Before we get into anything, if you could run down how things have been for you in '98 as a whole, including the CD that came out this fall and Platinum...

Damian: '98 was a pretty busy year. one of the big things that occured for me was switching booking agents. My booking used to be handled by Michelle Lolli, who works for URB Magazine, but due to a heavy workload on her part, I needed to sign on with someone who was doing dj bookings full time. In March I hooked up with AM Only out of NYC. They handle a lot of the major djs in the states right now, so I figured the choice was a no-brainer. Ever since then, I have been kept pretty busy playing the party circuit. In August I was booked 23 out of 31 days! Another big thing for me in 1998 was starting up Philadelphia's only 21+ drum and bass weekly - Platinum. I was approached in December of '97 by the club owner of Fluid (a local club) and he told me that he was interested in starting up a drum and bass night and that he was keen on getting me in as the main resident. At that point he was offering Tuesday night, which I had to decline because that was the night of the long-running 'Next Step' drum and bass weekly that my friend Mouse was doing. A month went by and then he came back with a Thursday night offer. I told him that I would only do it if I had full control over the night, including all dj bookings, flier design, etc. I had a concept for a night that would be similar to Metalheadz @ the Blue Note in London...a night that showcased a more upfront, technical sound with an emphasis on dark and jazzy. I explained my idea to him and we both agreed that it was a good thing. Soooo, in February of '98, Platinum was started up with myself and dj Kaos as resident djs and Dub2 as our resident mc. It has been running pretty smoothly ever since. Another highpoint for me in '98 was my new mix cd that was released on Sixeleven Records (611 dj Mixseries 1). It was especially nice because on this one I was able to hand select all of my own tracks, which was not the case with my first two releases on Suburban Base USA. The end result was something I was very pleased with...it definitely showcased my sound more than anything else in the past (except for personal mix tapes). Also this year, I become tangled up in some legal disputes over my dj name. I had been aware for some time of a punk group known as 'Diesel Boy' from San Francisco. In January of '98, I received word that they had hired an attorney and that they were asking me to stop using the name 'Dieselboy' because ravers were showing up at their gigs thinking I was going to be there and because they felt I was 'trading on their goodwill'- meaning I was trying to sell cds using their 'fame'. I immediately did some homework and discovered that they had only been around since 1993, and that their first actual release was a 7" record on an indie label that was put out in late '96 or '97. At that point I applied for a trademark on my name and also contacted my own attorney, who basically told them to fuck off. They threatened me a few more times but it finally came down to me proving that not only had I been using the name longer, but I had a cd out in major stores before their first record (not to mention my first release on Tech Itch came out in '95). At this point I haven't heard from them in awhile. At one other point during the year, Diesel clothing contacted me and asked me to also stop using the name 'Dieselboy' because they had recently started having a dj play records in their NYC store and they thought people would get confused. It was ridiculous! Fortunately when I explained the situation to them and my attorney called them, they decided to call it off. Other than the whole legal name debate tho, '98 was a pretty slammin year.

What were your intentions with Platinum from the start? And as far a more mature sense of drum bass in concerned, do you feel that the older audiences are key to the acceptance of d'n'b in this country nowadays or does it still depend on support mainly from the younger generations of kids/ravers and whoever else......

I had been pretty annoyed by the fact that most of the people I had been playing for were becoming less and less accepting of the new styles of drum and bass that were hitting the scene. People were trapped in this little 1996 timebubble and all they wanted to hear were tunes with hip-hop or ragga samples and jump-up basslines. I was discovering that a lot of kids at parties didn't even really care about new music at all . It was during this time that I was offered the night for Platinum, and I had a theory that I wanted to test out - (that) an older crowd can appreciate progressive drum and bass. When I started up Platinum, I made fliers that were minimal and with really clean type (more on the Designers Republic /Airline tip) and I sorta promoted the club as a place for the 'mature' crowd to hear 'sophisticated' drum and bass. I was trying to draw in the older headz that had been burnt out going to parties with a younger crowd but still liked to hear some good loud upfront jungle. I quickly found out that the theory was true...that we didn't have to bring in jump-up drum and bass to get the club rockin'. People were appreciative of what we were trying to do. Platinum is a place where we can pretty much play as jazzy or dark as we want and people we will get into it. We don't have to worry about dropping any rave hits or commercial tunes. Our crowd is open minded. I am really proud of what we have accomplished at the club...we have a great space, a steady crew of regular 'Platinum agents', loud clean sound, solid lineups and the feeling that as a whole everyone involved hasn't had to compromise the integrity of the music. What's funny is that most people probably don't realize that me and the rest of the residents (Method One and Dub2) don't make a dime off of the club! We give all of our money to the guests that come through. We are running it because we truly do love the music and want to provide a venue for likeminded headz to get their weekly drum and bass fix. As far as drum and bass gaining further aceptance in this country, it is going to be up to everyone, both the young and old crowd. Typically, the jump-up sound draws in the younger crowd, and as they spend more time in the scene, they 'mature' to other styles (be it the jazzy Bukem stuff, or something more on the deep Optical tip). All styles need to be represented to keep things running smoothly, so long as people continue to keep an open mind about what they are hearing.

As far as '98, what producers/labels really blew up this year in your opinion, and what do you think we have to look forward to in '99 as far the current status quo of producers.....

Well, obviously people such as Optical, Ed Rush, Jonny L and Andy C have made their permament mark on the scene in '98 (tho they have been around for awhile before). Peshay would have really blown up this year if his album had been released. Virus, Ramm, Prototype and V have secured themselves as top labels (and Moving Shadow was very very consistent). In '99, I think that the '98 heavyweights will carry over, but some of the people that have been remaining a little quiet (Technical Itch, Photek, etc) will be hurting some people with new material (hold tight for the Krust album!).

What would you like to see in '99, musically and scene-wise here in the US?

I would like to see people open their minds a bit more to the concept of 'new sounds'. It always seems like the djs are 6 months to a year ahead of everyone musically. We are busting our asses cutting plates and having tests and promos and new tunes overnighted to us, when all that people want to hear are the big tunes from the year before. Drum and bass thrives on musical progression, and until this philosophy is embraced, the jungle scene will never fully move forward.

Being Dieselboy, what the hell is left to accomplish for yourself? What would you like?

Production production production. I am working on a new tune for a Tech Itch compilation that will be released in early '99. I am *still* planning on building a studio (as my apartment space permits) very soon. I have been figuring out what I want for my initial setup. I want to start playing overseas more than I have been in the past few years. I want to continue to put out quality tapes and cds. I want to keep up the dj'ing. I want to continue to beat my roomate Nigel's ass in video games. I want to say thanks to everyone that has come out to see me play. I want something to eat...