Nick (aka DJ Skunk)'s Profile

“Positive and high energy dancing music from all around the world is what draws people to DJ Skunk’s gigs.”

“When it comes to World Music I don’t know anyone who has a larger or better collection of dance tracks than DJ Skunk”

My strap line is “ come ready to dance…..” and people of all ages certainly do just that. From 7 to 70 they can’t resist the grooves I play, be it hip hop from Cuba, African techno, Gypsy rumba, Asian breaks or old skool Jamaican reggae.

I grew up listening to pirate radio and on a musical diet of Motown, soul and rock and my early heroes include Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana. In order to hear new music, I even used to bunk off school to get to see those famous 60s’ films Easy Rider and Woodstock.  This led on to my going to many varied concerts in London in the 70’s to widen my musical taste. Osibisa’s memorable gig at a packed, and swelteringly hot, Imperial College, where Stevie Wonder guested on drums, remains one of my highlights. At that time, I always eagerly awaited the arrival of the new Santana album.

Through my Jamaican girlfriend and contact with the Anglo-Carribean community in Bath I became immersed in the sounds of ska and reggae by hearing Desmond Dekker, Prince Buster, The Ethiopians and early Bob Marley and the Wailers. I love to dance and also believe that dancing feeds the soul; so these artists’ music fuelled my passion.

In the early 80s I connected with an African music-loving neighbour and was introduced to the sounds of King Sunny Ade, Gaspar Lawal and Fela Kuti. I now had a whole new continent of music to explore and this was helped along by listening to Andy Kershaw’s radio programmes. I was always looking for new music to explore and dance to, the dawning of the World Music genre gave me access to an even wider musical spectrum.

By now friends were asking me to play a session at their parties and then sometimes to bring my own sound system as well.

I often looked for World Music at the Boat Race, where the sounds of Ivo Papasov and of the the Bhundu Boys could sometimes be heard, and I frequented DJ DeKaDans gigs at the old “Flambards”.

Dancing was the draw at the Devonshire Arms where DJ Elizabeth and her colleagues played for Club Africa and this led to me being asked to take a DJ slot there. Now I really began to realise and practise my love of playing music for people to dance to.

I invested in a more powerful sound system and started to play more widely, at house parties, events and at the infamous Arts Cafes in Cambridge, where I collected the name DJ Skunk.

I’ve now played in a whole variety of places. At the Junction for Global Grooves and at the Peterborough Sambabash, also at Brazilian and Capoeira nights at the Boatrace, at salsa nights at the Man in the Moon and for Café Afrika at Clowns Café and CC’s Bar.

As one of the N.I.C.E.R. DJ collective I’m a regular at CALABASH on Tuesdays at the Devonshire Arms. I’m also a regular DJ at the monthly event BareFoot Dance, upstairs at the Junction.

My newest project is Salon Darbuka where I can be heard playing Arabic, Turkish, Gypsy, and Mediterranean grooves to dance to….

I see World Music as the most exciting musical genre today with many other types of music borrowing from it and wanting to fuse with it.

Music is an ancient, spiritual and universal language and World Music has a hopeful future as a way of countering racism and the polarisation of peoples across the world by both terrorists and warmongers. Support it!

For playing at parties, gigs, and other events etc. I can be contacted on 07815 126227, or by email at nick@calabash.org.uk

You can see Nick's list of favourite tracks here.

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