About
DJ, broadcaster, author, promoter, a multiple award-winning man dedicated to this scene since its earliest roots: No one does it like Uncle Dugs.
The man behind Rinse FM’s most popular show, the Sony Award-nominated #RCFF, Simon Duggins is a veritable rave professor. Educated in the original rave trenches, graduated on the pirates brandishing a doctorate made of pure vinyl, he’s been neck-deep in rave, jungle and drum & bass culture since 1991, collecting, supporting and hardcore grafting with game-changing, scene-defining platforms such as Rinse and Kool FM. He’s been a name on the London airwaves since the beginning but now he’s known worldwide. It’s been this way since the early 2010s when he became the first and only newcomer old school DJ. Frequently booked to play some of Europe’s best and most prestigious raves – Glastonbury, Snowbombing, Bestival, Boomtown, Es Paradis Ibiza, Ministry Of Sound London, Printworks – his notoriety is still rising every year.
For many, Uncle Dugs is a trusted voice of jungle authority. He’s a rare breed of artist who can relate to, and unite, all generations who’ve come through over the decades. He can make sense of the last 30 years of the breakbeat phenomenon because he was there, contributing to it, playing it, living it. Because of this reputation and endearing personality, he’s inspired a whole community of supporters who tune into his weekly #RCFF shows and attend his Vibena events religiously. He’s been nominated in the UK Drum & Bass Awards every year since 2007 and is currently the reigning Best DJ and Best Radio Show in the Jungle Awards. Much more importantly though, he’s on your level; he’s a raver, a music fan, he asks the questions and plays the tunes you want to hear.
As a DJ, he joins the same important dots: Fully focused on the party, Uncle Dugs' sets navigate you through every era. Rooted in the old school but focused on the future, his mixes bring the very best of all forms of drum & bass and jungle together in one multi-generational shot of concentrated vibes. No chin-stroking, no moodiness, just fun: whether he’s tearing up a festival or holding down one of his own consistently sold-out events, this is guaranteed. And the vibes are getting stronger…
Following the success of his book, Rave Diaries & Tower Block Tales, and multiple documentary appearances, Dugs is now championing rave into the future with exciting new plans and ideas on how to maintain the same mission that’s inspired him since day one: to preserve this culture, its strength and unique energy, and make sure we never forget where we’ve come from, where we’re heading and why we’re heading there… No one can do that in the way he can, and he’s just as inspired now as he has been since its earliest roots. Run come follow him.