2 Bad Mice - Interview 1994

Have now been on the rave scene for a year and a half, and have established themselves with some kicking chewns. During that period they have done 4 P.A.’s at various raves including Dreamscape, Sterns & Vikes. All of us hardcore lovers have heard of them, so we tracked the boys down – Si & Sean at their favourite chill out spot – a castles ground.

How did you get going?
Rob Playford of Moving Shadow got us on the road about 1.5 years ago. We knew his girlfriend and from there started doing a spot at the Raindeer Pub on Friday nights, Rob then signed us up.

What made you use the name 2 Bad Mice?
We had just finished doing a track called ‘No Respect’ and was sitting around the studio. We had a Beatrix Potter album which had tales of 2 Bad Mice and decided to call ourselves that. Also we go under the name Chemistry, which is a little less commercial and a bit more manic.

How many tracks have you done so far?
The first track we done was a 2 Bad Mice, then Kaotic Chemistry. After that we done another 4 tracks which we never released. ‘Hold It Down’ was done just before Xmas. Our latest work has been 3 remixes for other artists Blame, Future Assassins and Dream Frequency which has not been released yet, nor paid for (joke!).

How do you come up with ideas for records?
For Hold It Down, we didn’t really have enough ingredients to make it a chewn to start with, so one day we were in the car, and a track came on Kiss FM and we then took the Round and Round sample from this which made the chewn. For 2 Bad Mice, we used the Beatrix Potter album, which was musical for sampling. Basically we just keep our ears open for ideas.

How long does it take to put a track together?
Some tunes only take a day, other take a lot of time. For example the 2 Bad Mice Remix for Blame was done in an afternoon and others have taken us a couple of weeks.

How have your records done?
The first one, 2 Bad Mice, to start off with was slow, but then all of a sudden, it was playing at a lot of raves. Hold It Down has been our most successful chewn so far and made it big for us.

What’s the favourite record you’ve done?
Our favourite is 2 Bad Mice Remix for Blame. It’s one of those ones that just flowed for us and was exactly what we wanted. But we are waiting to see what reaction that the Dream Frequency Remix will have with the crowd, as this was an excellent chewn.

What do you think of the current music scene?
Well everybody seems to be following everyone else and printing a couple of thousand records and not getting anywhere. The record shops are being flooded with it, every weekend you go in and see a track, then you won’t see it for months and months. At the moment there is only a bit of stuff that stands out, like Suburban Bass, Production House and Shut Up & Dance. There are a lot of white labels that come and go, we don’t want to be like that.

What’s planned ahead?
Well, we are off to the United States soon where it’s about to take off in L.A., Dallas, San Francisco, Orlando but not New York. We are going to L.A., there they are really into the UK break beat stuff. Some acts have already made it over there like Prodigy, Altern 8 and if you’ve wondered where Bizzare Inc are, now you know.

What are you doing out there?
We are appearing at a big rave in L.A. with MC Fluk and our dancers Angel and possibly Top Hat. Also we are doing a couple of DJ spots with Rob.

What do you expect to get out of your visit?
Just hoping to get a foot in the door for when the hardcore scene explodes out there. Also going for the experience and to get contacts for future visits.

What you got planned when you come back?
We are releasing a track called ‘Space Cakes’, then we are starting work on some new stuff and trying to keep one step ahead of the rest.

What do you think of the current raves over here?
We don’t think nothing’s doing in London, the music’s good, but there’s too many moody people. Up North it’s the opposite. Good raves are hard to find, but if you look, they are there.

How do you see the Rave scene going?
There are a lot of people saying the scene is dead and they go to their garage clubs, but it’s not dead, it’s just finding the right places. I can see the scene splitting, just as hardcore and garage split, so will hardcore and commercial rave. The hardcore, the jungle break beat sound will become more underground.

Current Top 5 favourite tunes?
Well with a lot of thought, it has to be?

1. Satin Storm E.P.
2. A Guy Called Gerald – all the last white labels.
3. Love Is E.P.
4. Krome & Time
5. Anything Fabio would play.