Sound Off: AK1200 Exclusive Interview

Ezz the one AK1200 is in the house!!!!

He’s “here” at genuineindividual.com, about to school and re-school the massive with an exclusive personal interview!

>>>>>NOTE! I do NOT mind and infact ENCOURAGE the copying/pasting/spreading/infiltration/translation of this interview!! I claim no copyrights! BIGGUPS DNB/EDM FAMILY!

My interview request (begging) began after I caught sight of a tweet by AK on twitter that stated “@ak1200 my idol as a young dj was Carl Cox. who are these brand new edm fans idolizing and how much depth do next generation dj’s bring?”
Screenshot here:

The tweet that kicked off a questioning that spurred this interview into existence

I was on this tweet like hot cakes. The anthropologist in me, much less the bass head in me couldn’t STAND to sit idly by and let that tweet go unanswered.

So, today, the one and only AK1200 is going deep in-depth with genuineindividual.com to answer his own question, as well as a few more I’ve cooked up for him.

Here is a recent mix, live by AK1200:

BG: Welcome, & ezz the one AK1200! So glad you’ve agreed to this Q&A session and I hope you can set the record straight…or perhaps, back on the deck where it belongs.

Q:First, a warm up set of questions. The artist in me is dying to know…what is your favorite color? smell? taste? sound? feeling?

AK: I like blue and green, well any combo of them both. I love the smell of OG Kush. I like something that starts sweet and finishes hot. I like the sound of rain. I like the feeling of accomplishment and appreciation.

Q: For those that might not know you, how long have you been DJing/spinning? Can you summarize briefly your history in the EDM scene? Also, an essential question..do you have a favorite set or performance, is it recorded, and can we download or purchase it?! Readers: I will include a full Discography at the end of this interview.

AK: I started DJing in 1989. It was after I discovered a club night called Aahz. It was a whole new world to me, and I was hooked. It was all about the vibe, and

when these kids from England making tunes started using hip hop and jazz loops all chopped up, I found my passion.

I followed these people and this sound through all of its cycles until it became known as drum and bass. My passion has always been more for the music and the ability to expose it to people who otherwise had no idea of it. Even now I find my true devotion is to the music, not to being a DJ, or else I would be playing something more crossover. I have always tried to push the music and especially the American artists creating the music. Through the years, it has been a battle not only to get people interested but to keep them interested. It hasn’t helped that some of the core fans became too snobbish about “their” scene, and constantly put people off of it with the elitist attitude and constant bashing of things that aren’t exactly what they want to hear. I guess it is like that in most scenes, but I can’t say it hasn’t affected me through the years, especially on message boards. At the end of the day, all I care about is the longevity of DnB. I do not have a favorite set or performance, they all seem to blow right by me over the years. There are loads of sets out there of mine for people to grab if they look around.

Q: Going quickly to the nitty gritty, can you answer your own question that you asked on twitter? “Who are these brand new EDM fans idolizing and [more importantly] how much depth do the next generation DJ’s bring?” Also, how exactly does a DJ bring depth, what did you mean by that?

AK: Sometimes it gets frustrating to see new artists come in and not care about the history. To them, its only their own history that they bother with, so their inspiration is limited in the sense that they don’t have much interest in anything other than what is popping off right this minute.

It took a long time to get to where we are, and there have been thousands of pivotal tunes, not just in DnB, but in all genres of Dance Music.

People used to make tunes influenced by Roy Ayers or Kraftwerk etc. people made tunes with influences deriving from soul, hip hop, reggae, funk, rare groove, disco, rock and roll. That was a huge wealth of knowledge all having the same basic foundations. Music theory was a big deal. knowing how to layer sounds and create moments, and write music that drew you in and drove you around. Now, it seems much music is made for novelty, who can get the noisiest lead line or heaviest bass sound.

They focus so much on the technical details, that they lose the stripped down basics of it all: the vibe, the melody, the movement, the feeling, the soul.

