Adam Gow:

Peter Parker, aka Dan Baxter. Thanks very much for coming on once a DJ today, how are you doing? Good. Thank you. Yeah, I'm good. Excellent. So we've got a lot to get into today. We had a little chat the other day. And we want to kind of talk about your background. And then all the weird and wonderful places that scratching turntablism and finger thing have taken you. So let's start from the start then and talk about how you got into hip hop. What's your story, your route into DJing.

Peter Parker 1:18

So my are one of my earliest memories is like my mom and dad's record collection. on a Saturday, they would go to town and do the shopping. Normally, I would go with them. But on the rare occasion that I wasn't and like, I've got an older sister as well. She's nine years older, like they'd be at home. And I'd be downstairs and going through their records because they there was just something weird about like this giant thing, you know, this giant square that I had, like this sick artwork on it and all this stuff, and who are all these people? And yeah, like the sort of separate techniques, hi, Fi stacker that they had. My mom was into, like, like, like Soul music, she really lost the stylistics and that you know, like very vocal heavy soul. Yeah. Which I'll be honest, wasn't really like, the stylistics was the one thing that I didn't really go too much but I'll never forget the No. But anyway, so and my dad like I'd like Thin Lizzy Johnny Cash. But the there was two real standouts one was the War of the Worlds soundtrack by Jeff Wayne. I don't know whether you know that that then. With that, that was like a gatefold LP and it had this like big booklet with it that was sort of you know, like all painted and it kind of went with the went with the War of the Worlds soundtrack. But yeah, that my favourite or my you know, sort of my golden memory is Oh, Jeff love Bob may come on Jeff love right big big movie themes. Anyway, so this I just used to look at James Bond with the gap thought that was sick. Jaws though we are Jaws was was the one and then turn it over and look at these and like imagine, you know, oh, yeah, look, it's like little bits and bats from all the different releases, like what they sound like. And the jaws theme in particular, I would just sit and listen to that. And I'm probably four, five, like, I'm talking like my oldest memories, you know, like if there was anything that I could do I learn to use that Hi Fi and I would put the record on you know, and listen, but Jaws was my go to thing even as a young kid because it because of the feelings that it conjured, I guess you know. My brother's like a massive metal fan. He was like into metal and punk. My sister was into like, new wave. You know, like Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet everything from all that time that's how it that's how it went. You know if it was upstairs my brother would be blasting like heavy stuff. You know if it was Saturday morning, my sister be like doing a hair and stuff so like you'd have like Rio by John Tirana and like black Boston you know so one thing about Rio as well yeah, like my brother felt light so there was like this the real the video for Rio was like no yeah, I'd like girls like mud wrestling and not when it when it came out who went straight down wh Smiths to get it or my brother so that's the memory I can remember is like see it around in like mud wrestling and girls like while Rios played like, you know, I don't even know what year that came out. But yeah, that's growing up with just The everyone had this love, but no one played anything. Yeah, there was no instruments, there was no access like that it was this fantasy world. You know, it was just like hearing this stuff all over the house loud because everybody likes it loud, you know, like, but my approval would obviously go one step too far. And that created issues. My dad would just turn the power off to the house. Do you not mean you just flip the lackey off? Like after shout in a few times. It's like, and then if that happened, like, that's pretty serious. You know? Like,

Adam Gow 5:39

he basically lived in a Soundclash Yeah,

Peter Parker 5:43

I had the same passion for my brother's records, because they were all metal and stuff like that. So the imagery and everything was even gnarlier I love that shit. Yeah, you know, like Nadan and stuff like that, then come on. So yeah, run for the hills. That was my first seven inch like, because again, I buzzed off the imagery of Eddie. And then you know, you see him and it's got the puppetry, and with the devil. It's raw, a lie all that like, come on. I love that.

