Sean "Mr." Pink is heading out to CO to start a new chapter of his life. We caught up with him to talk about this his time in the Atlanta Dance Music Community.

1. So the beginning...When did you go to your first rave? What was your first experience with Jungle Music?

Sean: I first got to Atlanta in 1999, and encouraged by Prince, I went out with a few friends to my first "rave". The Atrium was a pretty big venue, and I had no idea at the time, but I eventually learned that one room was trance, one was house... and one was Jungle! At first I was too overwhelmed to recognize the differences in musical styles- the multitudes of people, the styles of dress, the pretty lights, the vibe of it all! I loved it! So of course I went back out again as soon and as often as I could. And pretty quickly I observed the differences in the genres of music and latched on to what we started calling DnB. And I observed the Jungle rooms always had these circles of dancers hoppin' and poppin' to the music. The crowd seemed to know every song and the people on the dance floor really seemed to be bonded. And in a culture that was already anti-authoritarian, the Jungle crowd seemed even more rebellious- I was in! And soon I would be in the middle of those dance circles havin' the time of my life! I feel lucky I came into it at the right time- it was just as I was learning to use this thing "the internet" to find Jungle events in the area, that Glenn started running events at The Church, and the community really blew up.

2. How have you stayed connected to the music for so long?

Sean: I've always loved music, and I've played the drums since I was 10 years old- everything from school orchestra to jazz band to metal (\m/). Jungle made me realize my love for dance and made me feel more connected to music than ever. There were some phases though, when it felt to me Drum and Bass was fading... but it refused to go away! I feel like Jungle has the most fiercely loyal following and determined promoters. That, combined with the bonding we did on the dancefloor, and the new ability for people to keep connected online through sites like lunar magazine and 404audio and eventually Facebook, the connection stayed pretty well. I love that Drum and Bass events keep happening and I know that whenever I show up I'm greeted with hugs from people who've been livin' this life.

3. What do you like to do outside of dance music events?

Sean: As i consider my answer to this question, i think i might be a hipster? Yoga, rock climbing, and podcasting! I was invited on to a Game of Thrones podcast (History of Westeros) a few years ago that really blew up(again, I feel lucky to have gotten in to something at the right moment!).  There's a whole community of GoT fans out there that i'm happy to have become a part of and the podcast has led to some outstanding moments for me. I've befriended a number of journalists and met several celebrities including Jerome Flynn, Nicolaj Coster-Waldau, and I even got Swordfighting lessons from the first sword of Bravos himself, Serio Forel! But most of all, it's how I met my fiance, Rita =D

4. What are your plans in Colorado?

Sean: The main plan is to get married and have kids, but there are still a lot of details to hammer out! Though i do hope to expand podcasting to media outside Game of Thrones.

5. Can you give us a few Torch memories?

Sean: The years of Torch memories are a blur! I still remember the moment Stacy got that sweet pic of me that seems to be my permanent profile pic on FB. And it was a great moment when a bunch of us came out with our old AJC shirts. But i'll always think fondly of the drive into Atlanta, the sound of the music as I approach the venue, the stream of greetings as I make way way to the dancefloor, the enthusiasm of the dancers, and of course Chuck's bass claw!

6. What is your take on dancing in the scene over the last few years?

Sean: There's always been a mix of people bangin' out on the dancefloor, groovin' on the sidelines, or just bobbin their head as they hold up the wall ;p Sometimes it's hard to separate the dancing vibes evolution over time because there are variables like how big the venue is or the style of music. I feel like the Jungle crowd has always encouraged dancing, but one thing I've observed is it seems to be a bit less testosterone driven than it used to be when the dance circles were dominated by b-boys, but i think we're just getting too old for that now! Haha!. It was always exciting to see those big power moves, but over the years I've realized I prefer to dance with someone than against someone; and I enjoy myself more when I'm connecting and flowing with the music than when i'm testing my athletic ability. But maybe all those thoughts are just to rationalize getting too old for this stuff! Haha! Regardless, I'm still dancing, and I'm not the only one!

We want to thank Sean Pink for this interview and all his years of support of Torch and ATL Dance music events! Here is to you new chapter good sir!

Sean's Podcast: http://www.historyofwesteros.com/www.historyofwesteros.com/

Ahead of the OTC Reunion @ Torch DNB, we got the gang together to dive into the history of the crew and radio show!

1. Tell us a little bit about OTC (Off The Couch Radio).

Bombazi: OTC Radio originally began as a weekly tag team session every Sunday in 2000 before we ever started broadcasting online. The crew went through several iterations starting with myself, ISIS, Shakedown, and Render. The first broadcast was pre-404 Audio and went by ATL Progression Radio. Double Nil, Deco, and Sorted joined up and we didn't miss a Sunday for 8 consecutive years.

