Markee Ledge Last Future Interview

Last Future interview:

Following on from the Carbon Electra LP by Davide Carbone which was supported by many of the worlds top artists including Hybrid Minds, Drumsound & Bassline Smith, Ray Keith and Carl Cox and featured across Apple Music Beats One, BBC Radio One, Beatport and Drum & Bass Arena – BS1 Records launches BS1025 featuring Markee Ledge of Kosheen fame and label boss Davide Carbone.

 

‘Nightlife’ is a born and bred in Bristol tune where both these artists met and spent their time forging a path in the drum and bass industry. Markee Ledge was involved in the legendary Ruffneck Ting nights at the turn of the century and also released a plethora of tunes before forming Kosheen who had a string of worldwide smash hits.

 

Markee Ledge is a deep drum & bass and dubstep DJ / producer with a long history in underground electronic music.

 

He did drum & bass as Substance in the 90s, releasing on labels such as 31 Records, Formation and his own labels Ruffneck Ting and Breakbeat Culture.

 

We have had the pleasure of speaking with him and this has been the result. Enjoy it!

 

What was the first thing that attracted you to the world of electronic music?

 

I think sampling and the not needing to find people to play bass and drums in the band, and having to do loads of rehearsals cos people hadn’t sorted their shit out! I went through that a bit in the early days. More creative control is shorter way to put it.

Do you remember any album or concert that has changed everything?

 

Musically Hatful of Hollow and probably Erik B & Rakim ‘Paid in Full’ album.

Concert seeing Public Enemy live in Glasgow in 1987 when they had S1W on stage and I always though a band was drums bass and guitar.

 

Since you got into this professionally, what did you miss the most nationally, internationally and on the contrary, what helped you the most to grow, even to believe in yourself?

 

What I really remember helping me to believe in myself , was playing my music out in clubs and seeing peoples reactions to something I’d worked very hard on, that really made it worthwhile. I always seems to get that, the people like any stuff more than I do!

 

How is the music scene living in your city with this murky pandemic situation?

 

Like most places the music scene closed down. It’s very tough now, I think for everyone and all people who work in the music industry. We’ve spent 20 years trying to build club cultures and this pandemic has closed it down. I hope things can recover.

 

 

What are your favorite places to hang out in the city?

 

Museums, By the River, Old Town, Cobbled streets and imaging there are no cars there, as everywhere in the city just seems to be a car park these days.

 

Have you had time to focus on making music, spending time with your family, or planning future projects?

 

I split my time between my family and music, spending time with the family is very important to me, but it did effect my motivation to make music, there did seem to be less reason to get up in the morning and it took me some discipline to get on track because when an existential void appears , it’s the playground of the devil.

 

How was your last project born?

 

Born as all project are from electricity deep inside the mind.

 

What do you want to convey in this work? What is the concept behind?

 

Love and Energy.

 

As for your studio, what is your setup currently made of?

 

I have a cut down studio now from what i used to have. I subscribe to the theory if you can’t reach it, you don’t use it. I’ve miniaturised my studio a lot, I love modular stuff and real analog sources of sounds. I use a live sequencer as well and live instruments , the guitar and voice, and can often get a track idea going before switching on the computer, I think this is key, have a good idea and vibe already going. I use the computer as a big record and production machine, but try to inject as much live performance as possible into tracks.

 

What’s the one team you’ll never get rid of, no matter what?

 

Everything I still have in my studio has been tried and tested and stood the test of time.

I love the Manley EQ it’ss the most expensive piece of kit I have.

 

What would you say is the definition of your sound?

 

Very hard to say , but a deep emotional sound, with great production and vibes and that takes you on a journey. That’s what I try to achieve.

 

What was the last record store you visited and what did you get out there?

 

Last Record store was in a bookstore as they are seem to be these days. Actually, there’s a very nice Record store in Prague called Yuku. It has an arty and eclectic selection, with artwork books and clothing. I recommend a visit.