Subculture Q & A with D.A.B.J

Rounding out the month we welcome DABJ, a label straight from the hedonistic heart of Glasgow, bringing January Subculture to a climactic close alongside Harri & Domenic.

“Real rockin’ raw shit from the street for the clubs” is how they profess themselves and we couldn’t agree more. Behind the muzzle lies local legends Dan Monox and The Wasp now given free reign to print and press the music they love and throw it to the dogs to devour. Weird music written by weirdoes on a weird label run by weirdoes for weirdos is their claim.

We managed to catch up with them ahead of Saturday…

1. To anyone who doesn’t know, what is Dixon Avenue Basement Jams?

DABJ (as we have shortened it to) is a label we started in 2012 with the main aim of putting shit out we liked and would want to play out…and to be an avenue to give artists we admired the chance we think they deserve. Simple as that really!

2. Dan, tell us a bit about the Monox party days? Do you miss the event side of things?  Are we likely to see a possible Monox reunion?

Monox was a club night started by myself, Kenny and a few other kindred spirits for pretty much the same reasons I mentioned in the last answer, we wanted to play out the stuff WE wanted to hear and to give local guys and worldwide artists we respected a good place to play in Glasgow. We don’t really miss the promotion side of things… After 11-12 years of doing the promoting and the playing / partying that was involved too it started to wear us down. We much prefer playing or going to other peoples clubs these days! Of course we miss the great parties we had but I don’t see us doing a reunion anytime soon… But you can never say never…. And of course if it wasn’t for Monox you wouldn’t have DABJ!

3. Who have been the biggest musical influences of DABJ?

Far too many to mention but the obvious ones would be the likes of Dance Mania, Trax, Relief… A lot of the first and second wave Chicago sounds. Everything we’ve ever played out and bought basically!

4. Were you expecting things to take off and do so well since you launched in 2012?

Not at all. We were both pretty gob smacked to be honest. We knew the shit was good but coming from the Monox background where selling 300 copies was seen as major success, we just didn’t expect it to do quite as well as it has (so far!)

5. Do you both take an active role in the A & R?

Yes… We normally get together once every couple of weeks when schedules allow and listen through demos and make our decisions. We both need to agree on a track before we sign it so if one of us likes a particular track and the other one doesn’t then it won’t get released on DABJ… That’s not to say we don’t go back to music we had previously knocked back and realise the error of our ways!

6. Do you have any unusual essential pieces of studio equipment, or any particular favourite pieces of kit?

My favourite pieces are mostly effects  units! Watkins copicat tape echo unit… Yamaha e1010 analogue delay… Boss spring reverb unit… They just add the real grit and open up previously quite “hollow” sounds…Still love the 606 and 707 and couldn’t go without at least one sh-101 in a track.

7. Do you have any advice or tips for  anyone starting out and launching a new label?

Don’t do it for the money or fame!
Baws oot and taps aff all the way.

8. Away from the studio and work what do you get up to in your spare time?

Go to the gym, do yoga and climb hills. And also go out for the odd meal.

(Photo taken by Dan on last weekends climb on one of the Munros)

9. Are you looking forward to DABJ’s Subculture debut? As the residents embark on their 20th year celebrations, What does Subculture and the Sub Club mean to you?

Yes! We can’t wait! We’ve had many memorable nights at the Sub Club and Subculture… I’ve celebrated many birthdays there over the years… I think it was my 21st birthday when I saw Studio 54 at Subculture. Kenny remembers a night with Andy Weatherall as being one of his top nights. Of course it was also a great honour to see out our last year or two of Monox at the Sub Club. Planetary assault systems, DJ Funk, Robert hood, Levon Vincent and Monolake / T++ all being particular favourites.

10. Having taken a step back from promoting nights in Glasgow, do you have any thoughts on the city’s licensing policy regarding late night entertainment?

Basically they should stop tarring everyone with the same brush and police the clubs full of bam pots more heavily and let the people who actually contribute to the scene and culture do their thang. Just like every other forward thinking city in Europe.
Glasgow is so on it with some things and so far behind with others…

11. Is there anything exciting in the pipeline for DABJ for 2014?

Loads!!!! Our 10th release hits stores this month and that will be followed up by some mega fresh releases from more new artists. That’s all I can say just now but all of the forthcoming material is top notch and we are really excited about it.

12. Who’s on your musical radar just now? Anyone we should listen out for in 2014?

TX connect just gets better and better… Hector from Rubadub is dropping bombs more regular than I change my pants… Leon Vynehall has been pretty consistent too.

13. Top 5 guilty pleasures (tunes)

Bronski Beat – Small Town Boy

Man 2 Man – Male Stripper

Chas & Dave – There Ain’t no Pleasin You

Erasure – stop

Pet shop boys – west end girls

That’s just the tip of the iceberg and there ain’t no guilt. We are brazen about it!

14. Top 3 male vocalists

Darryl Pandy
Luther Vandross
Stevie Wonder

15. Top 3 female vocalists

Whitney Houston
Candi Staton
Patrice Rushton

16. Favourite football strip (excluding Scotland or Scottish strips)

We both say Roma..