Adam Gow 6:08

Yeah, they made in artworks and it's incredible. I think something about a lot of that. That error of rock and metal that at Site hair stuff, that Twisted Sister and stuff like that. It's all kinds of like, Fuck the system, and it's like, the videos, it's often it's just teenagers not taking shit off anyone as well, isn't it? And like, that's exactly,

Peter Parker 6:29

that's exactly what it is. It's kind of like, you know, you would get like elements of society trying to take the piss out of it, you know, but it is actually this huge, like, Fuck you, you know, like, we're just gonna do what you know, like, whatever. And that's kinda like, the spirit that I grew up with, you know, from a very from an age even before he understood what it was, you know, because of my brother. And just to get back to Iron Maiden Lucozade advert, I mean, I suppose there's people all over the world, but in the UK Lucozade and there was Daley Thompson who was like, the sickest athlete at the time, but there was an instrument or tune called Phantom of the Opera that's Iron Maiden and like, you'd have to you'd have to you'd have to go to it so go go YouTube like Luke has a daily tied to a made of Phantom of the Opera. And again, that's another thing that just like resonated so hard, you know, like not doesn't even have like lyrics on it. It's just like the music and the power and the strength of it. You know?

Adam Gow 7:34

What what was what was the early hip hop that got you then was it like Run DMC and stuff?

Peter Parker 7:39

Was that was that weird thing because I'm guessing here that if your brother was quite a bit older that you probably like looked up to him a lot, and it must have been weird to have that disagreement.

And he took you to bloom in EQ. Yeah. That's a lot of responsibility.

For a guy that's not that great at handling responsibility. It really is. Yeah, like the first stuff I saw me. Like, yeah, like, it was just like I say, it's like, that's what I could get against. But I've got these, I've got the, I've got these memories, you know, like, like, bottles of piss flying through the air. And, you know, like, because they would have, like, bear, they'd have these beer, like these beer containers. These fucking massive bear containers that look like, you know, like Kestrel GTX you know, like, the stuff you buy oil in, but they will see through. Yeah, so they kind of fell about a bear. But then as you're going through the day, you know, like, I'm in this crowd. My brother was with maybe two or three of his mates. And we were there. And they were looking after me. It wasn't like, you know, it wasn't like, Oh, you just go run along now, you know, but it definitely was like, I was seeing all this through my eyes, which was, you know, because yeah, like, these so called bottles of beer are flying through the air, you know, that a beer May and then you know, it's that's it. That is can smell like shit that you know, like, No, this is fucking raw, you know, and that's how it was. And I was seeing like, wasp. I don't know, like, like, Megadeth, anthrax and this band called wasp that were like, like, again, like, No, you know, like the boundaries that you could push at that time, like Alice Cooper, and his tall would have like, a lot of horror imagery and stuff like that. And Wasp are exactly the same. Like, you wouldn't even be able to get away with it in this day and age. But to be honest, they brought on this like this, this girl, it was like all I call it like the fucking on this racket, you know, like, just all this imagery, but it's like, shipmate, you know, but I'm just clicking that as a kid. And I'm like, Whoa, that's a tough gig.

Yeah. So like, when did Hip Hop come back in for you then?

Right. So skateboarding? Like it was it was starting skating, because, like the in crew, the skaters, it was like, and it was also like a gang. It was like, it was like, it wasn't just a conglomerate of people. But the again, almost like you know what you were you were going back to like, like, Twisted Sister, whatever, like that mentality of like, Nah, fuck you. We're here. And we're staying there. And I love that. And I was drawn to it. And so I got my first skateboard, but I didn't really it took a while before I think even before venturing into town, I just taught myself how, how to how to skate. You know, that's why I do it wrong. I'm a Mongo pusher or whatever, you know, like kind of push the wrong way, or like the other way round. But yeah, we'll go on quite these dudes in town and just slowly kind of became part of that crew. And then you just kind of soak up everything that was right happening at that time, which was like hip hop and punk. And then you get the skate videos, and watch them and it's like, no, it's okay. You can have one dude that sends a metal and then the next guy is like, he's into hip hop. Yeah, like, seeing that it was okay to like, and both, and that was when it started to. Yeah, it was, it was like, you know, it's okay to like, all of this stuff. And actually, I think at that point, I made a conscious effort to, like, try and like everything, you know, like, I'm just gonna be alright with everything.

Yeah. But I suppose you had a good start with that, given the, the mass variation and music in the house as well. You used to not be into aligned to one style and representing one specific thing.

