Shit, how do i start here ?
I booked Luv Dup on the recommendation of Mark & Jess who owned Mighty Force Records. Just before their first Cultural Vibes they played in Exeter for Mark & Jess @ Volts on the Wednesday and Duncan Parks, Phil Jubb, Richie Rundle and myself went down to check them out. Although the night had a fairly low key turnout we all met up dropped E's, drank a bottle of Jack off the optics, got absolutely nutted & the seeds were sown for three years of total mayhem. Actor Oliver Reed is quoted as saying that Keith Moon showed him the way to madness. I cannot put it better myself so i'll nick it and say the same of Mark & Adrian for the impact they had on myself, Duncan, Phil, and all our associated friends. Our combined 90's roller-coaster ride was just beginning to pay dividends and the next few years would see us all take hedonism to a seriously dangerous level. At this time the infamous Luv Dup Twins had their monthly Balearic Belter's column in Mixmag and were beginning to start to travel countrywide frightening children everywhere they went. This was their first trip to Plymouth & Cultural Vibes and the bright red heart shaped posters that Chinn & I plastered all over Plymouth seemed to work as the numbers suddenly shot up. We had steadily held a crowd of around 300 punters a week from our Warehouse debut in late January. However well over 500 people turned out to see Luv Dup which made a massive difference in the atmosphere overnight. I'm fairly sure this night was the turning point in my dream to fill The Warehouse as the numbers then grew every week following this night until we were full. The DJ's were still playing from the stage at this point with the net shrouding most of the vast Warehouse building. My best memory of this night was both Mark & Adrian had brought big 1-10 score cards for their mixes. It was hilarious as they were trashed & the crowd really got into it and would boo if they put up a high score after a less than perfect mix and cheer when they got it right, the crowd/Dj rapport was perfectly in synch. This was such a funny night for everyone involved and and the after party at Chinns wasn't sluggish either. At their next gig for Vibes in May we finally opened up the whole building for the first time as 750 people turned up to see them play the one and only "BigBadWolfGetsLuvDupBalearicParty" night. (i still have my t-shirt for this one) Following this night i made sure they came down at least every 5 weeks just so we could carry on with our special kind of madness. To put this into perspective for you on that May visit they came down with Adrian's girlfriend and her fathers car. Their joint fee was 350 pounds @ the time which they had spent on drugs within minutes of arrival. By the end of the weekend they had crashed the car, lost Adrian's girlfriends brand new 900 quid video camera (full of dodgy party stuff on it) and another camera, spunked all their money, had terrible hangovers and Adrian lost a girlfriend and their only lift home to Manchester.
I had so much fun with these guys and the so called Luv Dup juniors Mike (Balearic Mike) & Alan Stephens (although there was nothing junior about their intakes or performance either.)
Thanks to them all i went on to have a total scream in Manchester whenever i visited (often) although usually a painfull scream (another story). Thanks to Luv Dup Cultural Vibes went onto book Kelvin Andrews, Jon Dasilva, John Mcready, Jon Pleased Wimmin, Steve Harvey, Mike E bloc, Al Mckenzie, Lee Fisher, Chris & James & heaps more. Life throws you a good hand every now & then and this hand/relationship was a full house all round. A seriously twisted after party of pretend pirating with Mark, Adrian, Duncan Phil & I following a Fishgotech party at Bristol's Lakota would inspire Luv Dup to give Manchester a hugely successful night called Jolly Roger, which was full of pirating goodness. So many good times !
To be honest i loved them all dearly at the time and deep down i still do and Mark in particular has gone on to become one of the best friends of my life !
Here they are everyone ! Mark & Adrian Luv-Dup

Originally Recorded on Mar 6, 1993