Queens of Jungle: Interview with Reid Speed

Queens of Jungle: Interview with Reid Speed

25 September, 2008 | 5.09PM

• Written by: Dan Cole
• Filed under: Music News: beep!, breakbeat science, breakdown, reid speed

Reid Speed is one of America’s biggest female DJs, playing host to a veritable mix of drum & bass, breaks, beats and basslines.

From her starting point of mixing jungle compilations for Breakbeat Science, through to her productions under the guise of Beep! and Breakdown, and more recently forming an all female jungle supergroup with Shortee and MC Tali, Reid Speed has a big player within the bass driven party world.

Beatportal managed to steal some of Reid Speed’s time to get the low down on where it all began, and where it’s all going.

How did you get into DJing and what was the first record you bought?

I used to make mixtapes throughout childhood.

Dual cassette deck style, waiting till the song I wanted came on the radio, cutting snippets in from newscasts or preachers to tell a story.

When I went to my first rave, I realized, there exists this art form where I could do what I’d been doing all those years, but LIVE for thousands of people, right there with you!

My first record purchase was at Satellite Records in NY and included ‘Motherfucker/ Sky’ on Philly Blunt, ‘Super Sharp Shooter/So Damn Fresh’ on Ganja, and ‘Peace Love & Unity/ And Remember Folks’ on True Playaz.

Your first releases were drum & bass mix compilations on Breakbeat Science – how did these come about?

The Breakbeat Science mixes came about a year after I had stopped working at the store.

They were doing well with the label, clothing line, and the store. 

I was traveling a lot, playing around the US, and several other labels had approached me.

It was just the right time to collaborate and the results were two of my favorite mixes I’ve ever made.

With Breakdown and Beep! your productions tailor more towards breaks and bassline. What is it regarding this scene that’s become appealing do you think, and who’s influencing you at the moment?

The bassline/ fidget movement and dubstep are a lot about speed garage / 2-step and classic breakbeat being revisited as modern party music, which seems to be its appeal.

I come from a jungle / speed garage background, so it’s only natural for me to want more sub and edits and gunshots and breakbeat fills, AND good clean production.

The fidget/bassline scene is full of “post ravers” who heard this all back in ‘97 (or ‘93!) and crave the excitement, ex-drum & breaks heads over the seriousness of that scene but who still love the music, and tons of younger people who are learning about the music new, today.

And that’s exciting. Both Breakdown and Beep! have both been influenced a lot by Twocker, LA Riots and Vandalism. 

Breakdown, also by Machines Don’t Care, Hot Pink Delorian, Lee Mortimer, Mikey Hook, Bryan Cox, Kelavra, ... and so many more…

What’s big in California at the moment – and how does the scene there differ from the rest of the world?

LA has a crazy scene right now.

Its the only place I’ve seen that has not only a huge 18 +/ 21+ electro crowd but also a massive all-ages hipster scene.

Kids are becoming empowered younger than ever, and are making big things happen here.

Huge weeklies like Dance & The Heist where 1500 kids come out and rage every Tuesday and Thursday are commonplace and starting to merge with the older hipster scene as it grows up a bit.

But that’s just the electro/house/indie/dance side of things.

LA is home to an amazing drum & bass scene with Respect, Bassrush, Adrenaline, and other weeklies.

Dubstep is huge with Pure Filth and Smog celebrating 2 years...LA is a huge party town.

What’s it like to team up with Shortee and MC Tali for ‘Queens of Jungle’?

Shortee is one of the best DJs in the world.

Tali took the drum & bass world by storm and is one of my favorite MCs.

To team up with them is like a dream come true.

I only wish we all had more time, and lived closer together so we could tour more often.

Playing with them is the closest I’ve ever felt to what it might be like to jam with an amazing band!

Would you agree that there is an apparent lack of female DJs and producers within drum & bass at the moment? What do you think this is caused by?

I think drum & bass suffers from a lack of female presence because it’s got a “boys club” mentality. 

It’s hard enough for new male artists to break into the inner circle of labels without being a friend of those in control.

Women in the same situation don’t stand a chance.

I can think of rwo female US-based D&B producers who have released on the big ten labels.

Women are not encouraged to participate, if we ever get any attention, we get our looks rated instead of people caring about our mixes or upcoming shows.

And all the guys slam dancing in the circle or standing at the front arms folded, grimace-faced, trainspotting—they certainly don’t make us feel welcome.

What else should we expect from Reid Speed soon?

From Beep! ‘Pastafari’ on Promo Records, due out in October.

From Breakdown ‘Team Axel’ on Promo Records which is out now.

A release on Illeven Eleven, a remix for Rico Tubbs and MC Flipside, as well as forthcoming remixes on PBR Recordings and Palms Out.

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