Fabio & Grooverider

Fabio, born Fitzroy Heslop, and Grooverider, born Raymond Bingham on April 16, 1967, in Streatham, London, began their careers in the mid-1980s on London’s pirate radio station Faze 1. They soon established their DJ partnership, playing at illegal raves and warehouse parties across the UK. Their early sets at Mendoza’s in Brixton and later, the groundbreaking ‘Rage’ at Heaven nightclub, were instrumental in shaping the nascent acid house movement, and subsequently, jungle and drum and bass genres. Grooverider also developed his own record label, Prototype, which featured artists such as Matrix and Boymerang, and released his own tracks under the moniker Codename John. Fabio established his Creative Source label as well.

Throughout the 1990s, Fabio and Grooverider hosted a radio show on Kiss 100 from 1994 to 1997. Their influence expanded further when they joined BBC Radio 1 in 1998, initially with the ‘One in the Jungle’ show, and later their own popular program. This platform was crucial in introducing drum and bass to a broader audience, contributing to its mainstream acceptance. Their radio presence continued on BBC Radio 1 until March 2012, and later transitioned to Rinse FM in September 2016, where they continue to host a monthly show.

Both artists have released individual works and compilations, with Grooverider releasing the album ‘Mysteries of Funk’ in 1998 and various singles as Codename John. Fabio contributed to compilations like ‘Promised Land Vol 2’ and ‘FabricLive.10’. Their enduring partnership was recognized in a Mixmag poll, where they were voted among the Top 25 DJs of All Time, and received the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at DJ Mag’s Best of British awards in December 2015. More recently, their collaboration with the Outlook Orchestra has been a notable success, including sold-out dates at the Royal Festival Hall.