Blues Family Tree

Those familiar with my monthly Blues & Soul column may have noticed a new addition, DJ Logan, who'll be supplying a chart alongside Rhythm Division. While Rhythm's is based on shop sales Logans will be more a look at some of his favourite tunes of the moment in no specific order. For those that can't access the magazine here's the interview to get you in the know.

Essex boy Logan Sama has been on the circuit for a few good years and is now recognised as one of the most important DJ’s on the pirate circuit, championing the new vocal sounds. His future looks rosy too – despite the fact his career has only earned him a measly £100. While the legal station jocks secure their positions (you can smell the fear more-so since Sama was asked to cover some late night slots on Kiss FM), Osama Big Logan (as his friends call him) continues to do what he does best… bring through the next big tunes.

Q. Who is Logan Sama?
The best there is at what I do.
Q. What differentiates you from other DJ's, if anything?
The music that I
play.
Q. How did you start out?
In my dad's gym in the loft going through his tape collection aged 5.
Q. Explain your rise in the scene?
I'd done a handful of guest shows on a local pirate called Plush FM. Rinse FM gave me my first ever regular show in April 2002 and I kept turning up every week with as much new music as I could get my hands on. Anything more than that I can't explain. People seem to like the music I play, and for that I am grateful.
Q. Biggest obstacle faced/facing?
The fact that this isn't the best scene to be in if you want to earn a living.
Q. Achievements?
Getting on Rinse.
Q. Ambition?
To look out over the decks and see 10,000 people having a good time.
Q. What are you working on at the moment?
My selection. Always working on that.
Q. Are you the new dubplate Godfather?
No, that's Slimzee.
Q. How do you remain neutral playing clash tunes?
By playing both sides and letting the people listening decide who won. My opinion isn't worth anymore than that of the listeners, so I just report what's being recorded.
Q. So come on, are you in Roll Deep?
It's a family tree situation.
Q. Tips for 2005?
That's a hard question. Tips for what? Chart success? Underground emerging talent? What do you class as success? I don't want to blow up too many people working on the underground, because lazy A&R's just read these things and make calls with their cheque books before people are ready to actually make albums. But people like Trim, Bruza, JME, Frisco and Ruff Squad have shown they are more than capable of making an album over the past year. There are literally too many people who are talented to list. I always come off air as well being annoyed I forgot to play a certain tune, and it's the same when people ask me to do charts or give "tips". There's too much talent to remember it all. Everyone I play on my show I think has talent. I don't play for my listeners, I play what I want to hear, so that means if I play a track on my show it's what I'd want to listen to if I was listening to the radio. I'm useless because I like so much music that I usually forget to play people's tunes on radio due to the volume of music about, and it takes me about three hours to do a simple top 10, and even then I feel bad for leaving out tunes.
Q. Best thing about what you do?
Having access to music I love.
Q. Worst thing about what you do?
Having empty pockets.