By Mike Hogan
May 2002

Botchit & Scarper Recordings is one of the record labels responsible for pioneering the nu skool breakbeat sound. The label was formed in 1995 by Martin Love and Vini Medley to be the breaks outlet of jungle label SOUR. Since then, Botchit & Scarper have introduced us to such breakbeat heavyweights as BLIM, FreQ Nasty and T-Power.

In November 2000 co-founder Vini died from an inoperable brain tumour. After a tough year involving much pulling together of the Botchit family, the label is back up to full speed, and is releasing some of its best ever material.

The pinnacle of the last 18 months of Botchit & Scarper's emotional resurgence is the epic "4 Vini: Forever Young LP" tribute compilation, spanning three CDs and 50 tracks.

According to label boss Martin Love, "Vini was a real party boy" and "was always happy to help others", be it with established recording artists or first-time club promoters. A fine example of Vini's partying talents was his habit of self-incineration.

"If he'd had too much [to drink]", Martin recalls, "and he was in the right location, he'd set his chest on fire. He would burn the hair around his belly button and it would just go right up his chest, poof! Once, on the SRD [major distribution company - ed.] boat party, he was bored; he'd been on it for 10 hours, went to a club and got back on it for another 10 hours. He didn't need lighter fluid or anything! He just had a very fuckin' hairy chest!"

Dave Stone recalls him pulling the stunt at another industry party: "Surrounded by MDs and arselickers, Vini unbuttoned his gold lamé shirt, borrowed my lighter and proceeded to set fire to his chest after asking for all the lights to be turned down!"

Vini managed to counter-balance his hedonistic side with a staunch work ethic, launching the careers of many respected artists. FreQ Nasty, BLIM, Shy FX, Elizabeth Troy, MJ Cole and Raw Deal are but a few who have benefited from his foresight. Another person who benefited from Mr. Medley's talents was Sonia Akow, one half of SOTO and also Botchit's assistant label manager. "He was a good mentor and taught me a lot about A&R. [And] most importantly, to be honest," Sonia says.

Vini's support for others was part of his desire to nourish the breaks scene. DJ/producer Danny McMillan remarks that "right up to his death, Vini got on plane after plane to push this music on a global scale." Kilowatt boss DJ Hyper adds that "Vini was a colorful character that brought a much-needed flair and personality to breakbeat."

Brent from Aquasky explains that it was Vini who encouraged them to make the move from jungle to breaks:"He gave us the confidence to continue making breakbeat, and without that, we may never have written any more 'slow jungle tunes'!!!"

The level of respect for Vini Medley is reflected in the quality of the participants found on this album. The 3-disc, 50-track bounty pack is a who's who of breakbeat, jungle, garage and hip hop artists. Contributions from Rennie Pilgrem, Blim, FreQ Nasty, MJ Cole, Roots Manuva, Shy FX & Red Snapper are just a few of the many artists who pay their respects.

Vini's love for music was all-encompassing and wasn't limited to genres, and this ideal of diversity is upheld over the 3 divergent CDs of the "4 Vini" tribute album. Vini himself features on the compilation with contributions covering breaks, hip hop, garage and indie-guitar.

The title track of the compilation is Elizabeth Troy's "Forever Young". Miss Troy has re-penned her vocal classic especially for this compilation, and there are a host of remixes as a feature point on each CD, carrying the tribute theme throughout the 3 discs.

CD1 – The Chillout CD

Up first is a collection of downtempo breaks and chilled-out beats. The opener is a remix of "Forever Young" by Botchit's own Atomic Hooligan duo, putting in a luxurious, mid-tempo hip hop workout featuring rapper UK Apachi, whose inimitable style compliments the vocals of miss Troy.

The CD continues with downtempo breaks from SOTO (featuring the smooth vocal talents of Botchit favourite Amaziree), Orange Kush, Aquasky and Chris Carter. There are dollops of experimental electronica (Elia, T-power & the quirky "Tip Hop" from Fuel records' Dave Tipper), sublime vocal chillout from the Bluefoot Project & Meat Katie ft. Erika Higgins on "Spin" (which was a personal favourite of Vini) and a poignant, classically inflected ode to "Mister Medley" from close friend and violinist Mee.

The sheer number of guest contributions itself is staggering – Afrika Bambaataa's son TC Izlam teams up with UK hip hop star Roots Manuva to form a three-pronged hip hop assault with Elizabeth Troy. Shara Nelson gets remixed by Jason Sparks and Iceland's new pop icon Ragga Gisla features on the sci-fi sampling "Deep Down" with Mechanoise DJ Noize.

CD2 – Botchit Breakbeat mixed by Atomic Hooligan

After a master class in chillout, the Hooligans turn their deft decknological skills to a 16-track breakbeat mix featuring Botchit's star turns (BLIM, FreQ nasty, Backdraft, Deekline & the man Medley) together with some very noble guests including Rennie Pilgrem, Si Begg, Breakneck & Midfield General.

Contributions especially recorded for this compilation come from luminaries such as Breakneck (the fabulous "Dreams" allows the TCR technologists to drop a little breakstep whilst maintaining their patented bass pressure), Skint label boss Midfield General (updating his big beat boutique anthem "Go off"), Si Begg and Terminalhead.

The Atomics' mix spans the spectrum of Botchit breaks, encompassing hip hop influences (Uncouth Youth's "B-boys on da Rocks") oldskool-influenced breakstep (Deekline rinsing it with "Got to Keep"), leftfield (the masterful Si Begg provides a characteristic turn), housier breaks (TCR boss Rennie Pilgrem and Klaus) and of course the trademark Botchit basslines from the deepest bowels of Britain (Backdraft, Evil 9, BLIM & FreQ Nasty's re-rub of "Forever Young" and Vini & the Funk Monster's own demonic bass-led "Dominion"). For lovers of acid lines and squelchy sounds, Terminalhead and Funk Monster provide the tools for the all-conquering Atomic boys.

To hear Atomic Hooligan's "Larger Than Life" and their remix of "Forever Young", visit atomichooligan.com.
You can also check out an April 2000 interview with Vini on Breaksworld.