Q: How did it all begin? A: As it usually does in a bedroom with a stack of records and some cobbled together equipment. I nicked the top deck of my mum's HiFi system, bought some other second hand kit and hooked it all up. It was a real beg, borrow, steal job. Q: What inspired you to give it a go. A: Public Enemy's Terminator X. He was definitely my main influence. I just soaked up everything he did, dissected it and tried my hardest (not very convincingly as a 14 year-old kid) to emulate his work. It's pretty funny listening back to the tapes actually. A friend of mine dug something up the other day, one of the old tapes. It was so bad, really cringeworthy but you have to start somewhere right! Q: So was your first vinyl purchase something to be embarrassed by too? A: No, I don't think so. The first record I owned was a present from my dad. It was Reet Petite by Jackie Wilson. Then the first record I actually bought myself was Don't Believe the Hype by Public Enemy. I'll hold my hand up and say I'm proud of that. Q: What genre of music do you play? A: My love is hip hop and I'd just like to play that all night but the Gatehouse crowd tend to like it varied. I mix it up with R&B, bashment, soul, a little bit of garage (but not too much garage). Q: Where do you play? A: Fortnightly at Blend on a Saturday. I do the monthly Interface night on the 1st Friday of the month. I do the student night on Wednesdays - Spank. And I also do Off the Hook, that's usually the 3rd Friday of the month. Then I do a few bits and pieces, few sets up at the Five Lamps or at parties. Q: What's the Gatehouse crowd like? A: Depends which night you're there. Usually it's a good crowd. Sometimes - say the student night - you get a big mix of people some of whom know their music and others who are just out 'cause they're students and it's the place to be. I have to get the balance right, you don't want to put the new ones off with full on music they've never heard of but then you don't want it to be too mainstream for the experts. It's a buz when you play a bit of a floor filler then follow with something obscure but you know you've hooked the crowd. The Gatehouse is good for that. Q: What do you put on if you want to fill the floor? A: Terror Squad's Lean Back is a winner at the moment. An old favourite is LL Cool J's Doin' It and of course, Biggie Small's One More Chance always gets them moving. Q: What's your most treasured record? A: (Much chin scratching ensued after this question) Hmmm, hard question. If I was forced to wonder which I'd miss most if the whole collection disappeared it'd have to be Chub Rock's Treat 'em Right, oh and the Coco Brovaz tune Super Brooklyn. It was a rare catch, limited edition anyway but as soon as it came out it was pulled because basically they sampled the Nintendo Super Mario Brothers tune, naughty naughty!! Q: What kit do you use? A: Technics 12/10s, Vstax 05 mixer, everything else is Sony. I've come on a bit from my mum's HiFi. Q: Where would be your dream venue? A: It'd have to be Hammersmith Palace, packed to the rafters! You'd get the feeling you were part of something very very big. I'm not greedy at all. Q: So if you weren't a DJ what would you be doing with your time? A: I've tried my hand at everything from accountancy to employment services. As well as the DJing though I work down at the YMCA as a support worker, I also do music workshops with kids. I reckon it'd definitely be something along these lines. Q: BFG's top five tunes? A: Don't believe the Hype - Public Enemy....Treat 'em right - Chub Rock....My Philosophy - BDP....Kick in the Door - Biggie Smalls....Shook Ones - Mobb Deep Q: That name, go on, tell us how you got it? A: I grew up in London and was always the tallest and biggest kid. I got into basketball - not surprising huh? - and even then I was the tallest. The gang just nick-named me BFG after the kids' book. I ended up playing semi-pro actually for the London Towers so maybe that's what I'd be if I wasn't a DJ. The tall guy who plays basketball. | 
