Jack Phoenix examines the origins of Downhill, now an established alternative night at Club K.
Here's a radical idea: what if some people, instead of being prisoners of their own apathy and boredom, got inspired not to grumble and complain, but to get together and just groove?
Imagine the dark, dank basement of a certain Ryde nightclub near the sea front lit up by the smiles over a hundred assorted groovers. Imagine (just for contrast) the main rooms of that same club virtually empty - just a few stalwarts trying to get their fix from the soulless mechanical mainstream dancebeats on offer there.
Out the back, a few yards away, Fatty FLX, Timman, Max Brennan and Local Mike spin vinyl heaven. The delighted groovers give way to the spiralling energies of enthusiastic break dancers. No violence, no aggressions, just warmth and energy as friends come together to celebrate life, love and music in their pursuit of happiness. Imagine all this, and you've got something of the flavour of the first night Downhill.
- or gliding down an infinite hill
This big mix of cool people was organized by Raff (a lanky surfer, skateboarder, and well-known gentle giant) and the Downhill Collective as an alternative to the distinct lack of anything else worth doing. So why Downhill? Imagine riding the crest of an infinite wave, or gliding down an infinite hill - you no longer need to think of the destination, you can just chill out and enjoy the journey. It's not where you're going, it's the getting down that counts.
In fact, Downhill has its roots in the Word is Love gigs that Clev - a puckish, wispy-bearded, reggae-roots and truck/bicycle enthusiast - organized with Raff and the Downhill Collective in 1999. Held at Ventnor's famous Winter Gardens, the events featured DJs World Wide Funk, and Roots Sound, and live band Pnu Riff and The Exploding Thumbs. This band started out as a garden shed recording project by drummer and composer Paul Butler. With contributions from friends, Butler produced several original albums and EPs for the Holistic label. After a few gigs with a trio of performers and sequenced material, Butler opted for a totally live band for performances on Robert Elms' GLR show and Radio One's Gilles Peterson show in late 1998. (The Radio One cuts were later released on Holistic EP HOL20.)
of anything else worth doing
Fresh from successful gigs in London (Fabric), Winchester (North Pole) and Salisbury (The Big Chill), it was the nine piece version of the Thumbs - featuring brass and an array of percussion - that took the Winter Gardens by storm. Those "Love" gigs also featured artist Aaron "Fatty FLX" Fletcher as DJ with World Wide Funk, and as vocalist/lyricist with the Thumbs.
Alas, the Thumbs are no more, but Aaron is a Downhill regular as DJ Fatty FLX, and Butler and Fletcher signed to We Love You records as songsters The Bees, who also perform regularly at Downhill.
So if you're the kind of person who knows that you can always look on the bright side even when you're walking in the shade - if you're the kind of person that prefers a hug to a punch as a form of greeting - if you want to lend your support to something worthwhile - you too could go Downhill.
If you think Uphill is too much of a struggle - if you don't like the sterile clubby dancebeats that are usually on offer - if you fancy something a bit more funky and organic - try going Downhill at Club K, Newport, Isle of Wight every Saturday.
Copyright © 2002, 2004 Jack Phoenix
Photoportrait by Sophie Shamim
A version of this article was first published in POW magazine, August 2000.
Click here to go to Pnu Riff and The Exploding Thumbs page
Click here to go to The Bees page
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Since 23rd May, 2004