Masterstepz
After ending his 5-7pm radio show down at the Choice fm studios on a bitterly cold Tuesday night, a rather tired and slightly irritable Masterstepz would probably rather go home and draw some zeds. Instead, this gentleman saw the need to satisfy this damsel in distress and therefore obliged me with this interview! Luvverly!!! You may or may not be aware, but East London DJ extraordinaire, Masterstepz is one of the leading Garage DJ's around at the moment. So, I thought it necessary to go in search of this young man...and find out what he's been up to!
Phatmag: What's been happening with you these days then 'Stepz?
Masterstepz: Working...DJ'ing, producing, radio show, agency, promotion, everything. I'm doing a lot at the moment.
(That lot just reeled off the tongue nicely... I was frothing at the mouth in anticipation waiting to hear more...)
Phatmag: It looks as though you've reached a high point in your career right now, but do you consider yourself to be successful?
Masterstepz: Partly, there's much more room for Masterstepz. I'm just at the early stages of my career and I know, things are going to get bigger and better as time goes on.
Phatmag: What big plans do you have for 2001?
Masterstepz: Well, like I mentioned before the record label and club promotion. That's what I'm really focussing on at the moment.
Phatmag: What about the lucrative area of remixing, would this be something you'd consider to give you further exposure?
Masterstepz: Yes. Well, I've already remixed tracks for... Celetia, Kele le Rock, Devante & Tonto Metro, Sounds of Blackness 'you are the one'... last year and there are plans to get involved in some other projects in the future.
Phatmag: '2000' certainly was a good year for compilations, some of the better comps put together by EZ, Ramsey & Fen, Artful Dodger... Would you consider doing a mix album?
Masterstepz: Yes. As it goes...I've just completed a compilation for Zoo entertainments, which is due out in February. I'm doing some mixing on the album along with Mike 'Ruff Cut' Lloyd and Bobby & Steve. The content of this compilation is different to what is usually found on compilation albums these days. My style is on a UK Garage tip, with more vocals rather than that dark and hard sounding vibe. I only really mixed one or two US tracks because obviously that's more Bobby & Steve's style on the album.
Phatmag: Wait a minute!!! 'Stepz' has only gone and secured himself a two album compilation deal with bloody 'Ministry of Sound' ennit? There's no stopping him is there??? Come on tell me more Stepz!!!???
Masterstepz: mmmh, It'll basically be a mix album with dub-plates, jingles and lots of gimmicks...for example; there's snippets of 'Me phoning up one of my mc's and chatting to 'em on the phone. I really want this album to be more than a mix album, I want people to be entertained by it.
Phatmag: At which point did you recognise your love for music and make a decision that you wanted to pursue a music career?
Masterstepz: I started DJ'ing on two turntables at the age of 11. But, before that I'd always had a love for music. I grew up in a family of music lovers. I used to watch when my uncle used to play sound system with one turntable... I just knew from there that I wanted to do music.
Phatmag: A little birdie told me that you once toured around Europe with Public Enemy as a dancer, you danced for Silver bullet, the reggae philharmonic orchestra, Junior Giscombe, and many more... and I here you earned the name 'Stepz' cos you had some 'bad boy' moves...ansa mi supp'n, 'yu is superman???'
Masterstepz: Umm...er...no. It's true though, you done your research ennit?
Phatmag: What style of music did you grow up on?
Masterstepz: A lot of reggae, yeah definitely...lovers, 70's and 80's soul. People like Loose Ends, Temptations, Barry White, the list goes on...But, all that kind of music, probably a lot like what you grew up on. (Actually...My first record was 'Shy boy' by Bananarama...little did he know!)
(This is where I get a bit faaaas' and start fe pry 'ina 'im business...)
Phatmag: Have you ever worked a boring 9-5 job before or have you always had the luxury of earning a living from your first love... music?
Masterstepz: Oh, yeah! business admin for a newspaper called 'Hackney Gazette'...It was very boring and tedious...Have you seen that film'Ground Hog Day'? It was like that... Where you just wake up and do the same thing every day...I couldn't deal with it! I've also worked as a sales exec for a cable company...suited up an' all dat! Yeah...I've done my fair share.
Phatmag: Were you DJ'ing whilst enslaved in your 9-5 job?
Masterstepz: Only really at the weekend. We mostly did house parties, sometimes I'd DJ at my friend Don's Dad's pub and put on my own gigs.
Phatmag: How did the transition from soul and reggae to garage come about?
Masterstepz: Just listening to music really. My cousin Shy-Fx used to DJ in a reggae sound and he knew I could DJ, so we hooked up and formed a sound called Diamond Touch It was really a reggae sound. He had it in his head that he was going to be a big time producer one day so he started to make jungle and by this time, I thought it was the worst music ever, but you know what? He proved me wrong. The jungle scene became big and then me and my mate Don (also sitting in the studio nodding in agreement) went to our first big jungle rave 'Desert storm' Which was at Roller Express in North London. It was so different from the regular raves like Bel Air, Roseberry's...Roller Express had the most amazing lights, back drops and all that... Me and Don used to go into the small garage rooms on the sly, where it was empty and take in the music... But really, the interest started from a fairly young age, so I wouldn't say that I jumped on the bandwagon.
Phatmag: How do you view the UK Garage scene at the moment?
Masterstepz: In London it's a bit messed up, because where it got so popular... everyone was talking about it and everyone jumped on it. Then all the bad guys came and they would start fighting and bring their problems to the clubs.
Phatmag: How do you think we can turn it around? Do you think it's possible?
