Episode 28 - Cereal Box Beats, UK Garage, Radio & Drum and Bass - special guest - Dexta

In the first of a two-part conversation, we sit down with Chris (aka Dexta), co-founder of Planet Wax, a legendary record shop, bar, venue, and radio station in New Cross dedicated to underground dance music and its surrounding culture and community. This episode explores Dexta's journey through the UK music scene from the late 1990s to early 2010s. Growing up in North London, his musical passion began with compilation albums and cassette tapes, with a particular affinity for The Prodigy and UK garage. Dexta recalls his first production experiments using basic software that came free in a cereal box, before transitioning to DJing after acquiring a pair of belt-drive turntables. The conversation traces his evolution through various music scenes—from UK garage to grime, and eventually to drum and bass. He shares his experiences with pirate radio, first as a listener of Y2K Radio, then as a presenter hosting his own shows on stations like Rush FM, Elite Radio, and UK Bass Radio. These platforms allowed him to connect with fellow DJs and build an audience while honing his skills both as a DJ and presenter.
Dexta recounts his early club experiences, including his first gig at age 16 where he played a 15-minute set as part of "Solid Jam Cartel" (SJC). He discusses frequenting iconic London venues like Fabric, The End, and Bar Rumba, where he discovered various subgenres of drum and bass. His musical tastes gradually shifted from "jump up" drum and bass to darker, more underground sounds.
Throughout the episode, Dexta reflects on technological changes in music production and distribution—from early software like Mixman and Fruity Loops to the transition of record shops moving online. He also touches on his brief relocation to Bournemouth, where he discovered even darker drum and bass sounds, before returning to London with ambitions to launch his own record label.