About Shippo (Andy Shipton)
Andy Shipton, better known as Shippo, is a UK-based percussionist and live drummer whose passion for rave, jungle, and drum & bass began in the early 1990s.
Early Rave Influences
As a young teenager in the early ’90s, Shippo was drawn to the dance and rave scene, even before he was old enough to attend events. By the mid-1990s, he began going out to local clubs and raves, collecting Jungle and D’n’B CDs and mixtapes.
Although he originally wanted to play drums, his parents encouraged him toward guitar lessons. But rhythm was in his blood — and by 1995, he and a friend invested in Soundlab direct drive decks, diving into house, trance, and Ibiza-style vinyl.
The Vinyl Years
By the late ’90s, Shippo upgraded to Technics SL-1200 MK2 decks and built a massive vinyl collection filled with house, hard house, and trance anthems. He continued collecting until local record shops began closing around 2002–2003.
Discovering Old Skool Breakbeat & Drumming
Around 1999, thanks to friend Guy Turner (GT), Shippo was introduced to early ’90s breakbeat rave sounds, which inspired his lifelong love for drum-heavy dance music.
In 2003–2004, he discovered internet radio — stations like DnBRadio, where live DJs streamed jungle and D’n’B sets. This sparked an idea: what if he could drum along to the music he loved?
From Bongos to Congas
While on holiday in Cornwall in 2005, Shippo bought his first bongo drum, discovering a natural rhythm that would kickstart his drumming journey. He practiced daily, drumming along to internet radio shows and his growing music collection.
By 2007, he upgraded to conga drums and was performing to D’n’B, jungle, and old skool breakbeat tracks — styles full of energetic drum patterns that perfectly matched his sound.
Live Performances & Collaborations
Between 2007 and 2009, Shippo became a regular at Cutz Recordings, a local D’n’B event, and performed his first live conga drumming gig in June 2008 — an unforgettable session.
Cutz founder John Browne later mentored Shippo, helping refine his rhythm and technique.
In 2011, he began performing live at Sub-Vert, a local nightclub event, adding live percussion to DJ sets.
Internet Radio & Live Drumming
From 2006 to today, Shippo has supported and performed on many internet radio stations, including:
Konfict Radio, DnBRadio, Bassdrive, Nu-Rave, Planet Rave, Nu-Perception, Club Labrynth, Atomic Vibez, Raiders Radio, Global DnB, NSB Radio, Kool London, Sunrise FM, London Pirate Radio, and LazerFM Worldwide.
The Roland V-Drum Era
In 2015, Shippo upgraded to a Roland V-Drum electronic kit, offering realistic drum sounds in a compact setup — perfect for home performance and streaming.
By 2016, he was performing live drumming shows on LondonPirateRadio and LazerFM Worldwide, blending breakbeat rave, jungle, and Ibiza classics.
In 2018, he brought his live V-Drum sessions to Sunrise FM, sharing his beats with global listeners.
Today
Shippo continues to perform live drum sessions to breakbeat, old skool, jungle, and D’n’B tracks — bringing the energy of the 1990s rave era into the modern age with his signature Roland V-Drum setup.
Follow Shippo’s journey and listen to his latest sessions on his social links and radio appearances.
