Buggin Out

Bug B&W, originally uploaded by chantelle.

Celebrating soundclashing as urban warfare with bass lines so disgusting you could puke and electronic stabs that will have last nights dinner turning in your stomach… ok you get the idea? Fusing ragga with punk in frenzied mash-ups, The Bug’s Razor X Productions look set to cross over onto many playlists and cause havoc in any DJ set... Meet The Bug.

Q: Who is The Bug?
The Bug is Kevin Martin. He recorded the critically acclaimed album 'Pressure' for Rephlex/Tigerbeat6 in 2003, which received instant high praise from musical mavericks like Aphex Twin, Andy Weatherall, Kid 606, Massive Attack, Jerry Dammers etc... before being somewhat bitten by M.I.A.(As confessed by her manager and producers)

Q: Releases to date?
'Pressure' on Rephlex, 'Aktion Pak' on Rephlex, Several 7" releases on Razor X, 'Dem A Bomb We' on Ladybug and various remixes including The Streets and Saul Williams.

Q: How would you describe your sound?
Electro ragga to punk fuelled, grime flavoured bashment via deep electronic dub.

Q: Breakdown Razor X?
Razor X was a 7" label set up by The Bug and The Rootsman to release Babylonian battle tools, incinerate any dancefloor predators and kill off the party imposters.

Q: How did idea for project come about?
The Bug was a long time friend of The Rootsman and was aware Rootsman acted as a high profile dubplate producer for a large range of reggae and dancehall singers/deejays. They were both stung into musical action by Punk music before becoming Reggae converts. And both felt there was a need/opening for high intensity, renegade ragga.

Q: Do you know the artists on album personally?
Warrior Queen is the Bug"s regular live MC as is On-U Sound collaborator Ras B. Whilst Wayne Lonesome and Mexican are also friends and sometime live accomplices.

Q: Any memorable experiences recording it?
Working with the somewhat erratic Cutty Ranks, who decided to insult the engineer and provoke the producer on several occasions, whilst getting severely blunted and seriously mashed up on guiness, before dropping some seriously homicidal lyrics on 'Boom Boom Claat'.

Q: Fave track and why?
Probably 'Killer Queen', because 'Killer' had previously been the most acclaimed Razor X release, yet Warrior Queen dared to version the original and mash up He Man's original stone cold dead.

Q: What else is in pipeline?
Just started the Ladybug label for projected recordings with female mcs and eclectic female singers. In the process of signing to Ninja for the next proper Bug album. Recording Grime/Dubstep as Pressure. Collaborating with Dub poet Roger Robinson for a new album. And instigating 'BASH' at Plastic People (A new dancehall, bashment, dub night), with Loefah from Digital Mystikz).

Q: The Bugs current top 5?
1/ Cham - 'Ghetto Story'
2/Slew Dem Productions - 'Grime Remix'
3/Beenie Man - 'Come Again'
4/Kode 9 ft Space Ape - 'Backward/9 Samouri'
5/Digital Mystikz - 'Haunted'

Catch The Bug on 13th Feb - BBC Radio 1 Mary Ann Hobbs show(With guest MCs Warrior Queen/Ras B/Jimmy Screech/Ricky Ranking/Banana Klan/Riko/Flowdan/Stush/Space Ape/Roger Robinson), 23rd Feb - BASH(Plastic People - London), 3rd March - Theckla Bristol, 13th April - Concorde Brighton
30th April - Glasgow Barrowlands.

A version of this appeared in Blues & Soul Magazine