UK DJ and Netflix Reality TV Star DJ Prone Determined to Live His Dreams!

 Interview by: Gina Sedman

Tell me a little about your background. Where you are originally from and how did that journey lead you to where you are located today?   I am currently residing in Bedfordshire, UK. I used to live in London where I still work as a Residential Licensing Officer. You might have seen me on Channel 5 and Netflix's 'Slum Landlords and Nightmare Tenants'. During my free time, I am a Latin percussionist, a music producer, and a radio and club DJ. My love for Hip Hop started back in 1983 when it hit the shores of the UK. I was fascinated by this new culture and became a B-Boy (Breakdancer) and graffiti artist. A year later, I started DJing as I wanted to become the next Grandmaster Flash. Although I never reached that level in turntablism, I did my best to learn the craft at my school youth club. My passion for Hip Hop had me searching for drum breaks and samples from older records and adding them to my collection.

I would record these drum breaks and do pause button mixtapes on my double cassette deck which I guess were my early naive days of becoming a Hip hop / Music producer. I was the kid at school listening to early James Brown, Jimmy Castor, Sly Stone, Electro, and Hip Hop while everyone else was listening to Boy George and Duran Duran. Over time I got deeper into other genres such as Jazz, Latin Music, Soul, and pretty much all funk music. Initially, I just wanted these records for the 10 or so seconds of drum breaks but over time I began to get drawn into the music and listen to whole albums rather than those stolen moments. Forward to 1987 and the Rare Groove scene kicked off in London, initially mainly a funk-based genre and I had a lot of the records already, so the gigs started coming my way thick and fast. Rare groove these days also comprises of two-step and sweet soul as well as the funk. my DJ sets were no longer just Hip Hop and drum breaks, I was playing funk, soul, jazz, and rare groove and by 1988 I had become quite a busy DJ. 1989 I played on pirate radio station Infinity FM hosting my first radio show on this illegal station with a ‘biscuit tin transmitter’.The station inevitably got shut down by the authorities.

In 1991 I acquired an Amiga and started making beats from sampling and also bought my first pair of bongos which is what got me hooked on percussion. I was at that time working a Saturday job at London's infamous record store Mr. Bongo which was known to be the home of Hip Hop and Latin music in the UK, the shop provided a good source of digging for records as well as a digging trip to the USA. it was a matter of months after getting my first bongos that I moved on to congas and that's when I really got hooked. Fast forward to today and I have worked with some of my idols both as a DJ and Musician, I've gone way beyond my bucket list and continue to get involved with new projects all the time.

So why are you called ‘Prone’?

In the 80s as a Hip Hop head, breakdance, and graffiti artist everyone had a Street name or tag. I had a few names to start with but a few years in from 1987 I was known as Prone and it's stuck, so many people know me as Prone and don’t know me as Andrew.  I was called Prone because I’m laid back and I guess I am a little accident-prone too. it stems back to a conversation where my dad said to me “You’re so laid back you're almost Prone” The name was born.

What inspired you to be a musician and producer?

 I taught myself how to play percussion because I couldn't afford a teacher. I listened to a lot of Latin jazz, samba, and funk music from artists such as Airto, Jon Lucien, The Blackbyrds, Ray Barretto, and the Incredible Bongo Band. It was the Incredible Bongo Band that really introduced me to percussion as a b-boy dancer. I eventually learned my craft and helped set up a Samba School in Reading by 1994. 

As a percussionist, I don't have a particular style preference and I am adaptable to different genres. Many percussionists only stick to one genre, such as Cuban music, but I like to explore different styles.

As a producer, I was inspired by early hip-hop producers like Marly Marl, 45 King, Pete Rock, and Premo, as well as later producers like Jay Dilla. However, my all-time favorite producer is Charles Stepney. He worked with bands like Rotary Connection (which was Minnie Ripperton's first band), early Ramsey Lewis, Marlena Shaw, and Earth Wind and Fire before his untimely death. I love the analog warmth of his production and the way he made the drums sound incredible in the mix. For me, it's all about the drums.

How do you prepare for a gig?

As a musician, I believe that practice makes perfect. Therefore, in preparation for any gig, I rehearse for weeks leading up to the event. This is because a band's performance can only be as good as its weakest member, and I don't want to be that person. On the day of the gig, I arrive early, long before soundcheck. This is because I usually carry the most equipment, including congas and percussion, which are not usually provided by the venue as a backline unless it's a major festival or tour. During the downtime before soundcheck, I take a little time to warm up and relax my mind. I'm always excited about every gig I do because there's nothing quite like playing live.

When it comes to DJ gigs, I tend to take a look at the DJ lineup and the theme of the night before pulling out my records the night before. Yes, I still use records because it's my personal preference and all my bookings are at venues that have vinyl DJs. I have nothing against people who play from laptops, but it's not for me. As a record collector, I love the physicality of vinyl and the artwork, and I feel like I own the recording. With a USB stick, it feels more like listening to the radio.

