Run through the jungle

City DJ kicks up the pace with serious drum 'n' bass

Publication title: Edmonton Journal
Pages: D3
Publication date: Oct 19, 2002
ProQuest document ID: 252927884
Author: Thorkelson, Erika


Abstract:

Commonly known as drum 'n' bass, jungle is a heavier, faster cousin of techno, which was born in U.K. dance clubs in the late '80s. The instruments are computers and tape decks used to loop samples into a maze of ever-changing beats.

Like many DJs, whose performance personas are nearly as important as their music, he's wary to talk about who he is away from the decks. He'll only offer this: "Rolodex" is a play on the jungle terms "to roll," which has to do with mixing loops off vinyl and the decks DJs use.

He's also helping out a pair of DJs called The SPLITimage Crew, who took over a Web site called ffrw.net which he began as an Edmonton rave page. The Web site was a companion to Fast Forward Rewind, Canada's premier drum 'n' bass magazine, which Rolodex began with Toronto's DJ Silo, but ended after only a few issues.

Full text:

Profile of John Rolodex.

Edmonton's not exactly known for its jungle -- especially not the kind that includes drum 'n' bass. So how, then, did a kid from this prairie town convince some of England's most prestigious radio shows to play his tracks?

According to DJ John Rolodex, the key was mostly luck and a chance meeting with a jungle god.

"When Ray Keith came to play here, we went out for dinner because I was lucky enough to be one of the guys who picked him up at the airport," he remembers. "He happened to like my tunes."

Since their meeting, Keith, one of jungle's pioneer DJs, has emerged as a major figure in Rolodex's career.

Keith signed him to England's seminal Dread Recordings and is helping him get airplay on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra.

The result of this collaboration is Rolodex's first release, The Dragon EP.

"Dragon is a culmination of everything I've learned about drum 'n' bass up to this point," he says. "It just came out ... and it sold out in the first week. So anyone who wants to get a copy, it's getting repressed... . I don't even have a copy to give to my Mom right now."

Rolodex stresses his newest release isn't for people new to the culture.

"It's really heavy music geared strictly toward the dance floor. It's not beginner or entry-level drum 'n' bass, it's heavy stuff. That's why it's done well in England because that's a very educated audience."

Commonly known as drum 'n' bass, jungle is a heavier, faster cousin of techno, which was born in U.K. dance clubs in the late '80s. The instruments are computers and tape decks used to loop samples into a maze of ever-changing beats.

"Part of (the problem) is that the sound is so foreign that people just can't get their head around it," says Rolodex.

He blames his genre's cool reception at home on the North American obsession with the guitar. "In England they've grown up with the music. The whole acid house movement just blossomed there whereas here, rock 'n' roll's so firmly embedded because this is where it's from. It's taken people a lot longer to get into the mindset.

Rock 'n' roll just continually regurgitates the same ideas over and over again. I can't listen to it anymore."

Inspired by the rash of new tunes popping up on late night CBC, Rolodex began playing jungle back in 1996. "I started collecting records I was into and it was kind of inevitable."

Like many DJs, whose performance personas are nearly as important as their music, he's wary to talk about who he is away from the decks. He'll only offer this: "Rolodex" is a play on the jungle terms "to roll," which has to do with mixing loops off vinyl and the decks DJs use.

As for his real name, however, he prefers to maintain the mystery.

What he will say is that his real personality isn't quite as serious as some people think.

"I'm actually a lot more relaxed," he says. "When I'm in the club, when I'm DJing, to me, that's my work, that's business for me and I take it seriously.

"When I'm behind the decks I'm actually having a really good time. I'm lucky enough that my job is what I love to do."

Rolodex believes his collaboration with local DJ and longtime friend, Scott Cartridge, first brought him into his own.

"He's probably one of the most brilliant producers on the planet," Rolodex gushes. "It's funny because neither of us were really getting anywhere musically until we collaborated a couple times; we kind of taught each other to make jungle."

He's also helping out a pair of DJs called The SPLITimage Crew, who took over a Web site called ffrw.net which he began as an Edmonton rave page. The Web site was a companion to Fast Forward Rewind, Canada's premier drum 'n' bass magazine, which Rolodex began with Toronto's DJ Silo, but ended after only a few issues.

Over its short run, the magazine created an unprecedented forum for Canadian acts to get their name in public and attract much- needed crowds.

However, to Rolodex the type of crowd doesn't matter, as long as there is one and they're listening.

"I'll play it anywhere -- I'll play it at an old-folks' home, I'll play it at Safeway. It doesn't really matter; my job is just to take a crowd of people and make them dance around a bit."

Illustration

Photo: Jason Scott / Edmonton's DJ John Rolodex: He'll drop beats anywhere, but don't ask him his real name. ; Photo: (John Rolodex) ;