Interview: UGLY DUCKLING // 27OCT11

“We’re not going on a spending spree
Cos it doesn’t take much to make a memory.”
– $100 Weekend, Moving At Breakneck Speed

Ugly Duckling are in a reflective mood. Touring for over a decade and watching the so-called music industry transform before their eyes, new album ‘Moving At Breakneck Speed‘ keeps the momentum going rather than taking the chance to moan about life on the road.

Last night I had the chance to catch them live at Manchester’s Sound Control, watching them make the place jump from start to finish. A triumvirate of professionalism, precision and positivity – the whole venue beaming, faith restored in hip hop once again. You can pigeonhole UD as ‘old school’ all you like: lumped in with Jurassic 5 et al at the turn of the century, they’ve endured and grown past their defining first album despite the whole hip hop scene dissipating around them.

Dizzy Dustin and Young Einstein (Andy was over at Unity Radio with Whirlwind) took the time to talk with Groovement’s Agent J about Nando’s, pressing their own wax, being independent, getting old, Dizzy’s label Kamikaze Airlines, and Nando’s.

After the interview I went to Nando’s with Einstein (“We’re gonna have to get a take away. Can I still use my reward card?”) to chat about chocolate (he buys English Dairy Milk back home), football (he’s a Man Utd fan) and the Nando’s monkey, which you can tell by the pic made his night.

New LP ‘Moving At Breakneck Speed‘ is in stores now.
Buy on iTunes.

Check Kamikaze Airlines, Dizzy’s label, for new music.

Free download: An exclusive mix for our pals at Bonafide Magazine