17. Favourite film

Scarface (dan)
Quadrophenia (Kenny)

18. Favourite reggae record

Jimmy Cliff – you can get it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18EAqHx2lMk

19. Favourite pop record

All of the ones in our guilty pleasures

20. Favourite soul record

Aretha Franklin – Respect

21. Favourite food recipe

West African chicken and peanut soup! So good!!!!

22. Top 5 house/techno records  of 2013

2013 was an amazing year for music so this top 5 doesn’t do it justice… But here you go (in no particular order)

Doc Daneeka – Walk On In

NYCs Finest – Do You Feel Me (Gerd Beatless mix)

Paranoid London – Paris dub

Vernon – nightmares

CT Trax – Jack Attack

Last the guys delivered this mix for Juno Plus,  IT IS 100% RAW. We have been enjoying it already this week at Subbie HQ…

https://soundcloud.com/junoplus/dabj-presents-100-raw-dabj

Thanks to Dan and Kenny for their time, We are looking forward to their Subculture debut on Saturday.
Advance tickets for the event are available here or in store and online from Tickets Scotland.

To be in with a chance of winning one of these exclusive D.A.B.J doggy bags, containing some unreleased material amongst other things, tell us about your favourite mutt and what makes it special.
Feel free to include a photo…Post all entries to THIS EVENT PAGE.

***(all winners will be notified by 4pm Saturday & must come on the night to collect their prize.) 

Telford has subsided and settled in to our underground HOUSE

Another fresh blood member of Glasgow’s new breed of music makers who have grown up surrounded by the underground sounds of Glasgow and gone on to make them their own. Telford is no stranger to a Subculture set but each outing demands he brings even more of his best to the game.

Here at the Sub Club Telford is part of our underground upholstery but still the mystery around him remains. For anyone who doesn’t know… at only 27, he is already an accomplished Subculture resident, playing alongside Jeff Mills, Larry Heard, Theo Parrish, Ame et al, and of course Harri and Domenic. From sets at Off-Sonar in Barcelona to epic eight hour sets in Berlin’s Katerholzig and all points in between, his name is a welcome addition to line ups at underground clubs throughout Europe and the UK.

Ahead of this Saturday night’s Subculture session we had the pleasure of a quick chat with Telford…

1. Your love for underground electronic music goes back to your high school days and Subculture in the mid noughties. What did you find there in the small hours and was it you first proper clubbing experience?

I used to go really early, for the warm-up. I always thought the best music was played in the first two hours. It was red lights, low-slung bass, super atmospheric. Everything I like about music, and it was everything from Tangerine Dream to J Dilla, to Nu Groove to early electro tracks, Theo Parrish…. I remember hearing the first Innervisions tracks there, about three months before they came out. Carl Craig used to send Domenic tracks months before they came out, so you would hear all of this music before anyone else. Guest wise, the first time Dixon played in 2005 had a big effect on me, as well as seeing Carl Craig, Derrick Carter, Andrew Weatherall, Prins Thomas, Optimo… 

2. As a DJ you’ve grown up beside two of the best in the business. What’s your thoughts on the role of the resident DJ?’

Crucial! If you run a night or even a nightclub, and don’t have resident djs then you’re basically an events company. Which is fine, if all you want to do is see a return business wise and book whatever is of the moment. But I think in our scene, very few people actually want to do this, and therefore miss out on this very important aspect in not having any residents. Add to that, not many people take the DJ game seriously enough to actually want to be in this type of role, so it can be hard to find the right person for the job.

This is where the Sub Club is different. The weekly Saturday Subculture is entering its twentieth year (!) – and its still basically the same two guys playing there every Saturday night. There’s trust put into two DJs and that trust is reciprocated by the people who come every week to hear them play. Where else in the world is this happening? So, because you have these two guys who have hyper-fine-tuned their night, the crowd, their sound all in relation to the sound system and the room itself and have set the bar so high with their musical selection, its one of the best dance floors anywhere I’ve ever experienced. 

3. Do you have any views on the relevance and impact of dance music platforms such as RBMA, Boiler Room etc.? Have these marketing concepts changed the game for a DJ at all? 

RBMA is amazing – its the best sponsorship for dance music there is, and is ever likely to be. Boiler room is cool, and it helps a lot of people get noticed who wouldn’t have previously, and not just djs and producers either. I wouldn’t say they’ve changed the game as such, just made it easier (and quicker?) for talent to be noticed and get out there. (Here is a feature Telford worked on for RBMA on Glasgow’s clubbing roundtable.)

4.  In an ideal world (hopefully not too far away) as a DJ, which cities/particular clubs or festivals would be your favourite locations to play?

In an ideal world? We’d move the Sub Club to a desert island, fly in a crowd of folk every weekend, open from Saturday to Monday and never have to worry about closing at 3am….

5.  What musical vibe are you on just now when playing out? Any particular labels or sounds that are working for you just now?