Sorted: I was late to the game but jumped on board approx 2007.  We started broadcasting from the 404Audio shop during that era then ultimately brought it full circle to Joe’s apartment the next year.  Around 08 it was typically Bombazi, Double Nil, and myself.

Matt Deco: Off the Couch was an internet radio show that aired on Bassdrive during my time with the crew. I joined after it had been running for a couple of years and co-hosted it with Bombazi and Double Nil from about 2003 until I moved to Los Angeles in late 2006. It aired Sunday evenings and was an awesome way to end the weekend with friends, DJing, having some beers, and grilling out when the weather was right. It was also a good way to bring the Atlanta drum & bass scene together when we'd have guest DJs come through. This was the heyday of The Sopranos, so we had a ritual where we'd often finish the show and then immediately watch that week's episode as it aired.

2. What did you use to broadcast with in those days? Shoutcast / Winamp?

Sorted: I’ll let Bombazi field this. I have no idea other than serato ->Overdrive(I think)

Matt Deco: Oof, I honestly can't remember what we used. It was definitely broadcast using Shoutcast servers, but I can't remember what software we used. Sorry! In later years when I did internet broadcasting on my own I used Nicecast by Rogue Amoeba.

Bombazi: When we started broadcasting, it was the early days of online streaming. The first service we used was Live365. We later transitioned to Shoutcast / Winamp when we joined the Bassdrive.com Sunday lineup.

3. How did all of you link up originally?

Double Nil: I linked up with otc radio around 2002-2003 when Joe (bombazi) and his girlfriend at the time Jen “Isis” hosted the show along with Scott (shakedown). Joe and I, along with some other local dnb DJ’s had put together a weekly dnb night call Versus. During the course of doing this night Matt (deco) and Jamie (sorted) emerged onto the scene and as other members of the crew moved on it solidified the four of us to carry the show subsequently for the next 4-5 years.

Sorted: I met Matt Deco in the fall of 2005 hanging out around Satellite Records in L5P.  I did a guest slot on OTC Radio in Dec 2005 and it was my first time on any kind of live broadcast.  We were all 100% vinyl back then and it was a cool experience for me.  I started playing out more regularly in Atlanta around then and linked up with Bombazi and Double Nil through the club scene.

Matt Deco: There were a few things that happened around the same time that brought us together. I met Bombazi and Double Nil when they were promoting a weekly drum & bass event called Versus that happened every Tuesday, probably around 2002. I went most weeks for a long time and eventually met both of them there. I was also introduced to both of them through a mutual friend who I went to college with, and also ran into Double Nil in Little 5 Points when I'd go record shopping at Satellite, Rewind, and More Dusty Than Digital. The 404Audio forum was pretty popular around this time, so we all interacted online there quite a bit as well as over AIM. I was also hosting the Subterranean drum & bass show on WRAS Atlanta 88.5FM, and I had them up to play as guests a couple of times.

4. What is your take on 2019 Drum & Bass?

Matt Deco: Drum & Bass is in absolutely fine form in 2019, and has been for the last several years. I think the music is next level right now and the scene where I live (Los Angeles) is super vibrant -- lots of shows, lots of variety with various styles and subgenres, etc. I think there's a lot of creativity going on right now and the more underground sounds are getting a lot of support compared to earlier eras.

Bombazi: Drum & Bass is alive and well in 2019–the dubby/liquid genre is still my favorite. Artists such as Calibre and Lenzman/The North Quarter are consistently releasing quality tunes. There is also a good bit of downtempo being released which I really dig. I always make a point to catch Stunna on Bassdrive who's still going strong. --

Double Nil: 2019 drum n bass is poppin’. A thriving genre with mainstream appeal. More recently it seems the underground sounds are starting to swell again. We can the roots showing currently as the cycle of art and trend has brought it full circle to the deeper, darker vibes felt 20+ years ago

Sorted: I’m loving the diversity amongst the Liquid Funk sound that I came to love early on.  There’s an amazingly broad spectrum of sounds in the genre and I’m constantly being amazed at new productions coming out.  My favorite guys out right now are Etherwood, LSB, and Nu:Logic.

5. What are you up to these days? Are you still dj'ing in your respective towns or more just at home for fun?

Double Nil: These days I’m still DJing, and dabbling in production. I’ve been playing more traditional dance music genres like house and techno but I have a feeling dnb will be making a comeback to the clubs and to my crates as the underground needs it more than ever.

