ˈæftɚ stˈʌdiɪŋ kəntˈɛmpɚɹˌɛɹi ˈɑːɹts æt nˈɑːɾɪŋˌæm tɹˈɛnt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, fɹˈɪkʃənz kɚɹˈɪɹ æz ɐ dˌiːdʒˈeɪ stˈɑːɹɾᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən wɪð ɹˈɛzᵻdənsiz æt ðə swˈɔːɹædʒ nˈaɪt æt ðə blˈuː nˈoʊt, hˈɑːkstən, ænd ðə ʃˈɑːnti klˈʌb æt bˈɜːmɪŋˌæmz kˈʌstɚd fˈæktɚɹi.
After studying Contemporary Arts at Nottingham Trent University, Friction's career as a DJ started in 1997 with residencies at the ‘Swaraj' night at the Blue Note, Hoxton, and the ‘Shaanti' club at Birmingham’s Custard Factory.