Exactly. Not me, like my, like, going back to the jaws thing and strings, you know, an orchestra like that, that held a type of weight. That is, it's incomparable to like somebody Yeah, if you're a metal band, or whatever, and you've got a guitar that's gonna write someone's face, like, yeah, it's going to do the job, you know, but if you've got an orchestra doing the same thing, that is way deeper, way, way deeper in the sort of potency of that, you know, I was into that even, like I say, you know, even before that my own,

so when did when did DJing start?

So what did it take to then get some?

So we formed like, a great friendship, like me, and Psy and his whole crew, all them dudes, like, they were all like ultrasound, and like, we bonded through skate in anyway. But it was just like, with those dudes, like, I definitely found like, I my crew, in crew, but these guys are like an extension of so much so that that's what we did. We just started spending all of our time together. And one of them was really good. And he went to Venice Beach is I'm going, I'm gonna go and I'm gonna get sponsored, you know, like that whole thing. Like, you want to live the dream, right? That's, that's the time that's what you know. I mean, they love busters, they say, I don't know, whatever. You went out there for play. And a few months later, sigh the kid who I said was like, my talented. He was like us, I need to do that. You know, I'm like, you could like you soul God, like, you just go out there. And, you know, see, see what happens. And he's like, Would you be interested in buying my setup? This, you know, this is it's just like maybe October, something like that. I was like, hell yeah. Because it was everything that you had the sick old Wharfedale speakers, he had this technics amp. He had these come, he had these come direct drive turntables, but they're like, you know, I don't know whether anybody's got any experience with ours, but the torque and the motor, it's, I don't even know what you could compare it to. But it's weak. So very weak, you know, so like, a bolt is something that turntables, right, and his mixer, I can't remember where he bust it or somewhere but anyway, so the mixer was out of the picture, but you had the turntables, you had the amplifier, all and six speakers. Let's go you know how much it wasn't, it wasn't much, you know, it wasn't much into that. Like I don't even say I don't even say maybe about three 300 quid or something like that. Really? Yeah, maybe three. But then at that time, that's a lot. You know, I'm like, right, I'm gonna get the money out how I'm gonna do it, you know? And I spoke to my mum and dad. And I was like, Can you lend me the money to get these and I'll pay you back or whatever. I can't quite remember how how we worked worked out No, I, I ended up working in the Royal Mail because the sorting office and crew ended up working there because it is on this new map mixer as well. So I'm like, I've got to go and do that. And I'm going to earn the money and get this new Smart Mixer. And then I've got this set up, and then that's it. You know, it's game over. For everyone else, not me. And so I did, I got the they, they, they were amazing. They were like, I can't remember how old I was. At this point. I think I was still at college, still art college, you know, where, which was just a really confusing time for me. Because I went to do a National Diploma in graphic design. And I didn't even know what graphic design was. I just, I just liked the idea of like, it was like graphics, like what, like video games, and now they've got good graphics and like designing. Alright, let's go. And the reason that the reason I wanted it is because the course was a place called mid Cheshire College, which was outside a crew. So the stipulation was that yeah, I get on a bus for 40 minutes, and go to this art college. I'm like, so I've got to get on a bus and get the hell out of there. And then go and do art all day. Come on, like, sign me up, you know, I actually didn't even get the qualifications to get in. Like it was a harsh time. But I took some sketchbooks and that that I had my mom was like they like just not she spoke to him, like calm down anyway, you know, bring some examples of work. So talking these sketchbooks were and they were like, Yeah, okay, well let you earn.

So yeah, you're just saying it was confusing time because you did graphic design?

Yeah. So anyway, it wasn't going well. Yeah, the course in terms of like, the output and the stuff that I could basically what I'm capable of. And what I was doing were two very, very different things. But the whole is that whole point.

Is that because of without and desires, is it because you've got to work within a certain framework and a set of rules rather than just be creative.

