DJ Spoony's Dream Machine - Turntables to Tarmac with Ribble Cycles

After celebrating 30 years of garage music at this year's MOBO awards, an extra-special bike arrived in DJ Spoony's Vinyl room. Ribble's collaboration with the world-renowned DJ, radio, and TV presenter resulted in a unique Special Edition Ultra SL R.

Ribble's in-house design & paint studio created DJ Spoony’s Ultra SL R dream machine using a bespoke Gold Flame, Black and Gold paint design. Inspired by his Vinyl Room and love of Prince's iconic track 'Starfish and Coffee', Spoony's signature superbike features his personal logo on the forks and headset top cap, plus handwritten lyrics from one of his favourite songs on the inside of a seat stay.

Also a keen golfer, DJ Spoony got into cycling after sustaining an injury, using cycling as a way to keep moving and get fitter. Since he began his cycling journey, Spoony has undertaken numerous rides, such as Ride London and is currently in training for Ride London '24. In conjunction with Ribble, he aims to establish a social community ride accessible to all, encouraging more people to take up cycling while expanding his 'Beats and Bikes' cycle club.

Spoony has been riding a Ribble for the past year, ever since he first set eyes on the Ultra following a stage appearance at a bicycle show. He is passionate about cycling, lauding its benefits for improving and maintaining physical and mental wellbeing. In partnership with Ribble, DJ Spoony intends to create an open-to-all cycling social ride to promote well-being, health, and happiness.

His signature bike is specced out with only the finest top-shelf components, such as a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 wireless electronic groupset, customised Mavic Cosmic SL 45 wheels and a Fizik Arione saddle. The full spec list reads:

• Frame & Fork: Ribble Ultra SL R - Toray T1000/T800 Carbon Fibre Monocoque
• Handlebars: Ribble Ultra Aero Carbon Integrated, Colour Match Black & Gold Marble
• Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 2x12-speed with KMC X12 Ti-N Gold chain
• Wheelset: Mavic Cosmic SL 45 Carbon Tubeless Disc, with custom decals by Silk Graphics
• Tyres: Continental GP5000 AS TR Tubeless, 700x28mm, Black
• Seatpost: Ultra SL R Carbon, 10mm Layback
• Saddle: Fizik Arione R5 Kium Rail, Black
• Paint Scheme: Limited Edition Gold Flame, Black, & Gold Marble with Gold Leaf logo & Prince lyrics in DJ Spoony's handwriting
• Additional Features: Custom Kapz Gold Top Cap featuring DJ Spoony logo and Custom Mavic wheel decals in colour matched Black & Gold Marble

We’re in the vinyl room. Wow what a collection! How many records do you own?

I'm not sure. I think in this room there might be about 10,000, but this is not even all of the records that I own.

How did you get into music and where did your passion come from?

I think it comes from being a kid because my mum was always into music. It's one thing we always had in our house: a lot of love and a lot of music. And then when I got to about 15, I saw a friend of mine DJing at a local youth club. I was very much into music and loved it, as well as playing an instrument at school and stuff like that. But watching him go from one deck to another, I was like, I want to learn how to do that. And that really was the start of it. Prior to that incarnation of DJing, the sound systems of the era would only use one deck. But when I saw Steve doing it, I saw him play one record and switch to another without a gap. That was the thing that got me because I knew the tunes, but I was like, I don't know how he's done that. There was no missed beat, and I didn't stop dancing. I was like, I want to learn how to do that.

First record you bought, what was it and why?

The first record I owned was not the first that I bought. My mum, put a record in my Christmas stocking. I think I was about 12 years old and the record was by The Police. The De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da - I still love that record funnily enough. The first record I bought for myself was a tune called Magic Touch by Rose Royce on 12 inch. What an amazing record!

You've played all over the world and alongside some amazing artists. What's been your favourite set and why?

For my favourite set, I'm going back to maybe 1996... I'm going to go back to the Dream Team. We did a club called Summon in San Antonio Bay, Ibiza. I've still got that session on a DAT (digital audio tape). Absolutely fantastic. We were singing and dancing. I can remember it so clearly. But fast forward about four years, we did a club in Ayia Napa called Abyss for Radio 1. That gives me goosebumps whenever I think about it. The crowd noise, the time, the period it was for UK Garage. So yeah, I think those two.

Can you describe how it feels to play in front of a huge audience? Do you still get nervous and are there any ryder requests?

Do I get nervous? I don't get nervous in the sense of I know what I'm doing, I know what I'm trying to do, I know that I've practiced and prepared for it. But you get the nerve of excitement and you want to make sure people enjoy themselves and that comes with a responsibility. My ryder is quite simple actually. That's because I don't drink alcohol, so I tend to have water and ginger beer. But not ginger ale - I can be quite specific about the ginger beer because there are so many different varieties. And I like something sweet. I could easily eat a whole bag of Haribo’s in one set. So, I've done away with the Haribo’s and replaced with red grapes. So my ryder just has red grapes, water and ginger beer.

