UK-based Skream & Benga, have played a huge role in the surge and development of dubstep, can be called many things: pioneers, champions, ambassadors, engineers.
Few artists have had more impact in the development of ‘dubstep’ than the duo. Kickstarting with their first studio releases together on Big Apple Records, the two childhood friends and South London based wonder-kids have spent the last decade pioneering a bass heavy sound so unique that it’s broken ground far from its underground London roots and into the minds and hearts of dance music lovers around the world.
We had the pleasure to sit with the talented duo for a quick interview right before their gig, ‘Escalate’ at Sitara Studios, Mumbai. Read ahead to know more about their individual beginnings, the time spent by them at the Big Apple Record Store, their project, Magnetic Man with Artwork & more!
TBB: Welcome to India! We believe it’s your first time here right? Have the two of you managed to get a taste of any Indian Food?
Skream: Well, unfortunately no. We do normally eat local when on tour, but we got taken to a restaurant that wasn’t local. It was kind of International. I had steak.
TBB: Did you get the Indian steak?
Benga: Yeah it was really really brilliant, I was envious.
Skream: It was brilliant, really good. I love garlic.
TBB: Superb! So you guys played in Delhi last night. How did you like the turnout?
Benga: It was good, definitely not great, we did expect a bit more though.
Skream: It was the smartest dressed crowd we’ve played for. They were dressed from head to toe, with drapes and there was a lot of shirt collars.
TBB: Could you guys tell us about your individual beginnings? How did you come about being music producers? Was it always something you wanted to do?
Skream: I first started making music after I saw somebody make some on the Playstation. You could do that on the Music 2000, and then I met Benga, kind of through the Big Apple store.
Benga: We met in 2000 and it’s 2013 now, so we’ve been making tunes together for the past 12 or 13 years.
Skream: I met him through his brother and then his eldest brother came home and told me Benga’s making music. I didn’t even know Benga properly at that time and then we used to ring each other and play each other music on the phone. Long before we properly knew each other, and then we met and then we got married. (laughs)
Benga performing at Oji Presents ‘Escalate’ !
TBB: A lot of Indian parents really cringe at the sound of Dubstep. They compare it to the sound of pots and pans in the kitchen. We’d love to know your comments?
Skream: Yeah? (Laughs) How many parents have heard, or have your parents just heard it?
Benga: Have you played them our’s though?
Skream: I’d understand it because Indian music is all about the groove and to understand it you’ve got to hear it properly otherwise it sounds very rigid and our kind of music is a little bit stiff, not groovy. So I can completely understand where Indian parents are coming from.
TBB: Let’s just say you guys had to meet an Indian parent, how would you describe your sound to them?
Benga: I would say, it’s very very musical and it’s full of groove, because it is.
Skream: I wouldn’t answer; I’d just let my music speak.
Skream & Benga at the console
TBB: Domestically as well, there are a number of Dubstep/DnB talents. How was it when you guys started off & dubstep was still in its roots?
Benga: I’ve played for 10 people in clubs. Everyone never thought it was going to go anywhere. We never thought it was going to go anywhere.
Skream: You have to remember this was 10 years ago. This was when it was alien in London. Nobody ever really knew what it was. It would be Men, older men, like the kind of people who were in trainspotters, guys drinking coffee at a rave. (Laughs)
Benga: It comes full circle though; also them guys that were into techno, but vinyl.
TBB: So you guys started working at the Big Apple Record Store? How was it there, before you guys started out?
Benga: I was always upstairs in the studio
Skream: I used to do labour. No, it was amazing. We’ve met everyone there. It shaped me into the person I am today, I believe. Yeah I learnt more and more about pulling out records from every lever from school and I learnt more about going out and being sociable and talking to people. Learning to talk to different people.
TBB: The two of you formed Magnetic Man with Artwork right. Can you tell us a bit more about the project?
Benga: Magnetic Man’s all about getting us into the studio.
Skream: It was all about an opportunity that was offered. It was an opportunity, that if we didn’t take, somebody else would have taken it. It was an Art Project, an Art funded project and it was a project that already had started. It was huge opportunity right in front of us and luckily the idea of Magnetic Man had already started, so that was something that would give us the boost to actually turn it into something and if we wouldn’t have taken it, someone else would have taken it. It was an Art grunt from a council trust, which sadly isn’t around anymore.
Benga: What came out of it was a classic album.
Skream: Like I said it was already happening, all we needed was someone to give us somewhere to go, and that was the Council.
Skream & Benga dropping bass laced bombs
TBB: Magnetic Man is going to be touring a lot soon, would you guys be coming to India?
Benga: We should be.
Skream: Well there’s nothing in the diary yet, so it’s not decided but we should be. I have to express that though, there’s actually nothing in the diary yet.
TBB: So Skream, you’ve started incorporating a lot of techno and progressive house into your sets and recently you’ve contributed something toward Pete Tong’s Its All Gone Miami? Could you tell us a little bit more about that and what direction your heading to as producer?
Skream: I did a remix for Pete. Well, for a label called Hot Creations, which is Jamie Jones’s label. They asked me to do a house remix and then I was already moving slowly in that direction after I did a tour last year. Playing for hours and playing all sorts of music that was like house and some bits of techno. Then Pete asked me how I would feel about mixing a house compilation and I said, “I’d love to” that’s it. Jamie Jones started to FFFR. You know FFFR? Triple-f-r? (Laughs). When I’m playing in the UK now I play mostly house or techno or disco.
TBB: Any final words for your fans here in India?
Skream & Benga: Thank you for having us here! We hope you like our set.
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Special thanks to Oji!
Interview by: Shule Puri & Angelica Pereira
Edited by: Shule Puri & Aditya Seth
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