The Great Doctor Bob Jones

1.For the not so clued up person in regards to the world of Soulful House and Garage, UK Underground music could you tell us how you got started in this game. What led you into you becoming a DJ?

1a. Who or what had the greatest influence on what you listen to today?

I WAS INFLUENCED IN MY EARLY YEARS BY THE MUSIC THAT MY 2 OLDER SISTERS PLAYED AT HOME, ,AND ALSO FROM GOING TO SEE BANDS AND GROUPS PLAY AT MY LOCAL YOUTH CENTER AND DANCEHALL ’THE CORN EXCHANGE’....IN CHELMSFORD, ESSEX, ENGLAND WHERE I GREW UP.

1(a) Was through listen to your parents (Did they have an artists or performer that they constantly kept going on about that influenced you)

NO NOT REALLY MUCH INFLUENCE FROM MY PARENTS, ALTHOUGH MY LATE FATHER GOT ME INTO JAZZ, WHEN HE BROUGHT ME MY FIRST BLUENOTE ALBUM IN 1971. HE PLAYED PIANO, NOT PROFESSIONALLY BUT JUST AS A FUN THING AROUND THE HOUSE.

1(b) Was through listening at a early age to the Radio to a particular sound or artist.......

MY EARLY RADIO DJ IDOLS WERE DAVE SIMMONS,AND CHARLIE GILLET (BBC RADIO LONDON).

1(c) Was through going to the church (being part of a choir?)................................

NO NOT AT ALL.

1(d) Or was it by being forced to take musical lessons that influenced your choice?........

NO

NO NOT AT ALL.

2. Who was your first musical hero? Was it Artists from the.. Soul area Hiphop scene Rock/Heavy Metal scene Motown, The Sound of Philadelphia or Stax Records artists Jazz artists Or just any particular artist?

FIRST MUSICAL HEROES WERE OTIS REDDING & JAMES BROWN, I WAS FORTUNATE TO SEE THEM PERFORM LIVE ON A UK TV SHOW IN THE 60’s CALLED ‘READY STEADY GO’ I ALSO USE TO GO TO ‘THE FLAMINGO’ IN WARDOUR STREET/LONDON TO SEE ‘GEORGIE FAME & THE BLUE FLAMES’, ‘ZOOT MONEY & THE BIG ROLL BAND’, AND ‘HERBIE GOINES AND THE NIGHT TIMERS’.

3. You are a DJ/Producer. What was the first club that you played that allow you to gain vital experience to that is invaluable now! Is it still there now; and have you gone back to play there from time to time? What was the first Club that you ran completely.

FIRST CLUB THAT ALLOWED ME MY MUSICAL FREEDOM WAS MY FIRST RESIDENCY ‘DEE JAYS, IN CHELMSFORD. IT WAS MY WEEKLY FRIDAY NIGHT GIG BETWEEN 1971-77. I STARTED SPINNING JAZZ ( & SOUL, FUNK) TO THE DANCEFLOOR THERE IN 71. THE FIRST CLUB I RAN COMPLETELY WAS ’THE COUNTRYMAN' , ALSO IN CHELMSFORD BETWEEN 1977 AND 1979. MONDAYS WAS SOUL, FUNK, DISCO BOOGIE ETC & WEDNESDAYS I PLAYED 100% JAZZ.

The Great Doctor Bob Jones

4. I posed this question to DJ Cosmo(USA), a couple of years back and now I'm going to pose it to you. Have you ever been given the chance to play on those famous Pirate Radio Show's; any of them at all? Would or will you play on them? In short what do you think of the Pirate radio set-up within the London area?

As you actually there it would make interesting reading. Do there serve a purpose, or have they out stayed their welcome? Is there such a set up where you are based now. What are the penalties for getting caught running such a station in your area of the world.

I STARTED PLAYING PIRATE RADIO IN LONDON IN 1980 ON JFM, AND WENT ON TO LWR, HORIZON, K-JAZZ, SOLAR RADIO.....THEN KISS FM. OF COURSE PIRATES MUST SURVIVE, EVERYTHING MUSICAL, CLUBWISE STILL COMES FROM PIRATE RADIO, THEY ARE THE TRUE SOUNDS OF THE STREET. NO MATTER WHAT NATIONAL RADIO MIGHT SAY THEY WILL NEVER GET ANYWHERE NEAR THE VIBE OF PIRATE RADIO. I THINK PIRATES MIGHT SUFFER FROM INTERNET RADIO - THAT DEFIANTLY IS THE FUTURE. BEING A BBC EMPLOYEE I COULDN’T DO PIRATE RADIO- I WOULD LOSE MY WEEKLY THURSDAY NIGHT SHOW ON BBC LONDON LIVE 94.9fm, AND THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME RIGHT NOW. I DON’T WHAT THE PENALTIES ARE FOR GETTING CAUGHT PIRATE BROADCASTING IN CAMBRIDGE..... I’VE YET TO HEAR PIRATES OUT THERE.

