Nicky Blackmarket

Stepping into the Jungletechno hot seat for 2007 is the Award Winning Nicky Blackmarket.

Nicky Blackmarket a true soldier to the drum and bass movement, as Nicky can found entertaining the dancefloors up and down the UK every weekend as well as playing abroad.
Nicky is notoriously known for his oldskool jungle/drum and bass retro sets as well as his refreshing upfront selections.
When Nicky is not behind the decks on the weekend he can be found working hard behind the counter of BM Soho (formerly the world famous Blackmarket Records).

1. How did you get involved with Blackmarket Records?

It was about 17 years ago. I went into the shop and there was no Drum and Bass that was around in 1990. The shop was already running for around a year and half before I took it over and I haven’t looked back since.

2. Who have been your influences in and out of the rave scene, and what was it that gave you the djing bug?

I have been playing music since I was 15, obviously there wasn’t any drum and bass back then, but I have always had the DJ bug, and still have.

3. Do you remember your first booking? And how did you get your first break?

I can’t really remember back to my first, I think it was Pirate club. In the rave scene you’re looking at Pirate club at the Rocket club (London).

4. Having seen the drum and bass scene change and grow from acid house into what it is today. Which have been your favourite years?

You can’t really say because obviously different era’s have different memories, they are different times. Its still progressing now, so I can’t really say a particular time, I’ve had a many a great time, just like Dr Who I suppose!!!

5. Regularly being booked to play not only in the UK but across the globe, taking drum and bass to new audience. Where is the weirdest place that you’ve played out to?

Its great there’s loads of different pockets of the scene around the world. I remember doing this thing over in Switzerland, in a mad forest was wicked.

6. What has been your favourite booking home and abroad? And which countries are ‘aving it’!!!?

There’s loads, absolutely too many, there’s plenty of countries out there having it out. A big scene out of Britain would be Germany and Canada, I’d say they are the two biggest out of the UK.

7. Today you can be found enlightening ravers, playing regular oldskool jungle sets as well as upfront drum and bass. Not only a regular at drum and bass raves you can been found at hardcore raves too (HTID/ Raver Baby).
How does it feel to know you have educated a generation of ravers especially from a different genre to that of drum and bass?

A lot of people hit me up, they either go into the shop, meet them when I’m playing out or on myspace and would say that ‘It was you that got me into drum and bass’, which I’m honoured with that. This is reflected in wining the best oldskool DJ at various award ceremonies. Chuffed to bits.

 

8. You and the late Stevie Hyper D worked together forging one of the scenes greatest DJ and MC partnerships. How did you guys hook up?

We both started at Thunder and Joy, we worked really well and went onto Kool FM every week, playing out at loads of places and it just went on from there really.

9. Do you have a particular favourite set or memory that you cherish?

There are too many places, there’s no specific one. End of the day he’s got a lot of influence on what’s going on now. With a lot of MC’s today talking to the crowd he set a standard. Stevie was very versatile he’d chart, he’d sing, he’d rap he’d do the whole thing.

10. In 1997 your label Kartoonz saw the arrival of ‘2 Degrees’, back then did you think it would be a massive success, being played nearly 10 years later?

I didn’t think it would be that big, but you know it’s still played at all the oldskool gigs. I knew it was going to be a fairly big tune but didn’t know it was going to be big as it got.

11. Do you have any projects in the pipeline where producing is concerned?

Yeah I’ve started to produce again, got back in the studio, done something with Phantasy now and I got Skibs (MC Skibadee) chatting on one of the tracks. I’m going to be doing a tune for Phantasy’s album with MC Shabba as well.

12. Who has been your most famous customer to have walked through BM Soho?

We’ve had loads of famous people come through, its funny, had Jerry Dammers from The Specials, he was one of my heroes and he now comes and buys drum and bass, I’m honoured.. The creator of the whole 2 tone thing, also John Peel used to come in and buy his tunes from us; he’s a legend in his own right.

13. With the increase of internet shopping, a lot of independent record stores have started to disappear. How is BM Soho keeping ahead of the online stores?

Basically we are still supportive of vinyl. You can’t really stop the download thing but basically, you have to tighten up and cut corners, to make it work.

14. As we dawn upon the digital age with CDJ’s being featured in many of the clubs alongside the traditional 1210’s and DJ’s taking their hand to final scratch. What do you think is the future of vinyl?

We are a vinyl scene, drum and bass is a vinyl culture, I know it’s moving into that sort of thing, you can’t beat technology. End of the day we are the first and foremost a vinyl scene. We are not really selling that much as in selling digital downloads but I’m still vinyl all the way.

Supporting vinyl, I play vinyl, I cut my dub plates and I don’t use any of them those CD machines. It really depends on the individual person, not really my cup of tea.

15. When your not DJin or working downstairs in the basement of BM Soho. How do you like to relax?

With my kids and watching football matches, being an avid supporter QPR. I go and watch England Games, I saw all the England games during the World Cup (2006). I done a tour of Germany at the same time, I played every weekend over there while the World Cup was on. I made sure I purposely organised it a year in advance!

Typhoo or PG Tips?

I’m not really worried as long as it’s brewed right. I prefer a cup of Indian tea, now your talking, that’s a proper cup of tea. My grandfather came from Nepal that’s probably the tea connection.

A massive shout to everybody!

I'd like to personally thank Nicky for taking his time out to carry out this interview.
January 2007
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Words By Nitesh / Xtra-C Flashbackin' & Rewindin'