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10/12/09: After crafting a teaser showreel with Danny C, of the Final Draft tracks, it became clear just how far i have progressed this year in the Grime scene and improved as an artist. It was after this session that i have made the executive decision to distribute the CD for free via a digital download.

I feel i have made something special, a lot bigger than the project i first set out to make, and i want the music to be accessible to everyone. It has never been about the money!

Expect the showreel accompanied with a new series of press shots by Robin Bharaj within the next few weeks, and The Final Draft download link shortly after in time with the holiday season.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM SKETCHMAN AND THE FINAL DRAFT!

1/12/09: The Final Draft Project is finally finished!

The Bad Boy P.A at Carnival Nero 09 was a big success, big thanks to everyone who reached! The Fridge dubstep booking in Brixton Hill has been cancelled however down to the Form 696.

Stay locked to the events for more P.A's and live bookings soon!

Click HERE now to see the interview i did recently for the RAGGO Magazine online publication! Leave some feedback!

25/10/09: After a busy few weeks i have added added 2 new tracks to the line up of the CD:

-I'M BAD featuring DOGZILLA (produced by ZDOT)

-FRUIT MACHINE featuring PURPLE and BECKY (produced by IRON SOUL)

Also make sure you get down to CARNIVAL NERO 09 at THE PEPPER LOUNGE, SUTTON to see me and BECKY perform our electro song BAD BOY (produced by DEVERLISH).

17/09/09: New track uploaded 'GRIME KID' produced by the infamous dubstep producer COTTI!

Apologies for the lack of updates recently, i had some legal problems which have now been dealt with so things are back to normal as of today.

One good thing to come out of this short break is that the technical side of THE FINAL DRAFT and its release has been sorted out. I.E It will be available to download from 700 stores worldwide including iTunes, Avanlanche, HMV online etc. (more details of the release coming soon)

The CD itself is looking VERY healthy in every aspect, with only 3 more songs to record before i pick the 20 track line up.

ALSO... The track GUN FINGERS ft P MONEY will be on the next volume of TRICKSTA's 'GRIMEWATCH', available to buy from your local HMV.

AND... Have recently recorded a track for SKILF'S beatjack project 'ALTER EGO's'.

29/07/09: New track 'Tomorrow' featuring Lee Brasco added to the playlist before being blogged by the man himself! Check the press section below.

Check out the new photo album of some of the man i've linked in and around music!

You can find Emergency Room Ft K Debt and Killa P on Killa P's mixtape 'CREDIT CRUNCH'.

17/07/09: Recorded a new track featuring Bow E3 resident Lee Brasco! Stay locked to hear more info about this and other music soon!

15/07/09: New track 'Ice' featuring Loudmouth is Frankstah's tune of the day, and 'A Quick Word With Sketchman' interview is on his page now! check it out in the Press section below.

06/07/09: NEW TRACK UP NOW! 'Ice' featuring and produced by Loudmouth (formerly of Aftershock).

23/06/09: ROCKYOU.BE talks about The Final Draft and Sketchman's history in music! SEE THE PRESS SECTION!

10/06/09: After meeting Marcus Nasty at studio the night before (who made positive remarks on a funky house tune of mine with the Vinyl Vixens and Deverlish), 'Gun Fingers' Ft P Money is uploaded to WWW.GRIMEDAILY.COM before being selected by FRANKIE FRANKSTAH as his tune of the day! SEE THE PRESS SECTION FOR DETAILS...

07/06/09: PRODUCTIVE WEEKEND: Recorded a track with Loudmouth; Becky recorded vocals for Jaimeson; bumped into Wiley and Scorcher at studio; and Gun Fingers gets some love from DJ Vectra on Rinse FM!

22/05/09: So far The Final Draft is 12 tracks deep, check the music player for a sneak preview!

1. Ice Ft Loudmouth [Produced By Loudmouth]

2. I Do This [Produced By Cinematic]

3. Emergency Room Ft K Debt and Killa P (RollDeep, Cemetary Warriors) [Produced By High Octane]

4. Gun Fingers Ft P Money (OG's) [Produced By Cinematic]

5. Oh Ft Vocalz [Produced By myself]

6. The Message Ft Beckie Sutton [Produced By Ripperman (Roadside G's)]

Photography by Robin Bharaj

In 2006, after a short time experimenting with home recordings and tinkering in his high school music suite, Charles Hazell and a group of emcees with whom he had been musically affiliated made their first professionally recorded CD. A free promo aptly entitled ‘And So It Begins’ saw Charles’ attempt at a variety of different song concepts through the mediums of Hip Hop and UK Grime. Under the alias ‘Sketchman’ (a name which had stuck with him since his graffiti era) he was able to distribute hard copies of the Promo, as well as enable a free download of the 20 tracks, and in turn he achieved widespread approval and acclaim in his surrounding area.

