Goldie [Clifford Price] talks at the speed of sound – he says so much so quickly, it might [at first] come across as a vacuous soliloquy. One has to listen carefully if they are to decipher the lyrical treasures – the years of worldly experience – that comes from his sniffling demeanor. Indeed, if you brushed shoulders with Goldie and didn’t know who he was, you could be forgiven for thinking all manner of objectionable thoughts. But this man is far more than the sum of his peripheries. He isn’t just the name behind one of the most influential drum and bass labels of all time – Metalheadz. Likewise, he isn’t just a DJ, designer, artist, actor, writer and director. He is Goldie – the enigmatic chameleon – and he invited me into his bizarre universe; if nothing else, a spectacular antithesis of an unforgettable entertainer that deliberately distorts the boundaries between reality and fantasy.
On the one hand he is a husband – married to model, Sonjia Ashby – father and a clever businessman. On the other, he is an outspoken critic who sees his life as a sanctuary of experiences – a way of escape. “I grew up in the institute. Throughout my life, I’ve seen everything as connected – my graffiti and my art were 4-dimensional – it was like Escher”. He speaks of the Dutch artist whose work depicts distortions and metamorphoses; moreover, they often highlight technical and architectural impossibilities. “That’s why I got into music in the first place. I liked bending and creating music – the same way as my art. For me it’s like a social fabric – it’s something I have in my attitude – one is aural and the other visual – I’ve had visions and painted canvas. I’ve had thoughts and expressed them through music”. A life it seems, that began in the streets, would later go full circle and become an occupation doing artwork for record labels, which in turn would lead to bigger things – “an easy transition” he chimes.
Likewise, his Metalheadz label is revered as one of the first and most hard-hitting in the world of drum and bass. It has maintained its paternal, family vibe and over the years, provided a massive platform for artists to develop and go onto greater successes. “Today, there are artists like Klute, Heist and Marcus Intalex on the label. I think a lot of music today is cheesy bollocks and this is one of the few bastions of quality left – it’s barely 10 years old and I’m responsible for what I’ve done – and I’m proud.” For Goldie, the format was simply another form of expressing his artistic integrity. “People are judging it in a way it shouldn’t be judged. They should put more time into what they are doing and get off the fucking commercial tip. That’s me being critical – to be viable it has to be popular, but not pop – there’s a difference. I want to bring a new bridge of people who I want to see elevated – I want to make them a part of this scene. Imagine Manchester United without Roy Keenan – it would be like Metalheadz without me. I see my role here to maintain our own crowd – it’s designed to give all the old people a kick in the arse and keep them on their toes.” All this worldly wisdom too, is a far cry from a character who experimented with crime and drugs; a man who started making records only to impress his heroes in Fabio and Grooverider; one who dated Bjork and one who touched the world with his revered 1995 double LP classic, Timeless. No less, here is a man who has fought the struggle and absolutely beaten it to death. Fearlessness and daring it seems, are merely axioms in his vocabulary. And pushing 40, he remains in his element and is still free to do what he wants to do. He has had a book written about him and appears on the hit TV show Eastenders as Angel, a disorderly troublemaker. He was also part of the UK series of Big Brother as a celebrity guest. “Man, I was just determined to win the prize and give it to the kids. I did it for a laugh, but in the end I’ve been there – I’ve been locked up, I know what that shit feels like, so I knew I would be fine.” He has also appeared in a number of films including James Bond: The World is Not Enough and Guy Ritchie’s classic, Snatch. He is even in the process of completing his own picture. It seems that no matter how much this one actually achieves, it is never enough.
Goldie’s life is one of complexities, paradoxes and unassailable priorities. For every public brawl, bar fight and arrest he has had to endure, there is a street kid or mother suffering cancer who has been touched by his warmth, his charity or simply his street wisdom. This is perhaps why his life is a never ending tale of accomplishments and triumphs that has some way to go yet. Australia too it seems, will receive the brunt of his determination – remember after all, he is coming here in his capacity as a musician [though it’s easy to forget]. “I really hope they let me play for longer than 3 hours – and I really hope I can get some of the oldies out. I want people to hear some of the music that I love playing, not a lot of the bollocks they have been hearing”. To this end, there is no such thing as a typical set from Goldie. I bet it will be a drum and bass journey that will encompass sounds drawn from more genres than the Graham Kennedy Comedy hour. Expect some blissful vocals, some twisted breaks and some dark and enchanted drum and bass. More than anything expect that this ought to be one of those once-a-year parties that you just can’t afford to miss.
Goldie tours Australia this September, you can see him at the following venues across the country:
Wed 7th Sept – Halo Tasmania
Fri 9th Sept – Prince of Wales, Melbourne (BUY TICKETS)
Sat 10th Sept – Earth, Adelaide
Thu 15th Sept – Family, Brisbane
Fri 16th Sept – Heat Nightclub, Perth
Sat 17th Sept – Home Nightclub, Sydney
Don’t forget that inthemix is holding a live ‘in the spotlight’ webchat with Goldie this Thursday, September 8th, at 6pm AEST. You’ll have the chance to speak live and direct with the master of drum & bass, going into the draw to win exclusive prizes along the way. For more info click HERE.