I play House and Techno. There’s good music everywhere, and its usually where you least expect it!

6. Which Record/CD/Mp3. never leaves your bag?

There isn’t one in particular but Murk never seem to stray too far away from me…

7. Are there any particular upcoming or new producers that have caught your attention lately? Anyone worth the watching?

I’m never into the ‘ones to watch’ thing but I saw Damiano Von Erckert play recently, and I really liked what he played. He just had an album released last year, which is full of great tracks, looking forward to playing a few of them:

Also, a mysterious young Dutchman by the name of Oceanic is making some amazing tracks right now

https://soundcloud.com/oskaroffermann/b1-oceanic-kobo

8. If you could pick any movie, what one would you love to do the soundtrack for?

I’d probably like to do it more for a running TV series, rather than a movie. The sounds would have to be able to evolve over a longer period of time, and develop. And anyway, I dont think anyone would ever be able to compete with Cliff Martinez, who did the scores for Drive and the Solaris remake amongst others.

https://vimeo.com/41897861

9.  You have the chance to have any line up of bands and DJ’s you want at an all day music event  – the bands or DJ’s can be past and present in any location you wish. Where would this be, who would the artists or DJ’s be and what would be the running order on the the day? 

Tangerine Dream with Klaus Schulze, Kraftwerk, Larry Heard & Steve Reich – all jamming live on a stage continuously for three days, on a beach in Tahiti. That’d do…

10. Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

Ha. Next question….

13. The gig is done, and your enjoying some relaxing time… share with us your top three home listening favourites…

The three LP’s next to my turntable in my living room right now are:

Dickon Hinchliffe – Red Riding 1980 Soundtrack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK6BiULn0VM

Finis Africae – Finis Africae LP

Brian Eno & Jon Hassell – Fourth World Vol 1 – Possible Musics…

As a special treat here’s a teaser of what to expect on Saturday. Back in August last year Harri, Domenic and Telford went to back to back to back for five solid hours hours. This live recording from the Sub Club, covers the last hour and a half, where our three finest residents took us through till 4am on a summer Sunday morning…

ADVANCE TICKETS FOR SUBCULTURE WITH TELFORD ON SATURDAY ARE AVAILABLE HERE OR IN STORE & ONLINE FROM TICKETS SCOTLAND.

Loefah – “Veal” – FREE DOWNLOAD

Following on from Skream’s all-night takeover in November, Rinse’s next date at Glasgow’s iconic Sub Club will play host to Swamp81 boss and UK scene veteran Loefah. On Friday 17th January, he’ll be taking to the decks for an all-night-long session running from 11pm-3am.

It follows on from a busy past year for Loefah. Having started off in the early dubstep community as a central figure in Digital Mystikz, in recent years his sets have slipped into dark and bruising techno-tinged territory, renowed for their darkly swung funk. In 2013 Swamp81 has been going from strength to strength, releasing the latest full-length album from Zed Bias alongside killer 12″s from Boddika and Zed Bias & Paleman. And as well as his own Rinse FM shows, Loefah’s also been DJing and hosting radio sessions as part of Norwood Soul Patrol, digging deeper into his record collection for gems in different genres.

So, fitting Sub Club’s reputation for raucous parties, expect a night of compulsively danceable sub-bass pressure and driving momentum, plus a few unexpected twists along the way.

Loefah‘s one of those producers who is often off the radar. However, when he emerges, he brings something that is usually a total curveball.

“Veal.” Strangely titled track that features a powerful vocal with serious bass. Rinse know a good thing when they ‘taste’ it.

You can have it if you visit Swamp81.

Hear this for yourself on the Subbie soundsystem when Rinse come to town on Friday 17th.

Advance Tickets on sale here…

Festive Facetime with Simian Mobile Disco

As we keep up the festivities we have joined forces with one of Glasgow’s finest party starters Thunder Disco Club to bring electronic heavyweights Simian Mobile Disco back to the Subbie.

Having started off as a four-piece band, Jas and James’s side project dedication and hard earned experience has helped them build and evolve over the last 7 years. In combination with the understanding of decades of electronic music, SMD have been able to create their own sound and audience. Often put into the same boat as the ‘electro’ movement with the likes of Ed Banger Records and Erol Alkan the duo have deliberately shied away from the noisiness and rockism of that scene with the aim of achieving something deeper, avante-garde and less cosmetic.

We caught up with Simian Mobile Disco over some Baileys and After Eights ahead of the event…

1. You come from a fairly broad musical background. How would you say your sound has developed over the last 10 years to where it is now?

We are always looking for new sounds, new music, new instruments. Also we try not to repeat ourselves. It’s been a bumpy ride but no one can accuse us of being complacent.

2. What factors have influenced this the most?

Usually it’s what we have just done, that’s what we are running from. Our studio has changed lots over the years but at root it’s always been a pile of synths, some modular stuff, some fx and a desk. The limitations of that rig and it’s strengths have been the most constant influence. The rest has been us finding new ways to play the rig.