That's exactly, exactly it. Yeah, that's exactly it. But, um, so unfortunately, that whole time, I spread my wings, and I started to become who I was as a as a person or ever, you know, at that age, it was kind of like getting out of crew, no offence. It was like, or it was my school. It was my everything, you know, in the way that I was the way that I just I felt so alone. It was weird, like, you know, and it's just like, if that's the case, then I have to go somewhere and just be you know, whatever. Yeah, so but like I say, I took this graphic design course, and all and rules may and all that shit, it was just like, it was just the worst, it was the biggest turnoff for me. Like I just couldn't really be. I couldn't I just couldn't be asked whether I just couldn't be asked with it. Yeah, until a point we would get onto a topic where my passion would ignite, you know, like, say anime and manga at that time. Like, I was crazy, you know, like Akira and Fist of the North Star and all that stuff. Yeah. And they don't even they don't even know what that was. Do you know, I mean, at my job in this graphic design they shot. But then I saw it's like, do a dissertation on some of your buzz off, right. Let's go. Boom. week later, I got a distinction. That's the only time now because I didn't even pass the class. I didn't even I didn't I didn't fail. And I didn't pass. I just didn't finish it. Yeah, like, because that was, yeah, it just wasn't interesting to me because of exactly what you say, you know, because of these kinds of parameters, too many parameters well, and but at that time, I became best friends with Chris Drori, who became a member of finger thing. I'll get to that in a bit. But he was like, he had a hair cut, like MC search. And he had the fucking Fred based albums and all this. And all the other dudes, there was another kid and the clashes and stuff, like get old boys and all that stuff. So

it's a funny time that particularly the 16 to say 16 to 21 You're just trying to work out who you are and what you want. And, and you're expected to make these decisions about what sort of educational path you're going to go down on what vacation when you still don't even know who you are.

So I've come through I've come I've just been through all this with the guy with the this ADHD assessment and he's asking me all these questions, you know, and the questions it's like answer as a youth child the memories an answer as an adult. And I went through it for about a week because I'm writing down this stuff and I'm like, I'm gone. This goes way deeper, like the, you know, the school system and how, how you were, how it was how your experiences you know, Like getting it thrown out i in art class or like, here, like where I'm supposed to be good. I'm getting thrown out. And I'm in my art books. I'm doing drawings, radiators, and curtains because that's what's in. That's what's outside the classroom. Do you know what I mean? Yes, like, I don't know. And this is all stuff that I'm writing down. And like you say, when I got to sort of 16, and I guess maybe this stuff's really kicking in, I just want to spread my wings like that is, that's the best way I could put it. But at that time, kind of ongoing, and I feel depressed. And that, you know, because I didn't get the grades. I want it. In school. I didn't get what I wanted to get into college, and then I'm at college, and like, this ain't what I wanted. Yeah. Yeah, after all that in what I wanted, but I'll tell you what, all these people that I'm with, this is what I want, you know, this kind of community of people that think like me, or like, at least they're into hip hop and, or, or they insert graffiti, or like, I don't know, it's a metal or I just had, like, so many skating, I had all these passions for all these different things. So it's like you get on with a lot of people.

Yeah, so when when was it? Was it this point where DJing did. And was it was it kind of, because of this kind of love hate thing with design and art and graphics? Did that kind of push you more down the route of DJing. So what happened

Was there a specific DJ you were looking up to? At that point?

Let's go. So ended up playing. I can't remember what happened. But it's just like, No way. I'm just having this experience. And it's like, Can I have your autograph, though? And he's like, why we get the talking? He's like, what's your name? I'm a DJ. My name is Peter Parker. I'm in the fucking DMC. And he wrote this thing to Peter Parker. Keep webinar up. DJ nice, you know, and I'm just like, oh my god, he knows who Peter Parker is. You know, like, because no one knew it. Or I didn't, you know, it's like no one really knows at that point, you know? And I was just like, this is sick, you know? And then over that weekend, I got cubits and shortcuts. Mixmaster Mike, I ended up chatting to Mike and buying a mix tape off him. And I remember I had a razor sharp records t shirt, and he wanted to swap it because I don't know what it is like that your T shirts sick. Do you want you know? Do you want to sell it? I'm like nah, nah, nah. But at that point everyone was so Wu Tang crazy you know? I can't remember how I got that shirt but anyway, jump forward to the DMC that they noises uh yeah noises a judge and I went did my thing you know so passing me records whatever I changed my SAT a

little bit as you gotta go with the nerves like this. This shaky hands.

