DJ Stevo, at 28, got into Rave Music around 1992. He had never really been a music fan before this but hearing this electronic music was life changing, mixed with the fact that he was just getting into drinking and experimenting with stuff, he was soon hooked on what was then called Hardcore. Stevo was soon going to raves and events even though he was under age and his favourite Dj's were technical mixers like Carl Cox, Ratty, Ellis Dee and Dj Sy, their "mash up" style of mixing still influences his sets today.
Around 1994 and living in Harwich, Essex, Stevo and his mates saw the scene split into two, Happy Hardcore and Jungle, and chose to follow the Jungle route even though some of the Hardcore then was still quality, it hadn't got too fast and too cheesy with the chipmunk vocals. Still raving regularly at events like Mindwarp, United Dance, Dreamscape and going to the legendary Oscars on Clacton Pier every week, Stevo got his first set of decks. Like alot of the old school he didn't have the luxury of getting 1210's straight away and settled for all he could afford, alot of older Dj's first decks, Soundlab belt drives! Soon buying all of todays classics that at the time were brand new he began to build up a nice collection of tunes that still get played in his sets today.
Through a series of misadventures involving girlfiends, travelling and working on holiday camps as a barman, Stevo stopped mixing reguarly and buying tunes and it was only when he moved to Ipswich he decided to concentrate on it again. When travelling Stevo always kept an ear to the ground and went to the odd event even though he didnt have his decks or tunes around him and some of the music around this time he wasn't feeling anyway. He found this period to be dark and Techy sounding but coming from a Hardcore rave background Stevo had always loved the Jump Up sound, loving it most at it's height in 1996. When Stevo got back into the sound full time in Ipswich he found the scene offered many flavours of Drum and Bass and the Jump Up around was just his thing.
He plays all styles of Jungle/Drum and Bass, from his old classics to brand new up front promo's, Jump Up, Liquid, Dark, even a bit of old Hardcore but deep down he is a true junglist who loves breakbeats and basslines, whose sets always have that party vibe. He is also known to get on the mike from time to time but takes on more of a host role.
Since settling in Ipswich, Stevo has played for and in some cases is still playing for -
Venom at Zest, on Boxing Day 2005, the last set.
Global Drum and Bass, most Wednesdays and Fridays at the Silver Star, Ipswich.
Extreme Sound, three times at The Giles Tavern, Ipswich.
Downforce, regularly at Studio 3, Bury St. Edmunds.
Global Drum and Bass, at The Swan, Ipswich.
Global Drum and Bass and Extreme Sound, regularly at The Spread Eagle, Ipswich.
IPS at Zest, Ipswich.
Detonation at The Dukes Head, Stowmarket.
Global Drum and Bass, regularly at The Hare and Hounds, Ipswich.
