After 25 years in the business you would expect legendary Funk Mafia DJ Froggy to be slowing things down a touch, but at the grand old age of forty-something he has got three weekly radio shows, a Friday-night residency at one of Londons top clubs, and we're also currently negotiating with major record companies for release of some of his classic mixes. Yes, it seems there is life in the old Frogg yet, and when you consider his infamous sound system is also about to take to the road once more, then it is apparent that this particular 25th anniversary should certainly have a silver lining. It was in the late 70's at the Regency Suite in Chadwell Heath near his Goodmayes, Essex home that Froggy would start to wow loyal crowds and fellow jocks like Pete Tong with a new-found technique of mixing.
Yes, strange as it may sound these days, but back in those days, people neither had the equipment, nor ability to mix. It was only when Froggy and co. returned from a seminar in New York with the knowledge and the inspiration that mixing the different beats of two records over the top of each other really became possible in the UK. In the same three day trip Froggy visited the legendary Studio 54 and Paradise Garage clubs, plus a seminar which taught him how to mix on specially customised mixing units. It was an experience what would change his life forever.
He remembers, "It was simply amazing. On the one hand you had the mixing, which I had never seen before, and on the other there was this brand new club experience. The fact that the clubs didn' t get going until midnight combined with the sound systems being so awesome really blew my mind it was like a different culture". To come back with that experience plus tuition in how to mix really was something. So the legend was about to be born and he adds: "Back in England the mixing units did not have the capability of mixing two records together. There were no cross faders as such, but by the time I returned I had been taught how to customise my equipment. It sounds amazing,
but in those days there wasn' t even the facility to hear two records in your headphone at the same time".
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