Matt Deco: I'm still DJing around LA / Southern California and producing when I have the time. I just started a new label called Vibe Studies which will be a home for a lot of the drum & bass I've been making. I'll be releasing a series of singles over the coming months that should be a good reflection of my personal tastes in drum & bass these days. 

Sorted: I’ve been taking about a year off DJ’ing and spending time with my two kids.  Happy to be back on the decks with the crew this weekend.

Bombazi: I still DJ at Proper (Chicago), a drum & bass weekly hosted every Wednesday in Wicker Park by veterans Phantom 45 and Dr. Groo

6. Any shouts?

Bombazi: Brutus. He stays off the couch. RIP

Sorted: Shoutout to the bassdrive crew and all the listeners back in the day.

Matt Deco: Shouts to everyone in Atlanta who has continued to push D&B forward! It's great to see that a lot of the same people are still involved from when I first got introduced to it nearly 20 years ago.

7. What was you first experience with the Atlanta Jungle / DNB scene?

Double Nil: First ever drum n bass experience was probably in a car or listening to it on someone’s bedroom set-up or house party situation but I think the first time I actually went to a big rave where there was a jungle/dnb room was when a couple of new friends took me and my roommate to the atrium for a party in 2000. After that I was fully hooked and had turntables and a mixer set up within weeks

Sorted: I started going out in ATL around 99 but went off to college shortly after.  I moved back into ATL in 2005 and secured my first gig ever the same week.  Shoutout to Anthony Mayhem for putting me on! I've been involved in various aspects ever since.

Matt Deco: Seeing some of the original local legends of drum & bass play at raves when I first started going out in the 1990s. Hazeus, who was the drum & bass buyer at Satellite for many years, was one of the best DJs I had ever seen at that point. Roger, who was the drum & bass buyer at Rewind when I first got involved, also made a big impression on me when I'd see him play. And then people like Little Jen, Bobble, and the 20hz Cartel really opened my ears to the deeper more atmospheric side of drum & bass.

Bombazi: Joining up with the Rydim Ryderz in '97. I practically lived at Satellite Records in the basement of Wish (L5P) with Hazeus, Tommie Sunshine, Birdman, and Ego Rock during that time and was welcomed into the crew which paved the way for things I'm still doing today.

Ahead of the 180 Degrees Reunion @ Torch DNB, we got the gang together to dive into the history of the crew!

1. How did the 180 degrees project come together?

Ideal: The DJs of 180 Degrees met up at the notorious club Twinz night, Versus. 180 Degrees radio started as rowdy Junglist neighbors and coworkers hosting a weekly radio show every Friday night for Drumnbass.tv, presenting the full gamut of Atlanta DNB DJ talent as well as occasional headlining producer/DJs in town for a show. Residents shuffled and eventually forged into the regular team of Kujo, Ideal, Nano, Disciple13, Enexgee, and Kakarot M.C., who each had different, yet complementary styles of DNB to play with. The radio show was the anchor and ran for 6 good years (2004-2010) It served as an incubator for bigger things to come. 180 crew went on to host and collaborate on countless club events from supporting f'king locals, to hosting top names like Andy C., Goldie, LTJ Bukem, and Evol Intent's Live P.A. At it's peak around 2008, 180 was hosting free biweeklys, big name shows, burner theme camps, netradio, and Ideal was in charge of legendary 88.5 f/m DNB radio show Subterranean.

2. Can you each tell us about your dj name and what it means?

Kujo: I grew up a huge horror movie fan, and one of my favorites was the movie Cujo. My drum & bass tastes early on were super dark and heavy so I decided to take on this name. The only problem was there was already a dnb artist across the pond that had put out of few things under the name Cujo, so I got lazy and changed the spelling.

Nano: I actually struggled with this a bit when time came to put a moniker on paper. I think that was back in 2000? I wanted it to reflect the futuristic and synthetic vibes of of techstep and neurofunk at the time - something that I'm still very passionate about, and precision which I tried to infuse into my music and my sets. I thought "Nano" captured that, despite being a bit random and somewhat of a contrast to my appearance

Ideal: In 2000, I was a dj in training with no name, opening my mind to be inspired. I was riding to college classes on MARTA and a construction worker on board had a metal device on his toolbelt that said "Ideal" in big bright silver embossed print. I juggled the word about and liked it. Ideal, as in idealistic, holding my art to a high standard. I deal, as in, "shit happens, and I deal with it. I cope." And then there's the 3rd Eye deal. A metaphysical I/eye opening experience of cosmic consciousness.

