After falling into the river Tees during a stevedoring incident in 1998, Ste McGregor washed up on the fair shores of Brighton in early 1999. With a ramshackle pile of vinyl and old calculator bits, he set about changing the music world forever. These formative years were creatively fruitful, nailing tonnes of animated promos for Midfield General (Midfielding), Lo Fidelity Allstars (Sleeping Faster) and a whole host of lousy tribute acts. At the dawning of the new millennium, the now fledgling Kidda saw his musical attempts committed to wax. Under the guise of Gadji ( “‘cause that’s what you call a bloke from the north”), the mighty Puma Strut label released a 7”that was soon to be hoovered up by the baying, vinyl-obsessed-hip-hop-clowns of the world. This initial foray into soul/funk/Latin/underpant breaks saw the young idiot cut his musical teeth. With an obvious devotion to hooks, drops and hard (fucking) party vibes, Gadji moved crab-like on a sideways tip away from the limitations of hip hop (Stunts, Blunts and far too many fronts). Flying from the Gadji nest and feeling the summer sun on his new found wings, he emerged as Kidda (“’cause that’s what his brother calls him”) The first to look up and catch a glimpse of his magic was Catskills Records, who, on hearing a demo of 5 new tracks, ‘loved all of ‘em’; and so it was to be that 2004 and 2005 saw birth of the Shoe Cash and Word Booty E.P’s. Both received worldwide love from the likes of Radio 1 (The Blueroom/ Zane Lowe) and Norman Jay (Carnival, N.Y.C., the Big Chill…everywhere). Just clock the televised footage of N.J. dropping Hey Y’all in the closing moments of the B.B.C.’s ‘Soul Britannia’ series…whether this indicates Kidda as the future of British soul is unclear. Being crowned Extreme Ceramics Champion 2008 is a far more likely prospect than the bountiful successes of Shakatak. And yet, the story continues. A meeting of minds with old muckers Skint Records saw an album deal landed in 2005 and following a very long production process due to ‘continued pilfering of existing musical sources’ (read: sampling the fuck out of everything), the album is due to drop in 2008. This long gestation period has given Kidda time to get his house in order. Firstly nailing the many talents far and wide to appear on the album. Sample replays and co-production were taken care of by Lee ‘Muddy’ Baker, an old mate and one of those super-talented f*ckers that make you wonder what you’ve been doing with your life. His involvement made the whole process ‘a joy’. Vocally Kidda struck gold with the likes of Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol), Blak Twang, Psycho Les (The Beatnuts/Big City) and local luminaries Jim Oxborrow (smallwhitelight) and soul beauty Laura Vane. Not one for static, Kidda knocked out two albums of soul-slapped Beastie Boys remixes (On The Bus To N.Y.C., Fake Boogie Tapes) .All who heard, loved and still to this day gaining fans worldwide via that glorified version of Teletext, the internet. As Kidda’s profile has been raised from Sunday league to glittering Fourth Division, D.J. bookings have seen him travel to various erm bits of the world. Holding a monthly residency at London’s Heavenly Social plus sets in Bristol, Manchester, Lithuania and Brighton. Extra Curricular shiznits include remixes for Pepe Deluxe (to be released on Catskills forthcoming remix album) and a promo Kidda/Fatboy mash up that Norm liked so much he put it on his new remix long player too. With a sharp mind and deft hand Kidda also built and maintains his own website, kiddamusic.com, it has flashing lights and everything. There’s been a lot of musically turgid water slowly going under the bridge since the Word Booty E.P. in 2005. Yet the Kidda sound is more than a return to form and fresh as whatever. Kicking everything off with V.I.P. – a slice of jump up Latin hip hop care of Psycho Les, ‘Going Up’ is an antidote to the bland, the bored and the static. It laughs, it claps, it goes up. Hallelujah.
