Rick Donohue So, you’re not originally from Nottingham. Why did you come here and why did you stay?

That’s right, I’m from Manchester and I came here to study Fine Art in 1991. A massive part of why I stayed was music. I was already heavily into music, but this is where I started DJing. I’d already bought second-hand decks back in Manchester, from an advert in the back of the Evening News. So, I’d had decks for a year – in Mum and Dad’s house, annoying them – but it was only when I got here that I started DJing in front of people.

Did you abandon the fine art?

Not entirely, but records and record shops were starting to take up more of my time. I did get my degree, and I still love art and design. Music, art, photography, fashion, architecture – it’s all the same ballpark to me. Pattern, rhythm, composition, tone, feel.

Do you remember your first paid DJ gig? How long after you’d started to play as an ‘amateur’ was it?

Yeah, it was in a little bar called Bellamy’s, where Pandora’s Box is now. That was my first gig and my first residency. A couple of mates and myself approached them and we were there for a couple of years, while I was still a student. I was doing other part-time jobs as well. I did admin for the Mental Health Act Commission, near the castle, the first summer I was here. That’s probably a big reason why I ended up staying here and connecting with the city a lot more. A lot of students go home in summertime, but by staying I got to meet the real people of Nottingham and crossed that line of just being a student. And I started to establish good relationships with people who were working behind the counters of all the record shops. I just sort of fell into it, really. I started getting good reaction from people on dancefloors, so… That was my indoctrination.

By this time, of course, post-‘Summer of Love’, DJing had started to become a ‘career option’ – even if some people would end up focussing too much on the career and not enough on the music. Was there anyone in your immediacy, someone who you’d maybe seen or heard live, or someone who you just knew about that was a major inspiration at that time?

Oh my word, yeah! Quite a few. Where do I start? In my immediacy, it was DJs like Tim and Max from DiY, along with all of that crew. My mates Sean and Brendan, who I DJed with at Bellamy’s. Gary Prail aka Gary Funky Monkey and Dave Smith from Funky Monkey. Jonathan Woodliffe, Vimto and Doctor Derek who used to work behind the counter in Arcade Records. Pablo – who I used to do a night called ‘Fever’ with at The Skyy Club. Allister Whitehead, of course! Dave Kerslake from Just Grooves, Tony Global… I could go on…

Early Notts influence: DiY

So, once you’d got that residency did you feel kinda, ‘Well, I’m a DJ now’?

No, not at all. It’s always felt like a privilege to be able to play records to people. I know anyone can drop a needle on record, and at the end of the day you’re playing other peoples music. But beat mixing tunes, programming, reading the crowd, working a sound system, getting a dancefloor hot and sweaty… That’s when I started to feel like I was becoming a DJ.

Can it be overblown into an artform when it’s more a case of setting a mood? Craft rather than art, say?

It’s not for me to say whether it’s an artform. I’ve got lots of passion for my craft though. Arts and crafts, yeah?

Do you like playing to a brief or having carte blanche? As someone who plays across genres, do you think there are too may pigeonholes these days?

I think people’s music tastes in general started getting more and more sophisticated toward the end of the 1990s, because of more interest in underground music, and better radio. Especially since the advent of the internet and being able to share music that way. If you’re a DJ playing in a mainstream venue then of course you’re going to have to cater to a wider demographic, but I still believe you can lever in those records that will challenge people’s ears a bit and help them discover more music. So, I think it can be done – I know it can be done. But I’ve never really had a brief, anywhere I’ve played. I’ve been left to my own devices. It’s my job to link those different genres and records in an interesting way. Saying that, I do work with different bands and venues that will ask me to play, say, an afrobeat-based set, or a hip-hop set, or a soul set. Pigeonholes are handy for filing records in a shop, though!

Are there any genres you don’t particularly like?

Not really, although I obviously have my favourite areas. I think there’s probably something interesting in all genres, something to explore. Erm, gabba and hard house is not for me, if you pushed me. Ha!

Obligatory (and in this case unrepresentative) 'moody DJ' press shot

Once you’d got your feet under the turntables here and there, you started working in (the sadly defunct) Funky Monkey for a long time – how did that come about?