3. What was your favorite event that 180 did during its time as a dnb promoter in Atlanta?

Kujo: This is such a hard question. We had so many great events (not to toot our own horn). Spor’s debut in Atlanta was one of them. He played to a jam packed purgatory crowd that went absolutely insane. He ended up setting a speaker on fire. Raiden on 3 decks was one of my favorite DJ sets. Hardly anyone came to that one. If I had to pick an event as my favorite, it would have to be our hometown heroes: Evol Intent (Live).. I’d never seen an entire drum & bass set played on actual instruments. Drum & bass fans that missed that show may never see anything like it again. It was truly a legendary performance.

What was your first experience with Jungle / DNB?

NinjaKid: 1992, freshman year, there was a rave at the cafeteria at my university. I walked in and fell in love . . . here's the flyer:​

How have you grown and stayed connected to this music for 20+ years?

D-Lemma: All good things must come to and end, or at least a long pause. I stayed busy throughout these days keeping a very loyal residency, and that filled me with a certain kind of pride being accepted into the culture I fell in love with. I would carry 6 crates up flights of stairs to play 8 hour sets in the damn freezing weather on top of a church in downtown Atlanta for $20 from the promoter because I LOVED IT. But soon things came to a grinding halt, and the scene slowly drifted away. I had to find another option to stay busy with music. This is when I opened a studio and made my living off of music. Even though I couldn't be out, I was still practicing my craft and diving into so many genres. This was years of turning down venues because my loyalty lied within my former promoters. So years later when they started back, even though I was not on anyone's minds, I did get invited to come back for a reunion with them. Now that was a change. Dubstep was the new king, but I was still repping drum n bass and hip hop, and I damn sure packed out that patio hahahaha. That sparked back my interest in playing live again. That was 4 years ago, and I'm still trying to go strong with my crew 1200 HUSTLE.

Enkognito: Online podcast, love for DNB, Torch and when i visit L.A. i hit dragon fly on thursdays for Respect DnB

NinjaKid: Atlanta has always had a very rich music scene, and as far as the rave/jungle scene goes, sites like Lunar Magazine and 404 Audio really helped support that. The internet in general has been huge in making it possible to keep in touch/up to date with the scene, even as I started to move towards playing different genres of music.

Give us a few favorite Jungle records from the early days? How about a few from recent years?

Doughboy: Some of my favorite tunes from back in the day consist of all the old Aphrodite remixes and originals like "I Got 5 On It" and "I Can't Stand The Rain" (tunes my wife says made her fall in love with me) as well as Squarepusher's "Do You Know Squarepusher" and Photek's Modus Operandi album. These artists led the way to the wide variety we have in the drum and bass genre today and their experimentation inspired so many up and coming producers to step beyond the typical production methods and seek out new ways of incorporating unique sounds and techniques in their productions. As for now, a few of my favorite tunes of the last year are "Stranger Things" by Complex and "Sierra Mist" by Heist. I think these tunes embody the essence of quality drum and bass. They take you on a journey from start to finish all while making you want to groove and have that feel of a song with soul unlike so much other music out today.
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​You have been involved in the Atlanta DNB scene for a long time now. How did you first get into Drum & Bass? What were some of the first DNB shows you went to?

I actually happened upon drum and bass by chance really. I had been learning to spin house from a good friend Chris Meadows, went to some shows at The Church and The Globe and by exploring other rooms found I liked the darker/heavier beats (I was into Metal and Punk and it just seemed natural progression.) The first time it REALLY hit me hard was the release of Pish Posh's "Indoor Storm" The mixture of incredible drum and bass and blazing lyrics from Posi-D, I was hooked. That cd stayed in my car permanently. Most of my first dnb was local djs at the time, like Organik, Weatherman, D:RC, Evol Intent, Mayhem etc. Who have all gone off to do huge things with their careers. Couldn't have a better list of local influence. (all locals, not just the ones mentioned.)

​
I know you enjoy dj'ing and producing music. Do you go through periods of time enjoying one more than the other? How do you use each one to get better at the other?

Definitely. I've been on a huge vinyl buying kick lately of a lot of the dnb that we all got into 15 years ago etc, influential tunes that really brought the scene into what it is today. I go back and forth djaying and producing a lot actually. With finally having a nice spot to be able to get loud and all new gear djaying has become fun again. However, I do find myself getting inspired during those times and having to jump in the studio right away. I hear a lot of people say they get influence for dnb outside of the genre but I get a lot from it too. Especially lately. Some of my new tunes have that "older school" vibe for sure. Staying on top of both is my best way to get better from each. I find myself taking shorter production sessions and spending more time djaying lately, but that's the new gear i think. I still spend about 5 hrs a day or more in the studio though. 