I usually arrive at my DJ gigs an hour or so before my set so that I can see what other DJs are playing. This helps me to make sure I don't play the same tracks as them and to continue their musical journey into my set.

As a radio DJ, I never pre-plan my sets on Indie Soul Radio and Gold Dust Radio. I broadcast from my studio and randomly select records. I enjoy the challenge and spontaneity of it all.

So what's it like being a TV celebrity on Slum Landlords and Nightmare Tenants, your job must be a challenge.

 Although I have been working in my job for years, there are sometimes heartbreaking situations where landlords are taking advantage of their tenants. My main aim is to make things right for the tenants and turn bad landlords into good ones. I prefer compliance over enforcement, but I won't hold back when I have to get legal on them. I look for the good in people and try to bring that out, although it doesn't always work that way. However, our team has successfully turned around a few bad landlords into good ones. To be fair, bad landlords are a minority, and most I deal with are doing a great job providing for those in our overpopulated city of London. I occasionally get recognized when I'm out shopping or at a gig, as the show I work on is on a major TV station in the UK called Channel 5. It is always on repeat and on its sister stations, seen by millions. The show is also shown on Netflix in the USA. People always have kind things to say to me when I get spotted and often ask about my fantastic colleagues. We are a very under-resourced team, and I have over 400 cases.

What was your favorite gig of all time?

 Phew, this really is a hard one, I've had some amazing moments both as a DJ and musician. Let's start as a musician. I would have to pick a few moments as none outrule each other. I have been so lucky, my best gigs have been with the London funk band ‘Funkshone’. We played the Legendary Jazz Cafe 6 times which have been some of my fondest moments as well as supporting some of my idols ‘Fred Wesley and The JBs’, ‘ The Blackbyrds’ and opening up as a band at the Hook and Sling Festival in London as well as performing across Europe at various gigs and festivals. Playing in California with soul singer ‘Gina Carey earlier this year which was also a major-notch on my CV this year as well as performing on her single My Destiny which reached number 2 in the UK soul charts a few weeks ago was such a blessing. Work has already begun on the next single. Naming a favorite gig is so difficult as there are so many and God continues to bless me with these experiences. My favorite crowd was probably at the Band on the Wall gig we did with Funkshone and Craig Charles (6 Music, Red Dwarf) in Manchester.

As a DJ, I always struggle to pick just one golden moment because there have been so many. One of my favorite things to do is provide DJ support for live acts, and I've been fortunate enough to work with some incredible artists. I've supported Roy Ayers, Tom Browne, The Crusaders, Gwen McCrae, Big Daddy Kane, Jurassic 5, Sugarhill Gang, Dougie Fresh, Biz Marke, Pharcyde, Brand Nubian, Souls of Mischief, TY, Blackalicious, Poets of Rhythm, and many more. If I were to retire tomorrow, I could honestly say that I've achieved beyond my wildest dreams.

Some of my most memorable moments were during my days as a club promoter. I put on many of these acts at a night I called 'The Breaks' and was also a resident DJ at the legendary Dedbeat Weekender, a three-day festival in the UK. I've been fortunate enough to play with some of the best DJs on the planet, like ex-DMC World Champion DJ Craze, QBert, Charlie Chase (Cold Crush Brothers), Keb Darge (Deep Funk), Mr. Scruff, Egon, Peanut Butter Wolf, Scratch Perverts, En4cers, Big Ted, Ian Wright, and many more.

I often play in London with the Raregroove Connoisseurs at JM Souls Global Soul events. I consider them to play some of the best sets on the planet, consisting of classic tunes and some under-the-radar rare records that I refer to as "chin-strokers."

Who as a musician would you like to play with dead or alive?

What a question. I love so many genres in predominantly black music so it would really depend on my mood. I think one of the greatest and underrated producers and singers in the soul scene that would be Leroy Huston, his music is phenomenal, and I consider him a living legend every album is a masterpiece.  If I was to say funk then that would be with one of my favorite funk bands of all time and I would need to go back in time to 1969 and perform with a band that came out of  Austin, Texas ‘Mickey and the Soul Generation’  who had hits such as Iron Leg, Get Down brother and football which were huge in the early London Raregroove scene. The band is still alive and well today and was set to perform this month at London’s 100 Club before this pandemic broke out. Over the years I have become friends with some of the band members and they regularly listen to my radio shows. If I was to play with someone on the Jazz Scene,

(Andrew "Prone" Sedman (L) Fred Wesley (R)

 It would be without doubt Horace Silver who’s a stone-cold favorite of mine. Horace was an incredible pianist and always gave other musicians space to play on his LPs. I would have said Miles Davis, but I think I would have been scared of him as he put some of his band members through hell. If I was to go with Jazz Funk without question it would be Roy Ayers, one of my all-time favorite artists.

So are there any more plans for TV?