Well, it was quite a few years before that happened. I flitted about doing quite a few gigs – the Hippo [which then became The Bomb], where I did a few student gigs; The Skyy Club; The Maze. I guess I started in Funky Monkey around 1999. I’d known Gary Prail, who started up the shop, for years having bought records off him, and DJed with him, so when they needed someone part-time, I was there. I went full-time within a few months. But we were obviously in the golden era of selling records then. I’ve got a lot to be thankful to him and Dave Smith for.

Good times, I imagine?

Very much so. I’d never really imagined myself being the other side of the counter, having been a long time customer, but after a few weeks, it felt like home. I miss working in a record shop to this day. Badly.

What about the decline of record shops as the epicentre for a whole subculture?

Well, yeah, we’ve seen what’s happened in the last few years with independent record shops, digitisation, etc, but for me, as a working DJ, vinyl’s gone nowhere. It’s always been there. Loads of record shops have closed and yet I truly believe that new independent shops will start to open again. I think if you maybe sell some coffee and cake in there, some turntables, nice books and a bit of clothing, you know, then it could work. They are important cultural hubs for people working in music. In Selectadisc and Funky Monkey we used to have regulars that would to travel over from Birmingham, Sheffield and Derby.

What about famous shoppers? Well I’ll never forget the week John Peel came into Funky Monkey. It was when Radio 1 were broadcasting from Nottingham for a whole week, I’m guessing 2002. Anyway, when he walked into the shop I was that gobsmacked I couldn’t actually say anything. He came in with a couple of his producers. Dave served him and just stood there in awe.

Look who popped into the shop...

What did he buy?

I wish I could remember. I was serving somebody else at the time.

Was that the most starstruck you’ve been?

That moment and loads of others: I get starstruck by anyone famous. Ha! But that same week I took a phonecall in the shop from James Baillie, who said, “Hi Rick, what are you doing tonight?” I said, “Well, I’m coming down to The Bomb, aren’t I James, ‘cos Gilles Peterson's playing down there”. He was broadcasting his BBC Worldwide show, which was on Wednesday nights at midnight back then, from The Bomb that night. James asked, “You don’t fancy warming up for him, do you?” I was like, “Yeah, of course I do! Thanks for asking. It’ll be an honour!” So, Gary let me go home an hour early – I took the phonecall at about 3.30 – so I could sort out a box of records and head back into town. And that’s when I got starstruck. I mean, you’ll probably hear the influence of Gilles Peterson if you hear me DJ – him, Bob Jones and Norman Jay are massive influences. I remember seeing Norman Jay DJing in the Hippo, beat-matching funk 45s. But anyway, it went really well. Gilles’ crew were great, Rob Gallagher [Earl Zinger] was on the mic, Karen P producing. What I didn’t realise was that I’d have to go back on after him. I was in the middle of the dancefloor and they were beckoning over to me to get back on the decks. I thought they were just waving at first!

Playing devil’s advocate for a moment, is your idea for a resurgence of record stores wishful thinking?

Probably, yeah. I guess I’m looking at it through rose-tinted glasses. It’s never going to be what it was, but there’s still a demand for records and record shops.

Are you militant about only playing vinyl?

No, not at all. I think you’d struggle to notice the difference between vinyl and a well-recorded WAV. I get sent a lot of digital promos that I’ll burn to CD and play the same night. A lot of them come out on vinyl anyway, and if I like it, I’ll buy it. Vinyl has gone nowhere for me. Why am I going to bother digitising my music when I can take them out on vinyl? It can be impractical, I guess, but not if you’re not travelling too much – it’s worth making the effort carrying those heavy boxes. People still like to see DJs play records.

Rick D's customised Box of Delights

Of course, it doesn’t – or shouldn’t – matter at all whether you can “see” the DJ…

Well I was about to agree, but I think people do like to see who’s playing the tunes, and have someone to bounce off. Vice versa for the DJ. It’s important for the DJ to be able to see how the music is working. Personally, I like to be on the same eye-level as the dancefloor so I can really see what’s going down, and I feel part of the crowd. For me, the centre of attention are the dancers on the dancefloor, not the DJ.

Of course, the era of superclubs and whatnot likes to put the DJ in a pulpit, like a rockstar-deity. How did those boom years affect you (not that Nottingham had any superclubs, really)? Did your fees get a bump?