Are there any tracks you've regretted playing during the set?

I mean, scar tissue has most probably taken it out of my mind, I've most probably denied it in my head. I can't think of anything that I've regretted playing. Actually, I mean, sometimes you might play the right track at the wrong time, which effectively makes it the wrong track! I do know that I've cleared one or two dance floors in my time, but I don't think there's a DJ who's worth their salt that hasn't. It's like a cyclist that's not fallen off their bike!

You support Liverpool, how did that love affair start? Who was your favourite player and all-time manager?

The love affair started in 1977 when Kenny Dalglish signed for us from Celtic for £440,000. Not that I'm a nerd or anything. But I just know this stuff. He was, and still is, one of my three favourites. I think John Barnes is also a favourite of mine because it represents more than him just playing for Liverpool. Being a black boy growing up in Hackney and seeing such a brilliant black player playing for your club meant so much. And I think I want to also give a special mention to Steven Gerrard. He's such a phenomenal player. I could give honourable mentions to many others. To Mo Salah, Graham Souness, or our current goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Bob Paisley was our most successful manager in my lifetime but I think the job that Jurgen Klopp has done, in the time that he took over the club, with the resources that he's had to work with, and the competition that he's had - he's the special one for me.

You're into your golf and recently got into cycling. What is your handicap and how did you get into cycling?

I don't have an official handicap but I think it's nine. It's been a little bit lower but now nine is a fair handicap for me. I got into cycling as a result of getting injured running and I wanted to stay fit and cycling was a way of keeping moving. To stay fit without having the high impact of running and a way to build my legs back up. And I just fell in love with it really. But I never envisioned how social it was, I didn't realise how many people I knew that rode bikes but kind of kept it to themselves and I've just really enjoyed it ever since.

…have you seen any noticeable benefits?

I mean the noticeable benefits are that I've been able to cycle and get fit without injury. Whereas I know that if I'm playing football and running that at some point you're going to pick up an injury which then knocks you back a little bit. Touch wood with cycling I've just been able to get fitter, stronger and do longer rides and take on more hills and build a nice little community along the way as well.

You've undertaken various rides such as Ride London; what's in store for 24?

Yeah, 2024 I'm going to do Ride London again! I'm going to try and go for a really good average time. Last year was good but I think I can be better this time. I'm certainly going to prepare better and get out on the bike once or twice a week and try and do 60, 70 miles a week.

I'd also like to take the bike to Ibiza and try and get on the roads out there and cycle around the island.

Plus, I would really like to build up my beats and bike cycling club. We were talking ages ago about creating your own ride, trying to raise awareness and get more people from all kinds of backgrounds kind of into cycling. I would love to create my own ride, catering for various standards and various abilities - cycling should be enjoyed by everybody and anybody.

Prince – one of your all-time favourite artists and inspiration for your all-time favourite album – why is this artist so important to you and why are his Starfish and Coffee lyrics so profound?

When I first discovered Prince and the album Sign o' the Times, it was through reading the sleeve notes. I began to realise that this guy wrote every song, produced the album and played virtually every instrument on the album! I didn't appreciate that one person could and would do all that stuff. I originally bought it for a track called The Ballad of Dorothy Parker. However, I just found it incredible over time, listening and understanding the lyrics of Starfish and Coffee. Prince wrote about Kathleen, a girl he went to school with. Kathleen is autistic, and the songwriting is just so clever and joyous. I believe it teaches us that people with special abilities or who are different are extraordinary - we are the ordinary ones. It's just a remarkable body of work that's stood the test of time. If you listen to the signature on the title track, Sign o' the Times, now, you could quickly think it was written a year ago.

In three words, how would you describe yourself?

Chilled. Passionate. Musical.

**You've just celebrated 30 years of garage. How do you see your next 30 years? **

Wow. We are still celebrating 30 years of UK garage, which is a phenomenal achievement for the genre. We did a big performance for the 26th MOBOs, which went down really well. In the next 30 years, as long as I can keep my health, physically and mentally, and I'm still able to get out in the clubs - I just love doing what I'm doing!

**And lastly, what's guaranteed to get the party started? Floor filler, not floor killer? **

Floor filler. We could go for most Whitney Houston tracks. Something like ‘I Want to Dance with Somebody’. Everyone sings along to that. Or we could go for I Want to Be Your Lover by Prince. Dimitri from Paris has done an unbelievable remix - So that's a go-to track for me. Or Michael Jackson's PYT.

Thanks.

Cool.