An Mc for 10 years, MC Stirlin's breakthrough came in 2004 when he became a Metalheadz resident MC and and Goldie's personal MC of choice for the 10 Year Metalheadz tour which spanned Europe at the time. Since then Stirlin has appeared with many of the big names in the scene and continues to represent Metalheadz both in the UK and abroad. In person and on stage he expresses an energy that can't fail to catch on with the crowd and has earned him strong bonds with promoters and punters alike.
From school times Stirlin was always into Music and English, they were the things that got him through the boring times: 'I used to read anything and everything, as I loved to devour words and understand the meaning of them all. I always felt even then, that an understanding of and being articulate in speech was a strength, so I loved word and their power!'
From those time's Stirlin loved Hip Hop and R&B and used to religiously check the radio airwaves for a fix of what was going on in the scene, always eager to hear some new flavour. He was mesmerised at how these rappers used to be able to do their thing on atrack or at a concert. One day though, everything changed when one of Stirlin's mates passed him some headphones :'He was listening to this dance music with an MC chatting over it, hyping up the crowd, with horns going off and all - that was it, I was hooked !' says the now experienced MC. 'From then, I was going in! '
Stirlin regulalry tuned into whatever Pirate station was on, mostly Don, KOOL, Pressure, Rush, and Rude FM. Week in and week out, he immersed himself in thismusic. 'At the time, it was like I was trying to decipher these fast breakbeats, which I could only describe as eye and ear opening. '
From there his emergence into the d'n'b scene made an upward spiral, regularlyattending Metalheadz, Thunder and Joy, AWOL and World Danceamongst others. According to the MC: 'It felt nice man - withoutbeing clichéd, it felt right. '
Stirlin credits Mampi Swift for inspiring his move into properly Mcing. 'You know it's weird.........the person who really proper seriously, but indirectly got me into the whole MC thing, was Mampi Swift. I remember on one of my nightly radio missions, I was locked into KOOL and he was doing a graveyard set at some mad hour over the weekend. I was locked in and studiously listened, the beats were tuff, the mixing was tuff and the phone was popping off - I wanted to be part of this scene……The next day I got my tape deck and requisitioned my mums tape deck and created a crudely engineered mix tape with Mampi Swift's set from the night before and my first attempt at being an MC - I was born, albeit slightly incoherent.'
At these studios which really gave him the confidence to push forward. He made his debuts at house parties in front of small crowds in order to gain confidence.He eventually linked up with Dj Assassin and Dj Sniper who made up two-thirdsof a click Stirlin named IQPOSSE. After about a year of jamming and doing house parties, they made a demo tape for Ruud Awakening. After much harassing of Lady Sirus and Chillum, in the form of repeated phone calls to them, they got a shotin the summer of 98.
They called the shows the IQ Interactive Sessions. After experiencing the buzz of ther first radio show, the guys realised they were on the long road to becoming someone and had broken their own personal barriers of coming out of the bedroom and onto a wider platform. As the trio grew in confidence andability, they managed to blaze up the airwaves with their unique IQ sound. 'I was on the station for two years, breaking it down with people like Twisted Individual, DM-Cut, Eksman, Mojo, Steppa, Stylee, Fearless, Rapid, UsualS uspects and the tremendously talented KW. I think radio helped to define my style in them early days, as the fact that people were locked on and locked in, meant you had to be fresh and come with something constructive to say. I suppose it all boils down to the best piece of advice I ever got, from Lady Sirus relating to being an MC, I remember her saying :"Talk to the crowd / listeners, cause that's what a good MC is about!"'
Stirlin gave up the whole scene for about a year in 2000. He had started to get bored with the music and had personal time with his wife, but eventually his passion brought him back out of the woodwork. 3 years later and he's really come into his own, having been appointed a Metalheadz resident MC, as well as residing at well known London clubs like Therapy and Technicality. He also played abroad in Japan, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Austria, France, America, Jersey, Holland as well as his own UK soil. Stirlin has worked with DJs including :
Goldie, SS, Hype, Storm, Fabio, Addiction, Social Security, Boomer, Grooverider, Bailey, Equinox, Monkey & Large, Randall, SHY FX, Temper D, Friction, Swift, Senses, Sonic, Silver, Illskilz, Rawthang, Flight, Sketchy, Tachyon, Clever, Robyn Chaos, Baggs, Total Science, Audio, L-Double, Ink, Electric Lane, Lee, Blame, Klute, C4C, Dieselboy, New Republic, Spirit, Lee, Digital, Concord Dawn, Lucid, Subfocus, Souru, Tech Itch, Danny C, Audio, Ruff Stuff, Mackie, Mat Trifelife, Alley Cat, Dylan, ASC, Muffler, Bad Company, Concept, Audio Device, Rawfull, Cyantific, Doc Scott, Paul B, Photek, Kasra Critical, Nicky Blackmarket, Probe One, Loxy, Vincent, Tomahawk and Commix, amongst others.
This was just the end of the second chapter inStirlin's career. Part 3 developped into an exciting journey, with many gigs alongside Goldie and the Metalheadz crew, as well as his local London haunts! Stirlin explains :'Its funny, this music thing ain't a fad, it's a lifestyle, a way of living and a way of growing up, kicking it with your bredrins and just wanting to play music and shit! I have had the opportunity to play at a variety of event's here and abroad which I have enjoyed. At all these events I have given 110% of my energy, which I feel is important to pass on to people coming to a rave or club environment - they and I want to have a good time!! I would and I hope others would consider myself to be a versatile MC, that has been able to navigate all types of breakbeat seamlessly, irrespective of it, not being my mother beat.....'
This should be a great year for Stirlin. Respect!
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