'I just wanna talk to you and tell you how I feel...'

Inspired by posting the Delinquent feature, here's a quick interview I did with Platnum's Aaron a couple of months before Christmas for when we did bassline as About To Blow. I can't be arsed to change it all, suffice to say H20 has now signed to Ministry, it's out sometime in February and it's a TUNE. I heard at least three people playing it as a ringtone up in Bham one day over Christmas. Which doesn't necessarily make it a hit, but it's three more ringtones than I heard of anyone else that day.

Not sure how it all works, but far as I gather, H20 is the producer and Platnum are the vocalists....


Platnum are Aaron Evers, Mina Poli and Michelle McKenna and they hail from the town known to all as Manchester...


How did you get your start?
Aaron: We started off in a local talent show called Urban Superstars around 2004. We were doing 4x4 compared to garage and grime, which is what everyone else was doing at the time. We didn’t win but then we were doing something totally different. After that, we met Jamie Duggan who we knew through Niche where we’d been going for two years, got some vocals to him that was that.

Who brings what to the group?
Mina: We don’t produce, but we deal with songwriting and vocals. We’ve built a nice network within the scene, working with anyone we want. So far that includes DJ Q, Jamie Duggan, Virgo, H20, Nastee Boi…

Have you signed yet, cos What’s It Gonna Be is massive?
Michelle: No, not yet. We’re still feeling around, trying to find something right for us. It’ll be good when it comes, but we’re not in a mad rush. We’re getting hype underground, and we’re doing what we’re doing as a group. This is like a training camp right now; we’re trying to get to be the best we can be. I think people like us cos it’s different. We’ve got proper vocals over proper bass. They see us from the raves when we used to go just to dance and now we’re there doing PA’s.

Tell us late Londoner's what we've been missing out on?
Aaron: A lot! The scene has been a lot – I started going to Niche when I was 17. You’ll never have those times from the early days; it became so successful cos them bassline are so deep – they all tell a story. The nights are hype and a lot of everyone getting down and feeling it. Everyone appreciates the whole scene, we all work together and it’s all love - that’s why people are traveling from all over the country.

What do you think about the negative tag bassline is getting?
Michelle: It’s easy to add the violent tag to the urban genre. It happened with UKG and So Solid and now with bassline cos they’re big scenes and they know we can take over, so they try and put it down. You don’t have to go through a label to do garage or 4x4, you can do your own thing and create your own heat like we’ve done. The labels are intimidated by the fact the artists are making money already. You can pull in £6000 a month if you’re doing it right, you don’t need a label.

Sheffield is seen as the home of bassline, but how much is Manchester involved?
Mina: Manchester has been on bassline for a long time. It started in Niche in Sheffield and Niche had a big following all over the country. They had to shut it down cos they couldn’t control it.

What do you say to those you reckon bassline is just UKG or speed garage?
Aaron: Reach for the ear-buds and you’ll see the difference.

Why do you think bassline is blowing up?
Michelle: I think it was just a matter of time. It’s had such a big following, so it was bound to happen. It was just as and when
What do you think the next big track after Heartbroken will be?
Mina: Platnum of course! People like What’s It Gonna Be for the same reason as Heartbroken it’s different, with big basslines and a catchy melody.

What have you got coming up?
Michelle: We’re just tying up the album. We re gonna launch the new single just after new year, we’re in talks with T2 about a project and we’ll be touring the UK promoting bassline. I’m ready to thrown in down in London – I got some bass for your face down there!

If you could text anyone…?
Aaron: I’d text Timbaland and say it’s a Platnum thing! Everyone needs to start logging onto bassline. It was a matter of time and now it’s doing it, it only gets better and better.

Platnum MySpace