Author: Jake Archer
London based DJ and label manager, Bok Bok is no stranger to the club night scene and has hosted some of the most engaging events through his label Night Slugs.
With the UKs club scene slowly opening itself up again. We wanted to take some time to catch up with Bok Bok to hear about his exciting new ventures, where his love for the music scene began and find out what’s next on his radar.
To top it off we have also teamed up with Bok Bok to produce an exclusive mix for Frequents to give your easy reading and Friday feeling!
Footpatrol: Bok Bok, we really appreciate your time in sitting with us for this interview. How are you?
Bok Bok: That’s cool, I’m ok thanks. I just had some mad flu. I think all the OG viruses are back now we’re outside and all mixing again and immune systems need to get back in shape. Other than that I just been working hard on my 2 labels.
FP: You have been part of the music world for 10+ years. Could you start off with giving the Footpatrol readers and followers a bit of background on how you got into Djing?
Bok Bok: Yea sure, so I first started DJing grime off white labels back in ’03-04. I started on a station called UTZ that a friend of mine ran out of some bando in Walthamstow. I had a graveyard slot after Slu Dem Crew. One thing led to another and I got to playing at squat parties and forcing grime sets on the electro and dubstep parties my friends were throwing at Redstar in Camberwell. Eventually we started Night Slugs and the rest is history.
FP: We saw you do a Boiler Room Lockdown session last year. Have you had the chance to do much else now that things are opening even more now?
Bok Bok: Not yet you know, all my gigs are resuming late August onwards. Trust me I’m ready to goooo
FP: It must really motivate you to want to further perfect your craft by running Night-Slugs Record Label. What’s it like co-running your own label?
Bok Bok: I run it solo nowadays. I also started a new label this year, called AP Life. Both labels are a huge motivation to keep discovering new music and both help to shape my DJ sets. It’s a lotttt of work but very rewarding.
FP: I read somewhere that Night Slugs started off as a club night before it became anything else?
Bok Bok: Yeah that’s true – it was at that place Redstar in Camberwell that I mentioned earlier. A lot of DJs had their start there – Oneman, Ben UFO, Pearson Sound, myself… Night Slugs started as a club night there in ’08. We did about 3 or 4 events there before moving to East Village on Great Eastern Street (RIP) because they had a huge soundsystem and we wanted to get that Plastic People effect (another club that’s closed now) of a small dark room with a huge system where the subs make your chest rattle. All these venus are ancient history at this point!
FP: Could you tell us how that became what it is now?
Bok Bok: Basically over 2 years between 2008 and 2010 we went from DIY club night to launching a record label, because more and more we noticed that our friends were making original music inspired by all the influences from our DJ sets: grime, bassline, uk funky, r&b, Club music, Detroit electro, chicago house etc etc. None of that original material was being signed anywhere else. So we felt it was the logical next step to start putting it out ourselves. It’s been a journey since then but that’s pretty much still the mission statement.
FP: How would you best describe Night-Slugs as a label to people who may not have had the opportunity to hear about it?
Bok Bok: That’s a hard question. It’s a hub for club music of a lot of different shapes. It’s been so diverse over the years. Words fail me. There’s a huge archive of Rinse FM sets over the last 12 years that people can get into to discover more and all the releases are on Spotify, Boomkat, iTunes, etc etc so I encourage people who are interested to delve further, there’s really a whole world to discover there.
FP: You are also running a new label as well, AP__LIFE. How has that been going since it launched? Has it been a pretty easy process so far?
Bok Bok: Yea it’s been great thanks for asking. It’s my new baby. I’m running it with the help of croydon DJ/producer Nammy Wams and creative director Joh000_. It’s a lot of hard work like any good creative endeavour but it’s definitely made easier by having a creative team and not trying to do everything myself, a lesson I learnt from NS. But yea it’s a big big source of inspiration for me, including this mix I made for you guys.
FP: What made you want to launch a second label?
Bok Bok: Making new material myself that didn’t feel like it fit with Night Slugs. Getting to know Nammy Wams and wanting to release his material. Also NS has been really diverse over the years and I wanted to re-focus it on specifically music for the club, whereas AP is kinda different to that, it’s much less about escapism and more about the city and world around us. I wanted to engage with all that separate of NS.
FP: And in terms of your sound specifically, would you categorise yourself into one genre or would you say you’re a bit of a mix?
