Warriors Come Out and Play!!
Ed Rush and Optical Live at Club Triangle in Osaka

“The warrior spirit is a mind that is calm in the face of conflict,” states Peyton Quinn, author of Real Fighting: Adrenaline Stress Conditioning. “It is a mindset that resists ‘freezing up’ during a conflict that causes the release of adrenaline into the bloodstream”.

Although it is this adrenaline rush that gives doctors, firemen, soldiers, teachers, and the like the energy to perform their day-to-day heroic tasks, it is the warrior spirit that undoubtedly empowers these professionals. Not only is this warrior spirit a prominent part of these heroes’ daily lives, but it is also a definitive characteristic of the nomadic-like world traveling Jungle/Drum and Bass (JDB) DJ. Apropos of the warrior spirit, JDB DJs exemplify this virtue by the manner in which they control a party’s vibe; and albeit unexpected obstacles, they manage to safeguard the evening’s essential objective: keeping the party alive. While the warrior spirit inspires JDB DJs to perform across the globe, it also intoxicates the hundreds of JDB enthusiasts who attend these events. It is this force that exhilarated JDB fans in early September at Osaka’s radiant Club Triangle as world renowned beat gurus, Ed Rush and Optical, concocted a mesmerizing array of sonic stimuli.

This being their fifth time performing in Japan, both Ed Rush (a.k.a. Ben Settle) and Optical (a.k.a. Matt Quinn) emphatically praise Japan’s ever-growing Jungle/Drum and Bass scene. “It’s wicked out there,” describes Ed Rush in an interview with Liquid Funk music magazine (www.liquidfunk.co.uk). “It’s really a good scene. You turn up at a proper club with a great sound system and it’s so futuristic.” And there is no one capable of judging a scene’s potential more than Ed Rush. He has been a heavy player in the JDB game since he started DJing at underground parties in the early 90s.
Ed Rush was originally exposed to hardcore (later known as JDB) as a teenager when he was taken to a larger-than-life underground outdoor rave party. Ed Rush was instantly captivated by the power a talented DJ had over his/her audience; and from that moment, he knew that he wanted to be a DJ. After a few years of DJing, Rush began to wonder what his own music might sound like. He soon teamed up with studio engineer Nico Sykes (No U-Turn Records) to create the darkcore classic “Bludclot Artattack” in 1993. While this track took listeners through the darkside realms of JDB, Rush’s beats soon found their way on a variety of acclaimed labels, such as Goldie’s Metalheadz and Grooverider’s Prototype. But it was not until tracks like “Kilimonjaro” and “Skylab” were produced that Ed Rush achieved undeniable pioneer status. “I’ve never really looked at [creating music] in that way,” Ed Rush confesses to Liquid Funk (www.liquidfunk.co.uk). “Always trying to do something different has been the main thing that has powered me. It’s nice to try and really push the boat out.” That boat immediately set sail the instance Optical jumped on board.
The two producer/DJs originally met in the late 90s while cutting dubplates at London’s music house, soon becoming good friends. “Optical brings his diverse musical talent and knowledge to the outfit, his overall understanding of textures and depth is second to none,” Ed Rush confesses to Pete Tong of Radio One BBC in a 1999 interview. Before combining sounds with Rush, Optical spent years developing an atmospheric neuro-funk drum and bass sound. This has become his staple. Some of Optical’s earlier ventures include tracks like “Double Vision” from his brother, Matrix, as well as his original “Shining,” both released on Metro Records (a label created by the Quinn brothers out of West London). Even before meeting, Ed Rush and Optical crossed paths when Optical started releasing mind-boggling sonic compositions on the same labels as Rush (like the aforementioned Metalheadz and Prototype labels), as well as more than half a dozen other labels.
Optical’s engineering expertise started to really grab people’s attention in 1998 when he played a large role in the production of the most-hyped jungle LPs of the year: Goldie’s SaturnzReturn and Grooverider’s Mysteries of Funk. These accomplishments were no small feat, being that both Goldie and Grooverider are two of JDB’s most prolific pioneers.

After individually making profound contributions to the JDB scene, Ed Rush and Optical teamed up in 1998 to create the high-powered seminal classic, Wormhole (which Ram Records virtuoso Andy C claims to be his favorite work of theirs to date). “Every song is very clinical and precise,” Andy C describes to an interviewer during the 2003 Winter Music Conference (WMC) in Miami, Florida. In the wake of Wormhole’s release, Ed Rush and Optical, as a team, have gone on to produce two critically acclaimed LPs, The Creeps (2001) and The Original Doctor Shade (2003); a smoothly sliced and diced mix album, Out of the Box (2004); an incredibly large catalog of club-banging single tracks; and their own label, Virus Records. Not only has this pair of aces flexed their creative muscles in the studio, but they have also taken their distinct sound to all the corners of the world. Whether performing from a rainforest cave in the jungles of Puerto Rico or the Viram party at the 2003 WMC, Ed Rush and Optical’s first-rate live performances have earned a reputation for excellence among club-goers worldwide. So how did these DJs earn such a great reputation across the globe? The most obvious answer is because of their success while touring, but to be a flourishing intercontinental JDB DJ requires more than merely spinning records before a crowd. Something esoteric is necessary: a warrior spirit.