What are some of your favorite sub-genres of DNB?

I've always been a fan of techy/neuro dnb but I also love a lot of jump up and ragga jungle type stuff as well. Realistically I like it all. Drum and Bass has something for every mood. Literally.

In this day and age, sorting music for DJ gigs can be done many different ways. What is your current “plan of attack” for this staying organized?

Rekordbox. BIG TIME. In the land of flashdrives it has become my saving grace. Being able to run things through mixed in key and then imputing that info into my set lists metadata has been amazing. You couldn't see it during the cd era so I was forever scribbling keys next to the tracks. Hahahaha.

I would like to know more about NoisyMusic. The history, your involvement, day to day operations and big picture plans as well. 

Ah. This one could get lengthy, and should really. This all started with a friend introducing me to Jason Shatta (My business partner) to release my first dubstep release on NoisyDubs (the beginning of NoisyMusic). I had been experimenting with that sound at the time and I decided to try and get some signed. The rest is as they say, history. hahahaha. We started talking about music and really found we had a keen interest in the same ideals and styles. Shatta had started on some new projects and delving into production and the NoisyDrums expansion was happening with Danny ShyGuy (NCDNB) and I stepped up to help with day to day things for the dubstep label. As time turns and life gets busy ShyGuy had to take on daily life head on so there was Jason and I with the labels and we decided to focus our efforts to the 2 / start building the noisymusic brand. 
​
NoisyMUSIC, LLC is the company name and is the parent of NoisyDrums / NoisyDubs. We at first were tackling each label separately(ish) but in the end decided to Partner up and run things full time. Now we have a new A&R for NoisyDubs, Matt Spade aka MASSACREX who has been really pulling the weight for the dubstep stuff leaving time for Jason and I to focus on getting the drum and bass label on point as well as launching our event series. The $8 Holla. A drum and bass focused event bringing headliners all for the price of $8 everytime. Our first 2 events (Danny The Wildchild / Jade, respectfully) were an absolute success and we have a really big one in store for February. Which you might already know a thing or two about, hahaha.
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We have to have a gear question, lol. Dj wise, what do you like to play on? Any features you use a lot or like? On the production side, what sort of equipment, DAW, etc?

Djaying I'm pioneer hands down. CDJs/Mixer/Turntables. Since Pioneer got the plans for Techs and updated some key features I'm sticking with them for vinyl.
My DAW of choice is Ableton Suite 9 matched up with Serum & Massive as synths. I use a lot of ableton's stock effects and tools as they are all really great and straight forward for ease of use. 
 
I really enjoyed seeing Jade this year. Thanks for bringing him. How did that show come about?

Stu from Cybergroove. hahaha. He hit me up and told me Jade was touring and I was like. Uh. when, where do i sign and lets do this. HAHAHA. Jade is probably one of my biggest influences in production / label management and I jumped on the chance. Even if it had to be a Wednesday but the vibes were amazing and he said it was his favorite stop! All the Eatbrain attire and DIEHARD fans here in Atlanta really warmed his heart. This was one for the heads. I didn't care if I had to loose out or not. He was here as appreciation to the dedicated drum and bass heads in our city. One big shout I have to make is to Michael Metapattern. He was a huge help with the show.
 
What are your plans for 2017 in regards to dj’ing, the label, production and promotion?

BIIIIIIG plans. We have been stacking up some really big signings for both labels and with the team ever growing it's making things a lot easier. Just picked up a release from Danny the Wildchild for NoisyDrums as well as a few others we can't quite talk about, but the future for both labels are very bright. 
As far as Production, I've sorta focused all my efforts back into drum and bass full time. I have a blast making it and its always been in my soul. I still do plan to release some bass music (outside of dnb) sometimes. I have some really killer projects in the works right now for Schedule One some tunes for Patrol the Skies,a few tunes with Pish Posh (How I got so lucky, no clue) as well as a slew of releases for Vorheez, Jae Lion and Zero Chill (my 3 musical projects.) 
 
I’d like a full list of your alias and the ideas behind them. :)

Well there isVorheez. My main alias. My main focus. Predominately Drum & Bass/ Multi Genre Bass Music, I release most of my music through here.
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​Jae Lion: Well, This is my reggae / ragga project. Not too sure how many have caught on yet, but I've quite converted to Ras Tafarian lifestyles and this is my spiritual outlet for that. JAH!

Zero Chill is a project with my partner Jason Shatta and our NoisyDrums Resident Matastrophe. Focused on Heavy Neuro/Dancefloor DNB. Biiiig tunes coming from this camp too!!
 