Bok Bok: I’m definitely a mix. I feel like I have a split personality between wanting to DJ gritty/cruddy and euphoric. I love grime and house music, Drill and Club etc etc. It’s definitely 2 sides of the same coin. My whole thing all these years has been trying to make them go together but lately I been giving both a bit of space. Having the 2 labels helps. But both still bleed over into the other, I can’t really help it.
FP: Bok Bok, thanks again for your time. Before we let you go is there anything else that you would like to share to the Footpatrol and Frequent players readers and listeners?
Bok Bok: I’ll just say it’s a mad world so ppl please try to be kind to each other. Love.
Ever since its return, the New Balance 2002R has become an instant fan favourite… once again! With thanks to collaborations with the likes of Salehe Bembury and thisisneverthat however, for this latest iteration it’s the brains at New Balance that have themselves created a stellar version.
Already featuring a multilayered upper, this latest trio of colour ways look as if they have been deconstructed with their material being cut to reveal the distinct shape the 2002R has to offer. A rough, thick suede sits up top and It’s this layered fabric that gives off a distressed, worn feeling to the silhouette especially on the ‘Rain Cloud’ and ‘Phantom’ colour ways. As always premium materials are a focus whilst underfoot, regular proceedings is continued in the form of the classic ABZORB midsole and N-ergy outsole to provide daily comfort and stability.
Take a closer look below and make sure to get your entries in!
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!
RAFFLE CLOSED!
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.
With events becoming more of a regular thing, it’s given us at Footpatrol the opportunity to get back out there and visit some of the brands we’re lucky to stock within our brand mix.
With that in mind, last week, we headed down to the Chilterns just north of London to visit Salomon and the return of their Salomon Festival. Situated out in some of the UK’s most stunning scenery, Salomon Festival offered an opportunity to learn everything about the brand and what they represent. With a mixture of talks throughout the day that involved nutrition guidance, essential packing for multiple day hikes and must know tips for trail running.
This was where our day started, picking up advice from some high respected athletes within the world of running before putting on our Salomon Ultra Glides, their latest trail runner for a hike through the forest taking in steep uphills with equally steep declines as once you go up, you’ve got to come back down. After this, we took on the Practical Trail Running Workshop that aimed to provide you with the skills needed for tackling some of the encounters you may face during a trail run.
The end of the day saw timed races take place which saw us take on the 5km race. To make the most of the day, we utilised the Salomon Testing Centre. This gave runners the opportunity to ditch their shoes and instead opt for something new, different or more innovative which as you can see, TEAMFP member Jake opted for the S/Lab Sense 8’s in their striking red colour way.
Massive thanks to Salomon for having us down for the day, take a closer look at the day below and we definitely can’t wait to see what the next Salomon adventure has in store.
To shop our range of Salomon, Click here!
And just as the High raffle ends, the Low begins!
In similar fashion to the high, the familiar colour blocking has been kept in tack however, the Low does receive a few visual differences compared to the High… Where as the High received a White toe box, the Low makes do with a black leather wrapping around the toe. Both use a premium leather for the upper and both make the most of an aged midsole underneath with the Cactus Jack and Fragment Design logos carefully embossed on the heel to leave their mark on this unforgettable coming together.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!
RAFFLES CLOSED!
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.
To sign up to the Online raffle, you will be prompted to complete a pre-authorisation payment of the retail price of the product plus shipping costs. This will be held until raffle completion. Those successful will have their raffle win posted out to the address entered during sign up. Those unsuccessful will see a return of their funds, this can take up to 5 working days from when the winners have been drawn. The raffle is limited to one entry per household! Multiple entries will be cancelled!
Originally launched way back in 2008, the GEL-KAYANO 14 became the fourteenth model to release within ASICS’ long-running GEL-KAYANO series. With an extra special touch to the silhouette, the GEL-KAYANO 14 was the first in the series to be created by a designer other than its namesake, Toshikazu Kayano. Bringing a new approach to the series, Kayano passed the baton to Hidenori Yamashita.
Since then the GEL-KAYANO 14 has received many colour ways and collaborations as has the brand and over the years, ASICS have been no strangers to a collaboration with Angelo Baque’s AWAKE NY fashion brand. For this latest collaboration though, it seems the tables have turned and we see ASICS team up with Angelo Baque for a fresh new take on the GEL-KAYANO 14 to signal the beginning of his own studio, Angelo Baque Studio.