(**Image by UhOh Disco **)

3. Can you please give us a a few key tracks which sums up the transition period to where your sound is at today?

Sleep Deprivation – Last track of our first record and already you can hear that we have started to move away from the ravey sound that was in the air at the time.

10000 Horses can’t be Wrong – From our second record, reflects the the more melodic and less abrasive stuff that we were playing out.

Nerve Salad – from the first batch of Delicacies 12s, an outlet for our more Leftfield or more club leaning stuff.

The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife – For Unpatterns we aimed to create a record that made sense at the end of the night, particularly when the end of the night was well into the next day.

It’s the beat (From Live record) – The rig for the live show is essentially a boxed up subset of our studio. This is us playing one of our early tracks but bringing it inline with what we do now simply by the nature of how we play it. As with all the live versions they vary from night to night but what persists is that we prefer a sparser, bonier version to what we were playing when we first toured this track on a very similar live rig.

Surstromming – Another Delicacies 12. We have been doing some collaborations with producers that we like, this one is with Cosmin TRG who we have been fans of for ages. There’s a few more of these collaborations in the pipeline and I hope we get to keep doing them as they are fun.

4. When and how did your passion for synths and analogue hardware begin?

When we started making electronic music soft synths were totally shit. They have come a long way since then but I still prefer using hardware, both in terms of the sound and in terms of getting hands on with a real instrument, it’s music after all, not word processing.

(**Image by Official Homework**)

5. What are your five favourite tracks of 2013?

Burn With Me – DJ Koze

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkHxcvzt2YA

25 hours – DJ hyperactive

Level 7 – Mathew Jonson

Archive – Midland

Wall to wall – Special Request

Renata – James Holden

6. You are both very passionate about food, what is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?

I have eaten brains before, quite nice actually.

7. Do you have a favourite Scottish delicacy? Or is there anything you would like to try?

I’m told that a Buckfast breakfast is a treat.

 (**Image by Guardian Witness**) 

9. If your plane were to cascade into a tropical desert island on the way to Sunny Scotland on Friday and the only thing that survives was yourselves, a Fisher Price battery powered record player and single slightly damp but playable LP, what album would you most like to listen to while sipping on your coconuts?

I was going to say Selected Ambient Works but I can more of less play that just by thinking about it, lets go with that anyway, just to be certain.

10. If you could pick anyone in the world to remix you, who would it be and which track would you want them to do?

I wish we could get Pan Sonic to do a mix.
 
11. Lastly, who are the up and coming artists we should be watching out for in the future?

Lightyear

Svengalisghost

Ghost Culture

https://soundcloud.com/ghostculture/sets/ghost-culture-mouth-ep

Ross Evans

https://soundcloud.com/rossevansmusic/ross-evans-cinnamon-leena

On a food tip Simian Mobile are doing an exclusive vinyl giveaway over here on our Facebook page, based ‘Delicacies.’

£10 Advance tickets to catch Simian Mobile Disco alongside Thunder Disco Club and Sensu tomorrow at the Sub Club are on sale here & both in store and online at Tickets Scotland.

Prehistoric sub catch up with TEED

Good-time kaleidoscopic musical sensation, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, has released a myriad of cutting-edge electronic sounds and played at many a party in cities and festivals around the globe over the past six years. Orlando is one of the most fascinating, dynamic, multi genre artists in the world right now. All here at Subbie HQ are super excited about TEED making his Sub Club debut as we continue to keep Sundays Special in December.

We caught up with the producer via Jurassic Skype to chat about touring , his classical roots, karaoke and the ever evolving electronic music world.

Whats is your most enjoyable part of touring?

Making new friends in new places listening to music.

What is you least favourite part?

Not sleeping or eating properly.

Back in 2011, you spoke about not being genre restricted and just loving be able to make dance music, since then has this changed, or are you still producing different sounds?

The only thing that has changed is that i think about this a lot less, like I have freed myself from that idea of genre that was making me feel suffocated. But it still annoys me that music fans insist on dividing themselves up into clubs and groups and scenes.. it’s a falseness.

From your classical and choir roots, you picked up a musical education, If you were to ever do a cover tune (say for laughs or charity) What would you choose to sing?

There is a Janet Jackson song I have been meaning to cover for years. I’ll do it one day.

Are the outfits and production still a big part of your show?  We love it, but are you still as keen?

Yes of course, though only the live show. When I dj, im a dj.

Have you ever had any weird gifts/outfits from fans at shows?

Some amazing homemade jewellery, bespoke denim jackets, knitted headwear.. yes. I really really love that. How could you not ?!

How did you enjoy your Rinse FM show? Could you see your self going down the radio dj show in later life? Radio 1 > Radio 2 , even classical fm?

I love doing radio, and have always dreamed of having a show one day. I would say John Peel was the reason for this. Perhaps if I took it a bit more seriously something might happen, but I always have a bit too much fun.

https://soundcloud.com/t-e-e-d/rinse-fm-radio-show-broadcast

I see your heading back to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico again?  Is this for BPM? We were at the Riviera Maya there once – what an outstanding spot! Have you got any particular memorable spots from some tour locations?