Like how long did you have to think about that, again, saying it as the

sort of, you know, it was just it was just there was no, it just it was just from from him saying that to me. And then like I can't remember it but it was only a couple of it was a matter of months, if a month on it, maybe weeks that the next thing I knew I've got tour dates offered, you know, the first one was with a guy called Tony D, who's a producer from New Jersey, and a guy called yz is an MC and they were doing a tours like right UK tour, maybe going over to Ireland you know, I've never even been on a fucking plane you know, so I'm just like, let's go this is a you know, this is like let's let's do it and then

we're doing cuts are we are we like warming up? No, I

was doing cuts. He specifically wanted me to be like an integral part of the band. So it wasn't like oh common DJ, it was like I want you to come and I want you to kind of do what you like doing. That was that was it and night and on the first day of the rehearsal the rehearsal was at the upstairs of Sankey soap. Guess who was there who'd been enrolled to play double bass, like there's a night that I've been going to with my mate who was at college P he was at Salford uni and this this guy had been going to collider to see a drum which is this night that that it was like hip hop and drum and bass once it gets to 12 o'clock. The drummer base start you know kicks in it was the high pitch shit I'd ever seen in my life. And because it mixed live musicianship with the DJs you had so you had the cream of the crop of Manchester yard like scruff Mark Ray, chubby grooves and devoto mushroom room for massive attack just to name a few but these were the people and mark one shut them off on every time. Yeah, but he was missed the Grand Central you know, it was very mad time like you know like how things fell into place for me but I've been going and seeing sneak be part of this thing. This month late night I'm going to I've never seen people even playing instruments that much apart from like a rock Rock Festival and go into gigs when my brother and everything I've never seen a double bass before though. And he was just like it was like, Oh my God, you know with drums and then they were that God and they played in time over tunes and that which was a very rare thing. And anyway so cut back to the first area so there's this guy, double bass player but fucking middle way. So I'm here with this guy from New Jersey dude from Atlanta, sneaky on a double bass, all I've got to do is scratch let's go like it's finally begun you know anyway they were doing their tunes and I'm doing some just some courts you know like using a scratch record and bits and bobs we're talking and they like right let's have a break. So they got off and sneak starts playing this baseline and at that point I was obsessed with a scratch pickles and everything you know like that was anything I could get. The night that I came third at the DMC there was a dude called Gino who had befriended at fresh 97. And he was holding above the crowd in the air a VHS copy of invisible scratch pickles. versus, versus the X Men, which is legendary battle. Exactly. So legendary. That became what I started to meld that with, like, you know, thinking like that's how it's that's how it's got to be. So I became obsessive about cutting drums. Beat juggling was my thing at first, you know, that's what I felt like, I'm like, I'm good at this, you know. And I fought that my cotton and that lagged a bit. But then when sneek played that baseline, although I had to do was scratch drums over it. And now this toasted marshmallow feet breaks, which had everything that I needed on it, you know, jagged, jagged, jagged edge, I want to point out, we're just coming in like that. Mark comes back in with Tony and like, why is he and like, pocket? What the hell you do it? That's kind of how you know, like, I don't know, I don't know. And then moments later, it's like, right, would you be up for doing that? The Joe in the tour, Joe, Linda, Tony dny Zita. Like, yeah, let's go. I don't know. We don't even know what we're doing. We the sneaker just grinning