A vibrant take on the classic runner, this latest collaboration brings inspiration from Baque’s parents and drafts in the colours of the Ecuadorian flag which sets a nice contrast against the heavy graphite mesh and silver overlays. Not forgetting the roots of those previous collaboration, Baque prints his name on the heel borrowing the typeface of his brand ‘AWAKE NY’ as the finishing touch.
They’re here!
It’s fair to say that both Travis Scott and Hiroshi Fujiwara’s Fragment Design have a very strong history when it comes to collaborating with Nike and the Jordan Brand. With a host of collaborations under their belts there is one silhouette in particular that both have previously brought their ideas to the table that have taken the sneaker world by storm and that’s the Air Jordan 1.
So for 2021, Nike have created one of the most highly anticipated collaborations with La Flame and Fujiwara’s Fragment Design coming together to bring a take on the AJ1 that features everything we’ve come to love and know with a few unique details that only the duo could add.
The familiar colour block is kept in place that see’s a ‘Military Blue’ upper combined with hits of white and black leather sitting upon an aged midsole and just incase people didn’t know who was responsible for such a collaboration, Cactus Jack and Fragment Design logos have been carefully embossed on the heel to leave their mark on this unforgettable coming together.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!
RAFFLE CLOSED!
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.
To sign up to the Online raffle, you will be prompted to complete a pre-authorisation payment of the retail price of the product plus shipping costs. This will be held until raffle completion. Those successful will have their raffle win posted out to the address entered during sign up. Those unsuccessful will see a return of their funds, this can take up to 5 working days from when the winners have been drawn. The raffle is limited to one entry per household! Multiple entries will be cancelled!
The YZY FOAM RUNNER MX ‘CREAM CLAY’ features injected EVA to provide lightweight durability. This model is made using algae harvesting technology that helps to keep lakes clean. The soft top layer in the footbed offers immediate step in comfort. The strategically mapped vents around the foot provide air flow and breathability. Additionally, the YZY FOAM RUNNER will usher in a new box construction that requires less material, which leads to less cardboard material waste.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!
RAFFLES CLOSED!
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.
To sign up to the Online raffle, you will be prompted to complete a pre-authorisation payment of the retail price of the product plus shipping costs. This will be held until raffle completion. Those successful will have their raffle win posted out to the address entered during sign up. Those unsuccessful will see a return of their funds, this can take up to 5 working days from when the winners have been drawn. The raffle is limited to one entry per household! Multiple entries will be cancelled!
Growing up many of us will have a memory of ourselves going to arcades, playing on a console of some variety, playing games like Club Penguin or even going to a friend’s house to play Call of Duty or GTA because your parents wouldn’t buy it for you.
Over the years the gaming community has grown exponentially with no signs of stopping. Some Esports tournaments have even seen more viewers globally than the NFL Super Bowl!
Same as much of our community, the team at Footpatrol has spent many of our childhoods and still today enjoying and immersing ourselves into the gaming world. To make our entry we wanted to work on a project that we felt we could connect on a more nostalgic level.
Working alongside Esports apparel brand, Raven and the Call of Duty League. Footpatrol teamed up to produce a series of team merch within a London based 1 day only popup. Featuring some of the biggest names in the league. The LA Thieves (extension of 100Theives), originators of competitive Call of Duty; Optic Chicago, the infamous Atlanta FaZe and the UKs very own London Royal Ravens.
The collection features a 2 piece look for each team featuring either a tee and hoodie or Jacket inspired by the teams themselves.
To top off this project we linked up with Call of Duty Pros and London Royal Raven teammates, Jukeyz and Angelika to find out more on what it takes to reach their level and compete against some of the best in the world.
Footpatrol: Guys it’s great to meet you both and celebrate the launch of this CDL pop up with the London Royal Ravens. How have you been?
Angelika: Yeah great! I only had an hour and half train journey here which arrived Friday. Chilled for the rest of the day and now here we are! Really excited to be here!
Jukeyz: Me on the other hand I think you could have flown to America quicker than it took me to get here. It was only supposed to take an hour and half but I got two wrong trains.
FP: Before I get into anything. For those Footpatrol community members who may not know who you are, could you start off with a little introduction on yourselves and what you guys do?
Angelika: Im Angelika. Full-time streamer, content creator and competitive Warzone player for the London Royal Ravens. I’m just here to try and inspire women in gaming. As well as trying to be the best female Warzone player in the world.
