Tributes paid as jungle, drum & bass pioneer DJ Randall dies, aged 54: “His influence cannot be understated”

nme.com:

Jungle and drum & bass pioneer DJ Randall has died at age 54. Tributes have since been shared by fellow musicians, industry peers and fans.The news was confirmed by a representative of DJ Randall to Resident Advisor earlier today (August 1).The veteran DJ, real name Randall McNeil, has frequently been referred to as the “godfather of breakbeat”.

Through his countless sets, he helped pivot the UK’s acid house-inflicted rave scene – starting from the mid-1980s – into a cavalcade of sounds that included jungle, drum & bass and hardcore through the ’90s.McNeil first began with the turntables in the late ’80s, carrying along a record collection friendly with the scene’s then-blooming acid house sound.

However, as the ’90s arrived, his sets began incorporating jagged breakbeat sounds that were captured on now-seminal mixtapes and pirate radio broadcasts from Rave FM and Centreforce.While best known as a DJ, McNeil also produced music and co-founded East London record shop DeUnderground, which operated from 1991 to 1996.

McNeil had continued to perform DJ sets until recently.Doc Scott wrote a tweet thread today on X (formerly Twitter), sharing that he only just hung out with McNeil last weekend at Croatia’s Outlook Festival, where both performed.“As many have said and will say, you are the DJ’s DJ, you are irreplaceable in this scene, way ahead of your time, you taught so many, myself included,” wrote Scott.“All my love goes out to his family and to the entire DNB scene around the world, we lost a part of our foundation today and I lost one of my best friends in the scene, I am heartbroken.