 Before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out we were filming another series of Slum Landlords and Nightmare Tenants. I've presented the radio for years now and I wouldn't mind trying out my hand as a TV presenter. An opportunity has come up but I am going to keep quiet about that until that transpires.

                                                                          (Andrew "Prone" Sedman (L) LeRoy Hutson)

Do you see yourself doing music for the rest of your life?

 Yes, and that's exactly how it's going to be. The day I stop is my last day on earth.

Has your love for music increased or decreased through the years? Why?

 My love for music is always on the increase and we are now at a time when the artist has a lot of control over their product thanks to the internet. I am now hearing a new generation of amazing young musicians in the Jazz, Soul, Funk, and Reggae scene. The internet provides a wealth of knowledge and many of these artists have picked up where some of the founders have left off and either aimed to take things to the next level or show respect and even mimic the styles. The only thing I would say is MUSIC BUSINESS .. two separate words and sometimes big clashes between the two. Not all creatives are good at the business side so you may have to look hard for new music as unfortunately, the music industry likes to tell us what we should listen to and feed us garbage. People say things like “They don’t make good soul music as they used to”. I disagree because the music is out there, you just have to look and sometimes listening to an online radio station such as Indie Soul, Gold Dust, and Global Soul will be the link to the new music.

So I would say my love of the business is not there as it can sometimes be shady. some of the big streaming services have a lot to answer for as they sign people up for 10 pounds a month for unlimited music which the listener never owns. The artists in return get extremely little and I mean pennies so it's very hard to make money out of music because of these services and when they work so hard for literally nothing it’s very hard for an artist to make the next album because session musicians, producers, etc need paying. Even downloading is becoming a thing of the past but I urge everyone to get behind these artists and buy a download, vinyl record, or CD, I mean look at it ..an artist spends hours upon hours writing and recording a song at much expense. For less than the price of a cup of coffee, you can download and buy that song.

We are on lockdown due to a pandemic right now and everyone’s now turning to artists for entertainment. now's the time to put your hands together and your hands in your pocket for them. The only way to make music now is live gigs, session work, or selling records and yes records are now outselling CDs threefold and have been for some time, lots of new young bands are pressing vinyl, Slide record shop recently opened in my nearest town ‘Bedford’ and its always busy with young and old people buying new releases. so to get back to the question i still love music but not the business.

Were there any other family members also interested in the arts?

 My grandmother was a dancer and started in the circus, she used to dance for the troops in the Second World War when she met my Grandad so that’s where my B. Boying / breakdancing came from . My daughter Leona has been passed the torch and is studying in dance college to become a professional dancer and has a lot of shows lined up. I am distantly related to 70s pop star Brian Ferry (Matchbox) but I’ve never met him. We had famous comedians in my family which may explain my willingness to share terrible jokes. Richard Herne (Mr. Pastry) and Dickie Henderson were on my dad’s side of the family. What aspect of being an independent musician, music producer, and DJ do you find most challenging?

The music industry is so set in its ways and sometimes becomes a barrier between the artist and the listener. Venues that regardless of your achievements offer you a gig for a beer or ‘exposure’ boils my blood and I walk away from such promoters. I've been in the business 36 years now and without sounding headed I do not need exposure. if I wanted exposure, I would run down the street naked.

Would you sign to a record label? 

I was signed to a record label with a soul band in the 90's called "Asis" and had some of the greatest experiences even being nominated for a MOBO award once, but my band got badly ripped off. I think now that record labels are a thing of the past. one label wanted to sign me in the early 2000s and I was up for it but they went under after putting too much money into a record that didn’t do too well. I would sign with a small independent with good distribution because that's where it's at and would want full control of my work so I’m not against it, it would just need to be on my terms.

What are your greatest achievements as a musician?

 I've been really blessed and there have been so many. Performing on both Funkshone’s LP’s ’Shining’ and ‘2’ plus all their 45's. Doing a session recording for the Soul Immigrants with idol Fred Wesley which was released on a 45. if someone said to me years ago that I would end up playing on a record with Fred Wesley I would of never believed it. Working with Californian soul singer Gina Carey and helping to get number 2 in the soul charts. Supporting Fred Wesley and the JBs, Martha High, and also The Blackbyrds in their London shows. Playing several shows at Londons Jazz Cafe which is a truly iconic venue.

What’s next for you? 

 I have new music projects and collaborations on the way and have even started working on a session for the next Gina Carey single so I’m excited about that. With regards to DJing, I have recently become the chief programmer of Indie Soul Radio based in California and I’m looking forward to getting behind the independent artists and promoting their music. I also have bookings lined up for the summer, but this may change according to the current pandemic, and I'm praying we get through this soon. The station is in the early stages but it’s all exciting.

If you could advise someone just starting in the music industry, what would it be? 

Never give up, find what you are good at and what you enjoy creating because if you like it someone else will, never try to make music for a platform, make it for yourself and be honest. keep the faith and you will go a long way. I just want to thank everyone that I've worked with over the years to help me achieve my dreams

END OF INTERVIEW