Trailblazing drum ‘n’ bass maestro Roni Size picks out the first and last record he bought and the one he always turns to in emergencies…
FIRST
Kurtis Blow
‘The Breaks’
(Mercury, 1980)
I was 11, and I remember having £3 and I went straight to Virgin Records with one thing on my mind. I can still remember the smell of the shop to this day. This was one of the first sample-free hip hop records ever made. Kurtis was one of the first rap artists to sign to a major record deal and I, funnily enough, was one of the first drum ’n’ bass artists to sign to a major label 16 years later.
LAST
Logic & Last Resort
‘More True Talk’
(Overstand, 2013)
The last record I bought was very recent. I was driving around Bristol one evening, listening to Charlie Sloth doing his BBC show and I heard him playing this, by Logic & Last Resort. It’s always good to hear UK hip hop done so well, because there’s really not enough of it around these days.
ALWAYS
NERD
‘In Search Of…’
(Virgin, 2001)
There are many unsung heroes in music and in the case of NERD, featuring Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay Haley there is one member who makes it complete. The unsung hero is Chad Hugo. This is the record I wish I made. The chords and progression represent a vibe I can feel and listen to when searching for inspiration. I’m looking forward to finding another record like this one day.
