20 Questions for Uncle Dugs

1. How long have you been involved in the scene? – I have been involved in the ravescene since late 1990 / early 1991

2. What are your plans for the rest of this year? – Apart from world domination you mean..??

3. How did you get into what your doing – My older cousins introduced me to the ravescene and through that i met up with plenty of like minded ravers / people, then eventually in time i started to meet more people that were involved in the scene in various ways and through them i learned the ropes so to speak.. As for djing my 2main idols that really made me want to do it were Lloyd Anthony (Music Power in Ilford/Desire/Labrynth) and a local dj by the name of Chris Watts, these 2 really showed me about djing in the beginning, they were a fair bit older than me and as a young naive raver i knew that what these 2 were doing on the turntables i needed in my life...

4. Do you remember your first Rave. – Yeah, like it was yesterday lol.. Raindance ‘The Egg’ March 30th 1991 Jenkins Lane... The night my life changed forever.....

5. Can you remember your first play out? – My first play out was at a house party in Essex which dont really count i suppose does it.. My first proper payed somebody phoned me up out the blue booking was for Oscars in Clacton around 1995 time, i remember being on the line up with SS and Warren G amongst others, SS was massive around that time and i remember thinking that this was the start of it all, jeeeeeez i had so much to learn lolol..

6. Who in the scene inspired you to want to be a part of it? – Originally like i said above Lloyd and Chris were my 1st real insights into the other side of the turntables but as i learned more about what i wanted to do my inspirations changed.. Kool FM would by far have to be my number 1 inspiration for doing what i have done, All my major raving years were shaped by the sound of the 94.5 like so many other youngsters of the time, Kool is still massive now as we know but back then from kinda 92-97 it had something special about iy that no other pirate will ever come close to having.. So yeah Kool FM is definitely my number 1, its blown really that im now on there playing the music i learnt from there all them years ago....!!

7. Do you feel the scene is in a healthy state?  - Errrrrrrrrrrrm, Errrrrrrrrrrrm, in some ways yeah it is so healthy its unbelievable but there is also some parts of it that make me wanna cry.. The music has gone worldwide and as someone who has watched it grow from a baby it is such a nice thing to see, especially as so may people gave the ravescene 5 mins back in the day like it was some fad or phase the kids were going through, NO, see , we made it a worldwide phenomenen so that is good but......
Certain people need to take a look at what they are doing and realise that the kids out there watch everything they are doing and try to copy it, the scene is so healthy but so was Grime and so was Garage, look at it now..!! We still got the biggest parties around and can always have that as long as we learn from other peoples mistakes and dont copy them, remember, none of us can survive on empty raves...!! Also the bad element that are out to cause people grief in the raves, these people come unstuck in the end though and the one good thing is that now and again i get to see these idiots get there come-upennces... A small pleasure but a nice one lol...

8. where do you see yourself in 5 years? – Still filling in this bloody questionairre lol.. Nah in 5 years i will be out there doing my thing still but with much more success.. Im focused on my career more than ever, i only been back in this world for 2 years and i feel i have made quite fast progress, these last 2 years were the foundations for so much more... Watch...!!

9. What was the first record you bought ? – Boomtown Rats – I Dont Like Mondays... Ravewise the 1st 12” i bought was T99 – Anastasia on XL from Boogie Times on my lunch break from work lol..

10. What other types of music do you listen to? – I listen to all sorts, i was brought up listening to all kinds of music (my Dad was a singer so i had no chance lol) from Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr – Elvis – Beatles – Billy Joel, my mum had Cliff and Manilow on lock to so i had that in my early years.. I pretty much listen to everything but mainly im a 60’s – 80’s man in the car, Heart, Virgin, Capital Gold all them kinda stations are all on the presets with the 94.6 of course..

11. What tune are you excited about at the moment? – Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy, this tune has excited me from the day i 1st heard it....

12. What did you have for breakfast this morning? – 2 zoots and a oasis...

13. Do you play any sport? – Not as much as i should really, i was playin for ther Kool 5-a-side team till we had a mis-hap in the competition we was in, i would just like to quickly add that i scored a 5 minute hatrick in my last game (i had to get that in didnt i)

14. What football team do you support? – Come on mang..... The mighty Hammers of course...!!

15. What’s the most interesting place you have been to? – Rhodes, the history there fascinated me, i was on the moped going to all sorts of historical places every day the 1st time i went.. Greek history is very interesting and being in amongst it made me really appreciate it more than i ever thought it would..

16. How many pairs of trainers do you own? – Errrm let me go and look, I got 10 pairs in the cupboard, 6 of them are Air Max 90’s in white or black,  i bought them all when i was in America a couple months back, gotta stock up on my faves aint i...!! Im not really one for buying loadsa different trainers in all the colours, i know what i like and thats me...!!

17. Do you have any pets?  - Yes a cat named Boy.. Me and him are curerently holding solo residence at Club Uncle right now...

18. when you was a raver Who was your favourite dj ?  - I never really had a favourite dj as such, but to namecheck a few that i rate or have rated.. Footloose, Andy C, Ron & SL, Brockie, Nicky Blackmarket, Lloyd Anthony, EZ..

19. Whats your favourite TV Show ? – The Bill, from day 1 till now....!!!

20. Any shout outs?  - My Mum and Dad always, East and all the Kool family from 91-now, Fuzion UK, Evil B, 5ive-0 and the Connoisseur Mondays gang, My brother Jono D, Minimal Management, Mowgli, 8 Ball and everyone supporting the cause doing the right thing...