Artist Interview: FABIO for SpinzCycle

If you’re a true D&B head you know who Fabio is. Maybe he’s the reason you’re a true head in the first place after having listened to his consistent radio presence from Kiss FM to BBC Radio 1 over the years. His importance as one of the pioneers of Jungle Drum & Bass is well known, with residencies at some of the most legendary club nights in London over the past 2 decades.

I had a chance to do a quick mini interview with DJ Fabio ahead of his show in Toronto at Nest Oct 23rd. Have a read and get to know the man who invented the term “liquid funk”, then make your way to Nest for a show that will knock your socks off.

DJ SPINZ: You’ve been a well established DJ since before Jungle Drum & Bass even existed. What was your favourite era of D&B? What keeps you excited about the music as time goes on?

FABIO: I have no favourite era! I really don’t. Every era has had its good and bad moments; I know people are expecting me to say the mid 90s but it wasn’t as glam as it has been painted! Also I’m forward thinking and don’t want to be locked into nostalgia as it’s very unproductive. I keep motivated by love for the game and mainly that D&B always seems to produce fresh young producers from all over the world.

DJ SPINZ: Having Legend status comes with a reputation for having some pretty deep crates and access to music well before release date. What artists are featuring heavily in your sets right now, who do you rate as the future stars of D&B?

FABIO: Lots of great new producers about! Too many to mention! LSB, Calibre, Random Movement, and the usual suspects are owning my sets at the moment.

DJ SPINZ: Your online persona is hilarious! Having followed you on Facebook for a while now, I always get a kick out of your quick witted status updates. How important do you find social media for artists right now? Do you think its OK that the line between artist and personal life seems to constantly be getting blurrier?

FABIO: I like social networking to a degree, at the same time I find it’s getting used and abused by record companies etc and I hate the obsession with having many ‘friends’. I’m hearing certain festival promoters won’t book an artist unless they have 500 000 friends on Twitter which is a disgrace!

DJ SPINZ: Jungle facts … You are known to have coined the phrase “Liquid Funk” to describe the soulful D&B you championed through your radio shows and your legendary club night Swerve. Do you remember who the artists were and what the big tunes were that made you think there was a movement happening that you had to be a part of? Do you still feature Liquid Funk in your sets?

FABIO: Caliber was the sole reason I penned the phrase “liquid funk”. I was getting at least 12 tracks a week from him! His musical style is this flowing rolling melodic hypnotic vibe and I thought liquid was a perfect word for the movement in his tracks. I still call what I play liquid; I have not deviated from this style one bit.

DJ SPINZ: You are known as a DJ first and foremost, while todays artists coming up tend to be producers that learn to DJ in order to perform. What do you think about the current public perception that being a DJ and a producer are the same thing?

FABIO: I have no problem with producer/djs really. A lot of them do it because there is very little money in the underground, so I get why artists do this. In fact, label managers encourage artists to do so.

DJ SPINZ: You’ve made you’re way to Toronto more than a few times over the years, what’s you’re favourite part of visiting the city? Any favourite food joints that you must hit up when here?

FABIO: I love Toronto. My 13 year old gets jealous when I go to work because she wants to live there. It is definitely one of my very fave cities. I have many friends there, the people are great, its very clean and has a great D&B scene. My friend Dino always takes me to a dope pizza joint and Mr Brown owes me visit to a great Korean restaurant in town. The only negative is the weather, I was there last winter and it was unbearably cold, Gonna make sure I bring some hardcore thermals with me.

DJ SPINZ: Well if the Korean spot is the all you can eat Korean Grill, you might not want to hit that one before the show … You’ll need recovery time, just sayin’!

Check out the legendary DJ Fabio on the award winning Nest Dynacord Sound System, Friday October 23rd. $20 Adv @ Nest 423 College St Toronto.

– Interview by DJ Spinz –