Website: www.deeklineandwizard.com
www.myspace.com/deeklineandwizard
DEEKLINE
Deekline started collecting records as a youngster, inspired by funk
and electro, before becoming interested in hardcore and jungle. His
first release was the immense “Don’t Smoke (Da Reefer)”,
a bass-heavy, two-stepping beat monster with the catchiest vocal line
ever – it was the first record put out on the
newly-formed Rat
Records, an imprint which still continues to churn out top-quality
releases at the forefront of breaks and booty bass.
Further tracks with legends like Arthur Baker and Rennie Pilgrem and
other groundbreaking producers like Donna Dee and Freq Nasty sealed Deekline’s
reputation as a leading light in the UK dance music scene – a reputation
helped along by the chart success of “Don’t Smoke”,
which went to number 11 in the charts, and which led to Wu Tang Clan-member
and twisted genius Ol’ Dirty Bastard asking for an official remix
of his track “Want Your Money”.
At the same time, Deekline was livening up breaks in the UK, shaking
up the sedentary nu-skool scene and twisting out the fattest basslines
in the club nights he put together - Breakbeat Connection and Thursday
Night Throwdown, both of which are still among the best and most exciting
nights out to be had in the capital.
THE WIZARD
Greg started engineering at a young age, working freelance in a variety
of London studios - once his talents were spotted, he very quickly found
himself working with bands such as New Order and the Chemical Brothers.
He picked up the moniker 'Wizard' due to his speed, skill and expertise
within the studio - as a musician himself, his engineering and production
work has gone
side-by-side with a healthy dose of creative input.
Constant work over the last two and a half years has seen Greg put his
stamp on albums for the likes of X-Press 2, Roll Deep, Lady Sovereign
and M.I.A. Greg's programming, engineering and mixing can also be heard
on remixes for artists as massive as The Rolling Stones, Damien Marley,
Britney Spears, Fatboy Slim and Usher.
Working with these gigantic names has not distracted Greg from his work
with some of the more underground sounds in UK music. Working with artists
such as Roll Deep, Wiley, Ruff Squad and Lady Sovereign has helped to
shape the now-massive UK Grime sound. The Wizard sound has helped define
this fast-moving, frenetic vibe renowned for its tight beat, slick programming
and deep, dark basslines.
With other strings to his bow including hip-hop engineering work (with
The Nextmen, Ying Yang Twins & Skinnyman) and input on tracks for
chart-based R&B acts (Shola Ama, Mis-Teeq), it's possible to see
that no genre is outside of his grasp, and that his input has helped
shape some of the most groundbreaking movements in UK dance music over
the last few years.
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