Welcome to HOMEBIRD 4 – the decade is 1996 – 2006. These are my London Mercury / Talkin Loud / Azuli Records / Defected Records / Diesel and Diesel U:Music and Notting Hill Carnival / Lazy Dog /  Nervous Records / Miami Winter Music Conference / Billboard years. I think I went clubbing in London four nights a week and I still got into work on time the next morning. I dj’ed internationally when time allowed and I a&r’ed Afro Medusa Pasilda. I was responsible for the press campaign that took Roni Size and Reprazent to the Mercury Music Prize and The Brits. I was responsible for the press campaign that launched a fledgling independent label called Defected Records on to the public. I was responsible for the press and promotions of Azuli Records when we were the first to launch conference / events branded compilations with Azuli Presents Miami. We also launched the Choice compilations and took Late Night Tales into orbit. I moved to Paris in 2004. In May 2005 I proudly played a white label of the original of Mason’s Exceeder to a crowd of 30,000 as the Solidays parade hit the Pont Neuf and marched across the Seine. The crowd went crazy and my debut was memorable.

This decade saw Beyonce go solo, Lauryn Hill, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers and Madonna go stellar, Daft Punk were untouchable, Coldplay were an anthems factory, Prodigy became firestarters, XPress 2 were lazy and The White Stripes wrote one of the best indie rock records ever made with Seven Nation Army (and had one of the best videos too). I was blessed and honoured to have been able to work on some of the projects – Lamb, Reprazent, 4Hero, Nuyorican Soul, Terry Callier, David Morales, Pasilda to name but a few. There’s plenty more there to keep you occupied – and make you wish you had a time machine. Enjoy.