32k and everything after

In the beginning…

The first track Scambler laid down was programmed in Basic on a 32K BBC B. He was nine at the time and would probably like to tell everyone that it was something seriously funky. It was however the Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in G major reproduced as a series of electronic beeps. You may know it as the original theme tune to the Antiques Roadshow.

Early musical influences

During the eighties when Scambler was in his early teens, he was primarily influenced by Big Country and Nik Kershaw, but ABBA, Boney M, Status Quo, Glen Campbell, the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack and Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds were regularly played by his parents. As a result of watching too many Pink Panther cartoons and seventies TV cop shows, the seed for a later interest in jazzy lounge music and upbeat funky disco was surreptitiously planted.

After the release of Bon Jovi’s ‘Living on a prayer’, Europe’s ‘The final countdown’ and Def Leppard’s ‘Pour some sugar on me’ Scambler’s taste in music broadened and went down two quite distinct routes. In time one direction led to Pearl Jam, Faith No More, Judas Priest, Rage Against the Machine, Senser, Metallica, Slayer, Kill Switch Engage and the more industrial Nine Inch Nails. Over the years the second route led to lighter guitar-based music, such as Runrig, Del Amitri, The Hooters (great band name), Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Four of Us and Counting Crows.

Musical experimentation

By the age of fifteen Scambler had acquired an Amiga and started using OctaMED sequencing software to write music. The first version of OctaMED only allowed for four channels worth of music samples, which could total no more than 512K (and that included the operating system and the sequencing software).

Whilst at university Scambler got into clubbing and mid-nineties dance and rap got under his skin. At the age of nineteen Scambler invested in some more serious music hardware, starting off with a couple of Korg keyboards, a Yamaha drum machine and a new version of OctaMED that allowed for a 32 sound channels. During this period Scambler started to DJ and began mixing vinyl; something which totally altered his perspective on music composition and remixing. Particular influences during this time included the Beastie Boys, Snoop Doggy Dog, Utah Saints, The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, BT and Leftfield.

The unofficial first record

In his early twenties Scambler embarked on a serious attempt to write and produce an album, this time combining his array of musical hardware with a PC and more sophisticated mixing and sequencing software.

The album, entitled Event, consisted of a varied range of chillout, progressive house and trance music. Despite some tracks receiving positive reviews in music magazines, as well as several number one spots in well regarded download websites, Scambler wasn’t happy with some of the technical limitations that had restricted the production of Event.

After fine tuning hardware, software and the whole production process, Scambler started writing with a new creative freedom and far fewer technical limitations. Scambler’s creativity and ability to write such a profusion of different styles led to a problem however – how to output a debut album in a format that the majority of music listeners would like. Whilst considering various options Scambler continued writing and producing and in due course the answer came.

Official releases