JOHN STAPLETON – A PROFILE
May 25th, 2005 by yoko
John Stapleton, the grand old man of the BlowPop crew, compiled the Dope on Plastic series for React Music. Over the course of its eight volumes, starting back in 1994, the series sold over a quarter of a million copies and became known as the definitive showcase for the funkier end of the breakbeat spectrum.
He has produced tunes under a variety of guises including the Hidden Chipsters, Bobby Dupea and King Mob (who have all featured on volumes of Dope On Plastic). In addition he has done a variety of remixing for the likes of DJ Food (Ninja), Kitachi (DoP), LHOOQ (Echo) and others. He also compiled six critically acclaimed albums for Harmless Records.
John plays out regularly across Europe and is a fixture at various festivals including Glastonbury (the Jazz World stage) and Ashton Court in Bristol, where he programmes and runs a stage. In the U.K. he has guested at clubs the length and breadth of the country – from Penzance to Perth. He is also a frequent visitor to the clubs and festivals of Australia.
He once met Pete Tong, but doesn?t think Lord Tong will remember him. He had a previous career as baby-sitter for Krafty Kuts – these days he enjoys hoarding funk records while his minions carry out his evil work, with the promise of boundless hospitality in paradise as a reward. John has never been to Ibiza. John Stapleton is reasonably house-trained and, when not trawling the second-hand vinyl stores of the world or writing for Grand Slam magazine, enjoys a quiet beer while playing records.
John Stapleton compilation LPs:
Dope On Plastic volumes 1 – 8 (React)
Dope Classics (React)
Africa Funk Volume 2 (Harmless)
Make Music (Harmless)
As We Travel (Harmless)
Gimme Shelter (Harmless)
Paint It Black (Harmless)
Soul Food (Harmless)
Productions:
Hidden Chipsters The Herb EP (Milk)
Bobby Dupea The Latin Bit (BlowPop)
King Mob Drum Sessions (Dope On Plastic)
Remixes:
Spaceways Japanese Flute (Cup Of Tea)
Kitachi Spirit (Dope On Plastic)
DJ Food Stop Phink (Ninja Tune)
Inti Raymi New Day (Tumi)
LHOOQ Losing Hand (ECHO)
