DJ Storm rose to fame in the 90s DJing alongside her best friend Kemistry. Over ten years have passed since Kemistry's tragic death and Storm still feels the loss, but what they shared, more than anything else, was an undeniable passion for drum & bass and this has kept her going. Storm has since become known as the first lady of drum & bass and remains as popular as ever at clubs worldwide. We caught up with her recently for a chat...

What did it mean to win best female DJ at the recent National D&B Awards?

It's always nice to be shown recognition from the drum & bass voters. Winning the award let's me know I'm still doing the right thing and let's me know my sets are appreciated. I didn't have a lot of time to collect my award so I would like to thank everyone that voted, it was a proud moment for me.

What's it like being a woman in such a male-dominated scene?

Being a women in such a male dominated scene is cool. It's not something I dwell on and let's be fair the males of this scene provide me with all the music I play. I have many great male friends in this scene and I hope that in most cases I am judged on my ability rather than my sex. There are many more females around now not just in the UK but globally. It is a joy for me every time I encounter a new lady DJ or MC.

There are many female artists in the scene these days but still very few have broken into the upper echelons of the scene, what do you put this down to and what can be done to rectify this situation?

The reasons for not many breaking in to the upper echelons are complex. The scene in the last few years has changed, when I first got into this scene you had producers and DJs and the lines between them were well defined. To be a good DJ you had to be technically proficient and creatively interesting, you brought your own style with the various tracks made by various producers that you had in your bag, mixing ability was key.

Things changed with the emergence of the producer DJ and became more product led. It seemed that to become a DJ you had to make tunes, if you made a good tune you could now be a DJ, even if you didn't have the skills required to put a competent set together.

With the emergence of the producer DJ the skill and entry level to becoming a DJ changed. Most of the females I work with are pure DJs and it is a lot harder to come through with just this skill so I think this is one of the major factors but this factor applies to male and female DJs.

The one thing that affects female DJs and MCs alike is that we are still not trusted as much as the male DJs, this is where the male dominance really comes into play.

So I think being a female you have to work a lot harder to be taken seriously and promoters tend to think about you less.

That's why when I meet and hear a new female out there I have ultimate respect for them and I know they have made huge sacrifices and have worked really hard to get that chance to play.
I do think with the emergence of more female DJs and MCs attitudes are changing slowly and I would still encourage any female trying to break into this scene to believe in themselves and keep a positive attitude.

Why have you never started your own label or made your own tunes?

As anyone who heard me on Bailey's 1Xtra show the other week knows, I did make a tune alongside Kemi. It was called Signature and was released by Reinforced on their Enforcers picture disc editions (6 + 7).

At that time you needed a fair amount of money to get your own studio. Kemi and I realised after making the tune with Dego in the Reinforced Studio that if we wanted to do this we would want to do it ourselves.

We had a decision to make: spend money on a studio or put our money into the thing we were already progressing in which was DJing. We chose DJing.

Then along came Metalheadz, when Goldie asked us to run things for him we knew the only answer was yes, this was part of our collective dream.

So Kemi and I started running Metalheadz and we were so passionate about the music being created and for us it was easy to promote because our hearts were in it, we had found our niche.

Then along came Blue Note and things started taking off. It was hard work but never seemed like a chore, it was exciting to be part of something that was so forward thinking, exactly what drum & bass stands for, cutting edge music.

When things started getting busy for us, Kemi gave up working for Metalheadz and concentrated on our DJing career and I stayed on working for Metalheadz.

Things then got even busier for us as we had a series of mix CDs come our way and this alongside our Metalheadz commitments made it difficult to stay working day to day for Metalheadz.

Even though we were not working day to day at Metalheadz we never really left, we were and still are a family, I still support it as much as I ever did.

Then Kemi and I landed the K7 mix, and with this came major promotion and a massive tour. Our profile was completely heightened and the tour was hugely successful.

After completing the American leg of our tour and coming home we embarked to Southampton to play what was to be Kemistry and Storm's final gig.

On the way home the fateful accident occurred. From that moment things changed completely for me . It was devastating, it was like losing half of me.

Kemi's faith in Kemistry & Storm kept me going.

I have been lucky to have great friends who kept me going when things got hard for me to handle, without them I'm not sure where I would be.