It’s for the Crosstown Rebels’ Day Zero party. We will all be djing from the top of a mayan pyramid ! I played live at the same event last year and it was actually the most spectacular show I’ve ever done I think.

Until the main event get your lizard lugs round this TEED Boiler Room session from earlier this summer…

You can catch his Stegosaurs four hour DJ debut in the Sub Club on Sunday.  The last of the advance tickets are available here & both online and  in store at Tickets Scotland.  (Entry is free to local bar trade staff – with valid payslip.)

Harri chats Reggae and bad man rhythms to Mungo’s Hi-Fi

Conquering Lion of Jamaica Street, leading us from Babylon to an aural promised land with Sunday’s grounation, comes Subculture’s long serving master Harri alongside bredrins Mungo’s Hi-Fi.

Harri has never hidden his love for all things dub under a green bushel, always ready to let his love for reggae shine through his mixes, sets and recordings over the years. From the roots of Rocksteady through the backstreets of Trenchtown, the rebel sounds of Kingston translate with irie to the Sub Club sound system and we look forward to some rare dub stylings as he brings a lifetime of knowledge and his 45s selector’s knowhow to the club.

On a ragga tip Harri managed to catch up with Mungo’s James Whelan. Here is what went down in Albert Town…

First Reggae record you heard that got you interested?

Lee Perry’s “Super Ape” LP was the first dub record I heard. I remember a friend bringing it round to my place and we listened over and over, it really pushed some buttons in my mind and made me begin to understand dub music. Since then my tastes developed more into rub-a-dub & digital dancehall styles – the sweetest form of reggae music!

Best live Reggae gig you have seen?

For a live gig Barrington Levy was wicked at Reggae Sun Ska last year, but we’ve always been about the sound system session. Seeing artists like Daddy Freddy totally mash it up in a session is a sight and sound to remember.

Favourite vocalist?

For Jamaican artists from days gone past I still can’t get enough of the soft tones of Don Carlos after all this time, as well as Jamaican reggae sound system legend Little John, who we were lucky enough to have some dubplate recordings from very recently. 

For current-time artists in the UK we’re proud to count some of the most exciting artists around as part of our family at Scotch Bonnet Records, including Charlie P, YT, Solo Banton, Mr Williamz, Soom T and Parly B amongst many others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecu4_veSb7U

Favourite album?

Right now it’s “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly“ on Dennis Star records featuring Mikey Melody, Sanchez & Courtney Melody.

Vinyl versus digital, whats your opinion?

I prefer records for collecting, and there’s more of a vibe when playing records in a session, however i don’t think think it’s a case of “vinyl vs digital”, there’s no war and both have their advantages. There’s nothing worse than going to a gig and the turntables aren’t isolated, i’ve found traktor/serato are really useful in these situations, as well as reducing baggage fees on flights.

Best soundsystem in europe apart from Mungos?

There’s a better soundsystem in Europe than Mungo’s? Just kidding. From the ‘old school’ we have clashed a few times lately with Iration Steppas, who run the SUBDUB session in Leeds, from the ‘new school’ we vibe to OBF sound from Geneva every time we hear them play,

O B F @ REGGAE BUS FEST 2013 by Dub Runnings on Mixcloud

…and for up and coming, watch out for the Dub Smugglers from Manchester.

I am lucky to be on Mungos promo list, but apart from that I am not really up to date on current Reggae, can you recommend ten records from the last few years that are essential listening?

Midnight Walkers LP – Stand High Patrol (Stand High Records)

Dancehall Hobby EP – Jahtari & Mr Williamz (Jahtari)

https://soundcloud.com/maffipromotions/sets/dancehall-hobby-mr-williamz/

Know Bout Style – Tradesman & Parly B (Scotch Bonnet)

Mad Man Style – Ranking Levy (Jahtari)

Find Jah Way – Gorgon Sound (Gorgon Sound Records)

https://soundcloud.com/pengsound/gorgonsound

Represses 
Self Control – Patrick Andy


Watch How The People Dancing LP – Various Artists (Unity)


Come – Barrington Levy
Fight Fight Fight – Sowell Radics


Give Me Some More – Lilly Melody

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4vyHsGKoDc

THIS SUNDAY’S EVENT AT SUB CLUB IS FREE TO ALL TRADE STAFF, FIRE IN BABYLON ARE ALSO HOSTING A PRE PARTY IN MACSORLEY’S, WITH LIVE MUSIC AND TRADITIONAL WEST INDIAN FOOD FROM 1PM…

£5 Advance tickets for Sub Club are available here or in store and online from Tickets Scotland.

KEEP AN EYE OUT ON THE FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE FOR AN EXCLUSIVE MUNGO’S HI-FI VINYL GIVEAWAY.

Bigfoot’s 5th Birthday – Celebrating 1825 Days of Beef

To Celebrate Bigfoot’s 5th birthday at Sub Club, Roman Flugel comes over from Frankfurt.

