Ninja Tune veteran Mr Scruff produces cheeky, soulful, jazzy tunes encompassing a wide range of influences. Listen to a laid-back mix from this peculiar DJ who is nearly as famous for his music as he is his wonky artwork and his love of a cuppa.
Art student Andy Carthy – whose Mr Scruff pseudonym came from his artfully unkempt appearance – began making a name for himself in the shadows of Manchester's mid-90s club scene. Some of his first DJ gigs abroad were with the now-defunct Grand Central record label in the mid-late 1990s, and following his signing to Ninja Tune in 1999 he undertook several European tours with Roots Manuva, The Herbaliser, Dynamic Syncopation & Mixmaster Morris.
The release of his Ninja Tune album Keep it Unreal kick-started his Manchester club night of the same name, which was borne of a desire to play exactly what he wanted rather than having to fit in with the music policies of other club nights.
Mr Scruff is known for his marathon sets and his eclectic musical taste. His smash hit Get a Move On is built around Bird's Lament (In Memory Of Charlie Parker) by Moondog, and has been used in several TV adverts.
When interviewed by the BBC, Andy had this to say about DJing: “I want to play to the same level and depths of music as I would at my residency. Also I get an hour or two to relax and get the feel of the venue and the vibe of the crowd and the sound system. If you’re leaping straight in you’re just going to rely on tried and tested routines. I can make sure each gig is personal and different to the night before. I don’t have to water things down or play big tunes – I can do things on my own terms and by the same token I always bring my own sound engineer and visuals. It’s about putting effort in and paying attention to detail. I get annoyed if I don’t take risks. I’m very hard on myself.”
Mr Scruff also began selling tea from a small room at Manchester club The Music Box, where he was resident DJ at the start of the 21st century. Proceeds from his comforting cuppas went to charity and Scruff eventually took this enterprise with him on tour and gained a reputation for being the only DJ with a teashop. Scruff subsequently started an online tea company, Make Us a Brew, and produces his own range of Fairtrade tea.
Most of Mr Scruff's studio albums contain tracks about fish and whales, using recordings of children's stories and nature documentaries to create surreal stories. His hand-drawn artworks of wobbly potato-people adorn T-shirts, brollies and even people's bodies worldwide.
Playlist:
Donald Byrd, Think Twice (Mizell Brothers 12" mix) (Blue Note)
T-Connection, Groove To Get Down (TK Records)
T.J. Swann & Peewee Mel, Maximus Party (Effect)
Charlie Calello, Sing, Sing, Sing (Profile)
Luke Howard, Lo Life (Afro Art)
Jamie Finlay, Little Trumpet (Wah Wah 45s)
Funkanala, Bamako (Here & Now)
Lesette Wilson, Caveman Boogie (Soul Brother)
Banda Black Rio, Miss Cheryl (RCA)
Lost Idol, Hot Knives (Cookshop)
Jazzanova, Boom Clicky Boom Click (Mr. Scruff remix) (Sonar Kollektiv)
Four Tet, A Joy (Domino)
Mr Scruff, Chicken In A Box (Ninja Tune)
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