Once upon a time people recorded stuff onto a reel to reel tape and spliced pieces together, then samplers came and you could actually cut loops or use filters. Go back and listen to some of the dance records made from 1989 to 1992, any genre, it was all so similar then, it was house or techno or breakbeat or whatever, but all those tunes were made on shitty computers and samplers. People werent able to make the tunes with such high quality like now, yet I bet you anything you can listen to those old tunes over and over again and still appreciate what the artists were doing and how they did it. I feel like some music is just dumbing people down, and it takes away from the significance of the art inside music.

It seems like all of this “BASS” music has just been forced inside its own little bubble and people boxed themselves in to what should sound like what and who should use what synth and so on. it was never ever about that until about 4 years ago, and it seems like now, when EDM is at its biggest, the bubble has to break and influence needs to come from deeper places.

Can you imagine what some young computer hotshot who knows abelton backwards and forwards could do with music if they spent a year researching the bands that made all these breakbeats that people sample or the vocals they use, snatched from accapella sites?

When I said Carl Cox was who I looked up to, it is because this guy was just someone playing all kinds of music and making it his own, he was using 3 decks, and he was fusing techno beats with breakbeats and with accapellas and with house grooves and was having the time of his life doing it.

He would dig for records from all over the world just to have something cool to throw in. Nowadays, it just seems so one dimensional. Maybe the internet allowing things to become so accessible has made people lazy, well not lazy, but took the time away from the thrill of the hunt and instead spent on seeing how deep inside of a plug in they can get and lost the whole plot, lost the general vibe, the freedom of expressive music.
Look, so many dnb tunes sound either like fast dubstep tunes (drumstep), or they sound like pitched up deadmau5 or Skrillex tunes with cheesy lead sounds and dirty bass. Now it’s to the point to where people are calling themselves “BASS DJ’S” ??? What the fuck is that all about? Yeah, man, lets play 40 tunes in a set that vary in tempo but all pretty much sound the same and we will melt peoples faces off… The whole thing to me is absurd. You may say, I am stuck in the past or I should deal with it because it is the way things are now, but does that mean it is really doing anything for the state of dance music? great so now people of every genre can mix and match and play the same tunes….

you just lost all of the creativity the rest of us spent over 20 years trying to develop,

and now you are inside your own little bass bubble where everything can work, and then what? Where does it go from there? I guess thats what I was trying to say in that tweet.

Q:What do you suggest these new EDM fans start listening to–not only DJs active in today’s EDM culture, but also some old-school/OG DJs that helped build the EDM scene from its infancy?

AK: I think people should go back and listen to music of all kinds from all ages and find the common bond between that and every other music form and incorporate it into the dance music they make, so instead of a fad, people are coming with substance, music that will matter 20 years from now, and give kids inspiration to move music forward. I just want people to look outside the box and not regurgitate the same stale dance sounds from a 5 year period of an art created centuries ago. honestly do you think so much of yourself that a tune you make in 2 days will in 40 years be as well received as say, a Led Zeppelin tune that took the band 2 days to write and record? no, and they don’t even care. Why don’t people care? That bugs the shit out of me, all of these talented people making simple little throwaway tunes just for the novelty of “killing” the dancefloor 4 minutes at a time.

I just think the more people who buy into the current state of the scene without trying to expand it, the less chance dance music has to become influential to kids 20 or so years from now.

If we are the “rockstars” of our day, it is certainly our obligation to leave a legacy behind, not just a bunch of slop that tarnished the face of what could have been one of the biggest music forms to spawn new genres of future music.

Q:What is your definition of a DJ? Any and all definitions!

AK: A DJ is the person who plays the music for the people who came to dance. At this point I dont care how they do it, as long as they care what they do. DJing can be the most rewarding thing in the world, but

stand for something, whatever it may be, don’t just be a human jukebox.

Be your own person, look at how shit has gone down for the last few years, between the big fad of using old names but switching the first letter of each around to everyone using the same font in their logos, it shows how little effort people really put into their career, and the kids lap it up like it’s the best thing in the world. It’s mental,

I mean the whole Paris Hilton thing, JESUS CHRIST!!!!

really that is what we have been reduced to now?

And its these asshole superstar dj’s like afrojack and david guetta and swedish house mafia or whoever else that piss all over their fans from the main stage, who turn this scene into a big joke and all the fans are just “their” flock of sheep who will follow them and love everything they do and you can literally watch them see how far they can go and still get away with it.

