Best quote on what happened after 1997 I've seen -
Count To Ten: Cross-genre drum & bass remixes – part 2 (1997-99)
https://godisnolongeradj.wordpress.com/2...2-1997-99/ (29th Dec 2017)
"The niche underground genre infiltrated the mainstream and many d&b producers signed with major labels to curate collections or record personal albums. On reflection, it turned out to be a double-edged sword.
...
Effectively, drum & bass re-entered a phase of introversion, darkness and belligerence marking the end of the romance. An injection of fresh air was desperately needed and a new breed of producers and record labels emerged to fill in the gap created by those who helped the scene flourish, but sadly realized that they no longer fitted in the d&b reality of the new millennium."
Count To Ten: Cross-genre drum & bass remixes – part 2 (1997-99)
https://godisnolongeradj.wordpress.com/2...2-1997-99/ (29th Dec 2017)
"The niche underground genre infiltrated the mainstream and many d&b producers signed with major labels to curate collections or record personal albums. On reflection, it turned out to be a double-edged sword.
...
Effectively, drum & bass re-entered a phase of introversion, darkness and belligerence marking the end of the romance. An injection of fresh air was desperately needed and a new breed of producers and record labels emerged to fill in the gap created by those who helped the scene flourish, but sadly realized that they no longer fitted in the d&b reality of the new millennium."