Zone Magazine Issue 011 - Paul Oakenfold

feature interview [uk]
I caught up with the legendary Drum &
Bass ambassador Roni Size at this year’s
Boomtown festival after being immersed in
the craziest and most theatrical festival
that I’ve ever attended.
Sector 6, a stage set to rival that of Bang Hai
Palace, has been created for Boomtown 2016.
The industrial masterpiece will act as the official
base of the Revolution, hosting a strong line up
of bass heavy spectacles.
As a long time master of bass, Roni Size is a
perfect fit for this new project. After a huge year
of live touring with his Reprazent band, he has
returned to the decks with partner in crime, DJ
Krust after 12 years.
These underground legends will be delivering
a show drawn from the roots of Jungle & DnB &
old classics, unreleased studio cuts and originals
remastered, with original Full Cycle frontman,
Dynamite MC.
You had a massive year in 2015, can you
tell me a bit about what you’ve been up to?
Well I think over the last three or four years
I’ve really been pushing to get myself back into
that premier league table. We’ve got a release
coming out on the 10th June on Full Cycle and
it’s been a really interesting moving forward
because the audience and the technology and
the way everything is done has changed so
much.
For the generation who know nothing about
what Full Cycle, Reprazent and Roni Size is all
about, it would be good if they can maybe go
and get to know a bit of history and look at
exactly what we’ve contributed to the scene over
the years and start to engage in what we’re
doing moving forward.
Has the evolution in technology changed
the way that you make music?
Nah. At the end of the day, musically, writing
comes from the heart and the technology is
something which I embrace. I think, really, it’s
more about trying to reposition yourself as an
artist.
Having a whole generation of 16~20 year olds
who came into the dance music/drum and bass
scene in the late 2000s... They’ve only been in it
for the last 10 years. So it’s a re~education and
it’s a challenge that we’ll meet head on.
Boomtown is known for showcasing a
range of genres, especially underground
bass music. You’ve been pretty
instrumental in the growth and the reach of
live drum and bass, what made you want to
evolve that part of the sound?
I think when you perform as a live musician,
you have the stage to yourself. You can put up a
live drummer, bass player... You can put a really
dynamic show together which can evolve and
you can play on some major stages around the
world.
The fact is that there are a lot of bands out
there who have a live show, but they’re not
really live bands. Back in the day, we embraced
trying to be 100% live band and now we’re a
live show! We want to go out there and show
people that we don’t just stand behind two sets
of turntables and “put your hands in the air”...
There’s a lot of substance to what we do.
What can the Boomtown residents expect
from your show?
Well it’s a Full Cycle takeover so we’re going
to be playing stuff from Full Cycle which is mine
and Krusts’ record label.
We just recently started it back up and are on
our second release of this new venture. The first
part of the journey started back in 1993 and
then we took a step back in about 2008 because
we had other work commitments. Now, in
2015/16, the label is starting to reach all the
areas of drum and bass.
We’re going to come to Boomtown and spread
the name so people know that Full Cycle is a
label they should get involved with. It’s going to
be showcasing some new artists and playing
some classics which have made it what it is
today.
The Bristol Sound is something that’s
recognised worldwide, what do you think it
is about it that appeals to such a wide
range of people?
Well drum and bass and jungle have been
around for a good two decades now, so it’s not a
new music. There are a few new styles coming
through but they’re all based around drum and
bass and jungle.
The Bristol sound, Full Cycle sound, is
something which incorporates its’ own flavour
from the city. That is hip hop and reggae
culture; soundsystem culture and that’s what
people have tapped into.
They’ve tapped into basslines and ragga
vocals and it’s made it popular, people want to
replicate that sound. You’ll buy a brand new plug
in and you’ll go to the lists and you’ll see Bristol
Bass or Bristol Drums or Bristol Sounds (laughs).
You can go through and see how it’s made an
impact, not just through selling records but
through the Bristol sound itself.
Boomtown’s known for being an immersive,
theatrical and engaging experience that
leaves punters with lasting memories. What
are you looking forward to most?
It’ll be my first so I’m a Boomtown virgin! I’ve
heard a lot about it though. Obviously there’s
going to be a Full Cycle takeover so I’m looking
forward to that and I’ve heard it’s a great party.
I like the fact that it’s my first year at
Boomtown, I’m looking forward to being
pleasantly surprised.
Connect:
https://www.facebook.com/ronisize/
Words By Paul Sawyer
ESSENTIALDANCEMUSIC 21