Cambridge jock DH Core, now known as DJ Damo started trying to spin way back in 1989. After hearing a mix tape done by one of the older lads he soon realised that this was something he wanted to do. After spending nearly two years practising using a tape and record deck with a small amount of pitch control and both inputs on the amp selected at once! All sounds rather messy doesn’t it? But after two years of hard graft, Damo had got it down to a fine art.

Soon after Damo got in with a group of lads who ran illegal parties in the area called ‘Taste’. This gave him the opportunity to impress with his DJ’ing skills where he played at the four events that followed. The first three did OK, but the last one was massive which further confirmed his status on the local DJ circuit thus leading to further bookings.

In 1993 Damo was spotted by established underground organisers ‘Proper Stuff’, who approached him and offered him a set at one of their events at the Kings Lynn speedway stadium. Damo recalls, “The local hardcore DJ’s were taken aback when they heard my banging techno warm up set”. This further led to more slots at other parties including a residency at the Grey Hound in Cambridge called ‘Out Of The Trap’. It was the ideal setting to give up and coming DJ’s the chance to get some experience.

During the following year Damo’s reputation began to grow and in 1994 he started playing for Section 47, UK Ipswich and Kite High, enjoying many slots DJ’ing their infamous riverboat parties held on the Thames. Although, unfortunately his debut didn’t go quite as planned. He remembers, “I was on first and really wanted to impress. But to my horror, every time the boat engine fired up, which happened once every few minutes, the vibrations sent the needle skating across the record playing. The bottom line was that it ruined every mix and every tune. They managed to fix it in time for the next DJ, I was totally gutted!!”

This inevitably led to Damo getting into the studio where he teamed up with fellow DJ Surreal, who together released their one and only track, the wicked drum ‘n’ bass creation ‘Perceptions’. There are more ideas in the pipeline and Damo is currently working on further releases that he hopes to have ready later this year.

After taking his foot of the gas a little during the last few years due to family commitments and other reasons, Damo is now ready to pick up where he left off. Since the start of 2004 he has been working a little harder at it again, collecting more accessible music and sending out demo CD’s to various people. So watch out, he could be set for a major return…very soon!!

You can catch DJ Damo playing a fine selection of breaks once a week on Internet radio station www.transmissionFM.com.

Links:

Return to top