Devoting almost his entire life to music via countless aliases (Alter Ego, Soylent Green, Roman IV), it’s easy to see why the owner of the Ongaku, Klang and Playhouse labels is so highly regarded. For a lot of folks, it’s true to say that Roman was one of the stand out DJs of the year – and the fact is, he has been for the last couple of decades. His discography is a ridiculous read with releases on Jack For Daze, Dial, Turbo, Robert Johnson, Cocoon…not to mention the stacked number of cuts on his own imprints.

This one is set to be a masterclass. Things are kicking off from doors opening with Chris taking on the first two hours, before Roman plays what is sure to be something none of us will forget anytime soon.

Ahead of the big ‘Strike 5’ Bigfoot’s reflected back on some of their most memorable parties. Here is what went down…

Ambivalent @ Bigfoot’s 2nd Birthday (Dec 2010)

Our first major guest booking probably came at the 2nd birthday, up at the old Art School when Ambivalent joined us for the first time. It sort of took Bigfoot’s up a level and we were all a bit shocked at how busy things were getting each month. On this night I remember a few folks had been a bit gutted that the Subbie had Octave One playing at the same time, but it was still rammed right from doors opening. Half way through his set Kevin (Ambivalent) dropped Blackwater and the place went nuts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_PiGSxAmnw

No one had mentioned to him that the guys were playing down the road, so he was either on the ball or it was just a happy coincidence. Either way, most people involved with Bigfoot’s always highlight that party and that track as a stand out moment.

Courtyard Closing Weekend (July 2010) 

The Courtyard was a special venue for everyone that went there, whether it was for parties or just to hang around during the week. There hasn’t been anywhere in Glasgow fill the void it left after changed hands a few years ago. To mark the ending of the era, Ronnie and Sharlyn who ran The Courtyard decided to have a 24hr party, of which we took control the Saturday night for. At this point Simon Stokes and Hans Bouffmyhre were still residents at Bigfoot’s along with Chris and Bell, and I think the fact that it was a bittersweet weekend, that everyone knew we were closing a chapter, made for an extra special party. The place got trashed, but it was one of the friendliest and closely knit crowds I’ve seen involved in clubbing in Scotland. Everyone at the Courtyard, people who worked there, played there, partied there, they were all doing it for the right reasons, and that’s what made the place so much fun.

Butane @ The Goat (May 2011) 

After the Courtyard, we moved down to Argyle St for a couple of daytime parties, to a venue that wasn’t really expecting us. The Butane (Little Helpers/Alphahouse) gig was something else. If you don’t know The Goat (which is now unfortunately a Happy Lets estate agents!!), it probably holds 250-300 people (at a push), over two levels, with a mezzanine above and giant floor-to-ceiling glass windows which open out to give you a really cool indoor/outdoor venue. Pack it with too many people and too much FunktionOne and you are asking for trouble. So midway through the day with things in full swing, the Council turn up in a van and 4 or 5 guys in suits, telling the owners we better shut things down right away. The owner said no, and after heated discussions about when we would finish and how loud it would be, the van left. After that scare, we decided to shut the outdoor area and squeezed everyone inside, so everything just descended into chaos, but a good kind of chaos, when sweat drips from the walls and no one will leave when you turn the music off. The owner definitely regretted pissing off the Council though, and probably his neighbours, so we were never allowed back and the place is now and estate agents…but Butane gave us one of the best DJ sets we’ve seen at a Bigfoot’s.

Aberdeen After Parties (continuous) 

Bigfoot’s have been residents at Snafu for a long time now, it’s where most of the original members met while at University or college. Aberdeen is a strange town, a lot of the time you feel that not much happens, but there is something special about Snafu which pulls the city off it’s arse. We’ve seen some of the craziest crowds squeezed in there, and they can go on for as long as any town.

Because when we started our Friday night residency in Aberdeen we were traveling up from Glasgow with a fair few people, it seemed wise to put on after parties so that everyone had something to do until the first bus or train back down the road. First off we just used basements or recording studios. But as the parties got bigger, we had to find larger and more out of the way spaces. That’s when the fish factories and warehouses came about. It’s not good to talk publicly about these, but they make me think of what raves in the 80s and early 90s might have been a bit like – completely DIY, under the radar, and most likely ending with someone in the cells.

