Radio LBB: Generations of Felt with Maxwell Davis

I remember feeling a strong emotional reaction to music from a young age.

My mum used to play Annie Lenox, Joan Armatrading and Tracy Chapman. Arrested Development and De La Soul were on regular rotation, too. I remember the feeling of hearing ‘Walking on Broken Glass’ and ‘Eye Know’ for the first time and I guess these were the first songs I fell in love with. As well as this, my dad used to play in bands, and he would play guitar to my sister and I before bed.

Another early formative memory is the excitement when my parents bought a CD player and would rent CDs from the local library (it’s hard to comprehend this was a done-thing in the mid-’90s). The first CD I ever listened to was ‘Elegant Slumming’ by M People….not my choice, I must add.

Next up, at the arguably unsuitable age of eight, I used pocket money to purchase Coolio’s ‘Gangster’s Paradise’. Although advised, Parental Guidance was not administered in the Davis household and when my mother heard the likes of ‘Kinda High, Kinda Drunk’ and ‘Fucc Coolio’, she quickly realised it was not an age-appropriate first album.

Writing with a slightly more discerning head on my shoulders, I will say Coolio is not the best representation of the genre, but that album planted a seed that grew into a lifelong passion for me. Hip Hop filled my CD rack, then my mini-disc player, then my hard drive, and now a server somewhere. Cuts by Wu Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, People Under The Stairs, Jurassic 5, Pharcyde, NWA, Jeru The Damaja, Mobb Deep and many, many more have been a big part of my life.

The next big musical moment for me was in my mid-teens when I discovered my parents’ vinyl collection. I would sit in their room and be transported to other times and places. This had a huge effect on both my musical taste and my outlook on life and culture. The record box was filled with ‘60s and ‘70s psych-rock (Floyd, Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Steppenwolf, Spirit, Dylan, The Band, Crosby Stills and Nash, Neil Young) and Reggae (Prince Buster, U-Roy, Sly & Robbie, Toots & The Maytals, Lee Scratch Perry etc).

In the early Noughties (my 20’s), Jungle / Drum and Bass took over my life, and for a decade I spent most weekends either DJing or raving in Norwich’s vibrant (ahem) Drum n Bass scene. Another massive musical memory from this time was the release of ‘Boy In Da Corner’ by Dizzee Rascal. ‘Fix Up Look Sharp’ was like nothing I’d ever heard, and I was instantly grabbed by the raw energy of grime. I feel this is easily the most innovative musical movement of my generation. These two influences have led to a deep love of all electronic music. Warp and R&S records roster are still regulars in my headphones.

These days I draw for records that are far more laidback. Ambient electronica will probably be the ‘most listened to’ genre in my 2025 wrapped. This seems like a common transition amongst grown-up ravers. As my itch (and ability) for raving wanes, the appetite for electronic tones still lives on.

Read more from Felt Music here.