WGR Community Forum

# DJ Matrix – New Monkey / North East Makina DJ When talking about the classic **New Monkey sound**, one DJ who has to be included is: # DJ Matrix Matrix became one of the best-known DJs associated with the **New Monkey in Sunderland** and the wider North East Makina scene. Alongside DJs such as **Scott and Chrissy G**, Matrix helped establish the fast mixture of Spanish Makina, hard dance and rave music that became such a recognisable part of North East youth culture. ## The Early New Monkey Years DJ Matrix was already appearing on New Monkey recordings during the early 2000s. A brilliant piece of surviving evidence comes from an internet forum post dated **28 January 2002**. A Newcastle user directs people to UltimateBuzz.net and specifically recommends: **New Monkey – Boxing Day Part 2 DJ Matrix MC Jet MC Techno-T** That is particularly useful for the WGR archive because it's a contemporary reference written while the original scene was happening. The writer even mentions being able to buy the sets on tape at the Quayside. That's exactly how this music travelled before YouTube and streaming. ## Matrix + The MCs Part of the attraction of a New Monkey recording was the relationship between the DJ and MC. Matrix appears across surviving material alongside numerous North East MCs. These include names such as: **MC Stompin MC Tazo MC Ace MC TNT MC Tempo MC Jet MC Techno-T MC Retro** and others. One surviving official New Monkey recording, for example, is: **DJ Matrix – MC TNT & MC Tempo** The DJ supplied the relentless Makina soundtrack while the MCs supplied the unmistakable North East vocals. ## DJ Matrix & MC Stompin One particularly well-known combination was: # DJ Matrix & MC Stompin An entire preserved New Monkey release is dedicated to **MC Stompin & DJ Matrix**. Their recordings are a great example of the sound people often simply called **“New Monkey”**, regardless of whether they knew the word Makina. For many people growing up in the North East, the MC and DJ combination was as important as the individual records being played. ## Easter Special 2004 Another surviving recording comes from the: **New Monkey Easter Special – 11 April 2004** The recording features: **DJ Matrix** with: **MC Stompin MC Tazo MC Ace MC Turbo D** That's a serious snapshot of the classic Monkey era. Four MCs now strongly associated with North East Makina performing over a Matrix set. ## Under-18s The New Monkey's under-18 events were another important part of the culture. A preserved release from **11 October 2003** features: **DJs Matrix & E.C.** with: **MC Ace & MC Stompin** These younger events helped introduce another generation to the music. For some people, the Monkey wasn't something they discovered when they turned 18. It was already part of their teenage years. ## Making Records Big The influence of DJs such as Matrix wasn't limited to playing records. A fascinating story appears in Vice's feature about North East Makina. MC Drop Dead Fred recalled a friend playing a new tune during one of his own sets and clearing the dancefloor. The tune was then sold to **DJ Matrix**. Matrix played it at the Monkey with **MC Stompin** on the microphone. According to the story, suddenly everyone wanted the record. That shows the influence certain DJs had within the scene. A record being played by Matrix at the New Monkey could turn an unknown tune into something people were hunting for. ## Scott, Matrix & Chrissy G When Vice later looked back at the North East Makina phenomenon, it highlighted three DJs in particular: **DJ Scott DJ Matrix DJ Chrissy G** The article described all three as highly influential in bringing the sound into clubs around the region. That's important when placing Matrix historically. He wasn't simply somebody whose name happened to appear on a few Monkey tapes. He was part of the DJ generation that helped establish the sound. ## The Last Set Ever One of the most historically interesting recordings connected with Matrix is: # Last Set Ever – DJ Matrix & MC Retro dated: **1 February 2007** The recording has subsequently received an official digital release through the New Monkey catalogue. Whether somebody owned the original tape/CD or discovered it years later online, it has become another preserved piece of the New Monkey story. ## The Music Survived The club era might have ended, but the recordings didn't. Old Matrix sets continued circulating through: **Tapes CD packs MP3s YouTube SoundCloud Mixcloud Streaming services** Years after the original events, people were still uploading, sharing and listening to them. That's one reason DJ Matrix remains a recognisable name to people interested in the North East Makina scene. ## Later Appearances Matrix didn't simply disappear with the original Monkey era. Later events and recordings continued using his name. In **2021**, for example, a surviving Exodus recording features: **DJ Matrix & Ollie-B** with: **MC Tazo MC TNT MC XTC** That shows the older DJ and MC generation continuing to perform for audiences long after the original rave period. ## Why DJ Matrix Matters When rebuilding the history of North East Makina, it's easy to concentrate entirely on the MCs. But without the DJs, there was no soundtrack for them to MC over. DJs selected the Spanish imports. They found the hard trance and European records that fitted alongside them. They built the sets. And they decided which records thousands of young ravers would hear next. Matrix became one of the DJs whose selections were heard repeatedly through the New Monkey. And because those sets were recorded, his influence travelled far beyond the dancefloor. A Matrix set could end up being played in: **Sunderland Newcastle Gateshead County Durham Teesside** and eventually much further afield. ## Part of North East Rave History DJ Matrix belongs to the generation that helped turn Makina from imported European dance music into part of North East rave culture. The combination of: **fast records + North East MCs + underground clubs + tapes and CDs** created something distinctive. The New Monkey became one of its most famous homes. And **DJ Matrix was one of the DJs behind its sound.** --- ## Do You Remember DJ Matrix? Did you see **DJ Matrix at the New Monkey**? What's the best Matrix set you remember? Did you have the **Matrix & Stompin** recordings? Or maybe you've still got one of the original tapes or CD packs hidden away? We're looking for: **DJ Matrix tapes New Monkey CDs Original flyers Photos Videos Old rave website pages Tracklists Posters Event tickets** If you've got anything, get it posted. Every old recording, photograph and flyer helps us rebuild another piece of North East rave history. **Weedy Garage Radio – Keeping North East Rave History Alive.**