Steve Aoki throws cake at his fans and they love it? now people behind Paris Hilton can literally stage a whole set for her, and she can now be a dj who charges ridiculous money and wastes precious stage time that a real DJ should be on. how far is this shit gonna go before the jig is up?

Q: How would you say technology has changed the art, the "touch", of being a DJ? Please, jump on everything from Serato to CDJs to Midi Controllers & the original analog turntable. I know DJs today have to be happy not to have to lug around an absolute ton of vinyl! Not to say it doesn't have its place in my heart!;)

AK:

I am all for whatever technology can help people get the job done, i don’t really care.

I use cd’s. they sound good, and they are light, and I can burn a tune on cd and play it right away. The real thing I care about is the craft, and how much you care about the position you hold. I think I covered it in my rant about these main stage festival dj’s: they are taking the piss, giving people false senses of hope on what the music industry is about, and they are sending the wrong message. Have you seen Molly? GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!!!!!

I dont care what you play on or what you play, but give a shit about who you play for and stand by what you play. Own it and represent properly so you can maybe be an inspiration to someone who really wants to be a DJ.

Q: The dubplate culture was very specialized and exclusive. Can you explain to the readers what exactly a “dubplate” is, what the culture as a whole represented, or what it meant to you? How has technology through the years such as Napster, Limewire and finally Beatport & other legitimate mp3 download sites have affected the scene? What is your reaction to a “DJ” that rips youtube video sounds and attempts to “spin” them? Are there any methods producers or djs used to “fight back”, especially during the Napster/Limewire years? Have sites like Beatport created a monopoly for exclusive tunes or are there still leaks in the system that make VIP mixes or tunes difficult to keep exclusive?

AK: A Dubplate is an acetate test plate used for mass producing vinyl, its the reference disk. In the dancehall community, these record cutters saw that you could just go and burn a tune and play it out, it maybe got 20 plays before it started to lose its grooves. that way they could decide how big a tune could be and press a number of tunes accordingly. Over the years it became the essential tool for soundclashes and battles between dj’s, who could have the dopest newest shit available only to them exclusively on this plate they had cut. In the jungle scene, it was similar, when you were given a tune or the ok to play a tune, the dat would be left at a plate cutter and you could go and get it cut, or you would get a dat in the mail or handed to you and you could cut your plates from that. Then it became cd’s people would send and you would cut a plate from the cd’s but

it was still something exclusively given to you and out of respect, or “the dj’s code of ethics” that you would not give that out AT ALL.

When the internet got big with file sharing, tunes would get leaked in a really big way, and all of a sudden people would be playing tunes they were not meant to have and had no permission to play. Once upon a time you could get hurt for something like that, but again the way things are nowadays, all that went out the window and music is expected to be free and for anyone to grab whether the artist wants or not. God forbid the artist gets pissed off that his/her shit got leaked, then they become the asshole for not wanting people to play it yet.

I think people gave up on fighting it, and now its just a free for all, that is why most producers only make money from performing, and DJ’s dont sell mix cd’s anymore.

Q: I personally have heard of several DJs calling themselves or others “Button Pushers”. What does that mean to you and what would you say if someone called you that? Why do you think this particular phrase has stuck around or taken off so much recently? It just seems to be a term that is everywhere, do you agree? Its prevalence seems to be giving the term a nearly “acceptable” place in the world of DJ culture. What are your thoughts on such a linguistically embarrassing word becoming prominent in articles, interviews or discussions of the DJ as a musician or artist?

AK: I think what people mean by button pusher is someone who doesnt mix traditionally, that they use auto sync or they watch the waves instead of listen to the sounds to get something on beat. I dont think about it as it does not pertain to me, I have never been called a button pusher and if I were, I could give a fuck. I mix tunes, actually I am to the point to where I make a habit of turning the channels up before i throw the next tune on so people can hear me start the mix and get it on as I go. I dont quietly get it on beat in the headphones and slowly fade it in, fuck that, you can hear what I hear in the headphones, it may be sloppy for a second but at least you see what is happening.

