Love and Drum and Bass: The story of Conductor, Mowf, and PSYOP

Today I have the distinct pleasure of sharing a familiy’s journey – one that has inspired people in our scene, myself included, to push harder, love harder, mix harder, and to do it for yourself. Mary and Violet Brooks and Aaron Proctor (Conductor, PSYOP, and Mowf, respectively) have managed to carve out a little slice of freedom for each other that has been incredibly hard fought, and DnB now serves as a daily reminder of the work they have put in to get here. Life is a messy and beautiful confluence of relationships and dreams that constantly guide and challenge us, and people need the kind of community that music provides to have a sense of purpose. Sometimes purpose can be clouded in this chaotic storm, though, leading one astray even if they aren’t alone. This is a story of the power of play, honesty, and the critical importance of following your heart.

During our interviews they all used similar language about the sound of DnB, somewhat of a “…soul vibration” that has drawn them together as well as to like minded people. Both Aaron and Mary spoke about the importance of DJ Dara’s seminal mix from 2000 “From Here To There” as a point of connection, full of nostalgia and feeling from start to finish. While I think everyone can understand how connection is forged through shared experience, the circumstances around these songs can deepen the memory in a profound way. Whether joyful or painful, memories and music go hand-in-hand. With the right tools and people, though, we can expose each other to healing through difficult circumstances and forge love out of pain. Sometimes we need a gentle touch, some subtlety, and sometimes we need an overstated and gigantic baseball bat of a touch to get through our stuff.

Drum and Bass is a music that represents so many different cultures and influences that there is a good chance there is something musically for everyone, and the community mirrors this rich diversity with their respective stories. The artists I will be spotlighting with this piece are three that show us how these connections create new life. Their story is one that is compelling for many reasons, but the first point of interest is that the two DJs are mother and daughter – they have bonded over music and the craft of DJing and push each other artistically! Combined with the love, unrelenting support, curiousity and work from Aaron, they are a tight unit, moving and learning together:

Without question, Violet and I sharing this journey has been a bonding experience. Being able to share the love of DnB has also bonded us, deeply. Watching her discover and cherish so many of the tracks and albums I’ve loved for almost 30 years has been incredible. What’s even cooler is when she finds old classics I never heard or puts me on to a track. I will never EVER forget the day she started to embrace the music that I call my soul vibration.

 

It was magic, for me, and I’d imagine it opened up a totally new world to her. I watched as Aaron taught her how to mix, then watched her take flight. She started picking it up very quickly and was hooked. She was making blends that had me losing my mind, within a week. A month later, I asked her to show me how. It’s been on ever since. 

PSYOP is twelve years old and already putting out solid monthly mixes that feature her signature agressive sound, reaching for artists like Current Value, Limewax, Sinister Souls, and Burr Oak, as well as people she calls family such as GEIN and Noisesmith. Her knowledge of DnB is vast, and the mixes certainly reflect that. At this age she already has a deep understanding of artistic relationships – when I asked her what some of her goals are with her project, as well as some aspirational figures she said:

My biggest goals are to inspire young people to embrace DJing, envisioning a future where more kids take the stage with confidence and creativity, and DnB is a very important thing to me now. I’d really want to keep it going for longer than anyone would ever imagine. It feels good to know I’m a part of keeping such an amazing genre going – it’s been incredible to meet more people that have inspired me, especially my family: my magnificent mom Conductor, my dopest dad Mowf, and i’ve been blessed with 4 amazing uncles in Adam Darby (GEIN), Dan Wall (Noisesmith), Dennis Mclung (DJ SYN), and my amazing mentor/super uncle Larry Short (NOX).

 

I have a long list of people who have really made an impression on me and have inspire me to DJ the way I do including Nox, Noisesmith, Odi, Gein, Ogonek, Syn, Dillinja, Conductor, Mowf, Robyn Chaos, Goldie, Uproot The Fiasco, Dieselboy, Tonto, Tech Itch, Temulent, Cheetah, DJ Hype, Nia Archives, and last but not least the Brainrave Music crew. They have been so supportive and welcoming from the very start of my journey and provided me and my family with so much music to help inspire us. I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done.