​Any shouts or info you would like us to share? Links, etc

I want to shout out all the #NoisyFAM out there that support the movement and what we do. All of the local promoters who keep our scene alive and all the fans who support, without you guys making a career in this industry would be impossible. My Partner Jason Shatta/ Matt Matastrophe/Matt Spade and all my hardworking team behind NoisyMusic. Of course the most important shout goes to my wonderful other half Melissa who supports, pushes and puts up with my loud ass everyday. HAHA

What was your first experience with Jungle / DNB?

​Doughboy: The first time I heard Dnb was 96, Club Sol, Hazeus! What more could be said! I had been spinning for about 5 years and it hit me like a Mack truck that I wanted to hit others with!

Roger: First experience was a rabbit in the moon party in NC and in the basement was the "jungle" room. The music was so foreign to me. people were moving anyway they wanted. I would leave and keep coming back to investigate. Then my old roommate from college showed up with jungle sky cds and I was in love.

Jeremy: Roger and I started hanging out in 1994 and started going to clubs like 688 very shortly after. Can't recall the exact first experience with DNB but it was that year. I recall quite a few DJ Odi tapes, some epic Hazeus sets, and some road trips to hear Dieselboy and Phantom45. Once we realized that we could buy the same records that we heard in these sets and mix them our own way... it was on.

Edo: Around 92’ I started listening to early rave music, happy hardcore or hardcore if you will and anything with rave stabs and a bassline. Shortly after electro, breaks, and west coast house made their way into my musical rotation. I’m pretty sure it was 95’ when my mates from Chattanooga talked me into going to rave in Ohio which just happened to be the first Family Affair. I was on my way over to join everyone to hear Doc Martin and just about when everything started to kick in, I was overcome by these insanely fast breakbeats. I remember looking at my friend and say what is that sound? What is that!?! It was Gang Related & Mask – Bass is Rollin’ and when those amens hit it was all over.

D:RC: When I started learning how to DJ in 1989 the specific term 'Jungle' wasn't being used yet, but around 1990/1991 I remember there were house records I started collecting that incorporated faster breakbeats within the 4/4 framework. They called it hardcore. Records like SL2 - On A Ragga Tip and Awesome 3 - Don't Go. Those were the bigger records that turned me on to the more underground hardcore sound like The Scientist (aka DJ Hype) - The Exorcist and Nasty Habits (aka Doc Scott) - Here Come The Drums. Eventually hardcore basically split in half into a 4/4 and a breakbeat scene and the ragga influence kind of took hold with records like Ed Rush - Bludclot Artattack on No U Turn. After that I think the term "jungle" started getting used around 1994 and the chopped amens became a trademark of the sound. By the time Shy FX - Original Nuttah came around in 1995 it was full-fledged jungle.

Dawn: Honestly , its a bit organic. I started getting into Techno through Industrial. I have always been musically inclined from an early age. I Play guitar and was in a few bands.Never more than that. at that time i was into punk and really all sorts of stuff. Was into Ministry , Skinny puppy ,Kmfdm ... You know. Heard James brown is dead and kind of just followed that. It was like 1993 when i heard Sons of a loop da loop era on Suburban Base recordings. It was over after that. I was hooked. Got turned on to guys like D.Cruze , Hype, A sides , 4 Hero. Started actively looking and wanting this sound.

Tell us about the early rave / jungle scene in ATL or ATH. Who were the promoters you played for and where were the events? What were the crowds like?

D:RC: When I moved to Athens to attend UGA in 1993 I had the hardest time meeting people who were into dance music besides 'Late Night Disco' at the 40 Watt. After about a year I met DJ 43 at a club called O'Malley's where I applied at for a DJ job. Then I met some ravers in my graphic design program who introduced me to Liquid Groove and the early Atlanta scene. the first local Athens event I went to was 'Beat Bar' at O'Malley's thrown by Sabrina Sexton and Jason Weil. By 1995 I was completely obsessed with jungle, driving to ATL to buy records, but it wasn't something I heard played out regularly at local parties except for Bobble's events at Boneshakers. He gave me my first gig to play all jungle in front of a crowd.