Hahaha, well, I’ve never really been into promotion. Maybe I should have been. I’ve never had an agent. I worked in Media when it had Renaissance, but I’ve always been a second room DJ, or a back room DJ, because of my eclecticism. I’m happy being there. I can do main room sets, to a degree, but my world is not that world. I’m in it for the long-haul, and learning more and more every year. When I saw DJ’s going off to Ibiza and far-flung places, I was selling some of those guys their records, you know, and I could see how much money they were earning. But a lot of what they were playing is not really me. It’s not where my heart is. Without wanting to sound too cheesy, I had to stay true to what I wanted to play.

Aside from Gilles, any other memorable DJ gigs you’ve played?

One of my faves – one that I’m most proud of – was in Nottingham’s own Market Square. It was for the Big Wheel, an organisation that promotes green transport: cycling, trams, buses. It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, and there was a huge Turbosound soundsystem. Shaanti Soundsystem from Birmingham and myself had the honour of providing the sounds that day. The reason I’m proud of that one is because my Mum and Dad came down from Manchester, and loads of my friends with their newly born little ones, so that was very special.

Which track smashed it?

Actually, I have a very clear memory. It was a track by The Underwolves called Prema Redentor. Manga Singh from Shaanti Soundsystem ran over to ask me what it was. It’s a drum ‘n’ bass tune from a couple of London producers, and recorded with the Bollywood String Orchestra in Mumbai. Beautiful.

Rick D: NG's GP

Am I right in saying you’ve not produced a record yourself?

I’ve not produced a record, no. I’m credited on a few records though. I’ve done a bit of drum programming for friends while in the studio, stuff on Rubberneck records. I’ve provided samples and loops for stuff, too. I sat in on a few studio sessions with Max Essa and Tim White, who had records out on DiY. Recently I’ve been working with Justin Turford aka Ex-Friendly, a bit of scratching and some samples, but he really needs a proper band for his music I think.

What about other DJ heroes? You mentioned Gilles, Norman Jay…

Well, closer to home there’s Paul Wain, aka Hot Lizard. I was always aware of Paul as a DJ but never really got to know him until he started popping into Funky Monkey. Later we DJed together every week for years at Bluu, then worked side by side in Selectadisc, so Paul’s a big inspiration to me, a lovely man and a great friend. P Brothers – I remember seeing them DJing at an old club by the station called Miro’s. Tim ‘Love’ Lee, who was the first person I DJed with on Power FM, the old pirate station. Mr Skip, a true connoisseur…

You’re going to name everybody, aren’t you?

Course I am. This is the problem. Jonathan Woodliffe, who sold me tons of the early records – and I still play them – from Arcade. He’s fundamentally important to me. [Rick proceeded to list several more names, often prefaced with “you’ll have to mention…” often followed by “who else? I’m worried I’m going to miss someone out because I know so many people”. Trust me: you were probably on the list.]

Other good gigs?

Tough question… It all gets a bit hazy. Any of the nights at The Bomb, of course! The Sugarhill Gang turning up at Saltwater; such nice guys. Some of my favourites would be in Sherwood Forest. My friends Beccy and Martin set up a festival there – Sola Festival – near Edwinstowe. Conrad from Idjut Boys DJed at one of them. That was great; the setting was incredible. I should DJ outside more. I got offered Shambala Festival last year, a couple of weeks before, but I couldn’t make it ‘cos I was already booked. Hope I get to play there this year!

Malt Cross, where Rick floats beats around "one of Nottingham's most beautiful buildings"

Where in Nottingham do you play at the moment?

Saltwater, where I’ve been resident for the last eight years. The Malt Cross, one of Nottingham’s most beautiful buildings, I reckon. Spanky’s, which I love. The sound system’s great and you get a great mixture of people. I love playing with bands at Nottingham Contemporary. Love the Jam Café, of course, and gonna be back there on Saturday March 22. Really looking forward to be warming up for Gilles Peterson again soon, so big respect to MIMM and its founder Nathaniel for putting that night on. That’s gonna be on Sunday Bank Holiday May 4, at the Irish Centre. Twenty-Eight on Pelham Street is always great. Other than that I play a lot one-off gigs in all sorts of new spaces, with lots of new bands and DJs. Keeps an oldie like me on me toes!