Jukeyz: I’m Jukeyz. Content creator and competitive Warzone player. I’m more into the competitive side though, I want to be the best in the world more than sit there and play for fun. I enjoy both, but for the time being the best in the world is where the focus lies.
FP: I would love to know more about how you both found yourselves where you are now as Pro Call of Duty players for the London Royal Ravens. Where did it all begin?
Jukeyz: Mine started when my mum was ill. I started playing A LOT of Call of Duty almost 24hrs a day whilst being a full-time carer for my mum. Whilst I was playing so much I started to realise that I was actually pretty good at the game and tried to start playing competitively. This was only three or four years ago. I went from playing Public games being high up on the scoreboard to playing GameBattles, which was the website for XP games where you meet a lot of really good players. I was quite a challenger. It went: high up on the scoreboard, to going up the leaderboards on the websites, becoming the best on Xbox, then Playstation to then being one of the highest ranks in the world within the top 100. Which at the time was pretty big. So it naturally progresses from that, to money, to tournaments. Everyone plays for money, you want to compete against the big streamers with loads of viewers because if you pop off and they have say 10k views at least 1000 will come check your channel out. That was how I approached it, just smoking them! I had a chance in a big tournament and ended up winning two of them 200k each back to back.
Angelika: My process was pretty much similar. My boyfriend introduced me to Call of Duty when I was about 15, really enjoyed it and was playing loads of public games. I noticed I was pretty good at this and it was my first time so I decided to move onto GameBattles and competitive Search and Destroy and then played some wagers now and then too. By the time Warzone came out I was grinding constantly on the game. By the time tournaments started coming up I was getting invited to them and competing.
FP: So did you guys both start out on multiplayer?
Jukeyz: That was something I forgot to include!
Angelika: Yeah for sure and Search and Destroy was the main game for that.
Jukeyz: Respawn games are quite big as well with the Pro League and CDL. It’s changed a lot now though and it’s much harder to make it to that level. I feel like when it was the Pro League there were more opportunities.
FP: I remember the old MLG days on Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2. I used to love the little MLB looking logo with the controller.
Jukeyz: How long ago was that?
FP: I think about 2012, like 9 years ago.
Angelika: I started getting into competitives by Modern Warfare 3.
Jukeyz: I WISH I was playing Call of Duty then. I think I would be considerably better than what I am now.
Angelika: When did you start playing competitively then?
Jukeyz: Three or four years ago. When Modern Warfare Remastered came out.
Angelika: Wait so you never played any of the old CODs?
FP: So when did you start getting into it Angelika?
Angelika: I started getting into competitives by Modern Warfare 3. Then literally any other COD that came out after I was addicted and playing constantly.
FP: Competitive gaming has no doubt grown exponentially. What are your thoughts on how big of a market and industry it continues to become?
Angelika: If they worked on the game and sorted out the hackers. It would be way better for the gamers and the competitive side of things too.
Jukeyz: Gaming itself is already huge. I think the Warzone side of it though I think is going to keep growing and growing. Hackers aren’t okay though. They’ve been on it with the updates when guys are a bit too overpowered they’ve been on point with fixing it.
FP: Well fingers crossed they resolve that soon so that you aren’t left in that awkward situation when you bump into one in a competitive match.
Angelika: It puts you in a bad mood when you bump into one in a competitive game. You have to give proof mid game if you have been killed by one. Sometimes you can’t clip it or you miss the kill cam so you can’t prove it, so in those instances what do you gonna do. Sometimes you tell people and they don’t believe you.
FP: Angelika, the gaming world, much like sneakers. Over the years it has been seen as more of a boys club. You were the first female pro to join the Ravens roster. Have you seen much growth in that side of the community over the years?
Angelika: I am trying to help bring other female gamers into the community and I feel at times that I haven’t done that bad of a job at inspiring women to get into gaming. When I first started there weren’t that many female gamers that I knew. Now I have met so many incredibly talented female gamers who are competing in the same tournaments doing just as well as I am. As time has gone by the female gaming community has grown, not only that they are all doing the same in trying to encourage more women to join.
I feel like gaming is for everyone!
FP: Well here is a fun fact for you. The first ever competitive gaming competition was won by a woman in 1978, Rebecca Heineman in a Space Invaders tournament.
Angelika & Jukeyz: Really, no way!
FP: It’s amazing to see how much that side of gaming has grown.