 

One of my favorite aspects of DJing and DnB is the incredible opportunity it provides to uplift others. There’s something truly magical about knowing that the music we share can create unforgettable moments. It’s not just about the music, it’s about the connection we build as a community. Witnessing our collective growth, both as individuals and as a scene fills me with joy and motivation. Each day is a chance to inspire, to open minds, and to celebrate the journey we’re all together.

Some incredible wisdom in there. I love especially how she articulates the idea of individual connections within the community driving collective growth – it’s this type of security and competition that fosters experimentation and creativity and I know that her place in this scene will only continune to grow that support. Violet talks about how she pretended not to like the music at first to fit in with her sisters whom also expressed their… distaste in DnB, but after a while she expressed her true feelings. After Conductor showed her the sound, she quickly found her preference in the heavy side and explored as much as she possibly could – i’d even call it research. She knows a ridiculous amount about DnB already. After all, this is the track that her and her mom call ‘theirs’:

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Not only a banger but released on an independently operated label that has dug deeply into the world of heavy music, Nervosa. It’s exactly this type of respect and pride that these people take in their work in all art forms.

Aaron and Mary share a few different ventures artistically and commercially, namely GMBTTM, a clothing line that features original designs worn by some of the biggest names in the scene. Their work to build relationships through this brand is absolutely inspiring and I will delve into those details more later on. First I’d like to share this incredible story from Mary, who spoke beautifully about their journey and challenges:

Tonto: How long have you lived in Kentucky? What does a typical day look like for you guys? How do you make time for DJing? 

Mary: We moved back here last summer. I lived here previously, way back, in 99’ through the early 2000’s. A typical day is getting the girls to school, back home, getting ready for work, getting Aaron off to work, work, pick up girls, mom chaos, laundry, going to the store, checking on our chickens and cows, then either myself or Violet typically get straight on the decks, showers, Aaron comes home, family time, girls go to bed, Aaron and I either mix individually or b2b, sometimes he does work in Ableton or designs for GMBTTM, him and I being stupid and laughing in bed, and we fall asleep to whatever we’re watching on TV. 

The 3 of us make time for DJing literally anywhere we can fit it in. I’m just glad we live in the country because we play A LOT and we play loud. 

What did it feel like to DJ the same event with your daughter (TDK/Conquest Recordings Party in Cinci)? How has the relationship with DJing shaped your relationship together leading up to that? What was it like prepping a set together?

I actually played the pre party, the evening before. Violet opened the main event, the following evening. My two youngest, Dahlia and Violet weren’t able to come to my show, due to it being a 21 and up event, but they watched together from the BnB. Violet was in the chat on the twitch stream, absolutely losing her mind, while I played. I was able to go see what she said and it made me cry to see how excited she was and ro see the comments from Aaron and my friends, while I was playing. It meant everything to me. Dahlia and I were able to go watch Violet the following evening. It was a special weekend, for sure. It was honestly unbelievable that her and I were both lucky enough to both get sets, out of state, with under 7 months of experience. 

Without question, Violet and I sharing this journey has been a bonding experience. Being able to share the love of DnB has also bonded us, deeply. Watching her discover and cherish so many of the tracks and albums I’ve loved for almost 30 years has been incredible. What’s even cooler is when she finds old classics I never heard or puts me on to a track. I will never EVER forget the day she started to embrace the music that I call my soul vibration. It was magic, for me, and I’d imagine it opened up a totally new world to her. I watched as Aaron taught her how to mix, then watched her take flight. She started picking it up very quickly and was hooked. She was making blends that had me losing my mind, within a week. A month later, I asked her to show me how. It’s been on, ever since. 

As far as the set prep went, we would listen to each others blends and ask for opinions, when needed. It was a lot of fun, a lot of excitement, and a lot of nerves since neither of us had never played anywhere, outside of my bedroom. 