from ear to ear. Like what the fuck is going on? You know? And that's the way it went down. Like we would go and, uh, so the first night I was stopped at marks because I'm still living in Korea at the time. And I stopped at marks and I met YZ it gave me like, I saw it. Yeah, there's open suitcase. I'm like, oh, man, your shirts are sick. Because he had Elise rattler N shirts. I kind of like I've only ever seen the logo. I didn't really know what it was whatever. And he's like, he's like, pick one. I'm like, wow, you know, he's like, pick one. And I'm like, you kidding? Yeah. And hold it Holding, holding it. Oh, and it's massive. You know, it's like, it's so so big. And he's like, he's like up, pick a shirt like this. I'm like, I just can't believe this. You know. So the next thing you know, I'm wearing a giant, you know, Ralph Lauren polo shirt. I only just told sneak the other day, you know, while we were in Berlin. That wise he gave me because I didn't want him to think. Do you know what I mean? He's like, No way. And why? Yeah, I didn't want him to think like, Oh, yeah. Why is that he's given me a fucking shirt or any of that shit. You know what I mean? Yeah. So that was yeah, that's what I'd sport on the tour. You know, which I guess y z was really Buzz off, but I was just like, these dudes. And then I remember being downstairs and totally days getting absolutely tired. I mean, tired. You know, like, just doing all sorts of stuff that I'd never seen before, you know? And I'm just like, Man, I fucking I'm in seventh heaven. I'm like, and I'm in a guy's house who runs a record label? I've been given a fucking shirt by a rapper. And then there's this producer of getting blitz with, you know, first the first day. And then what transpired over that toured like marks like Parker, do you think he could make music? You know, you think you can make some stuff? And I'm like, come on, like, yeah, just Yes. Instant. Yes. No, like, not just blind. Yes. I don't even know what it entails. Just show me where it is. And I'll do it. And yeah, and I think even during that week, he gave me like an emu sampler. You sent me an emu sampler and I got this MIDI keyboard and stuff. Turned out that sneak had done a course in like Cubase or whatever. And they're just that yeah, the way it went. That actually it was Mark he helped me to make my first beat. And they made this be and I remember like, I can't remember how many days we were stopping at marks house. But he's like Hey Tony the beat you know? Yeah, yeah wickets I'll put it on Tony do is in the back of the car. And I after it's it's like two and a half minutes, whatever and he's like, man, that's the wacky shit I ever heard. It's like, it's like fucking and he's like, I know what every sample is. And gotta do better. Like, kinda like that. And I'm like I mean, it hurt, you know, it's just like, fuck, you know, like, it was weird. You know, like, because I've got to do this again. Like, I think this I have to do this. I can't take that. And like, Yeah, it did my it hurt. It hurts. You know, because it's like, here's this guy who's this legend. They just told me it was shit as fuck. But what it probably was, but that didn't matter. It was it was the words were sad, you know, and it, get it just get lit this fire inside me. You know, unfortunately, from that point onwards, I was a bit like about Tony de but that was just me, securing things for myself. If you see what I see, like I have to I had to frame certain people in my, in my experience, it's because I've never done this shit. I've never done any of this stuff before. I hadn't even you know, like, even those experiences of being in front of crowds are gonna do the DMC and then the next thing I'm, I'm going on a UK tour playing in sold out venues. And I'm just the guy who cuts on the you know, but my ego and every fan. I mean, cuz we'd get to the bit where it's like, right, this is sneaky and Peter Parker, they're gonna do this thing, you ain't never heard anything like this go down out, I'm gonna go ahead and just jump in. I particularly in Scotland, you know, like on a Monday night in Dundee or whatever, you know?

