Shut Up And Dance

FOLLOW THE BEATS: BreakBeat Energy’s Monthly EDM Newsletter – December 2009

BreakBeat Energy was offered the opportunity to drop in on Shut Up And Dance and ask some questions.

BreakBeat Energy: Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions. Shut Up And Dance has been a huge influence on the scene for the past 2 decades. Tell us about your beginnings and how SUAD has evolved with the times?

SUAD: We started out on our own sound system called “Heatwave” Back in the day, Smiley, PJ, Dj Daddy & Dj Hype had built it.. we broke into many a building to start our own illegal raves back in 1986. This was the done thing back then and we were rappers on the sound system but were also trying to get a record deal. No record label would sign us up, and so after many knock backs we decided to start our own label, Shut Up And Dance Music.

BreakBeat Energy: Around what time did you guys realize that SUAD was gonna be something big?

SUAD: When we put out our first release 5,6,7,8, people went crazy for it, so from the start we were lucky in some ways; but also we were focused on offering up something different. We knew People would respond to that if it was done in the right way.

BreakBeat Energy: Over the course of your careers, who has been the biggest influence on your music?

SUAD: We have been influenced by every genre of music, from reggae to pop to rap to techno to dancehall to house etc, but people that inspired us were: Derrick May, Prince, Michael Jackson, Jah shaka, James Brown.

BreakBeat Energy: Your new album “How The East Was Won” recently debuted. What can you tell us about that?

SUAD: How The East Was Won is a compilation representing & celebrating 20 years of the Shut Up And Dance Record Label, And also Shut Up & Dance as recording artists. We started the label in 1989 and are still going strong in 2009, so we we’ve put together a collection of classic tracks we’ve released over that period and trust me…it’s sounding good!!!

BreakBeat Energy: Is there anything new in the works the masses should keep an eye out for in the near future?

SUAD: A new Shut Up & Dance artist album in 2010, it doesn’t have a title yet, but it’s sounding FAT!!! We’re trying to develop a new sound, so watch this space.