Weatherall v Smagghe @ Bigfoot’s 4th Birthday (Dec 2012)

Our 4th birthday is the only night we’ve ever done with residents not playing at all, so that shows you how much we respected the guests! Andrew and Ivan were buzzing before doors opened and kicked off as soon as the first person was on the dance floor. Must have listened to the recording of that night a million times. It’s going to be hard to match, but Roman Flugel this Friday at Sub Club is the perfect way to follow up such an act.

https://soundcloud.com/snafusoundsystem/weatherall-smagghe-bigfoots

For your listening pleasure here is Roman’s Boiler Room Session from the summer at the Easter Electric festival…

TICKET WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE DOOR FOR THIS EVENT

Frogbeats Broadcast 017 : Breezak – Beats on the Leash

Tomorrow Frogbeats celebrate 2 years of curating their jungle sessions at the club. Never the ones to be introvert about such celebrations they have roped in one of Glasgow’s most notorious: Breezak.  Their special guest who will be joining residents Rize, Denny and Pharo has been at the helm of Bass Alliance Sound System since 2004 as well as running dub/reggae label Scotch Bonnet Records. Some of you may recognise the Frenchman as a regular face working closely with Mungo’s Hi Fi, or perhaps from his Sunday night closing set at Outlook (Mungo’s Arena) in the Summer. His consistent involvement on the Scottish music scene and further afield has led to an accumulation of eclectic treasures from all over just begging to be unleashed. Expect high energy bass music galore as Breezak mashes up the place inna “no retreat, no surrencder” styleee!

The Frogbeats team are running a competition with a complete party package up for grabs! (that shirt that will make some heads turn.)

All you need to do is head over to their Facebook Event, RSVP, and help them spread the word about their birthday by sharing this photo.

To get your fyah burnin Breezak has prepared this mix – ‘Beats on a Leash’: a toned down, indoor-friendly snippet of the vibes on Thursday night…

Frogbeats Broadcast 017 : Breezak – Beats on the Leash by Frogbeats on Mixcloud

Keep an eye on Frogbeats Records for upcoming releases.
P.S. “the dress code is jazzy shirts. Look sharp, get messy!”

ENTRY IS £4 ON THE DOOR

Sub Club gets inside the Kompakt mind of Michael Mayer

The boy from the Black Forest should need no introduction for the Sub Club’s cognoscenti. Producer, DJ and Kompakt label Ubermensch, Michael Mayer continues to tower over Germany’s musical landscape and reach beyond its borders and boundaries. This Saturday the 30th of November is an essential Subculture to make a date with.

Michael Mayer and his Kompanions have contributed more than any other to Germany’s takeover of electronic dance music over the last decade. As a true Superstar Dj in every sense of the word, it’s no surprise that he has played the club before both for Optimo and for Sensu with his last visit to the Sub Club back in February for an exclusive four hour Sensu set. Firmly in party mode from the moment his first record dropped, Michael took control of the room instantly and went on to deliver a masterclass in Bundesliga underground house music, working the famous Subbie soundsystem expertly throughout.

Harri & Domenic and all at Subbie HQ are excited about his return to the club and in particular his inaugural appearance as part of the Subculture family.

Ahead of Saturday’s dance we managed to catch up with the man himself talking 20 years of Kompakt, style & fashion, Berlin, A & R, and Boiler Room business:

We noticed you recently posted some of your favourite tunes on your artist Facebook page.
We imagine you have a few big retrospective tunes which have shaped or been iconic to your musical career.  Can you please share some of these with us…

D Train – Music

This was my very first 12″. I won it at a raffle for handicapped children in 1983. A bit of a life-changer this one…

Raize – Jack The Groove

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wstksdQFMkI

This was my first house record. I never bought it… it came to me as a wrong delivery. Another very lucky coincidence!

Do Piano – Again

Super awesome Italo Disco song… DJs Pareja played it to me just last week. It was such a beautiful shock to hear this again after so many years. I still remember dancing to this amidst laser beams when I was a kid.

Some of the Sub Club crew were at the 20 years beach party at Sonar back in June, that was pretty special! Since reaching 20 years of Kompakt, what else have you and the label done to celebrate?

The whole year was stuffed with activities revolving around our anniversary. The first and my favourite was our birthday party in our record store in Cologne. We’ve had roundabout 600 people there, lots of old friends and comrades-in-arms from the past 20 years. The level of emotion was only topped by the overall beer consumption. Apart from that we had big events in Berlin, London, Amsterdam, lots of festival stage takeovers and so on. All in all, it was a fantastic year. But I’m happy that it’s almost over… I’m so tired of talking about the past.

Has there been any particular highlights in terms of parties and memorable moments from the past 20 years?

I can’t remember anything. You can have parties or memorable moments…. but no memorable parties.

(Electronic Beats presents 20 years of Kompakt at Sonar Mac Arena Mar Beach)

(Pop Up Record Store – ADE)

From a label perspective, how much are you still involved in the A & R at Kompakt?

Totally! 100%. Wolfgang is still curating the Pop Ambient series. I’m responsible for everything else.

Subculture will also be celebrating it’s 20th year in 2014.  What’s next for you and whats lined up for the next 20 years ;)?

Looks like 2014 is going to be another busy year here at Kompakt. We’ve got new albums lined up by Gui Boratto, GusGus, Triola, a new project by Marcus Worgull and Motor City Drum Ensemble and lots more…

Do you have any tips for any young and upcoming producers, labels, djs, and promoters etc. about how to succeed in the industry and how to remain at the top of your game for more than two decades?

Like Digital Underground once said: Doowutchyalike...Stay true to your ideals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fbHOAbOcNI

You recently picked up a Musikexpress Style Award, is fashion and style something which you are interested in outside of music?

