Famous for his six-hour-long sets, Andy Carthy AKA , has been releasing music since the early 90s, when he released ‘Hocus Pocus’ with the Manchester-based label Rob’s Records. Following this, Mr Scruff released his debut album in 1997. With decades of experience, the DJ has become a master at spinning multiple genres, including hip hop, jazz, house and electro swing. The beauty of his sets is that he refuses to be confined to a single genre. 

Interestingly, Mr Scruff also has a love for bhangra music. In this interview at , we sit down with Mr Scruff to discuss his involvement in the local Manchester scene – and the challenges it faces with gentrification and the closure of iconic nightclubs. As well as this, he animatedly chats about his role within the Desi label and his interest in South Asian records. 

You do a lot of work with the Carlton Club (in Manchester), and you were involved with Save the Carlton Club. How did that come about? 

I’ve been really lucky over the years to play there. I’ve not done loads of gigs at the Carlton Club; I know a lot of people who work there; it’s two miles from my house. I think you gravitate towards supporting and attending local venues. We’ve booked it out for birthday parties and other family-focused events, and I’ve played there. A place that you take for granted might be in some kind of trouble, and you put in the work explaining to its members, the wider general public and its supporters why we’re in this situation. 

Whatever music events are on, there’s always some original members there just having a quiet beer in the corner, just observing what this new generation is up to. I think I love that old-school members’ club thing; the drinks are quite cheap, it’s homely, but it’s also a portal to the past in some ways. You’re aware that there are people who have been associated with the building for decades, and you’re like, right, I’ve got to be respectful of this place. 

It’s interesting: you go in, and it’s like, this is someone else’s place that I feel welcome in, and gradually you feel more at home, and then you become a member, or you then are in a situation where you’re welcoming other people. I think through my involvement with Music Venue Trust and Save Our Scene, and just the general advocacy for a lot of these places that I’ve been lucky enough to play over the years, that’s how I’ve been involved. Music Venue Trust, especially, are really good at explaining a lot of these issues that do affect a lot of these grassroots venues. 

So when you come into one of those places, and they say we’re struggling with this, you’re like, that’s something I’m already aware of, so you’re not asking them to educate you. So it’s kind of like, I think the educational aspect, as well as the awareness-raising and all the lobbying and stuff, is really important. 

And then Save Our Scene, I think they’re really good at taking these issues and then raising awareness to a younger demographic as well. That way it doesn’t fall to one person to help out. 

Do you think there’s been a decline in venues? Obviously, White Hotel’s closing down in Manchester; what’s your take on that? 

It’s difficult. I think there are a lot of different factors at work. I mean, obviously, the ever-rolling juggernaut of capitalism, people wanting culture when it suits them and moving next to clubs. Obviously, the age of change legislation that’s come in is really useful. 

But you’ve also got slightly run-down venues that are making noise, and then some brand-new flats get built next to them. And people are like, often it’s the developers who are at fault because they’re not doing their due diligence. They don’t care. 

I also think that creative people are always resourceful; venues seem to be moving further and further out of the city centre, which isn’t a bad thing. Carlton Club’s two miles out of Manchester; White Hotel’s a little bit out. 

Obviously, as the city centre grows, the whole process of gentrification is people making places kind of enjoyable and then getting pushed out by people once other people realise it’s there and are willing to pay a premium for it. Then there’s the general cost of living issue, of course. 

Besides Manchester, I was really interested in your involvement with the South Asian label, Naya Beat. Can you talk us through that? 

For me, I’m curious about all kinds of music. Since I was a teenager, if I find music from other places that I don’t necessarily have a cultural or personal connection to, I’ll buy it. I’m interested in it. 

In 1992, there was a radio station in Manchester called Sunset Radio, which was, like, primarily a black music station run by Mike Shaft, a legendary Manchester radio DJ. But aside from having, you know, soul, jazz, and hip hop, he’d have a bhangra show on there, and I’d just leave the show on. 

A lot of the early 90s bhangra was sampling a lot of dancehall, a lot of house, breakbeat, and hip-hop samples. So, I was like, yes, there are these amazing Punjabi vocalists over a musical backdrop that I’m already familiar with. 

So I’d hear stuff like Bally Sagoo and Malkit Singh, and obviously I didn’t realise at the time that they were using very old samples, but they were absolutely killing it on the vocals. 

When Naya Beat came out and they were releasing a lot of music, half of it that I knew and half I was like, wow, this is great because I love people who are digging for obscure things. For me, it was all about respecting an incredible label.