Pilgrim
- Pilgrim
Pilgrim is undoubtedly one of the most energetic DJs in the United Kingdom, and has been involved in the hardcore scene since it all started back in the early 1990s.
Pilgrim has been DJing since 1987, originally starting out as a hip-hop and scratch DJ. He built up a reputation for using two copies of the same record to create turntable trickery, and using his nose, knees & elbows to work the cross-fader and generally scratching records beyond recognition.
However, once the style of hip-hop started to change to slow gangster rap, around about the same time the rave scene emerged, Pilgrim began to gravitate towards the rave sound, as he liked what he heard and felt the music was more uplifting and energetic. Everyone into rave music seemed so happy, which is what he had liked about early hip-hop before it began to change, so he crossed over and started playing the sounds for which he is now best known for playing - Old Skool Hardcore.
Pilgrim’s move into the mainstream of hardcore started in 1991 when he was given a residency at the infamous Quest in Wolverhampton, which at that time was voted the number one club night in the country by ‘Ravers Choice’. This residency got him noticed nation-wide and he was invited to played at all of the large all-nighters of that time such as Amnesia House, Vision, Tribal Gathering and of course Fantazia, as well as club venues up and down the country. His unique style of using two copies of the same record at the same time creating a remix like sound, made him unique at what he did and was proving to be a big hit.
Towards the end of 1994, the music style mutated and changed, splitting into happy hardcore and jungle/drum and bass. Pilgrim initially decided to stick with the happier side of hardcore, but after a while the music began to change to what were simply sped-up rip off versions of all the old classics, using chipmunk vocals and cartoon themes. This change in the music caused him to quickly lose interest in the whole thing and took a back seat from it all. It was not until 1998 when he started getting back into it, with bookings to play sets of his old original tunes from back in 1991.
At the same time, he also hooked up with the guys from Flashback in Birmingham and became a resident for them at there infamous parties, and also started to promote his own small parties totally dedicated to the Old Skool sound called Reminiscence.
Pilgrim continues to play at Old Skool events nationwide and has more recently also become well established for playing and producing the brand new sound of J-Tek (Jungle Tekno). His plans for the future are to continue being a big part of the Old Skool scene, playing the classic Old Skool music he loves, but at the same time pushing the nu skool sounds of J-Tek, both as a DJ and producer.
