DJ SS

DJ SS

DJ SS performs at a rave.
Background information
Birth name Leroy Small
Also known as Leon Small
Born (1970-08-27) 27 August 1970
Leicester, England
Genres Electronica
Drum and bass
Occupation(s) Producer
Disc Jockey
Labels Formation, Benz-Street

DJ SS (born Leroy Small, 27 August 1970, Leicester, England) is an English drum and bass DJ and record producer.

DJ SS aka DJ Scratchen Stein was born and bred in Leicester and found fame as a self-taught scratch DJ as a teenager in the early 1980s. He also breakdanced his way on the streets of his home city.

When the hardcore scene exploded in the UK in the early 1990s, SS was there. He and his partner Eidris started promoting their own parties called Total Kaos every Friday in their home city of Leicester. They also put on one of the first large indoor parties at Donington Park in the summer of 1991. It was an amazing success and 6,000 people danced till dawn. Since then he has gone on to DJ worldwide.

Formation Records

Formation's logo

SS is the co-founder and head of the Formation Records label, and has released over 100 tracks using a number of aliases. The label came to prominence from 1992 onwards releasing countless classics of darkside hardcore/jungle over the next couple of years. The label evolved with the times and by 1994 was one of the leading jungle labels. In the wake of this, the label created a number of subsidiary labels, each showcasing a differing style of music from the main imprint, including 100% Records, 5HQ Recordings, Reformed Records, New Identity, Easymen, F Project, Dubform and lately, Digiform.

Successful Formation tracks produced by SS included the "Color Series" 'The Psycho E.P', 'Rollidge', 'Rhythm For Reasons', 'Breakbeat Pressure'and the "Country Series", MA3 "Those DJs".

The label's biggest hit is the piano-theme-from-Love Story-sampling "The Lighter" originally released in 1995. It is a track that has remained incredibly popular and still continues to be played years on. It was re-released in 2002 and reached number 63 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] He has also remixed "No Good (Start the Dance)" by The Prodigy.

SS has featured on radio shows such as BBC 1Xtra's D&B M1X, on which he put together an hour-long mix of Formation tracks and was interviewed about his career.[2]

Not only has his label Formation during the years had many big tunes released, they have also had many big DJ/producers release records on the label. The list is strong, big and endless including Carl Cox, Grooverider, Shy FX, Ray Keith, Bryan Gee, Jumping Jack Frost, Roni Size, DJ Krust, Kenny Ken, Ratty, Matrix, John B, Mickey Finn, Twisted Individual and Distorted Minds.

In between this huge success SS has also been the driving force behind some of the finest talent now established within the scene, of Twisted Individual. Adding to the successful list of A&R projects, DJ SS is also responsible for launching the careers of successful artists like John B, Greenlaw, Multi Platinum selling artists Nero, and is continuing on that path bringing on new blood.

Fast forward to 2015 and we saw Formation events team up with the UK’s premier event company, Outbreak Festival to host Formation & World of Drum&Bass Arena’s at their massives. Simultaneously DJ SS has built his World of Drum & Bass brand to become the biggest Drum & Bass events promoter in Russia averaging over 4-6,000 people per show.

Formation Artists

^Influx UK has stated he has retired, but he appears on Formation lineups and it can be assumed it meant retiring from production only.

References

  1. ↑ "DJ SS", Chart Stats, retrieved 9 August 2010
  2. ↑ "BBC 1Xtra D&B M1X with Crissy Criss", BBC, 17 June 2010, retrieved 9 August 2010

Further reading

External links


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