Masterstepz: I can see it moving on already, definitely. There's absolutely nothing going in London at the moment. There's nothing happening on Friday nights... Now, I'm DJ'ing a lot outside of London because that's my job. I have to travel. I really don't think people are up for jumping in their cars and travelling 110 miles to rave. I don't think so. These bad elements are going to realise that there is nothing going on in London so they'll go and look for another scene to move onto.
See...people say that the problem is Garage. The problem isn't garage. The problem is the 'bad element'. These guys have gone from Rampage to Tim Westwood to reggae to Jungle to garage...It happens on every scene at some point. I do think that some promoters get lazy, slack and greedy. They let anyone through the door. It used to be stricter... where they wouldn't let you into a club if you were wearing jeans, trainers, caps or hooded tops, it doesn't seem important now. I think you're less likely to get trouble from a guy dressed in a suit, another suggestion could be changing the music policy to a more vocal, uplifting style of music and tighter door control. Who knows?
Phatmag: Was there one track that smashed it for you in 2000?
Masterstepz: There isn't just one tune because there were so many excellent tracks throughout the year. But there is one track that was out the year before last and I was still playing it last year, that was the Wookie remix of Angel that was one of the best garage tunes' of all time ...It's musical and it's such a sexy record.
Phatmag: Which garage producers do you enjoy listening to?
Masterstepz: Artful Dodger, Wookie, Club Asylum, yeah MJ Cole's good, he's very musical. I like anyone that comes out with a good musical track that doesn't sound as though it's been put together in two hours. I'm not really down with the 007's, all dat stuff' is too dark for me...
Phatmag: Are you off to that little 'Garage haven' Ayia Napa again this year then?
Masterstepz: Yeah. Ayia Napa in the summer and also the Miami Music Winter conference in March. I was DJ'ing in Amsterdam on New years eve in a seven arena conference centre. There was a crowd of about 40,000 people in total and it was a nice vibe. The people were cool...
Phatmag: With a hectic schedule like yours, how do you like to wind down?
Masterstepz: I don't really rave, because where I play music all week...the last thing I want to do is go to a club. I prefer to go to the cinema, stay at home and chill or work in my studio. I sometimes work out at home doing press ups, sit ups and weights, although one of my New Year resolutions is to start going to the gym...
Phatmag:...and the other resolution?
Masterstepz: Organise my days better! Definitely.
Phatmag: Do you enjoy the female attention you're getting and is there anything about your DJ life that surprises you...?
Masterstepz: Nah...not really. You see I've got a girlfriend and no one compares to her...
(dat's what we like to hear ennit sistrens!!!???)
Yeah. There was one occasion where I was DJ'ing at a club and a girl stepped up to the DJ box, opened it up and grabbed me...she wouldn't let go! That shocked me! And the fact that people ask me for my autograph! Surprises me...Although, that mostly happens out of London. I must admit it makes me feel as though I've achieved something when that happens. I don't really get much of that kind of attention in London. People from London are different.
Phatmag: Have you made any television appearances? Like some of your counterparts, would you give presenting a shot?
Masterstepz: Yeah. I'm going to be DJ'ing alongside Lonyo on Nickolodeon, I've made a few appearances on MTV select already with Richard Blackwood, Rapture TV, Clubavision. It would be nice to do my own show one day, yeah.
Phatmag: Who are you going to be producing/ collaborating with on your new label and what's the concept?
Masterstepz: I'll be working with Lonyo, PSG, Nadia, Kelly, Splash and a few others. I don't really want to let off too much information just yet...Only that I want to put out different genres of music on my label, I just wanna take it to another level. I've got a track coming out in May, but again...I can't say too much about that. I wanna just creep in the back door and surprise everyone, d'ya know what I mean?
Phatmag: What's this new club night you're promoting then?
Masterstepz: I decided to put on my own night...I can't really say too much about it, but It is a garage/r'n'b night. A classy affair called 'Glamorous' held once a month @ an exclusive/ secret venue. There'll be celebrities and invited guests only. We've had Audley Harrison, Richard Blackwood, June Sarpong, Jason Ewell, Celestine Babayaro, Lonyo, The honeys and lots of others that have come down....This is about the third month it's been going now and we have had a good turn out. It's a good night!
Phatmag: Where do you see yourself a few years down the road?
Masterstepz: I like to take each day as it comes. I'm thinking of the long term when I make decisions and I am lucky enough to have friends that can advise me on financial and business issues. 'I intend to make Masterstepz's career last as long as possible...' ...
So, in addition to building a successful radio/Club DJ career with his Monday and Tuesday night 5-7pm shows on Choice fm 107.1fm...he's got the Bobby & Steve compilation coming out in Feb! Ministry of Sound compilations, also out in Feb! New record label! (un-named as yet), remixes! club promotions!...and television appearances! Sounds like dis brotha's out to conquer the world!!!
'Stepz! Thanx for reaching my 'G-spot' it was fun gassing wiv ya...and all the best to you baby!!!
Anyway, my luvverlies! I'll be back in a fortnight with a full report on the celeb night 'Glamorous' (yes! Flashed some flesh...not really...lyrics and got a VIP, not bad going, eh?) So I'll hopefully give you the low down (gossip...) from the night, celeb interviews and more...er...that's if I don't get totally mangled on the night! Not really Phatmag! I promise to behave and do what I have been told and come back with a FULL report and pikkies, You never know, you never know! Pigs might fly and I might not drink and make a spectacle of myself!...yeah Right mate!!! Anyway, be good and See y'all very soon! Luv ya! Drea xx.