Lets go back a little bit. You have two children I think you mentioned? How old are they and what do they do in school, etc. How did they get introduced to DnB? Do you guys have a favorite tune together? 

I have 4 children. My oldest is my son, Trent, he will be 24 this October. He is a Kentucky native. I had him when I lived here, the first time. My oldest Daughter, Madilyn, 17, lives in MO. She is a junior and wanted to be able to graduate with the class she grew up with. She is planning on attending college here in Kentucky and I am very excited about that. Second oldest Daughter is Dahlia, she will be 14 in a few weeks. She is interested in photography and captured some amazing shots of Violet and Larry, when they played their sets in Cincinnati, so we will likely be exploring that more, since she has a gift for it. My youngest is Violet, aka Psyop, and she is 12. Violet is the only one of the kids who inherited true robot ears, but Trent does has a touch of them. Violet also showed him how to mix, but it’s not something he has had time to really delve into. He is an incredibly hard worker and has been working to pay his car off, so he is gone a lot. My other girls genuinely do not vibe with dnb, but each have very solid and unique tastes in music, nonetheless. I’d say that mine and Violet’s favorite tracks are likely Temulent: Terminator but it’s truly a hard call because we have so many favorites. 

Where did you go to school, what do you do for work, etc. 

I attended school in Jackson, MO and college in Cape Girardeau, MO. I work for Big Bang Customs in Lexington, KY, where I am currently apprenticing to learn the trade of screenprinting and all ways of customizing clothing. Following in Aaron’s footsteps, so to speak. Everything we do is a family affair, in one way or another. Funny enough, I am learning from Whitney who is one of our dearest friends. He learned to screenprint from Aaron, which I love so much. You’ll find in our story that there are always overlapping themes and they’ve always led Aaron and I back to each other, whether musically or through art, which absolutely melts me. 

Where did you live before and what was life like then? Did you live a musical life then as well?

We lived in Cape Girardeau, MO, prior to moving here. Life there was mainly filled with close friends, music, art, and nature. I have a lot of amazingly talented people I am fortunate enough to call friends and a lot of them are involved in art or music. I did not live a musical life there, outside of being a music lover and attending shows, either local or up in St. Louis, with my friend Stephanie. I didn’t start exploring that side of me, beyond singing in the car or shower, until I moved here. The art I was involved in there, was through my modeling in STL and through my personal art, which is mainly taxidermy inspired by creating pieces with bones. I owe my sanity during my time in MO, especially the end, to Dani Roland, who propped me up through the unthinkable times, towards the end of my Missouri story. Both her and Stephanie are so special to me and I couldn’t miss the chance to shout out how incredibly thankful I am for their friendship and love. I cannot mention my musical side of Missouri without speaking to how important both of them were, as they are both also long time dnb ladies. 

Could you talk a little bit about how you met Aaron and how the mix between your three’s art looks like? What is your family’s relationship like with art in general? Maybe talk about how music has guided some of the way forward, maybe provided an outlet?

Aaron and I met at a house party in Richmond, Ky in 1999. I was in the living room, where they were playing some house music. I asked if they listened to jungle or dnb, then asked if I could play some. I put in a mixtape and Aaron (who I had not seen each other or met yet) heard it and came out of the kitchen to see who had changed the music and it was me. He was also a dnb head and what caught his ear was an Imperial Soundsystem track, so he wanted to see who in the world was playing it, since he already knew it wasn’t anyone he knew at that party. The rest is history. That was the moment we became best friends. He later confessed that the moment he fell in love with me, was the instant he saw me. I didn’t learn this for 25 years. How I never knew is so funny to me, now. Apparently, everyone else knew, but me. Aaron painted a portrait of me, from memory, about 10 years ago. It is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.  I asked him to make me a painting and that’s what he chose to do. I was so blind, but even in friendship we always cherished each other. He never fully finished it, until after we began this chapter of our story. That makes it even more special to me, since it has both eras of us.