I guess it's like, because I've been listening back to some of the fingering stuff past few days. And I've kind of had thoughts about it and just listening to a lot of the a lot of the cue points of like, the the way that you did the past stuff with the with the film soundtracks, blending things like that in the visuals, the Mix Master Mike influenced, definitely, for sure. Because think about how you lay things up on those first couple of albums. And it's, it seems like, there was all these different things that play the part into your in you kind of find in who you were. And then all of a sudden, like, all the everything just kind of like happened really fast afterwards. So that must have been a bit of a head fork. You know, things happen without you even having the time to, to process and like, all of a sudden you're basically in a band.

Yeah. Yeah. And, like, me, and, and Snake, like snakes a year older, and he had the experience and stuff. But like, again, I've done that I've done like the battle. And it got me to that point. But when I met sneak it, that was what I wanted. Like, I just thought he was like the cool, like, he's look at that instrument is playing, you know, like, imagine, like what you could do it's like me on a turntable and you on the base. And it became it from the get go when, you know, kind of knew that that was what was going to happen. And Mark knew every you know, and then mark would tell everybody at the label, like people would come and they're just like, wow, you know, wow, all like, I've never seen anything like that before, you know. And, again, it was like that belief thing, having to develop some kind of belief because I didn't have the experience. So, and I'll be honest, like, all that I really had was like, attitude, because I thought that that was the best delivery for me. Do you know, I mean, like, I will just stand there and I'll be like, I'm gonna fucking own this shit. And it may look like that. But inside I am fucking terrified. I mean, you know, like, I'm just a kid who is in this position, and I'm going with it because I have no other option. And, and I and Yeah. And, you know, we'd go and just have these experiences and it was just surreal is the best way I can put it because you know, everything all of a sudden is like flipped on me. And I've no, like, I don't I don't, I don't have to have like that kind of in past I know I've done the work. Do you know what I mean? I know I've kind of paid I paid to do to get me into this position. So I felt like I write I had a right to be there. But also, you know, I have no other option. I have no other option. And it's the craziest thing right? craziest, few other things happened. So at this time DJ ended up being a DJ in bands was like really going off and like I say, like Mark one, he was the Grand Central and flat city guy. It was it was him, you know, rightly so he was. He was he was brilliant. He DJ paid for like numerous like outfits. And then he was where I wanted to be. So I had to kind of almost like I think in my own mind kind of vilify him a little bit like, I need to be where this guy is, I don't know how I'm gonna do that. But what happened was Texas Sharleen Spiteri and Mark go way back, they're all mates. And she was like, he's a great DJ, like, and we're going on tour, and we want to incorporate it like it because Mark showed us an MPC. And there's all this all this stuff, you know, all this instruments

they add to remix with it, residents on it. Yeah, they had some sort of Wu Tang remix it one of the Texas songs she's

cheap bank into at night, she's tough. Like, she ended up coming down and met her she can call like, but Mark ended up becoming part of the band. Because this opportunity came, and it was like, but if you're gonna do this, then that's it, you know, you're gonna be like CLA. And he took it. He took it, you know, to his credit, like, he just fucking went for it. And what that did was create this, you know, this kind of gaping hole for me to just slot right into. And that's what happened. But it did have to do a battle battle then one time, like, in Sankeys, it was like, I can't remember what it was, which was like I, you know, Parker and Matt one or whatever. But at that time, it was all technical. My ability was all because I just didn't, all I had was like, the attitude, you know, and I remember, like, bomarc He just had everything, you know, and he just fucking wiped the floor with me. You know, it was just like, ah, like, he did this thing, like, the super sharp shooter. And it was just like, it was it was it was rough. And it was sick, like in istyles. Very aggressive. And it was weird. Like, you know, going through that,

yeah, I can imagine. So what was next step into our in then

that was the first ever tour was Tony d and y, z. And then what happened was rain Christian, as a, an outfit was developing, they were already a production duo. And you had like Northern sulfuric soul. And what happened was rain Christian, as a live outfit was starting to develop. So Mark definitely had like a vision of how he wanted to tour, a production duo. And Mark, Steve was very much just wanted to make tunes, he wasn't actually that massive on the live thing. But Mark kinda knew how good a promotional tool it would be. And so he basically went about to kind of pick this very lethal cocktail of, of, of great musicians to do a version of Ray and Christians music live. And that happened over the course of maybe like, a year, if that before I know it, you know, we'll go into Australia for a couple of weeks.

And, you know, going on a tour, and just yeah, like, I guess, you know, like rain Christian. They had sold their publishing. There, they were published by Sony. So even though Mark's kind of doing this thing, like he had kind of done this, which sort of elevated everything that they were doing, so that the opportunities that they were given to do gigs in that were coming from far and wide. You know, so Walmart really needed was just to get a potent band together. And yeah, me and sneaky were like, integral cogs in that, even though Mark was a DJ himself. He knew that having us on board would be like, would be a positive and plus whatever you call it, but Mark, like lesson at the same time. You know, he's like doing a very Christian geek. He's like, look, I want to introduce you now to these two guys. This is finger thing. You know, so in a rain Christian gig marks already, like, this is finger thing. Like this guy, I can't, I can't put into words how, you know, like the opportunity that that he that he gave me. And then the the stuff that other people didn't see ever that I have, he saw it and he fucking nurtured it and polished it and, you know, like, just he gave me everything, you know, like in terms of opportunity, which I talk, you know? Yeah,

yeah, I think I mean, I think that the whole Grand Central sort of movement was really big, wasn't it? And, and looking at the people they had on, you know, that there are people at the far side, certainly on the second album, Bobby Womack, you know, they had some pretty impressive connections and people that were working with him, you know, he had Mr. scruff in the sort of fold aim.

