Richie Ruftone

Name Morphos

Location Edinburgh. Scotland Occupation Producer of loud. banging noise.

Info please Morphos aka Graeme Marshall had a simple yet logical path to becoming one of Scotland's most respected underground techno producers. As the man himself explains. ‘I got a set of decks. started buying tunes. bought a computer and started writing tunes}

Short and sweet, I like it. Care to fill in the blanks?

Like any decent tradesman, R88 HIP HOP

Marshall did some thorough HOLLA! readers may recall is a five times Scottish DMC research before embarking on Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Sat 13 Jan champion, a three times European ITF scratching

his chosen career. Hours of champion, and a previous resident DJ at high profile groundwork were put in on the While the need for another R&B club in Edinburgh is clubs such as Tribal Funktion, Scratch and Motherfunk. dancefloors of various local clubs debatable, perhaps it takes just one of sufficient quality Gee has the pedigree to make something like this work, including Sublime. Normal and to raise the tone of the whole scene. Although they’ve in other words, and he promises a set which also

Lift where a young Morphos often been caricatured and not always unfairly - as borrows from hip hop, soul and dancehall.

watched, learnt and danced the natural habitat of blinged-up teenage footballer’s ‘There has never been an R&B night at the Liquid quite a lot too, wives wannabes and hormonal boys sporting out-of- Room’, says Gee, ‘but I firmly believe that Holla’s here What’s the tech spec on date Hoxton fins, the fact that one of Edinburgh’s to stay. With so many similar house and dance events this one then? He's worked premier clubs has recently joined in seems to be a sign at the club, it’s a refreshing change to hear a new style with most of the popular music that the scene isn’t going to die down. of music and, of course, capture a new audience’. making software before recently The idea for the night came about a few months back, That might be the priority at the moment, but Ruftone’s settling on Ableton Live, its real outside a gig by transatlantic hip hop outfit Slum experience, undisputed DJ skills and exemplary taste in time editing and innovative Village at the Bongo Club. Those having the brainwave tracks should hopefully lead a night with such potential interface allows Morphos to were Kath Gee, promoter and events manager at the away from being just another blinging R&B outing. come to life with his infamous Liquid Room, and Ritchie Ruftone, who long-time (David Pollock)

live sets. Influences are too many to mention but the Swedish techno sound of Adam Beyer, Carl Lekebusch and others is certainly one of the elements to a

DISCO FUNK ELECIRO riousr BURN

The Buff Club, Glasgow, weekly, Mondays

Morphos track. He also puts a If you were to walk into Burn at the Buff Club. the lrrst lot of effort into making sure he thing you may notice is that it doesn’t seem like you are at gets the groove into his techno. a Monday night club and the second thing is the 'The groove is the all important freshness of the night after 12 years of partying. Burn has factor because that‘s what somehow found that magic potion that promotes youth people dance to" he explains. and Vitality in club nights as the music has the unique Name the time and place ability to be both new and cutting edge. though firme The time is normally late and the rooted in disco and funk. place tends to be a sweaty PreSIded over by Normski. Zeus and Mash. Burn was techno club, Morphos has originally set up as a free night for peOple working in performed at some of the restaurants. pubs and clubs as Monday night was always capital's best techno nights traditionally the big night off in the licensing trade. lhe including React, JakN and has club is still free to anyone With a trade wage slip. and the recently taken up residency at relaxed attitude of the [3th and promoters means that the Synthetic's new monthly shindig ernphasrs is not on making money but putting on a good at the Bongo club where he gets 0'9“ to do what he likes the most, ‘l Normski echoes this sentiment: 'People phone up and like to make noise, especially say there is a squad of us out and we're a bit pissed. loud banging noises over there are 18 of us and is there any chance you can sort massive sound systems] Makes us out with a guest list and that's great. It gives people sense. (RJ MCInnes) who are working hard a fun night out that is something Morphos is a resident at the “my “30' Del-'1 0f-' new/y relaunched Synthetic, the When asked if the night still feels like a weekend. Bongo Club, Thu 4 Jan. Normski is quick to point out that. ‘rt feels more of a

weekend than the weekend does.’ lSandra Marion)

34 THE LIST .1 18 Jan 900/