Aaron and I don’t have a song, we have an album. Dj Dara: From here to there. It always immediately reminded us of each other, because we listened to it so much during my first stay in Kentucky, when we lived together. There are many other bedrock albums for us, from that time, but for whatever reason that specific album has been the soundtrack of everything we are, since the beginning. I made an art piece for him for our first anniversary and the center of the piece is the sunflower, from that album. 

The journey Aaron took in dnb was nothing short of incredible. What he did with his Anesthetic brand in the early 00’s was mind-blowing and was so amazing to watch. To be now a part of his 3rd line, GMBTTM, is an honor. His personality and eye for style is and will forever be so inspiring to me. Always creating, always ahead of the curve, always bigger than life. That is my best friend and my love. He makes me so proud. He is one of the hardest working men I’ve ever met. He fought to get me out of abusive situations twice. I literally owe him my life and it is an honor to now hold the space we do, in a way that what our lives are now, can be a living testimony to the love we have for each other and our family. 

Everything our family does is art influenced, in some way. At any given moment, we are doing photography, painting, drawing, designing shirts, music, poetry, or mixing tunes. Aaron and Violet also play guitar. Music is a constant, whether it’s listening or creating. Aaron, Violet, and myself are often creating for GMBTTM, our clothing line, whether it’s drawn designs or editing photos to make designs from. 

Drum and Bass, musically, it is hands down, the love of my life. It’s also that way for Violet and us being able to share that love with her, is a gift beyond measure. Watching her get excited about tracks that are our favorites from when we first discovered it, is like getting to rediscover them, again. Regardless of genre, music has been a constant lifeline for each of us. Since moving to Kentucky, Violet and I have also been blessed with meeting some people who quickly became family and have heavily influenced our journey, with music. 

Larry Short, Nox, who genuinely opened my eyes to what’s possible, when it comes to mixing. He has helped both Violet and myself with our skills by mentoring us and teaching us basics such as phrasing, being mindful of key, and how to create the most impact with drops. She calls him Uncle Larry and it’s like he’s never NOT been that for her. That’s how close we’ve gotten. Family. We owe a lot of credit to him for getting us to the level we are, so quickly. I would wreck shop for Larry, no matter what. He is a massive part of this journey with Violet and I. The world needs more Larry, the dude has more integrity in his pinky than 90% of the population. He’s an incredible DJ and human. He is a total madman behind the decks. Alll of us are so excited to see how far he goes, with drum and bass. He’s become one of my bestest friends. Unc Nox aka Blimey, we love you. 

I need to mention another story that started because of DnB – my friendship with Jonathan Brown. During our entire friendship of almost 2 decades we have held it down for each other, across states, and through the unimaginable in both of our lives. Thank you. Love you so big. Also a major thank you to Ben McLaughlin (Uproot the Fiasco) for giving Violet and myself our first shows and believing in us

The BrainRave crew, especially Dennis McLung, Carlos (Odi), John Ryan Sparks (who helped me get brave enough to record vocals), Adam Darby, and Dan Wall have all been very supportive and encouraging to us. We are so very thankful. Dan is actually the reason this article is even being written, so with that being said, I needed to say how touching it was for someone to see our story as special as we consider it to be. WE LOVE YOU DAN. 

We feel very blessed to have so many amazing men in our corner today. We had a lot of the worst examples of it, prior to us moving, so to say we are thankful for so many Grade A examples supporting us, is an understatement. 

You mentioned to me how the move to Kentucky was important for many different reasons – what triggered that move and how has the path your family has taken been shaped by these challenges? 

First and foremost, the second move to Kentucky was the start of this chapter for Aaron and myself, and the family we’ve made. The decision for the kids and I to come to Kentucky was one that was inevitable, but was made after us going through an incredibly traumatic time in our lives, that became life threatening at the end, prior to the move. 3 years prior, I made a decision to get myself and the kids out of an abusive situation that was incredibly hard on us, when I made the decision to end my marriage. The kids were subjected to 2 additional years of it, due to visitation rights, as I fought to get sole custody of them, which ultimately the courts freed them from, due to the situation I mentioned above. I had to fight the state of Missouri for 6 months to be able to move us out of the state and to safety, which was one of the most terrifying times of our lives. The challenges honestly made us closer than ever, to each other. For that, I am grateful. We are each other’s homes and have been, regardless of place or circumstance.