What has been your favourite record Made in Nottingham down the years?

Very tough question… Well, a recent one is the latest Harleighblu cut, off a four-track EP on Tru Thoughts. Definitely feeling that. Love a lot of Matt Cutler’s music, aka Lone, now signed to R&S records. Loads of Charles Webster’s records; that goes without saying: the Don! P Brothers, Cappo, Jugganaut, Bent, Schmoov!, Crazy P, Essa, Danny Berman aka Red Rack’em, Coyote, Kamal’s tunes – Geiom. Again, I could go on, and I’ll still forget people and tunes. Argh!

How many records do you own, roughly?

I don’t actually know. Too many to fit into one room. I’m running out of space at home.

So what would be your fantasy gig?

Blimey!

I’ll give you a time-machine.

That makes it harder!

Any club, any year…

You know what, it would just be on a beach with my mates. Forget the clubs. I’d be a happy man.

opener

And what records might you begin and end your set with?

That’d just depend on that night, what the weather was like, what the place was like, who was there. I never really plan sets too much, I have an idea of what I want to play, but beyond that it just kind of works itself out. Records are seasonal for me, like food. I don’t know… an opener… the Mr P Remix of The Cinematic Orchestra, Evolution. A gorgeous, gorgeous record to start a set with. And a closer… erm...

If it was your dream gig on the beach…

Maybe this is a bit obvious as well, but Nu Yorican Soul, Black Gold of the Sun, the 4Hero mix. It’s still got it.

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WHAT RICK D’S NOTTS PEERS HAVE TO SAY

Ste Allen, Dealmaker Records

I love his taste, especially on a chillout tip. Having said that, he also held the best dancefloor of 2013 one Saturday night in Jam Café: an esoteric, banging tune selection experienced at 10 to 15 “what the fuck is this!?!” per hour. Danny Berman, aka Red Rack'em/Hot Coins Rick sold me most of the best records in my collection and was a tough critic of my early attempts at music production. I can remember some tracks being taken off after literally thirty seconds in Funky Monkey. It was a tough but necessary schooling. I am proud to say he pays good money for most of my records these days – that means more to me than anything as he has one of the best soul-based record collections around. Rick as a DJ is second to none and it was a fine moment recently in Berlin when my friend DJ Elizabeth (from one of the best nights, Leaves) excitedly told me about an “amazing DJ from Nottingham” she had just discovered on Soundcloud. Who do you think that was then…?

A selector's selector

Adam Pickering, Sounddhism

Rick is one of the most passionate and professional DJs in Nottingham, with digging skills, apt selections and a natural affinity for great mixing that elevate him from the pack. He also happens to be the biggest gentleman in the business and a bit of a looker, too.

Pete Woosh, DiY

Rick – Funky Monkey Rick, in fact – always greeted us with a smile and serviced us with a smile too. Alongside Dave and Gary, he always gave us top tunes to play at the weekend. And as a DJ, what can you say? The man has impeccable taste.

Parisa Eliyon, Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

Rick's the kind of DJ you constantly walk up to asking, “What on earth is this?” or “Where did you find such a sound?” He's most certainly a master of wax, with immaculate taste, artisan collection and the sweetest charm a man could ever have.

Justin Turford, aka Ex-Friendly

Apart from being a great friend, Rick is one of the best and most committed DJs that I've ever worked with. He's always hungry for the freshness of a new sound and his support for music-makers, local or global, is invaluable. To be honest, he's always my first choice if I need a party rocking!

Joff Casciani, designer and DJ (Truth & Lies)

Ricky D is always a musical inspiration and a true pro. This is a man who doesn't need a laptop with a million tracks, he's got the records, they’re in his bag, and he knows what to do with them. Never stop spinning!

Charles Webster, Miso Records

One of the few local guys I’ll make the effort to go and see play, usually up at Spanky’s on Sunday afternoons. You need guys to inspire a generation, like DiY in the 90s or, before that, Jonathan from Arcade Records – if he was playing it, you’d buy it – and Rick is that, but he should be more recognised as that. He works bloody hard finding great new stuff. All the time. A proper DJ. If I ruled the world, he’d be David Guetta: playing great eclectic music on a beach in Ibiza for thousands of pounds a night. But it’s an incredibly unfair world.