Tell us about how you got started making music with Source Direct.
I started DJing when I was about 14 and I met Jim Baker, the other half of Source Direct, at school. We actually made our first demo as Sounds Of Life when we were 15. We had a meeting with a lady called Georgina, who was Photek’s sister, and she also lived in St Albans.

Photek was from St Albans as well but the family moved up to Ipswich, which is where the Certificate 18 link came in. Georgina was knocking about with one of our pals and she took the demo to Photek and he really liked them.

So he got us into his studio and engineered them and got them released by Certificate 18. We were the first drum & bass act to get a Peel Session, John Peel picked up on us quite early because of our youth, and things just escalated from there.

Would you ever get back together with Jim as Source Direct?
Because we started out so young we kind of eventually grew apart. When we signed the big deal with Virgin there was a lot of pressure on us and it drove us apart really and we almost began to hate each other which was a real shame.

We had musical differences and it all just fell apart. A lot of it was to do with the pressure and stress of having a major deal. I don’t think it will ever happen to be honest with you. We don’t really speak any more and a lot has happened in the past which no one will ever know.

It’s personal stuff and I don’t really want to go into it but what’s done is done, my new baby is Vampire, that’s what I’m pushing now. Source Direct is part of my past, a great past as we made a lot of great music but I’ve got to move forward. I’ve always been forward thinking and that’s what Source Direct was about.

Why did you have a break after Source Direct?
I had four or five years completely away from music. I went to the odd club but it was more techno. I just wanted to get away from drum & bass. I was heavily involved with it for eight years so it was a long time. I wasn’t sick of the music but I was sick of the scene. When you get really amongst it and get to know all the people and the way that the scene ticks it can swallow you up. I just needed a complete break and it was good for me to learn about the world and real life as well.

Catch the rest of the interview alongside a nice guest mix here

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