Winners of the coveted Best Garage Act MOBO Award
When DJ Luck and MC Neat received the coveted Best Garage Act MOBO Award, few would argue against Luck and Neat being the most deserving of recipients. If there was an award for services to UK House & Garage and Funky House, the hyper productive London pair would win one of those too.
DJ Luck, real name Joel Samuels and MC Neat, real name Michael Rose, came together by chance in the studio of pirate station Chicago FM in 1995. The partnership of the ruff-chatting’, widely schooled, charismatic MC and the focused, thrusting, tunes master DJ kicked off that day. Luck and Neat have never tried to be house & garage fabulous, they just are.
Luck & Neat were there from the inception of the UK House & Garage movement and as the scene they loved exploded, Luck and Neat did too! They have turned into a two man United Nations Of House & Garage, bridging scenes and showing that the raw and the smooth can co-exist beautifully and wickedly. The premier league House & Garage stars have bashed the charts with a string of top 10 hits; their now legendary, introductory dubplate, 1998’s ‘A Little Bit Of Luck’ sold a quarter of a million copies, and was followed by the chart smashes ‘Masterblaster’ and ‘Ain’t No Stoppin’! They have made Top Of The Pops their home, picked up a Brit Award nomination and jumped the hit albums guest list with a hundred thousand plus sales of their ‘Luck And Neat Presents…’ compilations!
In addition to their impressive list of accolades, Luck & Neat have toured the UK and the International circuit extensively igniting crowds with their captivating sets; the planet’s best bassline lovin’ clubs have been rocked at a rate of more than 25O appearances a year! They’ve won friends across the board with their broadminded House Nation show on Kiss FM and set up their own Lush label.
Above and beyond the call, they’ve represented global house & garage from Germany to Miami and beyond. They’ve found that place everyone wants to get to, between the underground and the wide open high streets.
Their ability to entertain and unique sound left clubbers and chart lovers alike craving the Luck & Neat sound, paved the way for the duo to sign to Island Universal. Their late 2001 release of Luck & Neat’s debut album ‘It’s All Good’ confirmed the duo’s position as a leading force in the UK music scene.
In MC Luck’s words, “I’d call our style a compatible style,” says MC Luck. “It’s a friendly style, it approaches you in a way that it’s not too hard, but not too soft. It’s accessible, it’s danceable, it lets you listen. Americans have heard our music, they love it, Germany they love it, Switzerland they love it, Spain, England, it’s all good.”
They’re in the lucky position (naturally) of being able to rely on crossover pop approval and keep sweet with the grass roots. The distinctions between underground and mainstream are eroded every time they step into the studio. They’re still playing the same Ayai Napa clubs they were years back before the popstar thing rolled up. Still hanging with the same mates. DJ Luck & MC Neat are generous, grounded and committed to getting the whole, spinning globe rewinding!
Luck and Neat might be living it and laughing it – they undoubtedly are normal guys who like a deluxe ride, a round of golf, a barbecue and a race round the local park with their remote controlled model motors – but they can afford to be that way after years of being steeped in the roots of loving it culture. Dues have been paid. Cutting edge lessons have been absorbed. Luck and Neat dont have to try to be garage-fabulous, they just are.