Amongst the group was also a talented singer called Rebecca Sutton, who stood out with her infectious vocals providing a perfect contrast to the often harsh, subversive lyrics and subject matter in Sketchman’s songs.

Reviews of the CD and Sketchman’s hard work alone allowed him to gain a weekly slot on a local underground radio station Edge FM, on which he would mix hip hop and occasionally perform live with other guest emcees.

In 2007, Charles began work on his debut mix CD, which would become the first of a two part series entitled ‘The Workz Of Art’. With the help of his current engineer at this stage, Ev James, he learnt how to produce his own instrumentals, preparing them to be recorded on the new CD.

Taking a predominantly UK Grime direction, Sketchman thrived where others found difficulty in entering such a close community. Most of the artists/ musicians he felt came from areas closer to the birthplace of the genre, or areas where a clean cut route into the scene had been previously paved. However, from Sutton (a place barely recognized as a London borough), Sketchman was able to make 5 collaborative tracks with established producer Swindle Productions and earn pride of place in some of London’s biggest independent record shops under the sale or return policy (including Uptown Records who dubbed Sketchman as a talented youngster destined to go places).

After the release of ‘Volume 1: The Poisoned Palette’ in November, one of the 20 tracks ‘Get You Down’ was selected by BBC Radio 1xtra’s Ras Kwame to feature on that week’s Homegrown Cuts unsigned pod cast. The song had been rewarded for its positive message.

Soon after this first taste of legal radio play, 3 other tracks from The Poisoned Palette (‘Wake Up’ Ft. Vocalz; ‘Incorrect’ Ft. Ampkid; and ‘She’) received regular rotation on Kiss 100’s Dangerous Minds show.

In 2008, upon independently dispensing a large number of units, Sketchman started work on the second volume of the Workz Of Art series: ‘The Bigger Picture’. It was around this time he also started to make more of an effort to get involved with the scene, thickening the relationship with his local record shop Mixing Records and its proprietor J Sweet.

The dubstep scene in Croydon grew dramatically, and Sketchman’s Friday nights on J Sweet’s Mixing Radio lead two more high profile collaboration with dubstep producer Cotti.

Sketchman released The Bigger Picture to a similar reception as its predecessor, with 4 more tracks receiving rotation on the Dangerous Minds show (St Helier Symphony; Call me Charlie; Wake Up Remix Ft. Becky; and Find Out) and many more on other underground stations in and around London.

The end of 2008 saw a turning point in Charles’ musical venture. It was at this point he realized the formula was working. With 2 mix CDs both selling well and while he was still progressing courtesy of himself (no management/label/distribution etc), he decided to take a more professional approach by moving to Danny C’s Aim Studio; an environment in which every successful UK artist has recorded vocals at some time in their career. With a new reduced line-up under his roster of artists, Sketchman was able to focus on capturing everyone’s best assets. This together with his new attitude of professionalism helped to birth the new name of the group and the new CD; both of which would now be called THE FINAL DRAFT:

“I can honestly say that everything about the project seems right so far, from recording artists to producers and engineers alike. Everyone involved has given their best effort and as a result I am halfway through an album of my best material to date, both creatively and technically. There really is something on there for everyone. The Final Draft is on course to be released in all good record shops in the latter part of 2009, and with the right promotion it should receive the praise it deserves.”

"Sun Goes Down" FT. Becky Sutton (Produced by The Vinyl Vixens and Deverlish)

WWW.GRIMEDAILY.COM

"Bad boy" Sketchman FT. Becky Sutton (Produced by Deverlish)

'Tomorrow' Ft Lee Brasco on his blog!

Frankstah's 'Tune Of The Day' 14/07/09

AND 'A Quick Word With Sketchman Interview' 15/07/09

'Rock You' Review 23/06/09

Frankie Frankstah's 'Tune Of The Day' 10/06/09