30 Years Of V

30th December 2023 Marked 30 Years V recordings, formerly known as V Records, is the record label founded by the long time duo Bryan Gee and Jumpin Jack Frost. For the last 30 years, they managed to build their authentic sound through this label and, in addition, have given back to the community dozens of great tracks.

Many great artists have been associated with this label, including Roni Size, Dillinja, Serum, and many more to come.

Starting by representing the Bristol sound, V has offered us everything going back to the basics while telling us about the newest trends and constantly updating us on Drum and Bass through the V monthly Podcast hosted by Bryan Gee.

Let’s see what V has been up to!

How are you? How is the V family?

Everybody is okay, winding down for Christmas, holidays and stuff, spending time with family. We’ve had a great year! It doesn’t feel like it’s been 30 years. We’ve been having so much fun!

Reflecting on the time since V started, what, in your view, has been the most impactful moment?

From the very beginning, it all felt very exciting. We didn’t plan anything; everything just fell into place. It all clicked naturally, and it felt good.

Everybody loved ‘It’s a Jazz Thing.’ It kind of just resonated with everyone in a positive way. That’s when you know something special is happening, when everybody is playing your tune.

The new generation serves as your driving force. What are your thoughts on the current state of cultural education?

We’ve seen so many people who are younger than the label, and they have so much interest. That’s what makes me happy—they still want to learn.

You can’t fool young people. A lot come up to me and say they grew up on ‘V.’ You don’t usually play what your mum’s into, do you? It might not be too cool if you do. Many kids are getting into the early stuff (Rupture, Old School). They’re just making it all new again

Updating to social media and music influences. Where do you see V stands?

The game is always changing. We’re in a place where if you’re not on board, you’re left behind. We’re learning as we go. Ten years ago, I would know every track in the competition, but now I don’t even know who wins the best track. It’s hard to keep track now with everything.

I’m so grateful we have social media. When I look at Drum and Bass now, how big and massive it is all over the world, that’s because of social media. Everything is just instant now. At the same time, it’s scary because things can fade quickly, here today, gone tomorrow.

How can we combat the mass fast listening and push people to pay more attention to the haul project when it comes to listening full albums?

I remember when albums came out; it was a big thing. You talked about it for months. Now it’s considered good if you talk about it by the end of the week. Artists spend all year making an album, and then it has a window of one week nowadays. People used to talk about it for months.

It’s hard to close the box now with all the social media. We’ve sold ourselves down this digital road. We can’t go back; it’s too late. In this digital world, people pay attention for 2 minutes.

What do you think needs to be changed that is not working out now?

Where are the sets? We used to have tape packs. We’re going to put full sets on YouTube from this year. I want to leave people with the whole night. When you feel you’re part of that, you feel like you were there.

There should be a way for your music to be out there without you, as an artist, having to spend time on social media promoting it. I feel sorry for some artists. Some people don’t feel comfortable on social media because of misinterpretation. You have to be out there shouting about it, and not everyone is good at that.

We need to have a talk program, like Kool FM was. Bringing artists from all over the world and connecting with each other—a place where everybody talks about what they love.

Music trends have always influenced the community. However, most people prefer quality over quantity, saying that people come along if you stay true to yourself. Do you agree?

The label gives you a direction. When you’re making music, it finds a home, and the label has its own sound. Us working with them (Roni Size, DJ Die) and them working with us provided a direction. They took the London sound and transformed it. Jungle with Jazz, samples, laidback funk—these are the elements that give V its distinctive identity. I do what I believe in, not what I’m told. I grow from my feelings.

Everyone is excited to hear about the new album that will be launched by V soon. Any info or new dates for the project?

The new album, ’30 Years of V,’ will be launched in February or March and will be available on vinyl. It features 22 tracks from artists such as Alibi, L-Side, Sl8r, Chimpo, A-Audio, Break, Voltage, Serum, Bladerunner, Tink Tonk, Need for Mirrors, Krust, Dillinja, Level 2, Paul & Ed, and Command Strange. We’ll be releasing singles leading up to March.

Do you think or even hope that Drum and Bass will become mainstream one day?

It’s already mainstream. Never say never!

There have been times when Drum and Bass tracks made it into the charts in the UK, but now you see many tracks in the national top 10. We used to be the outcasts at the back of festivals, but now we’re on the main stage. I never saw this coming. We still have a long way to go, but the progress is rapid. This is due to the commercial accessibility of it. It’s still Drum and Bass, but with a sound that includes bass tunes and more vocals.

Labels like V represent more of the underground scene. Would say that these labels would suffer from this hypothetical change in the Drum and Bass scene?

Our music is still very underground compared to other Drum and Bass labels. There were paths that we could have taken differently, but it’s never been about that for me. It’s not about what’s popular; it’s about what we’re feeling. Most of the time, I just continue on the same path. We might not receive all the accolades, but that’s what defines us as V.

Eventually, people discover the more underground labels, and everything grows from that. The underground will always be there, and it will never change. They have always worked hand in hand.

How has the community responded? Are you satisfied with the reception from the V fan base?

I see people tattooed with V all over their body. I’m like wow, it’s my label and I only got it on the top of my arm, that’s about it. I go out every weekend and I see people wear V t-shirts, even if it’s not a V night. That tells me we’re doing something right.

V seems to have it all. From various artists to the V podcast, website and countless events. Is there anything left to do for V? How do you manage to take care of everything?

V has a good team of people who are passionate about the label. We wish we could host more parties, create more merchandise, and add more artists to the label, etc. We strive to improve. We’re still learning. We are far from being finished, and we are not comfortable at all. We’re very hungry.

How have the 30 years of V anniversary parties gone so far?

The parties have been great! When we decided to do them, there was no way I thought that we would get this kind of response. We’ve headlined some fantastic festivals like Glastonbury, Boomtown, Hospitality, and Fabric.

Seeing so many young people, most of whom weren’t even born when the label was established, makes me feel like we’ve tapped into the new generation. People come to the parties with their moms and dads, individuals who were there 30 years ago. That’s what they grew up on.

Is there anything left you would like to say?

We got some exciting projects for next year. Thanks for all the support everybody and just continue being with us because the journey is not even up yet! We got so much more to go and give you! Buckle up!

Check out the latest V Podcast: https://www.vrecordings.com/news/15389/v-podcast-149