My love of this music is the other thing that kept me going and this whole DnB scene, it has some fantastic characters in it that believe and feel this music as I do.

So I have taken things slowly since that day and concentrated on what I do best. I wouldn't say I will never make a tune or start a label, but for me it has to be right.

You played for Metalheadz at the Red Bull Music Academy Soundclash recently, tell us more about what you played and what the experience was like on the night...

Playing at the Soundclash was amazing, I was so happy to be part of it, and I'm sure everyone is pleased Metalheadz won.

It was a fantastic concept bringing four UK based sounds together, it gave a sense of pride and showed how exciting music is that comes out of our country.

We thought long and hard and many conversations were had between the artists playing so we were all on the same page.

I started off in the warm-up round alongside George from Commix and I started off with Da Ruckus from Lutin with a long mix into it of Up All Night by John B.

In round three, the round where you were asked to play a genre not of your chosen music, I played Total Confusion and Lady Mademoiselle to show where my history in this music came from and to show where our early mix of sounds came from.

In the final round which was the "Big Tune" round, Goldie dropped Pulp Fiction and I played the Dillinja remix of Bad Company's Nitrous, I chose the right track, it sounded awesome.

Tell us more about the Feline night that you're involved with and your plans for the year...

Feline is a collective of DJs and MCs who are all female. We were based at Herbal and due to the two floor situation in there we were able to not only highlight drum & bass but other styles of music played by Feline residents and special guests, all female.

We also made it possible for female DJs from other countries to have the possibility of getting a set whilst here in London.

Feline had a bit of a set back last year with the demise of Herbal, we did a night in collaboration with Renegade Hardware which we really enjoyed and we carried on with gigs in the UK and abroad.

We also had a great time appearing on DNBTV and have to give a shout out to Sun and Bass, where Feline had a wicked night.

We have a gig coming up in Bedford on Friday 5th May and something in the pipeline for London.

What is your involvement with Metalheadz these days and what can you tell us about what we can expect for the rest of 2010?

As I previously said Metalheadz will always be my family and label of choice and 2009 was 15 years of Metalheadz and it was fantastic to revisit an amazing back catalogue of the most cutting edge sounds.

2010 looks even more exciting with a lot of forward-thinking releases and more Metalheadz nights bringing the vibe.

Apart from Feline, Metalheadz is the only organisation I know in this scene that has more than one female resident (Flight and myself) in its roster of DJs. You can catch us both on Saturday 10th July at We Fear Silence presents Metalheadz at Cable.

What's the best gig you played in the last six months?
15 years of Logical Progression in Amsterdam in January, it was such an electric night. I represented 15 years of Metalheadz, LTJ Bukem 15 years of Logical Progression, Fabio and Grooverider represented Creative Source and Prototype respectively. LTJ Bukem played the most amazing 15 year set, it took me back to some special moments in my career.

Having been DJing since the start of drum & bass what's the highlight that sticks out most in your mind?
I think the highlights in the scene for me was establishing, alongside Kemi, Kemistry & Storm. We worked really hard and we made many sacrifices but the love and belief in this music got us through, and succeeding and being taken seriously as professional DJs by our peers was a huge achievement for us.

Being part of Reinforced and then Metalheadz was a major highlight, it was a rollercoaster of a ride and we loved every minute. The best thing is that this underground music has become a global phenomenon, something we should all feel proud of.

Having experienced the twists in trends and many changes of drum & bass over the years what do you think of the scene and the music right now?

I think drum & bass is still in a very good state and with the emergence of new producers in the UK and abroad every year it's even more exciting. Drum & bass will always have its ups and downs as every scene does but it's here to stay... trust me !

How do you feel the art of DJ is changing in the digital age? In some ways it's now easier for anyone to DJ but new technologies are also making it possible to be creative in new ways...

I think one of the unique things about drum & bass is the way we mix it together. We were one of the first scenes to really discover mix and blending: to remix, live, two tracks together.
We created a new emotion in the mix and this enabled you to create your own style.

Even with all the new digital technologies out there, I still think when you go to hear a drum & bass DJ you go to see and hear them mixing tracks together, this is how a good DJ excites you and moves your emotions. A great DJ should take you by the hand and guide you through their set, share with you their journey.