Q: Alright, I have to bring this up. Deadmau5. “We All Hit Play”. Rolling stone interview. Gut reaction? Instinct of wanting to tear his mousey head off? *ahem* How does it make you feel to have this “prominent” EDM “DJ” say the things he has about what you (and I) consider to be the art of DJ’ing?

AK:

I never read it, I could care less, I dont buy into anything that kid says, he made a shit ton of money off of these fans and he is just encouraging people to make this an even bigger joke. He is telling everyone how dumb they are and how easy this is, and you know what, he is right.

What is happening now is easy as fuck and anyone at all can do it, he is proving it, paris is proving it, all of em are proving it, the difference is to me, is what the fans will stand for…. if you want to buy into all the stupid shit, then expect to be treated accordingly.

If you want to be serious and passionate about music, then follow dj’s and artists who give a shit about the music and its history and more importantly, its future.

Q: Would you agree with me when I say that 2012 has been a pretty big year for EDM in general, one of the largest examples being that a newly prominent EDM Producer named Skrillex was awarded 3 Grammys? How do you think Hollywood has or possibly will pervert the EDM scene? What of Skrillex himself and his fan base? Quite frankly, it pissed me off and seems that Hollywood has opened a bit of a pandora’s box by awarding Skrillex the Grammys. I feel, personally, that Skrillex is standing on the shoulders of giants in the EDM world (you being one of them imho) and that if they are going to start passing out EDM Grammys, there needs to be some sort of retroactive award business going on. Thoughts?

AK: Again, I stopped thinking about all that.

I am happy for Skrillex. He is a really nice guy, often misunderstood and always thrown under the bus.

He made a groundbreaking record that got the worlds attention. For that he earned the grammy’s and all the accomplishments and accolades that go along with it.

I think like all things, EDM because of its popularity will become exploited and every drop of blood squeezed from it by the powers that be, and what you will have left, lying in all the rubble, is the rest of us,who want to keep pushing the music forms we care about and the art it stands for.

But honestly dont blame skrillex or deadmau5 for that. they took shit to a new level, and i think part of what deadmau5 was frustrated with, is who else is gonna come up and offer something more than what they did, not from what they did, but what was inside the artist from his or her creative ability to bring sound to life in a true form.

Q:Speaking of Hollywood…what in the world is your reaction to Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian announcing DJ tours? How does the hottest, newest DJ/Production technology tie in to these Reality TV/Hollywood Stars turned “DJs”? It seems as though their “DJ tours” just came out of nowhere. Are we looking at pre-programmed laptop sets? What gives? (aside from me gagging)

AK: yeah i covered that extensively above

Q:What would be a list of some *essential* listening you’d suggest to any or all new EDM fans? I’ll give you a headstart: Drowning by AK1200!

AK: I just posted up a mix a friend uploaded from a tape of mine made july 1992, I have listened to it 3 times in a row. I dunno really. I mean i get ideas from old music.

I like all kinds of music and i try to find the common bonds between that and what new music has, and i follow those bonds.

The brilliance of music in itself, is it recycles and grows at the same time. its like drawing little circles over and over and then slowly expanding the size of the circle.

That is what music should always do and always be doing. Just like how a record spins, music must go on and on. Take what you need and start something fresh, let it go on and on. Years from now people will take what we did and make something fresh and it will go on and on.

Q:I remember when I first spoke to you, I expressed my distaste for DJ rivalries. What is your take on trash-talking in the EDM scene between producers or djs or promoters? Is there a place for rude or blatant criticism to be constructive, and if so, what is, or is there a way to walk that fine line? Do you have any “beef” with any DJs or Producers or “Wannabe”s in the scene now? If so, who, and….why? How should he/she/they act instead, or do you have any advice to them..or is it just past that point?

AK: I thought about this for quite a while, and

I realized its just not even worth the time to try and get people to see your own points of view.

I don’t have any beef with anyone, however, I will say whatever the fuck I want to say about whoever the fuck I feel like saying something about. I tell it like it is straight up, as you should be able to tell by this point of the interview.

