Early Life
One of Howell's first passions in life was skateboarding. As a youngster he was a champion in a major competition and has continued to skate as a hobby ever since.
On an early school report, his music teacher said that he had no ear for music and that his exam result of 13% reflected this. He was a huge fan of hip-hop music and DJ'd in his spare time well before he experienced the UK rave scene and hardcore music. In fact, he has said that he and his friends ridiculed hardcore music when they first heard it, as much of it sampled hip-hop and sped it up. However, he was persuaded to go to the hardcore club Labrynth in 1990, and it changed his view of the music and the scene forever. He soon began buying hardcore music in Music Power Records in Ilford, London, and Boogie Times in Romford, Essex. It was here that he met fellow record buyer Tom Orton, with whom he also worked in a supermarket. Orton DJ'd as "Mr. Tom" and helped run a weeknight rave called "Ultimatum". Howell began DJing alongside Orton at these raves, and the two of them continued to buy records together in Boogie Times.
Boogie Times had its own record label, Suburban Base, and after talking to the shop owners, Howell and Orton decided to make a record, purely for fun. Orton had a friend, Nick Arnold, who had his own studio and had some experience in music production. The three of them decided on the name Smart E's and set about making a tune.
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