Back in 1994, before he was the highly-respected playful beatmeister we know and love today, young Bristolian ex-pat Andrew Carthy (aka MR.SCRUFF) was juggling shelf-stacking in Tesco's, a fine art degree and doing the occasional DJ-ing stint in his new adopted hometown of Manchester.
Andrew (or "Funky Scruff" as he was before the Mr. bit got added) was a talented young lad, but needed that extra bit of push to make music his major goal in life. Tyically, though, he'd come to the right city, and thanks to a few influential nudges along the line by discerning heads in places like Afflecks Palace and from fellow Bristolian Barney Doodlebug, his early tapes were presented to one Rob Gretton, the now sadly late Joy Division/ New Order manager and then MD of Rob's Records. A week later, the by-no-means overawed young Master Carthy found himself in a professional studio, cutting his first single. Such is the way in Manchester, and thus, the story of Mr.Scruff begins.
The re-issued "Mrs.Cruff" album goes on to compile the cream of the young Scruff's artistic triumphs for Rob's Records subsidiary label, Pleasure Records, and covers Carthy's creatively fertile early years (circa 1994 - 1997). Scruff's reputation would gradually seep out, with other influential characters such as Andy Votel and George Evelyn's Nightmares On Wax stepping in to remix his tracks and ultimately the ever-vigilant Ninja Tune getting on the case. Yet wherever this eclectic DJ decides to go creatively in the future, his early records will always retain a sense of fun and infectious sonic adventure that's largely unrivalled in the often elitist, dance-related sector.
So "Mrs.Cruff" remains a hugely enjoyable history lesson from start to finish. Early classic "Sea Mammal" remains the blueprint: all subterranean bass patterns, cool beats and Carthy's sonic magpie tendencies spilling into the mix. It's heady, danceable and intelligent and turned heads aplenty back in the day, which is surely why Andy Votel and Rick Myers would go on to remix the track to startling effect in 1996.
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By then, of course, Mr.Scruff's output also included groovy gear like "Bonce" with its' monster breakbeats and amorphously funky rhythms and his first big dancefloor smash, the evergreen "Chicken In A Box" which - with its' mad noseflute riffs, frantic beats and serene undertow of dub - still sounds like nothing on earth to this day. A more chilled side to Scruff's muse had also poked its' head above the parapet by this time too, as evinced by tracks like the mellow "Night Time", where the low-frequency, Jah Wobble-style basslines are soothed by Cornish collaborator Josef Ward's fanfare trumpet and rippling electric piano.
But Scruff's zany, kleptomaniac stylistic tendencies never let him down at any time during his early years, and thus he continued on to take in the brilliantly spacy "Jazz Potato", where Buddy Rich-style drumming collides with breakbeats and Cabaret Voltaire-ish saxes and sonic murk from another planet before settling on a languid groove that Nightmares On Wax liked so much they turned in a wicked remix. This one's still a real smoker's delight, but is shaken from its' hypnotic reverie by the boisterous, richocheting beats and dubby/ junglist twists of "Crisps".
But really, all of "Mrs.Cruff" remains pretty damn seamless. It's that rarity in this field: intelligent, try-anything-once dance music that's balm for the soul, stimulation for the head and an irresistible come on for the feet. And if that wasn't enough, 20% of the proceeds go straight to Francis House, who provide support and respite for severely handicapped children and their families. That's what I call making a difference.
(www.ninjatune.net)
(www.francishousechildshospice.co.uk )
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