Desire Payback III
Slipmatt, Randall, Darren Jay, Hype and Micky Finn brought the tunes, with Rage and Stevie Hyper D on the mic. DJ Rap’s set from the same event sits alongside them.
The Rocket, Holborn, London • Saturday 4 February 1995. Five sets capture Payback III, with Slipmatt, Randall, Darren Jay, Hype and Micky Finn on the decks and Rage and Stevie Hyper D on mic. DJ Rap’s set from the same event sits alongside them.
Payback III back in full view
The tapes pair Slipmatt with Rage, Randall with Stevie Hyper D, Darren Jay with Rage, Hype with Stevie Hyper D and Micky Finn with Rage. DJ Rap’s mix gives us another angle on the same night.
The flyer and tape line-up show that Desire at The Rocket was a full night out, not a single-DJ showcase. The pairings on the surviving sets give that story its own character.
The flyer puts Desire at The Rocket, Holborn WC1, on 4 February 1995 and names 2000AD Productions as the organiser.
What the promoters said at the time
No night-by-night review has turned up yet. In The Scene #7, published around the same time, Phil & Mick explain that The Rocket nights leaned towards drum & bass with some hardcore, and that the vibe mattered more to them than dressing a night up as an “event”.
The interview gives us the promoters’ own take on Desire at the time, but it cannot tell us what happened during every minute of Payback III. For this night, the flyer and tapes do the talking; the interview adds the crew’s view of the atmosphere they wanted.
February 1995 interview covering Desire’s origins, Rocket music policy, resident DJs, security, production and promoter philosophy. Read the preserved issue ↗
Hear the Payback III sets
Slipmatt & MC Rage — Desire ‘Payback III’ — The Rocket — 4.2.95
DJ Randall & Stevie Hyper D — Desire ‘Payback III’ — The Rocket — 4.2.95
Darren Jay & MC Rage — Desire ‘Payback III’ — The Rocket — 4.2.95
DJ Hype & Stevie Hyper D — Desire ‘Payback III’ — The Rocket — 4.2.95
Micky Finn & MC Rage — Desire ‘Payback III’ — The Rocket — 4.2.95
DJ Rap & MC Rage — Desire ‘Payback III’ — The Rocket — 4.2.95
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