Junglist Network meets…… Andy C

We caught up with superstar DJ & Producer Andy C at the MADE Festival 2022. Andy C is one of the few DJ’s to transcend the Drum & Bass scene to have a truly global reach, playing at mixed genre festivals like the Burning Man festival and Glastonbury.

He was the first to hold an all-nighter at the SSE Arena in Wembley, the first DnB artist to headline the O2 area (tickets on sale now) and he’s still only in his mid 40’s.

Andy C, has a rich back catalogue of tunes, some of the more famous being the classic ‘Valley Of Shadows’ as part of Origin Unknown (often listed as one of the greatest Jungle tunes of all time) and his marmite collab with Shimmon ‘ Bodyrock’ He co-founded RAM records, one of the largest labels in Drum and Bass signing artists such as Chase & Status.

Still not convinced? Andy C was voted as one of the best DJ’s of all time (of any genre) by Mixmag and the Drum & Bass Arena Awards might as well rename the Best DJ Award the ‘Andy C’ award as he’s won it almost every year.

As we waited to meet the great Andy C, we looked around. His tour van was surrounded by promoters, management and security. We were next up after the BBC to talk to him. We started to feel some nerves. This felt very different to some of the other huge artists we’ve met. This felt like we were about to meet a superstar. What if he’s a diva? What if he realises we’re not serious journo’s like the BBC?

“Here, have a toot on this” said our photographer John. “that will help with the nerves.” Then we were waved over by one of the team. We jumped into the van as a voice announced to Andy C “this is Junglist Network” As our eyes adjusted to the dim light we heard him say “Junglist Network?, yes!” and there he was with a big smile and fist bump we got started….it turns out he’s not a diva, in fact he’s a really nice guy.

Junglist Network: How was the set?

Andy C: The set? yeah I totally smashed it! Only joking, I haven’t played yet! hahaha.

Junglist Network: HaHaHa, we thought we’d missed it.

Andy C: No, I’m going on in 10 mins. Its great to be back at MADE festival, its lovely to come and play the drum and bass tent here because its always jammin’ so I’m buzzing mate. We literally got here half an hour ago.

Junglist Network: so you do know what country you’re in right now because you’ve been touring a lot?

Andy C: Yes, I know where I am, I just can’t remember what my name is.….its been a mad mad summer, we’re fully back now and we’re making up for gigs. We’re doing some festivals we should have done in 2020 so you’ve got 2020, 21 and 22 to make up for, some weeks we’ve been on the road and have done 5 countries in 5 days!

Junglist Network: do you get any rest or any downtime?

Andy C: Yes, but the downtime is basically spent trying to remember how to function as a normal human being but listen I wouldn’t swap it for the world. I’m a lucky lad.

Junglist Network: Yes, you’ve done pretty well for yourself! Have you come down from your Wembley gig?

Andy C:  Yes, that was a mad one, it was beautiful wasn’t it? Yes, amazing memories man, the gigs when they are that size and stature, its about an iconic venue its about drum and bass and jungle, its about the history and its about everybody coming out to experience it together. It’s a unifying moment, its not about the artist, its not about who’s playing, you know, its about the music.

I know from being there it’s beautiful, in fact there was Caroline my old agent who was there and people who have been there from the very beginning. People who would book me, like Sonia from Lazerdrome, who would book me for live PA’s to do Origin Unknown, Valley of the Shadows and I’d turn up to Lazerdrome with a keyboard without a power lead and just pretend to play hahaha but they were my first gigs. My first gigs were doing PAs of Valley of Shadows. Can you believe it?

Ross Atkins, the BBC news reporter, he’s a massive Junglist right? He messaged me the other day, it makes me chuckle, I said I see you on college green outside the houses of parliament interviewing all the MP’s but at night you’re a massive Junglist! He sent me this link to 6 music, he did desert island discs and he chose Valley of the Shadows and I listened to it again. I thought wow really? Did you make that? It was a magical few hours making that man, that tune just fell out of the sky.

Junglist Network: Do you do much producing at the moment or is it all on the road?

Andy C:  At the moment, Its mainly on the road, everyone is like “MAKE MORE TUNES!!!!” Honestly, I doff my cap to people who can smash it all weekend then Monday morning are like right lets get in the in the studio. I dunno, I’ve been doing it for a while now and I need my recovery period! There will be more and more tunes coming hopefully but do you know what’s really nice at the moment?, in our scene, over the past year or two, there is a real groundswell of new talent and young talent who are taking it raw again. You know, they’ve gone back to the fundamentals and building blocks

Junglist Network: Yes, we’ve heard a lot of ‘nu jungle’ that’s got that old skool sound and some great new artists recently

Andy C: Yes! We’ve gone full circle, now the young generation of producers in our scene have got that spirit, that raw sound, it doesn’t have to be heavily polished, it just needs vibes and I think that energises the whole scene and its really beautiful after 30 some years that you can catch a new wave and that’s very healthy for the future, which is why I’ve probably been around for as long as I have.

Junglist Network: It’s come on massively, you can hear it on TV ads now

Andy C: Yeah, back in the day, people used to be like, what’s jungle? what’s drum and bass? Now its like huge, it’s a beautiful thing but the foundations are solid. Some people used to worry, well not worry but we’d say ‘how long do you think it will be around for?’ Its part of us now isn’t it?

Junglist Network: We’re trying to get our kids into it now. They might be a bit young yet.

Andy C: HaHa. It’ll happen man, don’t worry! I took mine to Penfest this summer. They are 14 & 11 and they were up on stage raving and filming the whole time!!! I was like just rave man!! HaHaHa. Yeah but they love it too so it’ll be around for many moons to come.

Junglist Network: No doubt. Thanks for your time Andy.

Andy C: Sound man, big up the Junglist Network!

MADE Festival 2022 held in Wolverhampton, an event by Weird Science. A great mix of UK HipHop, DnB, Breaks and other bass music with some huge names in the line up like AJ Tracey, DJ Zinc, Shy FX and Deekline. We spotted several festival goers in Jnglst Clothing and gave them ‘the nod’. Festivals and gigs are a great place to wear jungle drum & bass t-shirts and hats, it helps you identify like-minded souls.

We’d like to thank MADE Festival for their awesome hospitality during the event.  Visit our blog page for our Junglist Network @ MADE 2022 write up.