I think its more of a general respect thing. We were always told to respect our elders, I understand that now probably because I am the elder. I respect what people feel passionately about. If they truly believe what they are saying, then I am all about it. What I don’t like is when people try to use someone elses name to get themselves attention. I dont believe in riding coat tails, and I dont believe in starting fake beefs for attention. People that do that are transparent. Again this is where the fans come in, or should come in. People are only going to give you just enough to keep you there, and if that is good enough for you, so be it. for me and the people i came up with and around, we do it differently.

We know about the struggle and we know how hard it is to be taken seriously so we can see the humility in our success and our failure.

At this point, i dont give a shit, you guys go knock yourselves out and out “bass” the other or whatever the fuck you wanna do, create the bride of dj frankenstein and turn a socialite into a main stage millionaire. I am gonna be here doing what I do for the fans I have, the only fans that matter to me, fuck all the rest, they get what they search for.

Q:What role should a fan have when supporting a DJ? On the dancefloor/in the club as well as online/in social networks? Can idolization be dangerous or is it welcomed in such a way that that is how a DJ builds his/her fan base? How has social networking changed the face of the Underground EDM scene & the perception/idolization of DJs? I know for me, when I was first in the scene, only very specific papers or online forums had the “in” news about the upcoming shows–now it seems to be much easier to promote…would you agree?

AK: I totally agree.

I think this is a fan based world, and without fans you are nothing, thats why i get so animated about these assholes who treat their fans like they are stupid sheep.

I expect more out of a fan if they are going to be a fan. Dont just sit there and get cake thrown in your face and tweet about it happily. Fucking support the music and the artists you like, go see them, send them a FB message, share a link to their page or just go out to see them when they are in the area and tell them that they mean something to you. Hopefully it will be someone like me who would appreciate it and be humbled by it, and not a fucking ego maniac. I guess I should say i understand the ego thing, you get caught up in always being told how good you are or whatever, and so many people come up to you, you start to see right through them onto the distance behind them, and dont pay attention or whatever, and yeah i guess if you have a crowd of 60,000 people at any given night, it’s difficult to individualize people…but you got to do your best to try and maintain a connection between you and your fans. I learned the hard way that I should be thankful for what I have, and I try my best to give back as much as I can whether its mixes or tunes or just a little bit of my time. You will see how some of these people will change their game up if they were to all of a sudden lose a grip of their fanbase, then they would treat you all better, and make more of an effort to live up to their name.

Q:I myself contacted you via a social network for this interview–it seems to make you, you masters of the craft, such highly, highly regarded legitimate DJs so much more…down to earth and…real! A bit of mystery seems to be taken out of the picture. How do you feel about that sense of mystery and of your near absolute necessity to remain accessible to your fans via social media?

AK: I dont even know to be honest. I mean, on one hand I am glad people can see who I am as a person and relate to me during my ups and downs, we are human, and very real. On the other hand, it is difficult to separate the husband and father in me from the persona I have as a professional.

I guess in the grand scheme of things, it helps more than it hurts and it is probably one of the things thats kept me going this long.

Without all the support I get on a daily basis through my various sites etc, I would have probably given in to the anonymous hate of message boards etc and quit altogether. At least this way, there is an identity to associate the person talking to you, rather than a fabricated screen name who just creates an account to blast people all day long.

Q: I’ve always seen or heard your live sets and consider them to be, seriously, works of art. How would you describe a true DJ’s role or, responsibility even to the crowd, the fans, the scene when it comes to spinning or building/performing sets? How much feedback does the crowd really have at a live show? How should a true DJ act during a performance, or is there a way to act? Have the demands of a true, legitimate DJ changed over the years? Do true, legitimate DJs answer to those demands, and if so, how?

AK: For me personally,

I feel it is my obligation to create a unique experience for each and every crowd I perform for.

I can understand if I was a band and we played all the songs that made us famous. but I am a DJ and I play mostly other peoples tunes, so why on Earth would I play the same tunes over and over again in the same pattern?

A DJ to me, is the person who comes in the room and looks at the crowd and figures out what they want to hear, and follow the crowds lead and play to them specifically.

