“I always drew cartoons as a kid, and never stopped,” says Mr. Scruff, “my style evolved in schoolbooks when I was in my teens, and ended up as the very simple stylized characters that you see today. I quite like Bod, Stoppit and Tidy-Up – Terry Wogan’s finest moment! And The Clangers”. His lighthearted, doodle-esque artwork is probably as easily recognizable as his music, although he maintains that the two are virtually unconnected. “They are separate, but come from the same warped mind.”
Formerly an art student at Sheffield University, Mr. Scruff, or Andy Carthy, as he is otherwise known, always knew he wanted to work with music. “I always messed around with tape decks as a kid, taping the radio and splicing together my own shows. I then moved onto doing my own pause button mix tapes in the early 80's, using hi-fi equipment.” Putting all of his efforts into music paid off in the summer of 1988 as Scruff’s first mix debuted on Waxmaster's show on the Manchester pirate station WBLS.
After having a taste of success, Scruff ploughed all his earnings into vinyl, achieving his first break in 1994 in the shape of his first gig at Manchester’s Dry bar, followed by a 12” release on Rob's Records. With work rolling in thick and fast, Scruff went on to enjoy regular residencies in Manchester, Nottingham, Brighton and London along with a stint at Manumission, an introduction to the Ninja Tunes fold and several European tours with the likes of Roots Manuva. Having recorded for over 25 labels including Warp and Blood & Fire, Scruff has released several unique tracks and a whole stack of remixes; Nightmares On Wax, Badly Drawn Boy and Lamb amongst the lucky recipients.
After a short stint at Manchester’s Planet K, Scruff’s club night Keep It Unreal relocated to the Music Box, where it remains to this day. Asked where he most likes to play, Mr Scruff remains true to his roots. “I would say Manchester, as it [Keep It Unreal] is my longest running residency. It is 6 years strong, and gets better every month! I’ve been lucky enough to visit many amazing places. I would say New Zealand is another favourite. Lovely people and scenery, great gigs.”
The success of Keep It Unreal prompted the idea for a tour; the night is regularly recreated in different venues, with Scruff playing for the whole night. “I play for at least 5 hours, to give me time to get relaxed and settled, and so I can create a mood and work with it. I also like to play a wide spectrum of music, without having to rush things. For a record to attract me it has to have soul and be individual. I like the new Nicole Willis CD on Timmion, the Congos 'Fisherman Style’ on Blood & Fire and the new Gas Goldenez Zeitalter 12" on Jazzman.” Another unique feature for Keep It Unreal is Scruff’s Tea Shop. “The concept is serving tea in a club! Simple, but hardly anyone seems to do it. I assumed because I like drinking tea in clubs, other people would too. The idea came from playing at the Music Box in Manchester. It has 2 rooms, but I didn't want another DJ in there, so I served tea instead.”
This looks set to be a busy year; Mr. Scruff will grace the crowd of the 38th Southport Weekender, taking place from May 5th – 7th, alongside the likes of Kenny Dope, Trevor Nelson and Norman Jay. “I’ll probably try and catch Terry Jones and Gary Dennis, they are two of my favourite soul DJs.” And what else is in there to look forward to in the coming months? “In 2006 there is a remix for Jazzanova and a collaboration with Quantic, both out soon, plus a Big Chill compilation album, hopefully the next Solid Steel LP, more studio work & gigs... phew!” We can’t wait!
Catch Mr Scruff at the BACARDI B-LIVE arena at Birmingham’s new Soundstation Festival, Sunday 28th May 2006, 2pm to 11pm, Eastside Park, Birmingham www.sound-station.co.uk.
Charlotte Dunckley