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Feb
10
2004
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Norris Da Boss Windross |
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Monday, 09 February 2004 |
Norris 'Da Boss' Windross is one of the pioneers of UK Garage and also one of UKG's longest serving DJs. Norris has had a major influence on the scene throughout the years, so we thought we would find out what he has been up to...
How did you get started in this game?
Norris: I started mixing in 1988 and started my own night in 1991 called 'Yum Yum'. Most of the promoters at that time were promoting Hardcore or Drum n Bass, so there was hardly any where to hear the music I loved raving to, which was House and Garage flavas. Tunes like ‘Gypsy Woman' and ‘Luv Dancing', a tune on the Strictly Rhythm record label, who were putting out at least one tune a week, along with all the major labels B-Side dubs remixed by the likes off MK, Todd Terry, MAW, David Morales to name a few.
Chele: What do you think about the state of the UKG scene at the moment?
Norris: What can I say!?! You mention Garage to most club owners and you would think it was a life-threatening virus. The world and her mother are against us at the moment but watching something grow from nothing and having helped in the process means it's close to me. Too close to leave anyway - I don't know anything else so I'm here for the duration.
Chele: Would you ever produce an Old Skool (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997) sounding track again?
Norris: Flava is the most important thing to me and as a DJ I want as many as possible so as my sets can go on a journey. As long as there's a vibe happening then sounds can be re-hashed and thrown back in the mix. They are doing that a lot in Hip-hop and RnB.
Chele: Do you plan on re-pressing any of your old tracks?
Norris: Yes. I am in the process of picking up ‘Funky Groove' for re-release, which as you know was my first venture in a studio. Also we are re-mastering The Psuedo track ‘Heartbeat'.
Chele: What can we expect from you this year?
Norris: I played a part in a British Gangster movie called ‘Dog', which, fingers crossed, may hit the streets this year. I also scored the music on a film staring Dave Courtney called ‘Hell To Pay'. Apart from that, 2003 is about going back to the foundations of the music and our scene, rebuilding from there with good people, good producers, good promoters, top artists and overall people that are in it for the full ride.
Chele: What are your plans for future productions?
Norris: At the end of 2002 I heard a couple of tracks by R Kane and Domino off CD and I gave them a call to say keep on working ‘cause you're getting there, and after thinking about it for a couple of days decided to start working with them - lending my ear and advice and giving them some vocals to work with. Watch this space!
Chele: Do you plan on working with anyone new? (New vocalists, co-producers)
Norris: Apart from R Kane & Domino, yes I'm always listening out for singers and producers - my door's always open to new talent. We have written and recorded a couple of songs with Kelly Le Roc, one being a duet with my sister Rose Windross, and we are building lots of beds of grooves so hopefully in the next 18 months there will be a bag of new material and hopefully some new stars of the future.
Chele: Which artists would you love to work with?
Norris: Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, Whitney, Prince, George Benson, The Neptunes. This list could go on but generally people that blow my mind away.
Chele: Who inspires you?
Norris: Include Marvin Gaye, my mum, and my family to the unfinished list above.
Chele: Who do you rate as one to look out for in the future?
Norris: This may be nepotism but watch out for my son - Junior Windross. He's only just sixteen but he's already mixing like a pro and he's been grilling up beats on his G4 for the last year. Also DJ Domino who is putting in a lot of serious time and energy not only deejaying, but grilling with his partner R Kane and writing columns as well as two radio shows.
Chele: What happened to the UKG Awards? Will there be another one?
Norris: With the emergence of Crews and MC based parties also came more male orientated raving. More males - more beef, more beef - more trouble. More trouble means in this day, more guns, more guns - more shootings, which bring bad press. The more bad press means the less companies want to be aligned to us. (Glock had already done their sponsorship budget last year!!). We - meaning MC Creed, Jason Kaye and myself, subsidised the awards with our income. Unfortunately all our sponsors fell through last year and that, coupled with the current work climate for us all meant we had to postpone UKG 2002. We have however now done a deal with Sidewinder and all the Awards will be presented On September 26th at the Sanctuary Milton Keynes.
Chele: Are you feeling any ‘Grime' tracks or producers?
Norris: On the whole no, not really. There are some exceptional feeling tracks that do it for me though and most are still learning the trade at the moment. I am going to keep supporting what I feel, and hopefully soon we will have a glut of producers to be proud of.
Chele: With the current state of the scene and not many true Garage events happening, and also what with RnB taking over club-land by storm... do you see things improving?
Norris: It will improve. Trust
Chele: As it is your livelihood, what would you do if it never improves? Would you produce other types of urban or dance orientated music?