It’s a catalyst for change that we all hope never to experience. This was one of those times you need the baseball bat, rather than the delicate touch. The level of hope and encouragement that these folks show each other is nothing short of inspiring and really goes to show the power of art when you can really express yourself freely. The trust they have is so apparent, it bleeds through their material. Ultimately everything they do is about family – the one they have forged in fire, that grows with music and community, and is finally free to be independently shaped.

There was a sweet moment throughout this that struck me about how Aaron and Mary met, an origin story akin to love at first sight. The part that got me, though, was the almost EXACT recollection of the experience:

Mary: Aaron and I met at a house party in Richmond, Ky in 1999. I was in the living room, where they were playing some house music. I asked if they listened to jungle or dnb, then asked if I could play some. I put in a mixtape and Aaron (who I had not seen each other or met yet) heard it and came out of the kitchen to see who had changed the music and it was me. He was also a dnb head and what caught his ear was an Imperial Soundsystem track, so he wanted to see who in the world was playing it, since he already knew it wasn’t anyone he knew at that party. The rest is history. That was the moment we became best friends. He later confessed that the moment he fell in love with me, was the instant he saw me. I didn’t learn this for 25 years

Aaron: First time I met Mary was at a house party. Someone was playing Imperial Soundsystem, one of which went on to be Liquid Stranger. But, I was like no one knows this but me so I left the kitchen to see (who put it on) and was met with the most beautiful raver girl I’ve ever seen in my life. I was done right then. Best friends ever since.

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Their relationship is one based in growth, freedom, play, community, and human connection. Their challenges may have shaped their journey, but this love is the glue that keeps it special throughout them. Aaron describes this life as a ‘…lil’ slice of magical pie…’ and his partner and daughter as true unicorns – a foundational love and care that permeates every moment. Aaron and I spoke about his history with Mary and how music has shaped them, as well as the history of Anaesthetic and GMBTTM:

Tonto: I want to know about about how you have supported and worked with Mary and your kids along the way, how dnb has played a part, and how the clothing brand has played a part in everything, as well as other dnb ventures?

Aaron: Well, DnB has been the foundation of our friendship and relationship. We’ve been ride or die since before Dara released “From First to Last”. We track our timeline by tracks. She and I have seen just about every era and scene of jungle, breaks, and DnB. She got me back into DJing and producing after being away for over ten years. Brought me back to our music. Now we share that with our daughter. They have surpassed me and we feed into each other, it’s a pretty dope dynamic.

Could you talk about how you were inspired to return? Maybe some ways you push each other, and how this has provided an avenue for growth?

The return for me was when Mary started asking me to mix for her. We were in different cities and I would make her mixes almost nightly, for her work or drives or various adventures. This brought me back and I reconnected with my homies I used to sponsor: Gein, Ogonek, Cooh, Robyn Chaos, and Coppa. All the people welcomed me right back and it felt like I was home again.

We push each other with new music, harder blends, and by not letting each other slide – to hold a level to our mixing. This is absolutely passed down through our mentor and friend, Larry. We are always sharing tracks between us all. Violet gets excited when her uncle GEIN and the other homies send her IDs. She is honestly going to be a force very soon in her young life. A big reward for me has been watching them evolve as artists inside the space. Violet is nicknamed ‘Violence’ for a reason – she is no-holds-barred in her approach and is way faster than me already. Mary is a technician. Methodical. Chases perfection in her blends and levels.

It’s really fuckin rad to watch. Now I just jam their mixes and I mix for fun while I try to gear my mind towards creating clothing that can exist in our space and encapsulate all of our interests, in and out of DnB.

Be on the lookout for all the old Anaesthetic crew rocking GMBTTM, because I’ve been in talks with all the hitters and it’s game on. 2026 and beyond is looking great.

What are some of the tracks of your timeline?

