Krip started dj-ing in 1979, in the era just coming out of disco and the start of the brit jazz funk scene.

Brought up in the East Midland suburban soul scene in the seventies, Krip would avidly listen to Radio Luxembourg during this period  - Tony Prince 's Top 30 Disco Show on a Sunday evening as well as other dj's (the late Stuart Henry) and bands like Level 42, Earth Wind & Fire, Light of the World and the little bit and pieces offered by Radio One.

This inspired him to start dj-ing at school discos', youth clubs and friends parties . In the box in those early days was a fusion of soul, lovers rock and jazz funk, the latter been a particular favorite

as it came with the jazz dance scene.

Things ticked along like this for 2 or 3 years.

Just before leaving school, Krip encountered a whole new world

- that of the jazz funk and soul alldayer.

This was some experience - a place with so many likeminded people.

That was it. Hooked for life!!

Dj-ing at this point stopped and full on party mode kicked in.

In 1982 Krip visited more than 30 alldayers and allnighters that year.

The following year was the start of the legendary Rock City Alldayers

and more importantly the Friday night session at the same club.

This inspired him back into dj-ing  

to promote good soul music to appreciative people.

In the mid 80's Krip teamed up with a number of local dj's under the banner of Classic Groove Control.

In the middle part of this decade he jumped from different dj outfits

never really finding a home.       

In the late 80's Krip was starting to tire of the scene, he felt he was buying and playing tunes for other people and faded into the background,

 just playing old school grooves now and again.

This was an eye opening period for Krip who started to look at

different elements of soul music and

how it wasn't just about what kicked on the dance floor.

This period ushered in more jazz, and what was called at the time

 rare groove and real soul.

He listened to more radio -  Kiss, Chiltern radio and various pirate stations.

In the early 1990's pirate radio had reached the East Midlands.

This gave Krip a new platform to indulge himself.

In the dominant pop culture phenomenon, the dj's of these times were becoming more important than the artist.

On the pirate radio front, Krip's deep soul show -The Soul Sauce

(every Friday night) was a big hit, playing a mix of southern

and real soul as well as home grown UK stuff.

On the club front things started to open up.

Krip could regularly be found playing in the chill out or second room

of hard house  and Jungle nights throughout the Midlands.  

Fav artists

Phyllis Hyman, Leroy Hutson, Roy Ayers, Early Cameo, Anita Baker, Aurra , Slave, Randy Brown, Keni Burke, Change, Skyy, Lamont Dozier, Teena Marie, Isley Brothers, The Jones girls, Minnie Riperton, David Sea, Lonnie Liston Smith, Stevie Wonder, Angela Bofill, Barbara Mason & The Perry Brothers.

All Time Top 6 Tracks

Phyllis Hyman | You know how to love me

Michael Wycoff | Tell me love

Leroy Hutson | All Because of you

Gwen Guthrie | Seventh Heaven

Anita Baker | Feel the Need

Teena Marie | Portugesian Love/I Need your Lovin

All Time Top 5 Lps

Phyllis Hyman | Living All Alone

Anita Baker | The Songstress

Stevie Wonder | Songs in the Key of Life

Leroy Hutson | Leroy Hutson

Carmen Lundy | Good Morning Kiss

Biogs are too hard to put into words…esp mine, but history wise,

I'm been influenced since the womb, in 1964.

We were always very musical in our family home,

Mum n Dad loved Elvis and the rock n roll thingy.

But it was my elder sister that introduced us

to the disco sounds of the 70s, cos she used to go to The Horsefair,

 in the market place in Leicester.

I dabbeled in my younger days into all types, be it punk, soul, boogie,

until I first went to Junior Palais.

The DJ was Bob Young and he played all this US import funk,

soul n disco in between the mainstream.

Then we were introduced to Nottingham Palais,

and I was influenced by a DJ called Jonathan.

I wanted to do what he did.

I joined up with Paul Lewis and Krip to form Classic Groove Control.

We danced and played across the midlands and beyond-

Rock city, Powerhouse, shades in P'boro,

Tithe Barn in W'boro, etc etc etc.

Then someone dropped a new sound in 1985…

Chicago House and we wuz hooked!!!!

And we still are,  regularly attending events across the country,

the most notable being Southport Weekender.

 But why Soulism now?  

Cos we used to go out for the music,

something that's lost in our bar and designer wear culture.

we want to bring that vibe back,

all music forms with the base being soul in one room.

you don't know what's coming, but you get off on the vibe.

We're giving back what the majority isn't aware of at themoment.

I'm DJing here to educate those people who want to listen…

it's my purpose in life.

Mease brings a varied and wide range of experience

to the Soulism outfit.

He popped his cherry promoting and dj'ing

at his own event called Thingymajig,

a live music promotion loosely based on

Jazz,Funk and Latin music, which ran from the mid 90' s

to the early naughties.

He also dj'd at Latin themed events

including Salsa and Brazillian nights.

It was through Thingymajig that Mease had got bitten

by the DJ bug thus developing his own brand of

nujazzfunklatinsoulbeats 'n' bass.

This eclectic mix has become his trademark and seen

his services in demand at various bars and clubs

throughout his hometown and farther afield.

Expect...no don't have any expectations!

  

I have twenty-three years of experience as a DJ,

which started in Birmingham in 1980,

where I played in various youth clubs before moving to Leicester.

I then began to DJ at venues in Leicester and throughout the UK.

I am currently working

as the resident DJ at The Glass House in Leicester.

 My residency here is weekly on Thursday and Saturday nights,

as weIl as guest appearances on specialist nights and bank holidays.

I have spent seven years on Community Radio

and was a guest presenter on

The Herdle White Show on BBC Radio Leicester.

Previously I have had a regular slot on

Leicester Carnival FM and Vision FM.  

My preferred music genre is predominantly house and garage,

but I play a range of music including house (US & underground), garage (US & UK), mainstream dance, soul, r & b, hip-hop and disco.

Throughout my career I've been able to collect and play 70's

to present day soul and disco (70's - early 80's).

I also have a vast collection of hip-hop (rap),

house and garage music from the 80's to the present day.

After years of playing drums in all sorts of bands

I wanted to do something that would work in the clubs

I was going to so I started conga lessons in

1995 with legendary latin percussionist Robin Jones in London.

After six months of tuition I packed my kit up and

went out to Ibiza for the 95 season playing

every night of the week at anywhere I could.

I had a mental summer working for Manumission,

Clockwork Orange, Club UK and Mambo

with all the Ibiza regulars like Brandon Block and Alfredo.  

Back in the UK I started playing regular nights at Luxor,

Goodbye Cruel World and High Sprits in Leicester

and Ministry of Sound and Garage City in London with a wide range

of DJ's from Coldcut to Graham Park to Andy Weatherall to Smokin Jo.

Around the same time I got a gig with Carol Leeming and

the Jazz Alchemists doing some House and Jazz classics in a live band.

Events took me to live in Australia putting on boat parties round

Sydney harbour and regular slots at The Gas Club,

Sugar Reef and The Chinese Laundry in the city.

After a couple of years in Sydney I was back living in Leicester

and working at Po Na Na and Matishe and doing studio session work.

Thinking ahead I'm looking forward to keeping playing, learning more,

meeting decent people and enjoying the music.