Paul Smith, aka Smithmonger, hails from Tasmania, Australia but now lives in South London where churns out tunes from his Brixton studio.

After studying in Tasmania, he moved to Sydney and became a professional trumpet player. Years of playing in bands eventually resulted in a lucky string of high paying gigs which financed his switch to dance music in 1998.

Now living in London as an accomplished DJ, producer and engineer, he is concentrating on breaks and house with some impressive results in the last 2 years.

2002 saw Smithmonger release a big 12” on Hooj ‘s new sub label Safety in Numbers (5 weeks in Judge Jules’ Top 10 on Radio 1), two 12” releases on Bushwacka’s Oblong (one of these is featured on James Lavelle’s ‘Barcelona’ Global Underground mix) two 12” releases on Suburbia, and one on Special Needs.

A class breaks release on TCR in December ‘02 was hammered but the likes of the Plump DJ’s, and Boy George. It was Hybrid’s tune of the year with wicked reviews in most Dj magazines.

2003 saw a huge release called ‘Sky High’ on Loaded records with massive support on UK radio. TCR recently released a nasty follow up called ‘Nobody Gonna Stop Us’ which was cained by everyone from Freq Nasty to Fergie and Zane Lowe on Radio1. Annie Nightingale dropped it and wasted no time in extending an invite to DJ on her show on Radio1.
The Flip side saw Smithmonger team up with fellow Aussie Friendly, swapping remixes for their 10” releases. Smithmonger’s awesome remix of Friendly’ ‘Fetish’ tune sees the light of day in July this year.
2004’s been a good year so far: A massive Breaks release on Boombox in January called ‘Hey’ was cained by the likes of Lee Coombs and Atomic Hooligan , followed by a stormer on 10kilo called ‘Seen it all Before’ which went in with a bullet at No. 1 in DJ Mag’s Breaks chart and No. 18 on the UK Cool Cuts Chart.
Oblong release ‘Get it On’ in May to huge reactions and Paul has just signed another Tech-House project to Visitor in Belgium. Ministry of Sound will release a wicked breaks 12” in August coinciding with a tour to Tokyo and Australia – travelling to Amsterdam and Hungry and Croatia in between!
The year is indeed looking good.
Now a regular TCR DJ, Smithmonger is enjoying the calm before the storm as upcoming events outline a crazy year ahead.

“This Man is heading towards the premier league of breakbeat like an Aussie thunderbolt – Awesome” – Rennie Pilgrem.

Base:

London