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The second UKFis5 reload of the week… We’re going deep behind some of the most viewed UKF uploads of all time and unearthing the stories of their creation.
Right now, all hail Sub Focus’s game-changing Rock It!
He was just like ‘I’ve knocked these tunes up, what do you think?’ I got back to him saying ‘Wow… You’ve just given me my intro and my outro in one email!’ – Andy C
Uploaded to UKF Drum & Bass within months of the channel launching, it’s gone on to amass almost 11 million views. A key track in the history of both Sub Focus and drum & bass at large, Rock It heralded a big shift in focus as key producers began to shift from searching old sample sources to other nearby genres for production and dynamic inspiration, echoing it all back with a 170BPM boom.
In terms of pivotal releases in Sub Focus’s history it doesn’t get bigger: this very track started the build up to his multi-scene-shattering self-titled debut album that arrived later that year and elevated Sub Focus to the man who provides sensory-slapping live shows like this.
This rewind reflection couldn’t be better timed… Only last month did we have Sub Focus himself pondering his new direction and how he’s become re-enthused by the genre itself, specifically the deep, techy side.
For this particular retrospective we decided to ask Ram bossman Andy C about his take on Rock It while we spoke to him for yesterday’s exclusive feature. It transpires that Andy can remember being sent the tune, along with another ridiculously massive Sub Focus banger, like it was yesterday…
The Story Behind Sub Focus – Rock It
“A lot of things spring to mind when you mention Rock It… I remember dropping him an AIM one night saying ‘I’m going to Australia to tour tomorrow, have you got anything new I can play?’ Would you believe it, he sent me this and Let The Story Begin at the same time! He was just like ‘I’ve knocked these tunes up, what do you think?’ I got back to him saying ‘wow… You’ve just given me my intro and my outro in one email!’ Can you imagine getting those two epic tunes in one email? It was incredible. I came back from Australia and told him how massive they both were and in classic laid back Sub Focus style he was like ‘oh really? I haven’t played them out yet!’
“Rock It was actually in a different key to begin with and I was in his studio when he was remaking it using a talkbox, mouthing the riff with the tube. So that’s a strong memory. But the strongest memory is probably playing it at our first ever night at matter, London. The whole night was very very special. I still get messaged about it now, and Rock It was my intro tune. It kicked off hugely. So yeah… What an anthem! I’m glad to hear it’s one of the most ever viewed tracks on UKF.”
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