Dieselboy still has plenty in the tank

Dieselboy, the undisputed champion of the US drum'n'bass scene, returns to Hong Kong next week after a six-year absence, just as his genre undergoes another renaissance in the city.

Damian Higgins was once a regular visitor to these shores, but this is his first gig here since 2001, when drum'n'bass was going through a quiet patch in Hong Kong. 'I thought the scene was small, but the vibe was really nice. I can't wait to see how things have changed,' says the DJ/producer. 'I take my job seriously, so expect to hear the freshest drum'n'bass spun with clean and technical precision.'

The first American to be named best drum'n'bass DJ in the Global DJ Mix Awards, when he tied with LTJ Bukem in 1998, he was named America's Finest at the Drum and Bass Arena 2000. The awards - and records - have kept coming since for the man who helped transplant the British underground sound of the early 1990s to his home city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Higgins has been championing the drum'n'bass scene in the US for most of his 15-year career as a DJ and is the main reason the fast and furious sound finally became accepted in clubs across the nation. 'It was a long uphill battle getting promoters to respect drum'n'bass the way they respect house and techno,' he says. 'By 2000, it had finally gained recognition.'

For his efforts, he received a nomination for best breakthrough DJ at the 2003 DanceStar American Dance Music Awards.

Despite the struggle, he sounds anything but fatigued. 'It has been a very dynamic career path for me, and here I am in 2007 still doing what I love to do,' he says.

'I've been able to see the world over and experience so many different cities and cultures. It has truly been amazing.'