Some things work better in different regions, you cant just go do what you wanna do and leave. I get shook real easily when there is no crowd, I trainwreck, I fucking get all nerved up. or when there is the one person deep in the crowd who looks like they arent having a good time with their arms crossed giving me the stink eye. It is truly my intent to please each and every person that comes to see me or happens to be at a place I am playing. Of course I want to leave a good impression, and I want to come back, I dont want the promoters to lose money because of me or my lack of crowd, so i try as hard as I can to give the crowd as much of myself as i can. Again, the mixing thing, this is kinda why i drink and get on the mic and mix with the channel up and start the mix on the beginning of the mix point and you hear it all and hear it get into sync and out of sync and whatever. I am just a dude playing tunes that i think you want to hear and we all have a good time together. Thats it.

Q:If there is any advice you would give to the NEW DJs or button pushers of the EDM scene, what would it be? Do you have any advice for the NEW EDM fans? I certainly think they should learn their history, but it seems to be so scattered about or disjointed, as if there is no one place to learn & absorb EDM Culture’s broad & varied history.

AK: Ok, if someone absolutely loves Skrillex, take the time to learn what it was that influenced Skrillex, then learn about them and find out who it was that influenced them and learn about them and so on. It’s not hard to do especially now. If you can scan the web for tunes, certainly you can scan the web for artists and influences.

If you are a new DJ, try to find an angle that sets you apart from others. If you are a new fan, embrace everything you hear. When you go to a show, go early and see the opening dj’s and open your ears to what else is out there. Support your local promoters and their weeklies.

These people lose money every week because they believe in a genre of music or scene and cant do it without your help. Be the bigger person, and always try to learn something from every situation. Respect those who came before you and the efforts it took to make things possible for you to do what you love. Learn the tunes, learn the artists, learn the scene, expect more from the people you pay to see. There are people making more money from EDM now more than ever, while some of us make half as much to work twice as hard. Is that me sounding bitter? Maybe, but it’s reality, and it only changes when the fans dictate the change.

Q: Drum And Bass Movement is a website, championed by you, if I’m correct, located at www.drumandbassmovement.com. It is a social media, content driven website dedicated to uniting the Underground Drum and Bass EDM Scene Worldwide. Can you tell the readers a little bit more about why you decided to start the movement and what your plans are for DNBMovement in the future?

AK: Actually it was something that i was brought into early on, I havent been on there in a minute, I should be but regretfully i have been too consumed with all the other aspects of my life, both professional and personal. I guess it did what I anticipated and became a freestanding format to run on its own by dedicated lovers of the music.

Q: How do you tell an old-school head from a new EDM fan? Magical Powers?

AK: Aside from age, I guess its their taste. I am so thankful that EDM is so popular right now,

I can only help guide the people into different areas of the audio spectrum. I keep my head down and bust my ass in hopes that at some point they will give DnB a chance, and if they do, my job has been done.

Q: What legacy do you want to leave behind as an artist? What legacy do you feel you already have left behind and what can your fans look forward to in the future? If I don’t hear something about the epic tune “Drowning” in this historical/legacy-oriented response, I might cry!;)

AK: I always said,

I just want to be known for being someone who gave as much as or more than he ever got from this industry.

Honestly, my heart has always been in the right place. Would i love to get rich from music and never work again? ABSOLUTELY. is that gonna happen? No. Every day of my life I try to do something to further the message that DnB sends. I represent this music as best I can, and I have been true to myself and to my fans.

Drowning just sort of happened and I became associated with it, but it wasnt mine. I am glad it became such an important song to so many people and am honored to be associated with it so closely.

It certainly helped me get to where I got, but it means nothing to any of the new crowd, they dont know the tune, and even if they hear it, the vibe of the scene is not like it was when the tune came out so they dont truly identify with it.

I hope I am remembered as something much more than the guy who made Drowning famous.

For Reference, Cleveland Lounge’s “Drowning” remixed by the one AK1200
Tune via Youtube:

Hah, My final and only comment about this wonderful interview and mainly the last question: No AK, No. You will definitely NOT and are definitely NOT only remembered for Drowning! (As you stated, that was just one of my favorites of the time;) I even remember it being one of the first tunes I let my little sister listen to!)

