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ASK SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE SCENE TO NAME A
DRUM & BASS DJ AND THE LIKELIHOOD IS THEY
WILL SAY NICKY BLACKMARKET. SINCE THE EARLY
1990S, SEEING THAT TRADEMARK TORCH IN THE
MOUTH HAS BEEN A GUARANTEE THAT YOU’RE
GOING TO DANCE UNTIL YOU DROP. KMAG CAUGHT
UP WITH THE MAN HIMSELF TO FIND OUT THE
SECRET OF HIS LONGEVITY…
Taking your first trip to the shop formerly known Jungle Story project is also in the pipeline and There is no better measure of this than the fact
as Blackmarket Records (it changed to BM Nicky admits that he is determined to make this that the majority of the top DJs on the circuit are
Soho in 2004 as a result of legal wranglings) latest foray into production a successful one. “In still making the effort to make sure they have
is a rite of passage for any self-respecting vinyl the hardcore era I made quite a lot of tunes but the best dubplates in their possession every time
junkie. Pop in most days and you’re almost then the DJing really started to take off. That they appear out.
guaranteed to see Nicky holding court with the was something that I always wanted to do since
next generation of aspiring DJs all bidding to get I was a kid so I decided to take that road at the “I still get them cut because the quality of sound
one over on their mates and bag that exclusive time. I had a label called Cartoons but I just got that you get,” says Nicky. “It’s a great feeling
promo. so busy that I had to stop that and really concen- when you play a new one in the club for the first
trate on the DJing.” time because it’s your new toy and if you’ve cut
“Everything is still the same, it’s just the name,” a few then you know you’re going to rinse those
Nicky tells Kmag when he finally has time to talk But does the DJ’s DJ think there are still op- tunes because you’ve spent your hard earned
at the end of another of his marathon days. portunities for up-and-coming mix-masters to money on them. With an MP3 or CD, it hasn’t
“I’ve been there 17 years now and it feels like make their name without releasing any tracks? got that effect because you have had to work
just five minutes! I still fucking love supplying “Not really nowadays - there’s not a great load get hold of it. Good tunes can easily get missed
people with music - I’m in the shop three days a of DJs who don’t produce or have a label and because you get so many files sent to you and
week now because it’s very important to find out it’s a shame really. When I started, a DJ was just it’s easy to just dash it in the corner whereas a
what people actually want to buy and what they a DJ and nothing else – now people who come dubplate is definitely going to get played out. I
don’t like.” through generally make their names as produc- always take loads of plates out with me because
ers first then to move onto playing out.” it’s the best way of staying ahead of the game
Ever since he made his name as one of the first when you’re DJing every week.”
DJs in the country playing the new underground The 21st century has also seen the continued
sound almost 20 years ago, playing what people rise of digital technology as the bygone days of And having won the award for best old skool jun-
want to hear is exactly what Nicky has done. searching through a dusty record shop for that gle DJ at the recent Raveology Awards, it’s clear
Despite flirting with the production side of things elusive old classic has largely become a thing that the name Nicky Blackmarket is very much
several times over the years, he remains one of of the past for many musical genres. Despite on the lips of every promoter in the scene. “It’s
the few artists to have made his name solely for this, Nicky does think that there will forever be as busy as ever for me – I still get that DJ buzz
his skills on the decks, but that is all set to change a place in drum & bass for those who prefer when I play out even though I’ve been doing it
with the release of his first EP ‘Krank’ / ‘Backing unwrapping a new 12 inch and putting it on the so long. As long as that happens, I’m still gonna
Time’, which is due to hit the streets on Phantasy’s turntable for the very first time. go out very week and keep appearing. I was so
Easy Records any time soon. chuffed to get those awards and it’s great to see
“You can’t stop technology but I think there will that people are voting for me. I just love making
“I haven’t made any music for a very long time always be a niche for vinyl,” he contends. “At the people dance and it’s very important that the
– it’s probably been about eight years now,” he end of the day, drum & bass is a vinyl scene and crowd can see the DJ is enjoying himself at the
reflects. “It’s been good to be creating tunes there’s still a lot of people out there who will same time, which is something I always do. I’m
because I’ve really got the buzz for it again. I only want to buy it. Of course they’ve dropped down doing something that I’ve always wanted to do
stopped doing it because I was so busy with because of the number of places where you can since I was a little kid so there’s no reason why
the shop and DJing and something had to give download music but there’s still a diehard core of I shouldn’t.
because you can’t do everything. I’ve been mak- people who regularly go out to buy tunes. Young
ing sure I have the chance to get in the studio people come in who have just got decks and “The scene is as healthy as it’s ever been but
at least once every week and I’ve been working have taken it up because they’ve been inspired things always move on,” he concludes, “when
with a lot of MCs like Skiba and Shabba. by DJs, which is great. you hear people say ‘it’s not as good as it used
to be’, it’s just because they have got older and
“‘Krank’ is a funny track because it starts off with “Years ago, everyone had a turntable and it’s there’s a new generation coming through. I get
a house tune and then Skibs comes in and says gradually moved onto other formats,” he adds, so many people who come up to me and say ‘It
‘Stop that, stop that! That’s arena four bruv’ and “but our scene has always been based on vinyl was you who got me into drum & bass’ and that
then it kicks in. It started off as a bit of a laugh – we very rarely sell CD singles whereas other makes me really proud. You can’t get a better
to begin with but then we decided to go with it types of music, like house, hip hop and r&b all feeling than that because it’s great to have been
and it’s wicked working with MCs – they’re an do. I don’t think you’re ever going to get the able to influence someone’s life. I love the scene
important part of our scene and I’ve always liked same warm, gutsy feeling you do with vinyl with too much, so I could never give it up, unless
the way they complement the music.” a digital track. I love the process of putting the someone told me that I was doing it all wrong
record on the turntable, cueing it and mixing it one day!”
As if to show that he is serious about his latest in, but it’s different when it’s just a file on your
W∫ Ed Aarons venture, another tune on Phantasy’s forthcoming computer that you just click on.”
K44-45_NickyBM.indd 45 26/4/07 16:26:53
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