I wouldn’t call myself a fashionista. But I like young designers like Thom Krom, Sopopular or Hannibal.

What other weird and wonderful things have you found yourself involved in, as part of “it comes with the job territory?”

Running a company like Kompakt involves so much bureaucracy… it’s insane. Luckily, we’ve got a kick ass team that keeps most of that stuff away from me. But sometimes this administrational stuff makes me think that mankind has definitely failed.

How would you describe Berlin in 3 words?

The German capital.

Do you have any thoughts on the relevance and impact of dance music platforms such as RBMA, Boiler Room etc.? Have these marketing concepts changed the game at all?

They’ve certainly become part of the game… it’s quite amazing how they can boost your popularity. But what really counts in the end is what happens in “real life” – at the club, on the floor. For me, smiling faces are so much more rewarding than Facebook likes.

https://vimeo.com/30694167

It’s been roughly 9 months since your last visit to Sub Club? What was your last/first impression of our Glasgow Basement?  Are you looking forward to your return?

Of course I’m looking forward to come back! It wasn’t for no reason that I’ve picked Sub Club as a part of my Mantasy tour. I’ve only chosen my favourite clubs… My first impression was: This is like Studio 672 (our Cologne home base at the time) with a way better sound system!

Kompakt are currently giving away this free track from the man himself.“Good Times” is the first single from last year’s renowned “Mantasy” Album. What We have here is an alternative version of the album track, Cheekily titled “Smartphone Version”, it’s a special edit of what appears on the album. Sung by WHOMADEWHO’s man of a thousand voices Jeppe Kjellberg. It’s an ode to nightlife utopia, to hands thrown in the air and the feeling of belonging, when you know that this is the place, the sound, the crowd you want to be with. “so switch off your smartphones and get on board!” (Michael Mayer)

https://soundcloud.com/kompakt/michael-mayer-good-times

We would like to thank Michael for his time and insight, and we look forward to hearing the real thing at Subculture on Saturday. In the meantime check out most of the back catalogue on his YouTube Channel. Or have a listen to this live recording of his set from 10 Days Off in Ghent…

https://soundcloud.com/electronic-beats-radio/michel-mayer

Or get your ears round our favourite, this well renowned Resident Advisor Mix…

RA Podcast 335 Michael Mayer – 2012.10.29 by Kristof.T Maofree.Com on Mixcloud

£10 ADVANCE TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SUBCULTURE HERE OR ONLINE & IN STORE FROM TICKET SCOTLAND.

The Revenge empties his record bag on the Subbie Office floor

This week as we continue to keep Sundays special we welcome The Revenge back to the Sub Club, where he will be holding the fort all night long.

Graeme began producing in his early teenage years, making a skewed blend of electronic music using a couple of his dad’s old drum machines and a sampler. Influenced by his parents collection of rock, soul and funk as well as eighties daytime radio and the burgeoning rave scene, he began the process of dissecting and re- imagining the music .  His versatility as a DJ has seen him rise to prominence with a string of productions and remixes including Z Records, reworking their classic sounds with artists such as Johnny Adams and The Joneses to much critical acclaim.

This brief and concise catalogue reinforces the breadth and depth of The Revenge’s influences and abilities while an omitted but extensive list of reworks and remixes tell yet another story, finding their way into just about every self-respecting club DJ’s collection as they do.

Ahead of his return to the Sub Club we asked The Revenge to empty the contents of his own record bag…

The track you’ll be opening your next DJ set with?
WAR “Slipping Into Darkness”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKFOjfwlprM

The track you can always play to rescue a dancefloor?
Ivan Neville “Dance Your Blues Away”

The track that currently gets the best reaction for the crowd?
Komon & Appleblim “Silencio” (Prins Thomas Remiks)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8g2pjfXabw

An all-time track you wish you’d signed to your label?
Round One “New Day”

The track/album which you would listen to on your iPhone in an airport?
The Commodores “Flying High”

The best track by your favourite new artist?
Chesus “Beyond Corruption”

The ideal festival track?
Cabin Fever “The Untitled”

The track you’d play at sunset in Ibiza?
Bobby Lyle “Inner Space”

The track you’d play at your auntie’s wedding?
Danny Wilson “Mary’s Prayer”

The track you want played at your funeral?
Steely Dan “Do It Again”

Your ideal Sunday listening soundtrack?
KLF “Chillout”

Apart from Dj’n what’s your other favourite things to be doing on Sunday?
Fuck all. 

Usually, the Superstar Dj lifestyle is imagined as this great thing, you get business class flights, wined and dined everywhere you go, amazing parties in exotic locations…You don’t seem like a guy who enjoys the Miami champagne image of it all?

I love the Miami champagne lifestyle. Bring it on!

Here is a special Mix which The Revenge recorded as part of last year’s birthday celebrations…

JOIN US TONIGHT WITH THE REVENGE ALL NIGHT LONG.
£5 ON THE DOOR AND FREE TO ALL TRADE STAFF (with a valid pay slip)