Guestlist

Issue 40 - 2012

Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.

Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/69917

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 49 of 55

50 REGGAE / DANCE HALL www.guestlist.net THE HEATWAVE Issue 40 / 2012 This London based crew have been spreading their love of Caribbean riddims since way back in 2003. Representing the true essence of Jamaican music and giving dancehall music the recognition it deserves, these guys know how to put on one sick party! Tab Taylor | tab@guestlist.net Firstly tell us how The Heatwave came together? Gabriel Heatwave: It all started as a dancehall party in east London in about 2003. Henry, me and a few mates playing 7" vinyl, the pre-release singles from Jamaica. We used to bring two massive record boxes to every gig - they weighed a tonne! I think we had a unique way of playing. Maybe be- cause I learnt to DJ around jungle and garage, it meant I was mix- ing in that UK dance music style, blending, building up that vibe. All the grime MCs used to love it, Riko, Wiley, Jammer and all those guys used to come down and chat lyrics on dancehall riddims. It was kind of mad! haha! But even in those slightly less glam- orous settings, basements and warehouses, the vibe was amaz- ing. We booked Rubi Dan for one of the first parties at Rythmn Fac- tory. Him and his brother used to come every month anyway, they just loved the vibe so they used to bring all their mates, and Rubi had this positive energetic vibe which was perfect for the night. So he would pick up the mic and host and it just worked wickedly. Benjamin D: Yeah, I can testify to that. Rubi was an inspiration to me as a host and an MC. I used to come to the original Heat- wave nights at the Rhythm Fac- tory, hanging out in the DJ booth rolling spliffs haha! Before that bloody smoking ban! Eventually I started touching mic and hosting in 2007. What I love about the Hot Wuk parties is that it is a real party! Everybody goes for it and it's full of positive vibes. What do you think is key thing for putting on a good party? Gabriel Heatwave You need peo- ple who want to be there for the music, who just want to rave, not stand around or pose. We have people coming to our parties who come on their own, but they always make friends in the rave! on one... When I'm hosting at our dances I always feel like i'm in a pub at closing time and every- one's being lairy and cheeky, flirt- ing with each other, just having a wicked laugh you know. Last year you brought out the legendary DVD 'The Heatwave presents Showtime; The History of UK Dancehall', what was the idea behind this and did you have fun in the process of put- ting it together? Gabriel Heatwave: Yeah putting together Showtime was a bril- liant experience and the night itself was amazing, as a fan and a DJ. Fundamentally Showtime is about having a sick party with the best MCs around. But also clear the connections, that deep down everyone involved is re- ally doing the same thing week in week out whether it's in jungle, garage, grime, hip hop or dance- hall parties. Benjamin D: Plus we wanted to have a crazy party! It's impor- tant for us to highlight the links within the music, and the stories, the connections, you know, and those stories are told on the mi- crophone, when you see differ- ent MCs passing the mic to each other and the crowd just loving it . Gabriel Heatwave: We're doing Showtime again in July, this time in Birmingham with Gappy Ranks, Durrty Goodz, Top Cat, Rodney P and loads of local artists like Lady system culture, but actually it's deeply embedded in our culture and has a wide ranging impact so it's know about that. And there is so much incredible and innova- tive music come out of Jamaica and the global dancehall scene so it's important that people are playing and promoting those new sounds. Lots of people talk about how the 'golden days' of Jamaican music are in the past but there is always amazing new stuff coming out, so much bril- liant music. Every week we do our radio show on Rinse FM and it's mad how much new music there is for us to play. The creativity and work rate of Jamaican artists is miles ahead of the rest of the world. important that people Jamaican music doesn't get enough recognition for the way it's influenced UK music Music brings people together who might not normally be in the same social situations and that makes for exciting parties where people don't know what to ex- pect. And lots of women is always good, haha! Benjamin D: Yes! For sure. More women than men, you can't have too many men! We always play for the girls. Also, good sound. And everyone getting drunk, you know recklessness, scandalous- ness. People need to be properly it's important to us to show how dancehall and Jamaica are at the root of UK club music and to give dancehall the spotlight it deserves. It often gets misunder- stood and misrepresented in the mainstream. We wanted to get all these MCs who spit dancehall style or who grew up with Jamai- can music, and take them back to the foundation by having them together on stage chatting over bashment riddims. By drawing together people who often oper- ate in separate scenes, we made Leshurr, Serocee, RTKAL, RoxXx- an, Juki Ranx and Vital. It's gonna be wicked to see how it works in a different environment with a dif- ferent set of unique MCs! I love that you guys are repre- senting Jamaican culture, how important is it for you to keep carrying this torch? Gabriel Heatwave: Jamaican mu- sic doesn't get enough recogni- tion for the way it's influenced UK music and the whole sound- I'm guessing Carnival is a pretty exciting time for you, you guys must have a crazy one? Benjamin D: I swear Notting Hill is like Christmas for us. We do like 10 gigs in three days, that week- end is super hectic! We play on a float now, so it's sick following the route and doing carnival that way, on a truck, whereas I used to be one of the people leaning on a lampost getting drunk and call- ing for reloads! Gabriel Heatwave: We're doing a bunch of after parties including our own Hot Wuk rave with Seani B and a big one in Brix- ton with David Rodigan. Plus this year we're playing Leeds carnival which is on the same weekend as Notting Hill. also What is gonna be the summer tune this year? Gabriel Heatwave: Call Mi A Yard- ie and Cham's hit Wine are gonna be huge all summer long and will be the biggest tunes at carnival. What is next for The Heatwave? Benjamin D: Wow...to be honest the next few months is looking crazy! I'm excited about our car- nival show that we're taking on the road this summer. Gabriel Heatwave: And par- ties, endless parties at all times, our weekly Wednesday night rave in central London, a few big Hot Wuk events coming up with people like Skibadee and Champion...I guess the biggest and most exciting NEW thing for us this summer is the launch of Heat Wax. Because cos of course when we start releasing music it needs to be the baddest quality cos that's what people know us for: 100% quality party settings! The Heatwave present the Hot Wuk Carnival Roadshow on 29 June 2012 at XOYO Tickets via: www.theheatwave.co.uk

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

view archives of Guestlist - Issue 40 - 2012