Biography.
Rob Stow exchanged his guitar for turntables in 1995. After playing at Analogue City, Eurobeat 2000 @ Turnmills, DNA @ The Sheffield Arches and United Systems' free parties with his fast creative mixing style he attained his first residency for monthly London Techno night, Rampant. Over the next two years at Rampant and then Defcon 1, Rob played alongside the likes of; DJ Rush, Frankie Bones, Daz Saund, Steve Stoll, Terry Mitchell, DJ Misjah, Trevor Rockcliff and the Liberator DJs, giving him a chance to develop his mixing skills and his understanding of the different flavours of Techno music.
In 1997 Rob Stow conceived Gravitation in order to explore his own brand of funky, minimal Techno. Gravitation #1 and #2, produced solely by Rob Stow, ventured into the funky, pure realms of Techno. Gravitation #3 saw Rob Stow teaming up with Jerome Hill (Don’t Recordings) to form Groove Asylum, bringing an Electro/ Freak Beat influence to the label. On Gravitation #4 Jafar, another regular at Rampant and now a rising star in the House scene, made his first appearance on the label with the jackin’ “Gravedigger”.
After Gravitation #4 Rob Stow released tunes on D.A.V.E the Drummer’s (aka Henry Cullen) Hydraulix imprint, Hydraulix 005, co-produced with Jerome Hill and Jafar and Hydraulix 007 and 010 followed. Then as his techniques developed output appeared on; Vice, Dark House Music, Don’t (as Groove Asylum), Uber, Maximum/Minimum, Apex, UTI and Real Sessions.
During this period from 1998 to 2002 Groove Asylum were riffing up the crowds in London with their groovy, freaked-out, scratched-up live sets at various nights in London including: Shtonka, Trancentral, Journey Inside, The Phuture, Defcon 1,Ugly Funk, Free Energy, Antiworld and The We Want You Parties.
Rob Stow continues his House projects with Alex Elliot under the guise of Bobby Strobe and Jafar. In February 2002 they won the Lynx white label competition in association with DJ magazine gaining them a limited white label release by Plastic Fantastic and later releasing on Debbie Does Dallas.
Rob Stow, (now managing Trackheads in Kentish Town, London) after four residencies over the last eight years, continues to guest at events in London, Nottingham, Manchester, Scotland, Spain, Serbia, Italy, Poland, Portugal. Predominately known for his Techno but also branches out into Electro, Breakbeat, Click House and performs a rather tasty solo live set with plenty more output forthcoming.