That same year I banded together with DJ 43, Neil McDonald and my roommates Paul & Ray and started Phungus and started throwing our own small events. By 1996 those events picked up steam when Clay Ivey and Christy Dickert joined the team, and we started throwing full on raves in Atlanta. I also formed an all jungle crew called Playtheavy with Duda and GK Enjul and later Weatherman, Organik & Assembly and crew manager Brian Blessinger. 1998 - 2002 ended up being the "golden years" for D&B in Athens. We ended up bringing some of the biggest names at the time with the help of Christy @ Encore Agency: A-Sides & Embee, Stakka & Skynet, Total Science, DJ Lee, Marcus Intalex (We had a young Mayhem open for that one), Vegas of Bad Company, Roni Size & Reprazent, Dieselboy, Hive, Sage, Stu of C4C, Sinthetix. As far as venues I would say Boneshakers and Mean Mike's were the main spots hosting several well-attended weeklies, but also AMF, Tasty World and The 40 Watt for one-offs. We also had an amazing afterhours scene - S/O Gabe and Foundry St and Organik's 'Clubhouse'!

Roger: The scene was really small. 20hz cartel. Bobble.Hazeus. Little Jen. It was always in the back rooms and on any kind of system someone could throw together. We played on whatever we could. we had so much fun being loud. That's why we got into djing, to hear our records loud!

We played in Birmingham a lot and playhouse kids was our first gig. In a warehouse in the basement. In atl it was pleasure, liquid groove, starchildren, permagrin, iris/esp 101 at the pyramid and then the church. Lots of little one offs. If I left out anyone from the early days please forgive me! We played at after hours a lot. This place called the ruins we basically lived at and that's where I really got my chops and comfortable on a big sound system. As a dj i think if you can play on a hodge podge system then you can play on a true sound system.

Jeremy: Man, the early jungle scene in Atlanta was pretty underground. We were usually in the second room or only got real early or real late time slots. We got our start at The Ruins, used to be able to go up there and just practice on a loud system. The first time I spun out was for Sonic Soldiers at a party at an old meat packing warehouse here in Atlanta. Richie had me at a prime spot in the second room and I remember it being such a good jump-up set that as soon as I was done he dragged me into the main room to keep spinning. Amazing night! Starchildren used to have us out for good parties, Vinyl Boy, Liquid Groove, Pleazure, Permagrin - I'm probably missing a few but when these guys started to bring in the big UK players that is when DNB took off in Atlanta. Local DNB events at The Church and Club Sol were always packed out with junglists. We were residents for Jennifer at Pleazure for a while and got to play some BIG rooms for thousands of people, opened up for some of the biggest names in DNB. It was a great time.

Doughboy: Dark and dirty, always in the back room of the large events, but always with this "real" understanding that it was all about the music and the vibe. I would pretty much throw down dnb anywhere, anytime and for anyone, even throwing all night parking lot events with my brother, the late DJ Quirk. Always had a love for the basement @ The Church playing for Iris. As far as the crowd goes.......always considered them family.

Dawn: Well, that's a loaded question. there was little Jungle back in 93' . I managed to find a guy by the name of Hazeus. Saw him play and actually saw the birth of the Atlanta Jungle Scene. The Riddim Ryderz. I started playing afterparties and house parties. Really got my start at a place called the Ruins. After that , I am honored to have played at a lot of pinnacle venues for our scene. Pyramid , The vault , Fusion , The church , Studio Central, Nomenclature , The mark ,Masquerade hundreds of times For and as resident with Permigrin , !80 Degrees , Iris , Household ,Bass wars , Koncrete Jungle and 45 Entertainment. Then on to helping move the jungle club nights with The Globe and starting up Club Twinns With Negaverse which later hosted Versus.
The Jungle scene has always been close knit. True Heads.

Edo: After having a revelation in Ohio I dedicated my soul to this music but I quickly realized that here in the land of house & breaks there wasn’t a whole lot of people that shared my faith in this new religion. It was a constant battle and we fought hard to establish a foothold in scene. Sure there was a night that was ran by Hazeus but we didn’t get the big jungle acts like they did up North and out West. So I started my own production company. Shady. We threw a few parties. Had a lot of fun. A few years later the local promoters caught on and the rest is history.

How have you stayed connected to this music for 20+ years?

Dawn: I have just stuck to my roots. The essence is still there. Rough and Rugged .
There are so many more aspects and personalities now. You can always find a sound of Drum and Bass you can relate too.

Edo: Cutting my teeth on jungle, it didn’t take much to embrace the original jump-up sound, then techstep, and atmospheric drum & bass but once I really became comfortable with my abilities and where I was as a dj, I branched out and started playing electro & breaks, sort of returned to my roots. This allowed me to expand even further and I played 2 Step Garage which progressed into house & downtempo then techno made its way into my heart. All the while I stayed with my true love and followed the music into liquid funk, neurofunk, & techstep. So my love for electronic music has pushed me along all this time.

