The Shapeshifters

What is your earliest musical memory?
 
I [Simon] used to play trumpet at a very early age. I was around 8yrs old and was part of a school band and quartet, we used to travel to various schools and factories around the midlands and perform to the staff and kids in the canteens and assembly halls. Max was bludgeoned to death by his mum repeatedly playing Anita Ward's 'Ring My Bell'. Lucky boy I say!
 

Tell us about your first ever DJ gig/live performance...
 
I started running my own parties in 1992 and because I couldn't always afford superstar DJs I would play myself. Max started at the tender age of 14 when he lived in Spain; it was Fast Eddie 'Acid Thunder' all the way at Top 1 in Benidorm 88!
 

Who or what inspired you to start a career in music?
 
I had always wanted to be in music somehow from as early as my B.boy days in 1983. I was totally hooked on the lifestyle but had no idea how to even begin too make my way so I did next best thing which was just live it and attend every event and buy every record I could. After the Acid House era, in the early nineties, I felt I had enough confidence to begin running parties and it went from there really; you meet like minded people and expand your horizons. We both would have been lost without the invention of the sampler and raves!
 

What do you consider to be your greatest professional achievement?
 
Well obviously having a No.1 record is right up there but also the fact that we are still here and still making a living from what we love all these years later is pretty special too. Oh..and playing to over 100,000 people in Hyde Park was pretty dope also!
 

Any advice for budding young stars?

Wanna be a DJ? Start your own scene and learn your trade as a resident build up a following and stay true to yourself and your musical taste and style.