The Leicester-based deejay SIMON BROWN.

Leicester lad Simon Brown has been spinning vinyl treats for the last three years. Simon, who is originally from Bristol, is part of the Slipstream club nights that have been hitting the Leicester club scene for the past year. Simon started deejaying in the Bar Code in Leicester and then deejayed for Revelation, which is part of the Navigators student ministry in Leicester.

Simon plays a mixture of jazzy-funk, trip-hop, drum'n'bass and big beats all smoothed together with a touch of Latin. His influences include labels such as Acid Jazz, Skint Records, Mo Wax and the Bristol scene and is excited by artists Trip and Terry Callier on acid jazz gospel vocals.

On the Christian front, Simon has respect for DJs Hopeton Gordon from Derby and Kenny Mitchell. He mainly spins secular tunes on his DJ decks but thinks that Christian acts Tribal Expression and Trip from NGM is definitely improving. I asked Simon what he thought about the Christian club scene in the UK. He replied, "It's great what's happening in the UK, but we've got to be wary that were not creating a scene just for Christians. What I and Slipstream are trying do is on a smaller scale, but trying to make an influence on club-culture in Leicester."

Simon is currently deejaying for an art event called Fragments in Leicester and DJ'd at the alternative chill-out worship tent Elemental at this year's Glastonbury. Plans for the future include working with the Slipstream crew and trying to get more involved in the secular club scene in Leicester. - Andrzej Iwanowski

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The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.