A great DJ should want to be at their best for every set they play, I could be suffering the worst cold, I could be sneezing and coughing all the way to the gig, but as soon as I put the first track on all that disappears and it's just me, the music and the people who I have come to entertain.

I never want to see the day when there are no decks of any kind, I love the art of working tracks physically, but then I am still obsessed as I ever was about creating something in the mix.

What tracks, producers and labels are you feeling at the moment?

I am always feeling Metalheadz, other labels always in my bag are Shogun Audio, Clear Skyz, Inneractive, CIA, Soul:R, Signature, Function, Exit, 36 Hertz, 31 Records, Brigand, V Recordings... I could go on.

I think there are some exciting new producers out there, S.P.Y. is totally awesome and so prolific with productions of every style of DnB and all so amazing. Spectrasoul have their own style and which is hard to come with, they don't follow, they really create.

 

Lenzman is one to really watch, he has a total uniqueness to his sound. Lutin knows how to move a crowd with his productions. I have to give a shout out to Dan Harbarnam, this guy is coming out of Romania and is making some stunning tracks.

 

Lynx is starting his own label and you know this is worth waiting for. Break is rolling out some fantastic beats and shouts to Icicle for some pure DnB.

 

On top of that you have all the producers I grew up with in this scene in my bag and it's great so many of them are still making amazing DnB and leading the way.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever had?

Be true to yourself.

Who's your all-time hero & why?

Kemistry, she was my absolute soul mate in my life.

What's the best piece of equipment you've ever used?

Technics 1210 Mark II, it is such a beautiful piece of engineering. It has the best and most reliable pitch of any deck... pure genius.

What was the best set you've ever heard?

Randall at a gig called The Morning After, it happened early Sunday afternoon to early evening in Covent Garden. He had us all in the palm of his hand from the first mix and then he did this mix with NHS by Doc Scott coming out of a mid breakdown with no clue in it. I knew this was a tricky mix; Kemi, Goldie and I looked at each other and it was like the whole club held its breath while we waited for Randall to come out the other end and when he did it was perfect, the whole place went mental, we were in safe hands.

Who would be playing at your ideal night out and why?

My ideal night already happened last year at Kemi's Remembrance Night at Cargo, it was a staggering line-up and included all of our friends and family in this scene. It was a fantastic night bringing the scene together to celebrate Kemistry's life.

Who would you like to play back-to-back with and why?

I think I have played with all the DJs I've wanted to b2b and I have enjoyed every encounter. The one that really sticks out was me, Randall and Goldie playing b2b2b at Sun & Bass last year when we rolled out 15 years of Metalheadz alongside DRS and SP - it was a happening.

 

Look out for Storm hosting the new Metalheadz show on Ministry of Sound Radio starting from Monday 19th April, 9pm - 11pm.

 

Download Storm's exclusive mix

 

Tracklisting

1. Total Science + S.P.Y - Legion (Metalheadz)
2. The Burbs - This Time (31 Records)
3. Total Science - New Order (CIA)
4. Lenzman ft. Riya - Open Page (Metalheadz)
5. S.P.Y - Human Emotion (Metalheadz)
6. Zero - K (Outrage)
7. A.I . ft. dBridge - Three's A Crowd (V Recordings)
8. S.P.Y - Favela (Metalheadz)
9. Calibre - Rose (Signature)
10. Edward Oberon - Noir (31 Records)
11. Jillian Ann - Confess (Vapour Remix) (Mental Sanctuary Records)
12. Utah Jazz - Quincy (Qui 001)
13. Total Science - While You Were Sleeping (CIA)
14. Spectrasoul - Insignia (Exit Records)
15. S.P.Y - Xenomorph (Metalheadz)
16. DKay - For Love Or Money (Brigand)
17. Lutin - Da Ruckus
18. Serum + Bladerunner - Images
19. Method One - No Title (31 Records)
20. S.P.Y - Full Metal Jacket (Metalheadz)

• DJ Storm
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• Metalheadz

Related Links:

• Storm Pop Watches
• 15 Years Of Metalheadz @ Warning Review
• Review: Culture Clash
• Metalheadz History Sessions At Cable
• Knowledge Wins Best Magazine

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