Jukeyz: Just to add on to that. It definitely has grown. Angelika was one of the first female gamers that I started to watch and played a few times before she signed to the Ravens. Since she joined, there have been loads of women that have followed.
Angelika: I don’t think anyone expected me to join the Ravens or anything like that. Most expected me to join a little team or something. Since that’s happened though it’s shown to everyone on how women can do the exact same thing and compete at the same standard as everyone else.
FP: You can see how excited you guys get seeing and hearing people being inspired by you both and how nice it feels being able to bring people together through your streams, through Discord chats. You have given a lot of people a platform to feel heard and included. It’s similar to why many of us got into shoes. It’s that concept of being a part of a community of like minded individuals that love something purely for the passion.
I have to admit I have watched both of your streams a fair few times and enjoy the content you guys put out! I have watched you compete in a few tournaments and always notice how fired up you get and the fact you play with a different team mate everytime! How do you mentally prepare for competitive matches?
Jukezy: I will start off by saying, last year compared to this year, the game is completely different. There weren’t many people who were on the same level. At the start of the game that’s kind of how I won those 2 tournaments. More than anything though I approach all games with confidence though that’s how I try to do it. Only time I doubted myself was in my first 100k tournament, I got told I couldn’t compete with the two guys that I was playing with and said they would have to pick me two new team mates. Both of which weren’t even COD players, one was known for Apex Legends and the other for PUBG. We ended up coming 2nd overall though in the grand final.
Angelika: I have played with such a variety of different players in tournaments. I try to get some practice games in before we start just to get in the right mindset as I feel that’s so important as well. Like I said though I have played with such a mix of people and somehow we always seem to do well! I don’t know whether that’s because I am more chilled out in the game and let myself and my teammate do whatever.
FP: One thing with Warzone I find is that it seems to be quite hard to stop some cheaters slipping through the cracks even the odd random that pop ups in your competitive games. Besides having to go through a set process in tournaments before backing out. Are you the type of person in PUB lobbies, if you come across one you stay in the game and almost prove yourself or do you back out and start fresh?
Jukezy: Hahah! Sometimes I go back for them. All it takes is a stun most of the time.
Angelika: Same here as well! A lot of the time though with hackers they aren’t actually that good at the game. They just need the extra help to play the game. I’ve killed a few of them before though and most of the time they don’t expect you to come back and challenge them! If the person is a bit of a try hard and you can see they are dropping crazy amounts of kills then you gotta back out cos it’s not fun.
Jukezy: You get hackers these days that can do almost everything we can. Then you get the crabs running around being trash.
FP: I feel like I have to ask you guys a couple of questions that our Warzone fans would like to know. Starting with the easy one. What is your current go to loadout?
Angelika: C58 and Cold War MP5
Jukeyz: Same. I think the C58 is the best gun the game has seen.
FP: You see I think FFAR was the best meta the games had.
Jukeyz: Ahh yeah! I didn’t get to play it though like everyone else. I don’t tend to play the meta. I always make my own set ups for it. Everyone was using Raider stock except for me! The last meta with the burst guns for example. I never used any of them! I was still on the AMAX doing my thing. I feel like I missed that one!
Angelika: That was really fun to use. The funny thing with that FFAR, I don’t really know who to look at for setups so I went into Jukeyz stream and copied his build for it and for a good week or two I had no idea Raider stock was the go to attachment. I had people going at me why aren’t you using it la la la. I was just sitting there thinking I dunno, that’s what Jukeyz is using! Once I added it though I was like woooooooow!
FP: Favourite place to drop in Verdansk?
Angelika: It used to be hangers but I would say hospital now.
Jukeyz: Hospital.
FP: What’s your K/Ds?
Angelika: Mine has gone up quite a bit; it’s at like 3.03 now.
Jukeyz: Mine has gone down! It went from like a 5.10 to a 4.7.
FP: How do you get better at aiming (asking for a mate)?
Angelika: You know what I used to do! If you set up a private match on multiplayer and put the little bots in and shoot headshots for like 1/2hrs. I used to do that before every competitive game when I played Search. Sometimes I even put the health up really high so that it takes more bullets to kill them making you have to practice your aiming more.
Jukeyz: I used to do the same to practice. I think it really helps, especially with music blasting to get you in the zone.