I mean, that first aim album, come on me, Andy Turner, who's

so much good stuff coming out then. Yeah, shouts

the shots that Andy and he was like, you know, we were very, very proud to be you know, cuz I'd got like Luke dreams, you know, like, even before, like, a few months before I started doing stuff or had any affiliation, you know, so it's like, right, you're gonna be working this label, no way aims on it. Like that sick man. He's actually really fucking, you know, and hearing the other dudes and that and like, this is this is wicked, you know, and, and it was just, like, just an amazing team of like, lovely people. But then, you know, I'm 21 or 22. And I'm on a boss, you know, going around Europe. It's like 13 or 14 of us going around and do gigs. Ryder every day. Me it's mentioned the far side I remember being Amsterdam for Amsterdam drum rhythm festival. And we're supposed to meet the fast side at six o'clock in the morning. And we like roll up you know? And the light right there you go. Here's your here's your passes. Here's everything. Oh, there's the far side who are just these dudes it's puking. They won't even light Yeah, you know just see this kind of no way. They're out there like like Imani and blue Brown and? And like, yeah, there's you ride it. Oh, and as you are the rider. Like No way. What's the, you know, like, Whoa, there's another rider. Like, damn. Like, I don't really want to guess I don't know how much I can say a lot about like, this other rider of like, you know, also probably, yes. Yeah, take take it take a few guesses because the bag was full man. And it was like, I'm just I'm with all these musicians and like, they gave me my like a mark mark and a guy called Chris crooks who was a percussionist. Just love digging that you know, so I got introduced like, like, right you know, we go to like Dundee and unlike Groucho was this sick record shop where we go, Oh, they're going to it's closed but they're going to open it for you. Why? You know cuz cuz because the mark and you know, re increasing on this year. It's I said, you know, like, no ways, Parker clear, right? Or flaws follow records, like powder, record, whatever. And at this point, I'm getting like peds, you know, and I'll just eat like a fucking Karabakh and a one bar or something like that, you know, like and whatever's on the rider, just by records or toys figures. Just like it's like, at that point. They just like spent it over when we went to Australia. And I got two weeks worth of peds. And I went straight to peds. Sorry. It's called like per diem. So it's like money. You get a day. A day. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. bit of money per day and I went straight. So because I was like mad for like Godzilla. And I knew the other Chinatown went straight to Chinatown found this store that had like all these like sick figures and that and there's this one Godzilla like a mechanised Godzilla. It was $300 She's fucking bought it to spend spent all my PDS and then the next day and it's like we don't we're not even been there a day. And I'm there just like walking. Because there's a photo somewhere and I'm just walking proud as punch holding this like giant, like Godzilla. But it's like a skeleton in and out to talk like hostesses. It's a point in their cupboards so that I could get it across the Tor safely, you know, without getting bashed in. That was crazy, though.

That's no explain must be amazing doing all that stuff at that age.

And then I was just I was it was just I felt like I felt like I was in the playground for my eternal youth. I felt like I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be. You know, that's all that's all I could really say, you know, but at that time, it's like, I just felt like I've made it you know? Even though it's just spending like a, you know, some three days.

Well, I think that's probably a good place for us to stop this episode then because we've got a lot more to get through on the next one. So thanks a lot for your time, Peter, and I'll speak to you soon. And for everyone that's listening, stay tuned for part two of Peter Parker. And that'll be with you soon. Thanks for listening to the one to DJ podcast. If you've got any questions or feedback or any suggestions for guests, please just get in touch with us at once a DJ podcast@gmail.com on Instagram at once a DJ podcast. Take care. We'll speak to you soon. That was nice.