Influences: Jon Rust

Music

Few have succesfully crafted a name and reputation through mixing and collecting records alone. However, for years now Jon Rust has remained a staple name amidst London club culture. His own imprint and party, Levels, has helped to introduce new artists such as Ajukaja & Andrevski and Lord Tusk. However, more importantly it has highlighted the nature of Jon's own personal character and his commitment to the grassroots movement. If you were to ask many a DJ who their favourite selector in London might be, Jon Rust would be bound to feature, not just because of his own tastes but on the personal value he places on communication with other artists and through his support of the cause. We caught up with him following the launch of his recent residency at Phonox and ahead of Odyssia Festival at the tail end of this month to look at some of his formative knowledge of club based music. He talks influences below…

This Saturday he will be joined by Josey Rebelle & Tic from Young Turks at Phonox. Catch him at Odyssia Festival HERE.

LISTEN

Hold On To Your Dreams - Jah Wobble,The Edge, Holger Czukay / Snake Charmer

Very big track for a lot of people but this came to me at a time NTS was starting out, I was working a day job and running Levels parties and thinking about starting a label. Inspiring tune, inspiring times.

Hold On To Your Dreams - Jah Wobble,The Edge, Holger Czukay / Snake Charmer

Very big track for a lot of people but this came to me at a time NTS was starting out, I was working a day job and running Levels parties and thinking about starting a label. Inspiring tune, inspiring times.
Nomad - Devotion

I got my first Walkman aged 8 and the first tape I owned was a comp with this on. I had no idea was a rave was or what acid house meant – The MC made me cringe up, but the whole track gave me goosebumps. Still does. Pure dance energy.
Daft Punk - Da Funk

I remember barely getting this through the door aged 13 and my brother taking one look – “You into House now then, yeah?”. I still didn’t know what house music was, or why they called it that. I’d just seen a funny video with the Dog and thought it sounded cool. At the time I think I was just making up in my head what a nightclub was even like.
7 Hurtz - Stokers Motor

Mix CDs were as important to me as pirate radio. Radio had the vibes, the show element, Mix CDs were these polished concepts. Nuphonic Records released a mix with three sections DJ Harvey, Andrew Weatherall and David Holmes. It was and still is one of my favourite mixes. Understated masterclass.
Renegade - Terrorist

The first jungle track I remember hearing. That Piano intro! I remember Moving Shadow was such an important label and it’s back catalogue documents the evolution of UK hardcore right through breakbeats to jungle techno to drum and bass, all of which were huge influences on me growing up.
Toasty - The Knowledge

Along with Oris Jay, Toasty Boy was the first people I got dubs from. Getting sent unreleased music from your heroes of the time was such a buzz, but there was also a code. You held it down. I never forget that and have always been grateful for the gift.
Dj Slimzee - Grime Mix, 2004 (Bingo Beats)

Another important mix. Not many people were supporting this music in 2004 but seeing this CD make it to shelves in HMV felt like a big deal. Tracks like Quantum Leap (written by Rinse’s Geeneus) still sound like the future.
High Plains Drifter - Sholay (Epic Mix)

Sublime anthem from Horsepower’s Benny Ill and DJ Dinesh. Tempa Recordings and FWD>> – these were the pillars of the underground dubstep sound back then.
Loefah - Jazz Lick

I picked this up from Big Apple Records in Croydon around the time it came out. A lot of the early 2000s proto dubstep music had this shifty quality…. Especially bits from the El-B / Ghost camp…like a spy film. You could only get Big Apple records from their shop. I lived in Morden, but Apple were over in Croydon. A bit of a mission then, but worth it.
Mala - Learn

Music to make you stagger. Experiencing this for the first time on a massive sound system. It was like being taught to walk a completely new way. It like the DNA of the music we’d grown up with was being rewired and we were having to learn to dance to it again. Spiritual times.
Theo Parrish - Dusty Cabinets

Theo Parrish’s residency at Plastic People was a big deal. Being able to regularly hear one DJ completely own the whole night, from the very first record through to the last. Minds were blown, regularly.
Kaidi Tatham & Dego - Got Me Puzzled (Feat. Face)

Sometimes I’d make it to (legendary broken beat session) Co-Op at Plastic People. This was one of the classics from that night. Me and my mate I went with had a ball but we als kind of sensed like we had just caught the embers of something, Even so, the warmth was there still. I think that feeling has helped me appreciate everything I did since. Inspiration ought not fade with the passing of time, or fading of places.. you should constantly look to the next source and think how to build that.