Eksman, Herbzie & Curse with DJ Nicol | Cyndicut FM 97.8 (Essex Pirate Radio) | Drum & Bass 1999

Artwork by Take Me Back Pirate Radio Archives. The schism which split Rude FM 104.3 had scattered many Drum & Bass DJs and MCs across London's FM dial with some stations like Cyndicut FM benefiting from this movement of talent. There's no doubting that Cyndicut was showcasing the creme de la creme of up and coming talent along DJs, MCs and producers who were now getting noticed and poached by elite pirate stations like Kool FM. However, the likes of Eksman and Herbzie were left waiting for their shot at the big time. They were getting booked in third rooms of big raves like One Nation. Only few events showcased them in the main arena. It was raves like, Pure Science @Atomics, Maidstone Kent, that pushed them to the fore and it took several years of grafting for Eksman & Herbzie to break through. This reason was primarily why so many MCs and DJs crossed over from the Jungle/Drum & Bass scene to UK Garage, as it was incredibly difficult to break through which the likes of Wiley, Riko Dan, Evil B, Maxwell D and many others did. That also went for DJs not just MCs as well as music producers. With all those things being said the likes of the talented MC Curse was not getting booked in the main arena even though he got on Kool FM 94.5 with DJ Magic, MC A1 and later MC Funsta who also appeared on Cyndicut FM, it was hard to get booked. It was a close knit scene and a tough climb to get to the top. Nicol was very talented DJ and his selection of unreleased dub plates was going down a treat, notably forth coming and unreleased tracks produced by Prisoners Of Technology, on Fresh Kutt Records and Battlemaster Records. Nicol would later feature on leading DNB pirate radio station, Kool FM 94.5 around the mid 2000s. He was certainly an underrated DJ of that era and one of Take Me Back's favourite DNB DJs. We salute you DJ Nicol!! Your effort didn't go unnoticed. Shouts out to the DNB record labels of 1999: Renegade Hardware label, BC Recordings, Prototype Recordings, Juice Recordings, Virus Recordings, Full Cycle Records, V Recordings, Droppin’ Science label, RAM Records, Moving Shadow label, 31 Records, Metalheadz, Rugged Vinyl Records label, Audio Couture label, Good Looking Records label, Kartoons label, Dread Recordings, UFO label, Penny Black label, Undiluted Recordings, Smokers Inc label, Eastside Recordings, Congo Natty Records, Knowledge & Wisdom Records, True Playaz label, Global Thang label, Frontline Records, Reinforced Records, Moving Shadow label, Joker Records, Da Lick label, Switch label (Joker Records), Liftin' Spirit Records, Trouble On Vinyl Records, Phat Trax label, Dread Recordings, Kartoons Label, V Recordings, Droppin' Science Records, Technique Recordings, Formation Records, 5HQ Recordings, New Identity Recordings, Audio Maze Records, Fresh Kutt Records, Juice Records, Splash Recordings, Infrared Label, Mix & Blen' Label, Beta Recordings, Cold Steel Label, Charge Label, Valve Recordings, Photek Productions Label, Timeless Recordings, No U Turn Records, Back 2 Basics Label, SambaLoco Records, Tribe Recordings, Easy Records, Proper Talent Label, Metalheadz Label, C.I.A. Label (Computer Integrated Audio), Mac II Recordings, Emotif Recordings, Hardleaders Label, Urban Takeover Label, Aphrodite Recordings, Penny Black Label (Ray Keith), Collusion Records, and all the other labels that contributed to the growth and evolution of the Drum & Bass sound. Out to all the London FM pirates of the past. Although they aren’t about now their contribution to the British music industry and to the London music scene has been immense. Here's a list of some of our most loved pirate radio stations in frequency order from 1989-2005: Flava FM 87.6 / Shine FM 87.9 / Rude FM 88.2 / Impact FM 88.2 / Centreforce FM 88.3 / Unity FM 88.4 / Conflict FM 88.4 / Ice FM 88.4 / London Underground FM 89.4 / Defection FM 89.4 / Raw FM 90.0 / Raw Mission 90.0 / Raw Blaze FM 90.0 / Pure Magic FM 90.2 / Pulse FM 90.6 / Chicago FM 90.6 / Mission FM 90.6 / Y2K FM 90.6 / Rinse FM 91.8 / Passion FM 91.8 / Weekend Rush FM 92.3 / Kik FM 92.3 / Deja Vu FM 92.3 / Weekend Rush FM 92.5 / Taste FM 92.5 / Mac FM 92.7 / Freeze FM 92.7 / Format FM 93.2 / Touchdown FM 94.1 / Stompin’ FM 94.2 / Kool FM 94.5 / Origin FM 95.2 / Entice FM 95.5 / Heat FM 96.6 / Rinse FM 97.6 / Flashback FM 97.6 / Cyndicut FM 97.8 / Shake FM 98.0 / Fantasy FM 98.1 / Fantasy FM 98.6 / Future FM 99.1 / Upfront FM 99.3 / Rinse FM 100.3 / Pressure FM 100.4 / Don FM 100.5 / Eruption FM 101.3 / Erotic FM 101.3 / Industry FM 101.3 / Freek FM 101.8 / Temptation FM 102.4 / Chillin’ FM 102.9 / Delight FM 103.0 / Flex FM 103.6 / Smoove FM 104.0 / Rude FM 104.3 / Ruud Awakening FM 104.3 / Don FM 105.7 / Shadow FM 106.5 / Force FM 106.5 / Girls FM 106.8 / Dream FM 107.0 / Risk FM 107.1 / Freedom FM 107.3 / Dream FM 107.6 / Don FM 107.9 #takemebackpirateradio #dnbmovementuk #Eksman #Herbzie