From a fans perspective, though, the life of a world traveling JDB DJ is the quintessential dream job. These people not only get paid to perform in exotic locations, but also meet amazing people; make worldly connections; see their names and faces on flyers filled with foreign languages; and above all, have a fan base which parallels that of most rock bands on constant MTV rotation. Keeping all these gratifying perks in mind, it should behoove JDB fans to consider the imperative sacrifices a DJ must make in order to prosper. “We’re each married now, and I’ve got a kid, so I’m a dad most of the time,” Optical confesses to Matics of Earwaks (www.earwaks.com) in 2003 about his time off tour. During the same interview Ed Rush gives a more concise description of his downtime: “being with your wife, and trying to get your work done. That’s what life consists of…and getting on and off airplanes”.
Internationally successful JDB DJs Andy C, Roni Size, Ed Rush, and Optical all spend large amounts of time riding either planes, trains, or both. And when they do finally arrive at fascinating places (like Japan) most of their time is spent in hotels and clubs. Although these DJs meet exciting people from around the world, they have little time for socializing because of their regimented itinerary. Moreover, in many countries the language barrier makes the social atmosphere even more challenging. The time difference between countries is also something one must consider when consistently touring the globe. Occasionally, the time difference factor will work to the DJ’s advantage (For example, when London DJs start their set at midnight in Japan their inner clock is still programmed on London time, so it feels like they are performing in the afternoon). But in other countries the time change is so radical that the whole experience can be quite discombobulating. After these DJs complete their two or three days of international beat-driven mayhem they fly back home to spend time with their families. Then, once the jet lag wears off, these warriors get back on a plane and do it all over again. On the morning of September 2nd, that plane brought Ed Rush and Optical to Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan.


While Ed Rush and Optical were preparing for the fervor part of the evening’s festivities (in a hotel), a series of local Osaka JDB DJs known as Black Beatz Box used the humungous speakers placed at each corner of the dance floor, to start the evening off with an arsenal of seismic beats. The early portion of the evening started slow as club-goers trickled into Club Triangle; but once hometown hero, DJ Kenzi (part of the Black Beatz Box crew), stepped up to bat, the explosion of energy transported audience members into another dimension. Enhanced by laser lighting intertwined with high-octane visual stimulation, DJ Kenzi’s vivacious set sent spine-tingling rollercoaster-like shockwaves throughout the congested crowd. Any claustrophobic person would have gone berserk within five minutes of standing amongst this mob of JDB junkies. At its peak, DJ Kenzi’s set resembled a battle tank causing a path of devastation. By the time Ed Rush and Optical made their way through the gummy bear-esqe wave pool of punters to the DJ booth, the evening’s intensity level was teetering on the brink of insanity.

The picturesque moment came, however, as DJ Kenzi, perspiring from all the heat exuded by the crowd’s fierce dancing, handed the helm over to Ed Rush and Optical. After Ed Rush and Optical gave their respect to DJ Kenzi, Optical dropped the needle on his first record and started the crowd on a voyage through the smorgasbord of bone-crushing futuristic sounds. As thunderous noise reverberated through the impressive club acoustics, it became evident that Club Triangle was in the hands of professionals. Shifting between tracks, Ed Rush and Optical did not play side-by-side, but rather played a few tracks individually while trading places. Due to their impeccable timing during transitions a smooth continuity flowed throughout the set. Without looking at the turntables, it was extremely difficult to know who was spinning what track. But it was of no importance to the people dancing, since the crossfire between space-age video game soundtracks and sinister Alfred Hitchcock movie scores was the only thing understood.

Deep into the set, however, something organic transpired and pushed the night’s fury to its climax. With audience members showing signs of exhaustion from the four hours of continuous dancing, Ed Rush and Optical displayed their warrior spirit. By increasing the intensity of their sound, Ed Rush and Optical became everyone’s ventriloquists, sending pure energy to all the people on the dance floor. As the DJs’ energy fueled the crowd’s second wind, the people reciprocated, which in-turn inspired Ed Rush and Optical to push even harder; thus, a symbiotic relationship was formed between the DJs and audience members. Similar to old Native American tribal drum circles, a primal vibe magnetized off the throbbing echoes and diminished any signs of fatigue among club-goers. It was Ed Rush and Optical’s warrior spirit that kept the vivacious audience highly animated until the final beat.
Ed Rush and Optical finished their evening at the bar doing the celebrity thing: having their pictures taken with fans and being told how amazing their performance was. To this writer’s surprise, Ed Rush and Optical were both down-to-earth, genuine people. Sometimes JDB DJs have the reputation for being a bit disgruntled because they often perform with no sleep and are always in transition, but that stereotype was flung by the wayside as Ed Rush and Optical were nothing but smiles. When looking in Ed Rush’s eyes, though, it was evident that these years of traveling around the world had taken their toll on him; yet, this is what the job entails. In Japanese there is an expression, “sho-gai-nai,” which means, (quite literally) “It can’t be helped”. This Japanese phrase epitomizes Ed Rush’s philosophy on being and internationally renowned JDB DJ. Both he and Optical acknowledge the responsibility and diligence required for success in their line of work, and while age may slow them down in one area, their indestructible warrior spirit will forever secure them lasting youth in others.


Sam Frank © 2005

Journalist
The Oceanbun
www.theoceanbun.com

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