Jeremy: I have been in and out. That sums it up I think. I moved away from Atlanta for a while and had nothing to do with electronic music for a few years and then moved back all while falling in love with Dubstep. I ran Atlanta Dubstep for a while with some friends here in town and then ended up moving away again. I have a lot of friends that came up in the local scene at the same time that are still heavy in the industry and it has kept me involved on the sidelines following their success.  

Roger: DnB and the scene to me was more than just music. it was a lifestyle. we lived and breathed it for so many years(still do). i feel connected to it. it's a part of me and who i am. 

Doughboy:  I keep loving it and keep playing it. Even when I'm not getting near the same amount of bookings playing DNB as opposed to Trap/Dubstep/House, I still research and procure tunes as well as support local and rising artist on various platforms. Basically, I maintain a constant inflow of music from a large range of genres and sub genres.

D:RC: I would say drum & bass is my "default", as it's the kind of music I've been closest involved with over the years. The basic framework of it lends itself to so many moods and styles, I've been able to come back to it time and time again. As a DJ there's been times I've focused less on D&B in favor of other styles, but even then, I think it's more of a reflection of evolving crowd demands. Privately, I've always listened to D&B. Obviously the internet has made it easier to keep up with emerging trends and sounds, and discovering fresh new talent keeps me interested.

What is your take on Jungle / DNB these days?

​Jeremy: It has def evolved but it is still DNB! I can get into all of it. Will always be pre 2000 at heart but I still listen to everything. Favorites these days are all Atlanta based.

Roger: My take is that its changing like its always done. all music goes through changes. it's a living thing and as new people begin to make it all new styles emerge. i listen to as much dnb as i can find. i wish there were more events but i am so glad that promoters still have dnb at either stand alone events or in a side room. especially recurring nights (torch).

D:RC: I think that technology has finally caught up to the genre, but also democratized the process of production. More people than ever are getting involved - it's a truly worldwide phenomenon. I don't think it's a coincidence that some of the best producers working in EDM today have a background in D&B. Mastering D&B production or even dj-ing is a pretty high bar to clear but it's helped immensely in pushing up the general level of quality. I think lots of modern dance music owes a debt to D&B in that sense, but I also like how D&B has retained its rigorous standards and character, almost to a fault. Sometimes I am a little worried that the insular world of D&B is a little hard to navigate by a casual listener and we're not gaining as many fans as other genres. Maybe we just have to accept that's the price to pay for having standards of excellence LOL.

Edo: I love the direction that drum and bass is headed. The beats just keep on coming and the talent just keeps getting better.

Dawn: At times a bit over produced. But Im happy to see it finally getting a larger reach and appreciation. From Dark dungeons to main stages. Truly Massive. The U.S. Scene and producers are making hella noise these days.

Doughboy: It's ridiculous. The production quality is stellar. Each sub genre has its standouts yet there are always new names putting out quality tunes in the sub genres which I primarily focus on. And truthfully it's great to see more DNB acts getting proper recognition at bigger shows and festivals. 

Can you give us a tip from your dj'ing experience over the past 20 years?

Edo: Slow it down every once in a while, the music takes on a whole different attitude when you go 160bpm.

Dawn: A cliche . Keep it real. That simple.

Doughboy: Stay organized and be redundant in your organization, if possible. I have had to reorganize my music collection numerous times throughout my career due to neglect and procrastination. STAY ON TOP OF YOUR STASH! Knowing your music inside and out and knowing where to find anything at a moments notice gives you the ability to make your set anything you want/need it to be for whomever the audience may be, even if it's just you

D:RC: I'm from an era where the DJ as a personality is secondary to what they can offer. Tuning into your dancefloor and giving them the best experience of their life in that moment is some of the most rewarding experiences you can have. Some of my favorite DJ-ing experiences ever have been in dark cramped basements with 40 people losing their minds to music they've never heard before, and no one knew or cared who I was. Properly mastering your craft is way more important than getting your Facebook numbers up or curating your Snapchat stories - at least in the beginning.

Roger: i still have as much fun djing in my basement by myself-being loud and dancing- as i ever did playing out at gigs. 
my tip is love what you do, so you can do what you love

Jeremy: ​Never plan a set.

I would like to thank Don, Damien, Roger, Jeremy, Eddie & Darcy for taking the time to this interview. The whole crew is playing @ a special edition of Torch DNB: 100 Years of Jungle on 7/8/16

Event info:
www.facebook.com/events/1713736662220327/ 

Artist Info:
DOUGHBOY (aka DADDYDOUGH)
D:RC 
​DAWN (aka DON DARKO) 
JEREMY
EDO 
ROGER