“The closure of fabric was a low light! 15 years of Playaz at Fabric was bought to an abrupt end and naturally I was upset at the pass of the club but it’s been amazing how the whole music community is supporting the fight to get their license back and hopefully they will win that fight.”
– DJ Hype
First, I challenge anyone who claims to not like D&B to listen to this set in full and then come back to the argument. Hype is flawless. He’s crafted a unique space for himself, and all artists since have bowed down and given him the crown her deserves as the D&B Junglist Scratch King.
If you’ve had the pleasure of being in Fabric room 1, to the left of the DJ, if they’re facing the room, where the speaker is the wall during a Hype set when he’s off on a scratching tangent, to hear him later drop Shimon & Andy C – Body Rock and Grimey for the first time (back then these two tracks were not a sound we recognised, it was a new take on D&B of the time…) will know, with Fabrics sound system, this is an experience that stays with you for life. Putting on a night or performing at Fabric allows artists and opportunity to play music on a sound system that can produce the optimal sound. At the time, artists knew what Fabrics system can handle and they arrived prepared for a battle with the sound engineers, local authorities and management throughout the night.
Fabric is a place where boundaries being pushed is embraced and the punishments that are incurred are absorbed or the battles are taken on with a defiant purpose. The way Fabric and the community are fighting to recover, searching new revenue streams as the Fabric brand seeks to explore lands as far is innovative and commendable. The club has a earned a historic tale that makes the experience of going out on a night their even more exciting for punters and artists alike.
Earning your first set in Room One is a moment that all artists will be proud of achieving in the career. It’s a nod of approval from the legends who fight to retain club culture in it’s purest form.
Every person who goes to Fabric today can thank the artists like Hype, The Fabric Team and wider community who took it upon themselves to fight the system.
In our eyes, “Fabric is a culture in its own right“, It’s a place where people go with the the sole purpose of having “a great fu*k*n night out”! DJs like Hype know how to read a room, they vibe off the energy people bring to the dance floor and they channel the energy into the performance, when your playing on a system like Fabric have installed, then what artists can create, can be truly mind blowing and moving.
These memories will be with all of us who shared them forever holding a special place in our hearts that gets reignited every time we hear one of those tracks live, often in environments that are being crafted for us by a creative team crafting the event. Hype crafted his who soundscape for Tru Playaz nights that went on to become a global success!
A man that defined the sound of a generation, we speak to DJ Hype ahead of Innovation in Dam this (2016) in November. Hype shares his thoughts on the closure of London raving institution Fabric, a topic that impacted the entire industry and the millions of ravers who have had the experience of a night at one of the worlds most loved clubs. Fabrics culture has somehow, found a way survive, evading the tyranny of the corporate vultures that will be forever apply pressure to the team who have made it their life mission to keep the doors open. From an eagles perspective, Fabric appear to be creating a living immersive museum that hosts classic, modern and futuristic art for everyone in the world to enjoy. A place where people can be free of judgement, to explore new music and find like minded souls to share experiences with. Or even a place where you can switch off and escape with a DJ for hours on end…
Thankfully, the people spoke and Fabric just celebrated 25 years in the game. Congratulations a big thank you to all the people and team who battled to keep the venue open and who are championing the global brand which is currently. taking advantage of some interesting collabs that are taking the Fabric Residents all over the world.
DJ Hype Interview 2016
Hey Hype, thanks for speaking to us, what are you up to today?
I am going through dubs and promos sent to me this week.
Cool! What have we torn you away from to speak with us?
I was building a boat in my garden made from natural materials all salvaged from the forest.
That’s amazing! So, busy as ever – what’s new at Playaz?
We have a great project out now from Tyke, followed by guest release from Majistrate and Turno – plus we have a fantastic project from Annix about to be promo’ed. Also I have just started to get back in the studio myself and hope to get some projects out in 2017.
Any cool artists or tracks we should be watching out for?
Too many to mention! I love the way new and fresh artists are popping up everywhere, showing our scene is healthy in all its styles.
So it was a busy summer for you playing Exit, Mallorca and also Fabric… speaking of which, what are your thoughts on all of that bother?
Summer festival highlights were without a doubt Glastonbury Arcadia stage and Boomtown section 6 stage back to back with Hazard! And the closure of fabric was the low light! 15 years of Playaz at Fabric was bought to an abrupt end and naturally I was upset at the pass of the club but it’s been amazing how the whole music community is supporting the fight to get their license back and hopefully they will win that fight.
What do you think of London’s DnB scene nowadays? Do you feel its lost its edge of the 90s and noughties?
I love the way drum and bass / jungle music just keeps evolving. Our scene has grown over the last 20 years and London is still as important as it always was, London is the unique cultural heartbeat.
Where would you say are the best places in London to hear proper DnB?
Up until July this year I would have said Fabric of course, but there are loads of other nights that happen throughout the year from the likes of Jungle Fever, Hospitality, Breakin Science, Awol, Soul In Motion, plus loads more…
You’ll play Innovation in the Dam in November – how did you first get involved with Innovation?
I think they called my agent and booked me but I have known Loyd for years and is a totally generous giving person that I am loyal to.
When touring what 3 things do you need to always have with you?
Phone, computer, incense sticks.
Love that… Me too!
What do you most love about living in London?
The diversity of people and music.
What are your top 5 drum n bass tracks that put you in the zone?
Can’t tell you as they are all dubs with no release date from my label, so I am keeping shush!
Totally understandable to keep your weapons secret and under close protection!
When you’re looking for new artists or music which platforms do you rate?
I don’t usually hunt for artists much, I seem to be quite organic in my signing for new artists.
You could tell that Hype’s a pro, he’s not falling the journalists digging and he’s not giving away trade secrets that keep him at the top of his game to today.
Listening to Hype live, or to old tape packs that have now been released on YouTube, you get a sense of connection to him. He’s crafted a sound unique to him, being so damn good at scratching that no one else even to this day has ever really been able to take the crown. In short, Hype is, and will always be the OG of the D&B Junglist movement in our eyes.
Before you go, I hope started playing Hype’s Fabric Live 03 mix before you started reading. If you can imagine hearing this at Fabric Live, and then think about how many people were impacted by the closure you can start to imagine how much this impacted, Hype and a huge number of people in the industry and the public. The interview had some time restraints and their were topics PR want you to cover, back then short form press didn’t really give artists and writers much opportunity to get into anything. Artists often sit in a hotel room and have a few hours of 15-30 minute windows with a range of journalists who often haven’t done any preparations. Its great to see the new long form platforms getting more space as artists like Hype would be incredible people to learn from.
Hype’s a man of few words, but looking back now, listening to this album, and thinking about what he said, it was powerful, and its a record of the genuine feelings and sentiment of thousands, if not millions, of people who were affected by the decision to close Fabric. If you were lucky enough to have experienced a Tru Playaz night at Fabric in the early days for yourself, then its comforting to know we can share the memories, for anyone who hasn’t yet, add Hype at Fabric to your bucket list.
Book DJ Hype – Respect Artists Agency
DJ Hype – Fabric Live 03 – Click to Buy