Norris: Life goes on, and I will go on with it. Music is the food for my soul. I will always be involved. As far as making a living, that's part of life.
Chele: Who was Angel 21?
Norris: Angel 21 was a collaboration between myself and Jerome Williams who was learning his trade under my guidance in my studio being paid as a studio engineer.
Chele: Why have there been no releases from W Records since Flow?
Norris: There have. Flow was known and our biggest yet, but since that there have been:
This is my house (Scream) Rose Windross
Frankenstein Angel 21 and Madness Feat Dem Lot
The Godfather MC Creed
The Sax Track The Groovejackers
I Live 4 This Rose Windross (out now).
Chele: You've played at loads and loads of venues - what's your favourite venue to play in and do you have any funny or horror stories from playing out?
Norris: If the sound system is fat and the crowd is bubbling there is my favourite recipe. I have been resident DJ at Yum Yum 1991 at Soho Theatre, Black and White 1992 at Gass Club, Saturdays at Legends Old Burlington St London 1994, '95, ‘96 which were all wicked ‘cause you develop a relationship with the crowd and the buzz is top. All the early underground clubs and after-parties where UKG was born, Spread Love at the Gass Club, The Frog and Night Gown, Relish at Cafe de Paris, Sundays at The Arches, Happy Days plus loads more. I have some very good memories of my residency for Freedom at Bagleys which I started in ‘98 and used to do the graveyard shift 5-7am every Saturday night ‘cause I was so busy, but the room always got busy as I got there. A special thought to Ibiza. And last of all the sound system at the Ministry of Sound - ripping! Oh yeah our nights at the Velvet Room on Tuesdays till last year were buzzing... I could go on! [There have been] Lots of good memories and as for funny stories... my whole life's been a funny story!
Chele: What are your feelings on pirate radio?
Norris: I play on Shine 87.9FM on Thursdays 8-10pm and enjoy it. Something I'm proud of is that my deejaying name has been made in clubland, this show is my first regular show on any station. On the whole I flick through most pirates and generally don't stick to many DJs that don't know what their doing. Too many MCs don't know what they are saying.
Chele: Do you still go record shopping?
Norris: Not as much as I should do but yeah I try to keep my ears in. From my view with not that much good stuff coming out I suppose I get a little lazy thinking what's the point.
Chele: What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
Norris: Whatever you decide to do, do it with full intention. Give it your all 'cause you chose it. It's your life and your decisions and you will live with the consequences, good or bad.
Questions from UKMusicW Forum Users
El Diablo: What is Urban House?
N: Not my realm.
Missc: Is Rose your sister or your wife?
N: My younger sister.
Rowland Samuel: Why aren't you doing enough to get the sounds of UKG back out there instead of staying low in the cut?
N: Firstly I have never been in your face. I DJ for the love of it. The rest comes with it and im thankful for it. Secondly when the good tunes come and the vibes are right you can trust I will be right on top of them. We need more good tunes.
Rowland Samuel: Why haven't you said anything about the state of the scene since the downsprial of good tracks and vibes have gone away?
N: I have, its just you ain't heard me. This has been my life for the past 14 years and for the first time in that time it has taken a dive. Its back to basics for me, bread and butter stuff - find the vibe, promote nights, find the clubs the people and the music... head down trying to go forwards.
DJ Raptor: What's the last thing you did?
N: Apart from this interview I have been involved on the production and writing of the entire W Records catalogue. And we are still grilling.
DJ Jolie: Why did you say that you would never play Old Skool Garage last year, but when things were getting crap on the Garage scene, you started playing Old Skool Garage!?
A: I have never said I would never play Old Skool. I have said I do not want to get known as a DJ that plays old music. I always want to play as upfront as it gets but not at the expense of playing $$$$ tunes. Unfortunately at the moment if I had to rely on new music to get me through my set I would be bored half way through an hour set and that's sad. Sometimes you have to go backwards to come forwards and the truth is it has kinda inspired and refreshed me - listening to and playing some of the classic old tunes and early 2-Step, mixing the different eras together - very old, not so old, and new... finding mixes that are fresh because they've never been done before and re-establishing the link which hopefully will help me find a sound for now based on good vibes. I hope you understand.
DJ Jolie: Are you going to follow the House music trend?
N: In 1991 when I started getting booked more I told promoters I mixed House and Garage. In the early UK Garage days they were called House and Garage parties. It's always been the case that if I feel it I'll play it - House, Garage, Techno... but my main vibe, I know for sure now that I have been mixing up my sets is what I will always term as a U K Garage Sound.
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