AxH has been a hot name in the global dubstep scene for a minute now. While his Denver debut was long overdue, he finally made it to the Rocky Mountains to ravish Cervantes Otherside with heavy, primitive beats. After his stellar, intimate set at E-Tuesdays, we were lucky enough to sit down with the American dubstep legend and talk to him about his background and find out how he got to where he is today. 

So, first off, would you mind telling us who you are and how you got involved with production?

My name is Andrew, and I make Dubstep as AxH. I'm signed to Tempa and Wheel & Deal. I began producing through video games. I was a teenager and I started making beats on a PlayStation. In 1999, this game came out on PS1, MTV Music Generator. My buddy and I would come home from skating and make beats. I was filling up memory cards with beats. My parents eventually gave me an old shitty computer, and I got some beta software and some demos. I didn’t have anyone to help me, so I just figured it out on my own.

How exactly did you get linked up with Youngsta and the Tempa family?

It was in Boston, and I was one of the promoters for BASSIC Boston. I was the only one in the crew with a car, so I ended up going to the airport a lot, picking these dudes up. That’s how I became friends with N-Type, J:Kenzo, etc. For Youngsta specifically, funny enough, I had nothing to do with the booking. BASSIC's founders got a last-minute chance to get the bookings so they took it! I got a text to pick him up from the airport. He had heard of me from N-Type, so we chilled in my studio, blazed, and listened to some beats. He had never heard any of my beats before then. The tune that got me signed immediately to Tempa was Destroy – it was an early version of the track, with a different name, that had a sample from The Jungle Book in it. I think I did 9 different versions of Destroy, and v9 was what we settled on. I played him a couple other ones that he played on Rinse, but Destroy was the one where he was like, “This is the one, mate. I wanna sign you to Tempa.” I didn’t think I was ready, honestly. Tempa was the first label that I fell in love with when I started buying Dubstep vinyl. Getting signed to Tempa was definitely a goal; it just became a reality a lot sooner than I expected. I had to step my game up on a personal level. My focus in life shifted; it just became beats beats beats...

You began producing under the alias “Prodigal Son” making Ragga Jungle. How did you begin making that type of music, and how did you transition into Dubstep and AxH?

I grew up on Punk and Underground Hip-Hop. I gravitated towards music that was different and rare. I kinda shied away from the mainstream stuff. It wasn’t about being cool and underground. I just liked awkward music cause I was an awkward dude, so I just kept to myself and listened to weird shit and made weird shit. The transition to Ragga [Jungle] from Punk was easy. I was an angst teenager. I was listening to high-energy music. Fast drums, loud - that's when I was just getting into raves and going to parties and stuff. I heard Jungle and was like, “Whoa, what the fuck is that?” I started making it before I started playing it. After a couple years, I wanted to play my own beats. Back then, you could either cut dubplates or get the early versions of the CDJs, but I didn’t have money for expensive gear. I cut dubs when I could. Music, for me, is very emotion-driven. When I was first getting into Dubstep, I was at the end of my military contract, and Ragga Jungle had turned into a sample-heavy pissing contest. In the military, I was making the hardest and heaviest music I'd made in my life. Once Dubstep took control, I was free from the military, I was able to blaze again, I felt like me. I'll always be a junglist, though.
 

What’s the scene like in Boston?

Boston has a pretty diverse scene. It’s a college city, (good focus on science, arts,education) - which helps and hinders, having a constant shift in party-goers and fans. BASSIC events were 21+, which cut out a lot of people who wanted to come to our parties. We played and booked the underground stuff. The crowd was really open and accepting, and we could play anything from Grime to Dub Techno to Jungle.  Of course there is also the mainstream side, people were into the bro stuff. A buddy and I played a show with Caspa at another event. It was a different crowd, but we still played the deep stuff. 

Who are some of your favorite artists around at the moment?

I love ARtroniks. I played a collab tune he and I did tonight, and at least 10 more of his tunes. Big up ARtroniks!  Also, Dayzero from Japan! I played a few from him tonight, as well. He’s got some sick releases coming out, and I’m really happy to see that for him. Big up the homie Gremlinz, as well. More 140 coming from him, too.

Do you still write 170 stuff?

Yes I do. I don' ever play it. I mostly make 170 stuff to send to Gremlinz, Youngsta, and J:Kenzo. I'd definitely love to do an all-original 170 set someday.  

How was playing Contact in London?

It was great. The party started at 9 and people were waiting to get in. It was the best sound system I’ve ever played on so far. I played a 100% original set. Some people missed it, so hopefully I'll catch them next time. It was a great time, great party. Afterwards, people in the crowd just wanted to talk to me and hear the accent. Everyone just wanted to chat and hear what America’s scene was about.