::::I guess this about sums it up for round one of AK120 vs BassGeisha here at GenuineIndividual.com… I hope you all enjoyed it and feel free to submit any questions you’d like to see in a possible “round two” with AK1200 in my email: sarah at genuineindividual dot com. Thanks for reading guys, and a

HUUUUUUGEEE MASSIVE BIGG UPPPPS TO THE ONE AK1200 for this AMAZING INTERVIEW!!! BOH!!!

:::::

To Contact the One AK1200:

-AK1200-

www.facebook.com/AK1200official

www.facebook.com/ak1200

www.soundcloud.com/ak1200

www.twitter.com/ak1200

www.mixcloud.com/ak1200

www.souncloud.com/2against1

www.twitter.com/2_against_1

www.facebook.com/2against1

www.facebook.com/BigRiddimRecodings

FOR BOOKINGS – Rob@CircleTalentAgency.com

AK1200 Full Discography via http://www.discogs.com/artist/AK1200 (Opens in a new window)

Shoot To Kill (CD, Album) Run Recordings 2002

Singles & EPs

AK1200 Meets Danny Breaks – Porn Star Style / Cum With Me (12″) Eatflax Recordings 1998

Fake ◄ (2 versions) Breakbeat Science Recordings 2002

AK1200 vs. Dom & Roland – The Lycan Revisited / Deja Nu (Mathematics Episode) ◄ (2 versions) Breakbeat Science Recordings 2002

Junior’s Tune (Digital Remix) / Carousel (12″) Breakbeat Science Recordings 2002

AK1200, Gridlok And Danny Breaks – Porn Star Feeder / Dub 4 Dub ◄ (2 versions) Project 51 2008

Junior’s Tune ◄ (3 versions) Big Riddim Recordings 2009

AK1200 Feat. Terra Deva – Fake (Subsonik & Smooth Remix) (12″) Subsonik Sound Recordings 2011

Funky Sounds (12″) Phattraxx, Phattraxx Unknown

DJ Mixes

Untitled (CD) Not On Label 1997

Sub Base Classics: The Drum & Bass Mix By AK 1200 (CD) Sub Base Records USA 1998

Fully Automatic – Drum ‘N’ Bass – Continuously DJ Mixed By AK1200 (CD, Mixed) Moonshine Music 1998

Prepare For Assault (CD, Mixed) Moonshine Music 1999

Lock & Roll – A Drum & Bass DJ Mix (CD, Mixed, Comp) Moonshine Music 1999

AK1200 W/ MC Navigator* – Mixed Live: Moonshine Overamerica, San Francisco (CD) Moonshine Music 2001

At Close Range (CD, Mixed) Run Recordings 2003

Weapons Of Tomorrow (CD, Mixed) Moist Music 2007

AK1200 & Gridlok – Autopsy (CD, Album, Comp, Mixed + CD, Album, Comp) Project 51 2008

Miscellaneous

Drowning (Curtis B Remix) (File, MP3, 320) Zone Records 2010

Drowning (Terravita Remix) (File, MP3, 320) Big Riddim Recordings 2010

AK1200 Biography

AK1200 BIOGRAPHY

The longest running D&B DJ in the USA. Member of the infamous Planet of the Drums crew. Founder of Big Riddim Recordings. Dave, AK1200, has been a driving force within Drum and Bass culture in America since its inception. From his legendary mix CD’s to his extensive list of high profile remixes and original tunes, he has maintained a presence within the scene for more than 20 years. For lack of a better term, AK is a “classically” trained DJ, mixing live for each crowd. Every set is unique and completely dependent on what gets the best reaction from the floor that night.

In a time where the EDM scene has completely reinvented itself, AK1200′s explosive sets have been spreading the fever to a whole new fan base. These new fans, hungrier than ever for the absolute best in electronic music, are steadily looking not for their house, but for their home. Once they hear “the one” set that changes everything, they will have found it. AK1200 plays those sets, trust! And D&B will become your home, it always does.

AK, alongside Bill Hamel, and Meaux Green have recently formed a new project titled 2against1. Under this moniker expect a constant surge of electrifying d&b tunes aimed straight for the neck, and when they hit, they gonna hurt. AK1200 and 2against1. that’s two names you best get to know, cos shits about to go down.

For bookings – email Rob@CircleTalentAgency.com