FP: Guys, honestly thank you so much for spending some time with us to chat. It’s been great to hear more of your stories. Before we let you go, is there anything you would like to share with the Footpatrol community to get them excited for what either of you are working on?
Jukeyz: Keep an eye out for the 5th August cos i’m going to win the world tourney!
Angelika: haha same for me keep an eye out and we will see who wins!
With everything that’s happened over the last year, events have been few and far between however, last weekend saw the first large scale community run take place on the streets of London thanks to ASICS. Named the ASICS London 10k, a closed road route was set out in central London that included some of the most iconic streets, worming its way through Piccadilly Circus, down the Strand making its way on to the river past the London Eye before taking in the views of Big Ben (all be it under construction) to then finish along Parliament Street.
TEAMFP member Jake was joined on the day with a few members from our friendly neighbour hood running club, ‘Your Friendly Runners’ who all took part for the enjoyment that comes with a race day but also, to hit those PB times. A day filled with live music, entertainment and lively energy and coupled with bumping into a few community members, it was a great buzz to see an event like this take place.
Take a look below at the days events and hopefully, we’ll see more of you on the starting line for the next one!
Making waves over the last ten years, we sit down with none other than Mr Mitch who takes to the decks for episode 027 of our Frequent Players Guest Mix series.
Having recently released his third album ‘Lazy’ earlier this year, the founder of Gobstopper Records takes us on an insane journey through the genres in this latest mix with his usual detailed approach.
Take a read below where we sit down with Mr Mitch to learn more about his processes and don’t forget to hit that play button and go on the journey with us!
Footpatrol: Mr Mitch, welcome! How are we?
Mr Mitch: Hey! Yes doing well thank you.
FP: Now that things have started to open up, have you got any exciting nights outs or events planned?
Mr Mitch: Yeah definitely happy to be back in the clubs and doing shows again. Tbh Im grateful to be able to get out of the house and travel the country again. Got shows in London and Manchester this weekend that I’m really excited about.
FP: Lets pull it back to the start of your career. Where did the love for music begin for you?
Mr Mitch: Music was everywhere in my household as a kid. My mum was rarely not playing music, my dad used to play guitar and tour with Ariwa records in the 80’s and early 90’s so it’s always been there.
FP: And what about DJing and production what led you down those two paths?
Mr Mitch: My first taster of production was from a piece of software that came with some cereal when I was about 12. It wasn’t great but I loved it. I quickly moved on to some other software with a cracked copy on a floppy disk from my cousin and just never stopped creating. DJing came later but both mediums are just as important to me now.
FP: I have listened to a few of your mixes, more recently your set with DJ Mag. You play a wide array of genres within your mixes. Is that something that developed over time or is that the route you always wanted to go down with your DJing?
Mr Mitch: I’d always had an eclectic taste but it took me a while to learn how to successfully explore my taste in a DJ set, instead of playing by genres I try to find common strands within pieces of music that link together. Genres don’t really exist anyway there’s just music that makes sense to you and music that doesn’t.
FP: Tell us a bit about Boxed. Where did that begin?
Mr Mitch: Boxed was a club night that a few of us started because we wanted to create a space to push all of these mutant versions of grime that we were being sent. It somehow grew very quickly and organically and it became a home for DJ’s and producers all pushing music in strange and exciting directions. My label Gobstopper was fed producers and artists through the Boxed scene and is now a home from black electronic artists. My latest album ‘Lazy’ was released on Gobstopper.
FP: I noticed that you are signed to electronic record label Planet Mu which has a big mix of artists on there. How often are you releasing tracks these days?
Mr Mitch: Most of my music these days comes out through my own label Gobstopper. I released a bunch of singles last year during lockdown and dropped my album in March.
FP: I loved your Resident Advisor feature that you did with your sons. Did you ever release those tracks or were they a little promo release?
Mr Mitch: We didn’t release those ones in that video but we did drop an EP that we made together ‘Songs with my sons’
FP: Have your sons taken a liking to DJing and production like you have?
Mr Mitch: Yeah my eldest is 10 and I’ve just given him my decks because he wanted to learn. I like to just keep it fun for them, no pressure. They seem to enjoy playing with hardware and just messing around.
FP: Mr Mitch. It was a real pleasure to spend some time with you. Before you head off is there anything you would like to share to the Footpatrol/Frequent Players readers and listeners?
Mr Mitch: Go and listen to Lazy, shouts to everyone who has been showing me love for it already. Hope to see you in a club soon.
