Crate Digging: The Influence of De Underground Records

A heritage project documenting Forest Gate’s De Underground Records and securing the first UK plaque recognising jungle and drum & bass music.

Crate Digging was a heritage project led by Katherine Green for Rendezvous Projects as part of Newham Heritage Month 2021. It explored the story of De Underground Records, the Forest Gate record shop and studio active between 1991 and 1996 that played a key role in the development of UK hardcore, jungle and drum & bass.

Through oral histories, archive research and public outputs, the project restored visibility to a site central to East London music culture that had received little formal recognition.

The research later formed the basis of a commissioned 360° VR documentary produced with Hyperactive Developments in 2022, extending the archive into immersive digital interpretation.

Approach

  • Volunteer programme involving eight participants trained in oral history, transcription and research
  • Location-based audio walk connecting site and story through QR-triggered listening points
  • 56-minute documentary podcast amplifying underrepresented voices from the scene
  • Limited-edition publication combining archive material and interviews
  • Public event reconnecting originators and local audiences
  • First UK heritage plaque recognising jungle and drum & bass music
  • 360° VR documentary, digitally reconstructing the shop interior and enabling virtual DJ interaction

Podcast

This hour-long documentary podcast combines oral history testimony from producers, DJs, MCs and visitors connected to De Underground Records, bringing together a wide range of voices from the scene — several of whom had not given an interview in decades.

Signs from the audio walk as part of Newham Heritage Month

Signs from the audio walk as part of Open House

Youth engagement

Workshops with young people at Forest Gate Youth Zone introduced photography, interviewing and local heritage research, connecting the story of De Underground to a younger generation through practical creative skills.

360° documentary

Using research generated through Crate Digging, Hyperactive Developments produced a commissioned 360° documentary with Julia Toppin, Mike De Underground and Uncle 22, directed by Peter Collis. Katherine Green was the producer on this phase of the work.

Mike De Underground on set.

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