The Wirebender meets Jstar – Interview

It was one of those surprise actions we do more often at Radio On: we break in in our regular program and start a live show. You can catch those moments if you keep a close watch on our twitter timeline (following would be even better.) Our man in London, Simon Wade aka The Wirebender, had come to Berlin and found the time to visit our studio and do a live show. We will broadcast it again, because some of you might have missed it. (Or want to listen again.)

Word to Simon:

Jstar was happy to spin some of his early works  as well as recent collaborations with artist Nick Manasseh  (Liars-Step up 7 inch ) and to preview some of his new album out now and recent collaborations and upcoming projects.

The year was 1982, the location Meanwhile Gardens.  Aswad play the local West London Notting Hill Carnival; the resulting  recording later released went viral in the global sales of vinyl. This is the backdrop to Jstar’s early years growing up inna west London. Jstar soaked in local radio and record shops. Pirate radio, vinyl and cassettes record shops were like a community forum to the 16 year old first entering his local record shops.

“My interest in reggae, especially at the early 90’s, was through both the abundance of pirate radio stations, and the emerging strong influence on dance music coming out of UK (rave, shut up & dance, ‘pre-jungle’). Reggae has the ability to look to, and inform it’s community and also send out as message of emancipation. Plus it has wicked bass lines.”

Fast forward to 2016  with Radio On’s Wirebender  and  Jstar  together  in the Berlin studios to highlight his new LP “Stand to Order/ Dub to Order.”
Initially Jstar  became known for the remix of “No Diggity” of Blackstreet on Real Rock and “Blushanti” of Blu Cantrell on Shanty Town, with whom he won the attention of the public, becoming popular among the best DJs in the scene.
In recent years Jstar joined David ” RamJam ” Rodigan and Earl Gateshead and works closely with  Nick Manasseh . Follow his works here http://jstarmusic.com/
The culmination of the career of Jstar came with the presentation of “Licensed Plates “, a collection of his best songs of the last decade.

Jstar: “My first DJ gig was when I was 9 – I took my 7” vinyl round to a friends school party and wrote my name on them so I wouldn’t forget them! I got into music from school playing steel pan, viola, piano, old crazy synths we had in the music room – it  all had an influence. Then an older friend worked at a records shop and would pass me early electronic music, proto-rave,  funk & jazz (Herbie Hancock), rock (Jimi Hendrix) and reggae (dub and dancehall).”

Jstar’s  first release came through a record label I was involved in, Free Radical Sounds ‘Pearly King Skank by Freaky Beanz’ on 21st Century Ska LP & CD in 2000.

Jstar was happy to spin some of his early works  as well as recent collaborations with artist Nick Manasseh  (Liars-Step up 7 inch ) and to preview some of his new album out now and recent collaborations and upcoming projects.

“Nick and I have mixed the whole album bar two tracks .. we sat there every night doing passes on the desk. Nik is very much a founding father for Reggae with his shows on Kiss FM .. he’s very prolific.
In 1994  there was the release of “Manasseh meets the Equaliser.” It was  very  different  sonically authentic and had a sonic palate that was very  different. It’s  a record I keep going back to “
link

Jstar.web


Out and about Jstar performs on New Years Evening in London Saturday 31st December 2016 9pm-5am @ The Fox & Firkin, Lewisham

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