY
Since the age of 9 I have been exposed to the rawest music elements the underground had to offer. I have always been around older people than myself so I listened to underground music from an early age. I can remember sitting in a friends house (FUSE) and hearing tunes like. L.F.O and that Freddy track (Scared the life out of me).
As time progressed and the music evolved I took a strong liking to the Jungle/Drum and bass scene. I loved the Reggae / Ragga elements in the tracks and it was a new, fresh and original style. I eventually got my first turntable from my Granddad’s old stereo which had a little pitch control and another belt drive deck without pitch from a friend. God knows how I managed to catch even 1 mix on those dusty old tings. For a long time I only ever played my Dad’s old Bob Marley and Rick James LP (Brap) but eventually started to buy music from Black Market Record’s in Soho. This was the beginning of my mixing affair. My friends and I eventually formed a crew called atmosphere made up of myself (ARCEYE) DJ Stamina and DJ Fuse. We made tape after tape after tape and eventually started playing at house parties and some community gigs. I took things a step further and began playing on pirate radio BREEZE FM / TIDY and in recent years RUDE AWAKENING and UK RUMBLE. While playing on BREEZE FM I met S.L.B but sadly Politics ruined BREEZE FM and we went our separate ways. The music took a back seat for a while because I had a baby boy and decided to get a solid income. While at work I met Animal (Ansel), AngelToonz (Dave) and Gary (3rd Party/ Kemet Crew) all in the Drum & Bass scene. They offered to teach me how to make tracks using Cubase 3.0 on a Baidge G3 (Phat trust me). I instantly got back into things and started playing at a few gigs again. Namely Goldsmiths and The Brixton Telegraph. I got my own set-up (G4 etc). During my rebirth I bumped into SLB (Nakedbeatz) and became firm friends. We stayed in contact and from time to time would attend gigs he was playing at or just get pissed at some Bar in Borough (Jokes?). You could say ANSEL and SLB have been my life line and they have really kept my vibe going until now.
PRESENT
NakedBeatz is the focus. I am trying to get more involved with SLB’s runnings to see how he deals with business and the shit in the industry (There’s alot truss). I am taking my producing more seriously and plan to master my methods. I figure the more I am involved, the more I learn, the better it is for Nakedbeatz as a whole.
FUTURE
QUIT THE NINE TO FIVE (IT’S A BITCH)
For me the NakedBeatz Record label is a must for the future. It has always been a dream of mine to run/ partner a good quality label and I am sure it is just a matter of time before this section of Nakedbeatz comes to the surface.
Studio space is also an ambition for me. I would like to have good enough facilities in place so I can open the doors for the kids who have an interest but don’t have access. In my walk of life I have seen many, many talented kids who just don’t have access due to money etc. Kids then stray and end up doing Bullshit all because they never had a positive outlet for their energy.
At the end of the day if I didn’t have music at a certain stage in my life I wouldn’t be writing this profile.
Gotta give something back.
Reakt -
After moving from the UK to the US at age 7, I grew up skateboarding, writing graff and listening to a combination of rock, punk & hip hop...
Years later, while visiting my UK fam, I was introduced to early hardcore and upon return to Houston began the hunt. After searching long and hard, in 1994, I found Jungle Drum and Bass alive and well in the form of Tha Purrin' Lion Soundflex. I quickly became a part of the crew, bangin' out Jungle DnB across the airwaves on the weekly Force FM broadcasts and KTRU guest slots. It wasn't long before I was traveling the US and mashing up the dance alongside the likes of Kool FM's Dj Ash, Rudebwoy Monty, Dj SS & Warren G, Dj Rap, Kenny Ken, Shy FX, John B, A sides, Special K, Skibadee, Dayzee, Dieselboy, AK1200 and Dara etc...
Thanks to DVS 1 and BMC booking UK headz through town, I was able to meet and keep in touch with them on my yearly visits to London. Through their introductions or sometimes by simply ringing the numbers off record sleeves I managed to network and visit label offices where they kept me up to date with the latest promo's and tp's of the time. Naturally, the next step was a visit to the now legendary Music House where I spent many an entire day and paycheck cutting dubs. (dollars to pounds at £30 or £40 a plate, D'oh!)
Although broke, I was fortunate enough to return to the States with a selection rivaled by few and after attending several WMC's and writing event and record reviews for the only Southside DnB 'zine "The Pride" I secured my place as one of the new up and coming Stateside talents.
In '99 I took a break from DnB and, unfortunately for me, that's when it all went global...I was left in the dust so to speak...
Now, years later, I've returned to the UK and thanks to longtime pal Protocol host a weekly show Fridays 1 - 3am on London's very own KOOL 94.6 FM or www.drumandbasswise.co.uk
Bringin' Stateside sounds to tha London Headz...
Nuff respect to Ash, Monty, Dave Stone(S.O.U.R.), Tobi & Joe(Smokers Inc), Hype, SS, Clayton(T.O.V.), Stakka & Skynet, Aphrodite, Becky at Full Cycle, Rachael at Main Source, Shirley at V, Julia at Shadow, Ruffneck Ting crew, Nicky and tha Blackmarket crew, Protie, Mampi Swift, Futurebound and all those that kept my record bag full over the years...
Last but most definately NOT least, a big shout to all my current crew, you know who you are!!!
Manga, Nebulus, Solid Industry, Mekar MC, Carrie, Minxxy & Kirsty