Music
The drum'n'bass pioneer and hometown hero picks his favourite tracks from way out west.
Few know Bristol music quite like Roni Size. Born in the city’s St Andrews suburbs, he was raised on reggae and cut his teeth hanging out with The Wild Bunch – the hip-hop soundsystem that grew into Massive Attack. By the late ‘80s he was producing himself, but his breakthrough came in 1997 when his album New Forms – made with his collective Reprazent – won the Mercury Prize and brought drum’n’bass to the masses.
Today, Roni has the rep of a local legend, and he and Full Cycle partner DJ Krust remain a formidable production unit and a massive live draw. But for all his veteran status, Roni is still intimately involved in the grassroots of Bristol music. “It’s interesting to watch new groups come through, and I’ve got a sort of bird’s-eye view,” he says, picking out Kahn & Neek and Diemantle as names to watch. “Now, in fact, is a really special time… I think towards the end of this year people are going to get a good look at what’s really happening here.”
Read on as Roni tells RedBull.com about his all-time favourite Bristol tracks.
1. Joker ft Ginz – Purple City
This came out at the prime time for dubstep, when dubstep was big. Joker could fit into that realm, but he was really a grime boy. I’ve known him since he was seven – he was my son’s best friend. He’s like my surrogate son. When we were in the studio, he used to be in the corner on his laptop making his tunes – the original boy in the corner.
I've known Joker since he was seven – he's like my surrogate son
This track was his stepping stone – the kickdrum was so fat, the bassline was so deep, and it had a great vibe as well. He still makes music the same, he hasn't compromised. He's a good kid, he's got a great heart, he knows music and that's what he does. And that's what we do.
2. Laid Blak – Red
They never really get much love outside of the city. But I remember seeing Ed Sheeran at Glastonbury just before he blew up – he was doing an acoustic set, and all of a sudden he dropped in that line "My eyes are red…” That’s Laid Blak. They’re Bristol representatives, and we’ve always tried to support what they do. This track is rootsy, but it can be translated – Ed Sheeran can pick it up and turn it into a pop record. I don’t know why it wasn’t bigger.
3. Pigbag – Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag
I remember this tune when it came out [in 1981]. But now it's best known at the football matches – all those people going 'Duh-duh-duh-da! Da-da-daaa-daaa'. I don’t think most people know what it is – they think it’s some obscure techno or house tune… or the White Stripes. But it’s not! It's a Bristol tune – it's Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag. Pigbag were very Bristol, a mix of everything – they had sax, drums, some ska, some reggae, some black, some white, some Irish. And now there's a bit of football in there too.
4. Quakers – Jobless (Instrumental)
I worked with [Portishead's] Geoff Barrow on the Banksy documentary, and he produced this, the main track – I think he put it out under another name. It really captures that hip-hop flavour – it's instrumental, it sounds like it could have been made in some back street in Compton, it's fat, the production is great, and the sounds that he used are really original.
It's true what they say, Bristol is the biggest village in the world
Geoff works under so many different aliases – do you know he did the soundtrack to Ex Machina? I've known Geoff since before Portishead – we still play football together, we’re going to see Bristol Rovers later. It's true what they say, Bristol is the biggest village in the world.
5. My Nu Leng, Taiki & Nu Light – Levels
This track really reflects its time – it’s bass music, and that's where the kids are at right now. The sounds are taken from genres throughout the last two decades – there are dirty basslines, kicks and snares, there's a four-four but it doesn't sound like house. I like that they're not getting drawn in – like 'Let's make d'n'b, let's make grime'. They're just doing their thing.
6. Tricky – Nothing's Changed ft Francesca Belmonte
Someone gave me his album False Idols – I think it was one of his albums that went over people’s heads, but I really liked it. I love the authenticity to it – it was underproduced, but still sounded produced.
Tricky is one of the big legends. Bowie's gone, but we've still got Tricky
I love the breathing in his tracks. Tricky’s got asthma, and most musicians recording vocals, they'll do everything they can to take the breath out – there’s even a plug-in for it. Tricky should make his own plug-in that puts the breath in – he could call it Asthmatic. That shit is real, man. He is to me the last of the big legends. He's up there with Bowie – Bowie's gone, but we've still got Tricky.
7. Smith & Mighty – Same
Two guys who opened the door to myself and lots of musicians in Bristol, and allowed them the room to experiment and make music. I love this track, it's fantastic. There's a line in it that reminds me of when I used to go raving: “When I'm coming down there's still ringing in my ears.” It’s poetry to me, it massages my mind.
They got signed by Pete Tong [to FFRR Records], but they were quite rebellious, they didn't want to compromise. If you got a 200 grand deal back in the '80s, you had to compromise. But they didn't, and it wasn't the best relationship. They’re still in the game, they're veterans. I will always owe a lot to these guys.
8. DJ Krust – Follow Da Vision
This is a track we've been playing in our set since about 2008. A piece of undiluted drum'n'bass that represents the sound of Full Cycle in every way possible. A lot of people know Krust for Warhead, or Coded Language – or they know him for being quite quirky. But this record here is roll-out, jump-up - whatever you wanna call it, it's straight down.
9. Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy (Roni Size remix)
This is never coming out, so you'll have to try to find some scrappy version online somewhere. I play it out sometimes, and I've tried to say to Grant ["Daddy G" Marshall, Massive Attack founder], 'Can we put it out?' He's like: 'No, Ron –there are only two people in the world who are allowed to play this record, that's me and you'.
It's nice to keep things exclusive – it's that dubplate mentality
I've had loads of DJs, High Contrast and people, coming to me going "Oh Ron, can I get a copy of that?" I'm like, do you want to get me six feet under? No chance. [LAUGHS]. It's nice to keep things exclusive – it's that dubplate mentality.
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