The Prodigy's Liam Howlett on the early days of rave: "I like how rebellious it felt"

Liam Howlett The Prodigy — (Image credit: Andy Willsher/Redferns/Getty Images)

The Prodigy producer and leader Liam Howlett has discussed the early days of the dance scene as the band mark the 30th anniversary of game-changing debut album, Experience, which came out on this day (September 28), 1992. In a new interview with BBC 6 Music, the DJ and chief Prodigy songwriter remarks how the influences on Experience, which became one of electronic music's most innovative and exciting releases in the early 90s, came from the atmosphere of the UK rave scene.

“I’d say the influences came more from the feelin’ of the scene," he states. "It was so fresh, I like how rebellious it felt, going to a warehouse rave until the police came and broke it up, it was proper renegade at the start.”

“The producers I respected that really started the breakbeat rave sound," he continues, "people like DJ Hype, Shut Up and Dance, Mark Ryder - Sonic Experience, they were doing it before me and I looked up to them.”

“Also the breakbeat rave sound was an East London into Essex thing," he explains, "That’s where it was born out of, that was what the pirate radio stations in that area were playing, so it felt original to us and the producers involved in it, our own thing… Just like people would say the freestyle sound was a Brooklyn thing, or dubstep first came outta Croydon.”

You can hear more from Liam and more on The Prodigy's Experience turning 30 via BBC 6 Music. Earlier this year, The Prodigy wrapped up their first tour since the death of iconic frontman Keith Flint in 2019. A new album is expected soon.

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