Bertie
Real Name: Alexander Crossley
Year Of Birth: 1973
Country Of Residence: U.K
Aliases: Bertie / Future Primitive
Time with the label: 1992 – 2007
KF Family Labels: Remix Records / Kniteforce / KFA
Links to more information:
Own Website: N/A
MySpace: N/A
Facebook: N/A
Podcasts & Radio Shows: N/A
Dj Residencies: N/A
Contact: N/A
Luna-C Says:
Alex was my first, and therefore remains, my longest friend. In our area there was a big posse of skaters. I was a totally uncool geek boy, skate pud extraordinaire, and I was an outsider to this group for a long time.
I remember first meeting Alex (who was part of this group) outside a shop in Loughton, and skating about doing Bonelesses and 360’s. I think its fair to say Alex has never cared what people thought of him, and has always gone his own way. We were friends from the off…
In the studio, me and Alex often completely misunderstand each other, and end up shouting our opinions. Or rather, I would get all moody and silent, while he refused to give up until we did understand each other. Although we have often disagreed about music, we have had very few personal arguments, and this is largely due to his refusal to be beaten by anything. Especially not a grumpy engineer…and this in turn has lead to me having a great deal of respect for him.
Always lively, and completely hectic, we have matured over the years, and have a lot less disagreements than we used to, studio wise. And over the years, he has taught himself to play piano pretty well, often stepping up the pace within the actual making of the tune, or supplying the main riff for the FP tunes as well as his own music!
During the later years of KF, Alex set up E4 sounds with some dodgy geezer who worked in a local record shop of the same name. He released 5 tracks, but owing to the scene going all techno, and his tracks being breakbeat style, they didn’t do as well as they should have. He made less on KF for the same reason as I lost enthusiasm, i.e. neither of us felt that the heavy kick drum was the way forward.
And his first project on KFA, back to back with Unsubdued, has showcased a certain flair for old skool goodness and new skool production, as well as an unexpected competency with the jungle style in Styler Style, his first attempt at such a track.
A respected and trusted friend, both him and Julian are more like brothers than friends to me, and as I said in the label history, KF’s existence is as much because of these two, as me.
Bertie Says:
Awaiting information!
Releases to date as Bertie on Remix Records:
REC010
REC010Soundclip.mp3
A1) Dont Mess
B1) Our Soul
KFA Records:
KFA020
KFA020ABSoundclip.mp3
A1) Styler Style (with Radiophonic Oddity)
B1) Not A Problem
B2) 2B: Or Not To Be?
KFA044 Kingz Of Kaos EP 2
KFA044D1Soundclip.mp3
D1) Styler Style (Supaset 7 Remix)
Other Labels / Anonymous:
ICE01
ICE01Soundclip.mp3
A) Come 2 Me (Breaks Mix)
B) Come 2 Me (Radio Mix)
There is so much to say, I wouldn’t know where to start. Kniteforce is ‘THE BOLLOX’, I don’t care what anyone says. I was there from the start and have stood by Chris where ever I could. Over the years its undoubtedly been a rollercoaster which we have all ridden, and I’ve loved it.
I could go on forever in detail about all the highs and lows, and the loyalty and friendship stuff, but it all boils down to one thing……. EERRR….. Everyone says that, their is no one thing, fuck knows, eerrr…. I just thought I’d say it eerrr…. eerrrr…. stuck for words, ..eerrr…… oopppss!!!…… I would make some tracks just for the hell of it. Chris knows I’ve got some stuff stashed away. They would need some work but would rock at the end of the day.
Its all old stuff that has been sitting on the shelf for ages. Pity really, it could have been done. Still can! Wanna see my follow up to ‘THE WAY’, my remixes of my ‘SPECIALIST’ tunes. It was all brushed under the carpet and will never be done. Too late but wots done is done, or not done as the case may be.
My keyboard is gone and I’ve thrown in the towel but I can still swing it if I had to.
Nuff said. Chris and I have come to blows but we’ll always be friends, I know it.
— Alex Crossley · Feb 27, 07:09 PM
By the way. I chose to go my own way coz of health issues. I am gutted beyond all belief that it came to that. Julian and Chris are my best friends and I have no words for their silence. By that, I mean they keep themselves to themselves and what it said between us as always stayed between us.
I might owe them a thousand apologies, I might.
We had wicked times in the studio, we rocked.
I like to think that sometime we will meet again and do the do. We can turn out a real tune when we are together. Our passion is in it and nothing can stop us when we start. I wait for anyones reply to question my stuff, to question anyones stuff.
I’m flyin, and I’m there for my mates all the way.
— Alex Crossley · Feb 27, 08:04 PM