Early tracks. Decoder, Tech Itch, Renegade Hardware crew classics like The Nine, The Tide, and Messiah. All of the Planet of the Drums guys mixes, and I was heavy into TrackBits all back to Europe, so that’s when I started to meet and work with my heroes. These tracks have definitely grown our familiar bond so much stronger.

How did this particular brand (GMBTTM) start?

I wanted to get back to why I started, which was making clothes for myself. Edgier stuff. I wasn’t happy with my brand at the time and had just moved back from Milwaukee. I decided it was the best time to just scrap and start over. I’ve done that three times now. Snake sheds it’s skin I guess.

This is the first time it has felt like the old Anaesthetic days and that excites me. All the OGs are waking back up and making heat again. It’s a great time to be involved, so right now I’m extra thankful for Mary and Violet for bringing me back to my scene. I’m also pretty involed in the hardcore punk and skate scenes so it’s a brand for all the families I’m a part of.

Putting this whole picture together, it’s clear how you guys have forged this place in your life. 

Dan (Noisesmith) and Larry (Nox) are my brothers. We always ride for each other. All ships rise. I’m glad we got the band back together, as they say, and we’re just getting started. I’m very much loking forward to watching as it all unfolds.

The ability to have your own vision, enact it, and entwine it with your families artistic interests is impressive in and of itself. The love that brings all of these people together lives in the music and the people alike, everyone bringing their unique voice to the table and amplified by the constituency. Mutual respect, mutual benefit, mutual success. Being a warrior for those you love isn’t always easy: we are all human, and we all can always improve – the challenges this family have faced together have led to strength and emotional health, space to beathe and find the room to grow and improve. Violet also spoke about her relationship with Aaron:

Over the past few years, my relationship with my biological dad has brought me challenges and complexities. However, since we made the decision to cut ties about a year ago, my life has taken a positive turn with the addition of my stepdad, Proctor. He has become a remarkable influence in my life, sharing his passion for music by teaching me the art of mixing music. Proctor stands by me as my unwavering personal cheerleader, always encouraging me alongside my mom, even on my toughest days. I admire both of them deeply – they have profoundly shaped who I am, both as a person and within the dynamic DnB industry. Their support and guidance have been instrumental in my journey and I am incredibly grateful for their presence in my life.

They make music fun and legitimately substantive, a balance that can be hard to find with the amount of churn and pressure in the industry.

As I mentioned before, PSYOP and Conductor both release mixes regularly and are cutting their teeth in the live scene. You can see exactly what Aaron is talking about when he describes Violet’s violent style in her Mother’s Day mix, which pays homage to some of her mom’s favorite tracks:

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This first offering traverses many styles but never falls out of pocket for a second, allowing tracks breathe together in a natural way. The close of this set had me headbanging! Some absolutely epic track choices in there. Stylistically PSYOP and Conductor differ but they both clearly love heavy DnB, only pulling out tunes with the biggest impact in the flow possible.

Conductor vyes for perfect blends, focusing on single distinct elements from each track to create something new. She puts out mixes every two months on her Soundcloud – this mix from earlier this year struck me when it came out with it’s huge track choices and seamless, brutal sound:

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Getting to know this crew has been inspiring for me in seeing their orientation towards growth, maintaing a home that is oriented towards security and free expression, a space to be loud as fuck, and gentle and goofy. Ultimately that’s what this story is about: the power of community, family, and the will to take a sledgehammer to things that don’t serve you. Sometimes this is the way forward, to build anew. Mary, Conductor, the leader, protector, and core. Aaron, Mowf, the visionary, industrialist, and grassroots architect. And Violet, PSYOP, the bright flame and wildflower, thriving in broken soil. This trio and their story are a testament to the power of finding your purpose at all costs, to protecting your space and freedom, and simply allowing yourself to be human, faults, goofiness and play, ambition, convictions, everything.

Check out what these guys are up to on below and be sure to lookout for the monthly mixes from PSYOP and Conductor, as well as the moves and merch coming from GMBTTM:

Conductor SC PSYOP SC Shop GMBTTM Contact GMBTTM on IG