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Right on target
Sculptor, DJ and Scotland's king of big beat, WRECKAGE knows how to make an impact.
Words: Rory Weller
You wonder why nobody thought of it before: make a bloody great gun, fill the barrel with loudspeakers. hook up the integral Walkman and there you are. top class ghetto blaster (geddit?).
This little creation is, rather alarmingly. only a small part of the life of Wreckage — or Alex Wright. as no-one calls him. He is Scotland’s big beat general in chief. signed to Wall Of Sound. the label synonymous with the genre and home to leaders of the scene. The Propellerheads. His monthly Edinburgh club Boogie Mo Dynamo. which he also DJs at, champions the distinctive big beat milieu of punk. hip hop and funk.
Wreckage’s recently released second single with Wall Of Sound. ‘Chase‘. has garnered outstanding reviews for its thunderous block rocking beats and unremitting. sampladelic smash and grab. Disney want to use the track in a trailer for a film about a mutant octopus that ravages California. Odd? It gets odder.
Originally from Nottingham. the 32~year-old moved to Fort William with his folks when he was six — they had decided to get away from it all. An early indication of his unconventional existence was when his dad built a nuclear bomb shelter in the garden. Not entirely normal really; potting shed. yes. bunker. no.
Wreckage spent a couple of years studying drawing and painting at art school in Edinburgh until he realised his tutors had a different agenda to him. Cartooning and graphic design excited him. but he admits that sitting at the drawing board ‘just drove me crazy’. Music had become a passion and he moved to London in 1984 to join a noisy experimental band called Cindy Talk. taking two years to record an album. In This World.
In the squats he had begun frequenting. he met legendary free party organisers Mutoid Waste who had' names like Hymen Strapadictame. The Rev Ratgod OBE and Baranoid Android. He began making sculptures out of scrap for their events. heavily influenced by the 2000AD future imperfect look. The Face described one of their warehouse
74 THE UST 23 Jan-S Feb 1998
the garden.
An early indication of Wreckage's unconventional existence was when his dad built a nuclear bomb shelter in
Wreckage: gunning for trouble
parties — The Battery Acid in 1986 — as ‘thc eycnt oi the decade‘.
They continued these perl'ormance/parties around the world. leaving a tank outside The Vatican and living for a while in a quarry in Rimini. Italy. It was on one of these jaunts. to a fashion show in Tokyo with a 25ft Godzilla made out of aeroplane parts. that
Club review
The 13th Note, Glasgow Glasgow’s many devotees of The
13th Note in Glasgow were left dismayed by the closure of the Glassford Street premises before Christmas. Now it is back — and what's more there are two of them. The beautiful cafe on King Street will host some band nights, while larger shows and club nights can be found a few moments’ walk away at the Clyde Street club.
The club is split into two levels: the upstairs bar and the basement club, both of which stay open until 3am. Manager Ian Baird has lined up hip hop and dub night Deep Fried on Fridays, which DJ Vadim and Cold Cut's Jonathan Muir will be playing on 13 March. Saturdays see jazz and Latin groove club Freeform taking
oven
On Sundays, Glasgow's only drum ’n' bass night First Contact goes off under the guidance of the highly talented Rob G and Kemal. Anyone who remembers their previous residency at Trash, will recall their atmospheric yet danceable blend of drum ’n’ bass. Although Scotland's drum ’n' bass scene has yet to explode like those of England or Germany, there is an enjoyable atmosphere at this club - boosted by its big dancefloor, with plenty of seats to accommodate the crowd of jungle enthusiasts.
During the week there are bands and a real mixture of clubs: ska and indie nights, plus some roots and world music, with Jilkes and Hatch of Knucklehead fame on the third Thursday of every month. No night
costs more than £3 to get into, and
Wreckage gave a tape to DJ Mekon who was working ; with Wall Of Sound. Three years ago they released
Wreckage lnc. Edinburgh two years hel'ore
trademark including the big yellow truck outside The Garage. (ilasgow and the industrial furniture in The Basement. Edinburgh.
‘l‘m putting the sculpture on hold and concentrating more on music.’ he says. ‘lt’s a bit of a tricky transition period. but it all seems to he going very well. I should have probably giyen tip sculpture sooncrf Odd bloke. great music.
Wreckage Dls at Boogie Mo Dynamo, The Venue. Edinburgh on Fri 6 Feb. 'Chase' is out now on Wall Of Sound.
his first single ‘Salyagc‘ as f He had moycd hack to
and continued making his sculptures.
the management don't anticipate charging more than £10 even on guest nights. (Sarah Lowndes)
3 First (To/itat t is every Sunday; 70pm 3.3m, fret) before 17pm, u aftwwards
Robert Johnston, 24, artist: 'I like the venue a lot, it’s a nice place to sit and drink. There's a good, unfrantic atmosphere.’
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