5.Still on being a DJ. What would you considered to being the music that you like playing the best. USA Garage, Deep House, Disco House, Jazz House or 2-STEP Garage, Soul, Rnb, Funk, Acid Jazz or Hip Hop music?

APART FROM BEING A DJ, I’M ALSO A VINYL JUNKIE, SO I LOVE, ADORE AND COLLECT, WITH A DEEP PASSION, GOOD QUALITY BLACK MUSIC.MUSIC THAT I CONSIDER HAVING A CERTAIN ‘FEELING’. I STAY CLEAR OF HIP HOP, AND DRUM AND BASS, AS THERE ARE PIONEERS OF THIS MUSIC THAT DESERVE THE PROPS FOR INSTIGATING/PLAYING THEIR OWN PARTICULAR GENRE. AS FOR R&B, AND 2-STEP GARAGE- I FIND THESE ARE BOTH MECHANICAL AND BLAND BLACK POP MUSIC, WITHOUT ANY GUTS OR FEELING.....SO I WILL NOT BE GOING DOWN THAT ROAD, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT’S TO EACH HIS OWN.........

6. Are you a resident DJ some where, or do you work Freelance? (Only write down if its applies)

BOTH. MY RESIDENCIES AT THE MOMENT ARE:- ‘LIFT’@ THE FEZ CLUB CAMBRIDGE -LAST FRIDAY /MONTH.

‘OVER LIKE A FAT RAT’@ NOTTS HILL ARTS CLUB/LONDON - 3rd SAT/MONTH.

‘SOLE’ @ THE SOCIAL, LITTLE PORLAND ST./LONDON - LAST SUNDAY/MONTH

‘SOULSIDES’@ OPERA HOUSE/CORK - IRELAND - 1st SUNDAY/MONTH

ALSO HAVE 3 RADIO RESIDENCES :- BBC LONDON LIVE 94.9 - THURSDAYS MIDNIGHT-2AM.

RADIO MAFIA/FINLAND , TUESDAYS 9-10PM UK TIME.

SOUL 24-7.COM , INTERNET RADIO, MONDAYS 10PM - 1AM UK TIME.

The Great Doctor Bob Jones

7. Have you traveled abroad to work? ?(Only write down if its applies) Where did you play..what country? Was it a success?? What is your favourite country to DJ in, and the favourite club.

YES, I PLAY ABROAD CONSTANTLY. IN THE LAST YEAR I’VE PLAYED IN SWEDEN,FINLAND, ESTONIA,DENMARK, GERMANY, NORWAY, PORTUGAL,IRELAND, FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, JAPAN, HOLLAND, BELGIUM. I LOVE SPINNING ABROAD, MAINLY BECAUSE THE AUDIENCE KNOW YOU, LOVE WHAT YOU PLAY AND ARE LESS PRETENTIOUS THAN IN THE UK. IRELAND(‘SOULSIDES’/CORK), FINLAND(‘KERMA’/HELSINKI), ESTONIA (‘MUTANT DISCO’/TALLIN) AND JAPAN(‘LOOP’/TOKYO) ARE PROBABLY THE MOST SOULFUL PLACES I’VE EVER PLAYED...INCREDIBLE VIBES. I AM PLAYING IN CANADA

AND THE USA LATER THIS YEAR, TRYING TO SET UP A TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA ALSO.

8. What are your thoughts on the music such as 2-Step Garage music that is busting out of London? The music has bulldozed its way into the Garage world. Its the newest hybrid of the music within the scene. Some people hate it. Some people love it. What are your views on the scene?

I DON’T GET INVOLVED WITH THIS SCENE AT ALL, I DO NOT CONDEMN IT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I’M NOT INTO IT.....LET’S LEAVE IT AT THAT.

9. There seems to be a love for GARAGE at the moment that resembles the early days of Hiphop within the USA. Labels are being sought after, the pirates are canning the music. Underground clubs via word of mouth are becoming "Sought after places to visit".

Is the bubble going to burst soon though do you think? Can Garage (especially UK Garage remain Underground for long?) Will the majors move in, in a big way to take their share of the profits? What are your thoughts? How did the locals view this kind of music when the "Brits" invaded Ayia Napa" in the Summer of 1999.

I DIDN’T THINK UK GARAGE IS UNDERGROUND ANYMORE, HOW CAN IT BE WITH THE NATIONAL CHART SUCCESS OF ARTFUL DODGER, CRAIG DAVID ET ALL. AS FOR ‘AYIA NAPA’, ALL I WILL SAY IS REMEMBER WHOSE ISLAND IT IT DON’T TAKE IT OVER AKA IBIZA.IT IS AFTER ALL A BRITISH SOUND, SO WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING IT, BUT I CANNOT GET MY HEAD AROUND THOSE ’MECHANICAL BEATS’.

Craig David, England

9a. Do you think that with the 2-step Garage scene it has helped to bring down the barriers that exists between lovers of Soul and Rnb, and the lovers of House and Garage music. There was always a rift between the two fans of the music. And now it seems both camps accept each other due to the fact of 2-Step Garage. Is this a fair assu