Benjamin Goode loses it to the sounds of Roni Size.
Lest we forget, Roni Size’s Reprazent was an album that changed lives. Released on Talkin’ Loud Records, it won the Mercury Prize in 1997 (the same year that gave us Prodigy’s 'The Fat of the Land', Radiohead’s 'OK Computer', Chemical Brothers and the seminal 'Spice' by The Spice Girls).
Life, and the music industry, has since moved on. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your world view), McCluskey’s in Kingston has not. Let us just put this into perspective, McCluskey’s is the home of the famed X-mas factor, X-factor Christmas Yuletide Party Special with Lloyd Daniels (the cabbage patch kid from afore mentioned singing contest) performing live next week. I know where I will be.
'The number one party venue in Kingston-Upon-Thames', (a pretty wild claim some might say) with door security that would be considered too rigorous at an airport, McCluskey’s is still very much Ben Sherman Shirts, pint in one hand, thigh high in foam singing to each other "If you wanna be my lovaaaaa you gotta get with my friends, make it last forever friendship never eeeends!". So, I think it is fair to say that you know you are scraping the bottom of the human experience barrel when you’re face down on a carpet that smells vaguely of feet during the Kingston University Fresher’s foam party (also hosted by McCluskey’s - see, it really is the number one party venue in these parts), when you are twenty six and graduated from Runcorn University several years previously; you might reasonably ask yourself how has it come this? And know that the answer only lies deep within that sleazy heart of yours.
Roni Size must have been asking himself the same question. What is without doubt however, is that with a series of mechanical clicks he smashed the place into tiny bits, and over the next hour rebuilt it in the image of a drum 'n' bass God, which, of course, is exactly what he is. Far removed from the Matters that make up the Fabrics of this world, he delivered something of rare and exceptional quality.
Some questions occurred to me as I lost my mind and all sense of decorum to the opening notes of 'Brown Paper Bag', like, why was he here? Why wasn’t he at home making another groundbreaking album? There are no answers - the phone lines are now closed - but this monthly night's past-line ups have included, in no particular order, Caspa, TC, Rusko, Chase and Status, Adam F, Fresh, Mampi Swift, Hype, Friction, Goldie and Subfocus to name but a few. No mean feat and for that we thank Repeater for it from the bottom of our sleazy hearts.
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