The Bicep boys have always been big on epic vocals from Italo breakbeat numbers like Satisfy to their recent edit of 90s house banger Dominica – Gotta Let You Know! We caught up with them ahead of their return to Thunder Disco at Sub Club tonight to discover some of their favourite summer vocal burners!
Amazing warm up or end of the night bomb. Out on Uncanny Valley, been smashing this recently.
Amazing afro inspired beauty. Perfect again on the warm up.
Massive Daphni remix, this always marks the end of the warm up and beginning of the heat!
Remix we’ve just released on First Choice records. We actually remixed this ourselves from the vinyl acapella and sent to the label who loved it and decided to stick it out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DevotKeI3iw Timeless jungle remix of a 90s classic for the end of the night.
Another one on the jungle tip. Class flip on an otherwise kinda cheesy vocal. Works really well in this remix.
Rinse returns to Sub Club on Friday with Croydon bass music aficionado Plastician, a most specialist man in electronic music, with a deep bias towards bass and heard weekly every Friday night on Rinse FM.
Ahead of the event he invited us up the road for some after hours listening and to tell tales of Jackmaster having a sneaky sleep mid party and a certain Tiny Dancer soundtracking their tour bus going up in flames. Check it out…
Right, being an 80’s kid, there’s always room for some 80’s belters at an afterparty…. Although as I’ve gotten older I’ve found myself among the oldest people at most after parties so I’ve had to be careful in my selections at some occasions! Here’s a few of my favourite afterparty bangers though:
1. Talk Talk – It’s My Life 12″ extended mix
This on is top of the list as it’s definitely been played at so many parties down the years. A special mention to Glasgow resident Jackmaster on this one, as it was our anthem on the afterparties of Skream & Benga’s 2011 USA tour on which we were support acts. I was drinking red wine at 6am with Pokes and Hijak and we were having an 80’s soundclash, this one absolutely smashed it and we whacked the volume up, waking Jack from his bunk. The rest of the tour was pretty much an extended 80s music clash which spanned across 3 weeks before our tour bus exploded into flames in Chicago during Elton John’s Tiny Dancer. True story.
2. Ralphi Rosario – You Used To Hold Me
This one is in here as it’s particularly useful at any house party. Even the younger attendees *kind of* know it. It’s that perfect late eighties / early 90’s crossover record that works in many settings, and sounds really fresh still today. I still play this one out quite a bit as well.
3. Steve Winwood – Higher Love (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc0byQ_L7qQ
You really could just have an entire after party of Dimitri From Paris Remixes. I love this one though, as it’s hard to believe it exists, and I’m a sucker for any extended mix of an 80’s pop classic, especially one that takes over 3 minutes to really kick in. it’s ideal for turning around the moment when it seems like everyone has begun to fade and melt into the sofas / sneak out.
4. Jamie Woon – Night Air
I’ve always loved this track, which is useful for afterparties as it amazingly sounds great on even the worst speaker system. Jamie’s voice and the mid tone of the track really shine through. I can imagine this would completely split the room however…
5. Nathan Lockett – Last Man Standing
Given my heritage and background, people often try to bring their grime knowledge to me. This one is a proper heads tune though, there’s no way anyone is going to bring it to me when it comes to obscure grime records, and this one is a good example of a great, relatively unknown grime instrumental. Still sounds great today.
Support on Friday comes from local types DJ Milktray & Inkke who will set this sweet thing off a treat.
Advance tickets on sale HERE, then more on the door from 11pm.
As the Subculture Daddies Harri & Domenic swan off on an alluring away gig Jasper and the Sensu residents Barry Price & Junior are left with an empty and the inclination to throw a wild one. This could get messy. Ahead of the event we caught up with Jasper to chat over Glasgow’s music & chippy scene, sombreros and the beautiful Ibizan landscape…
Growing up in Glasgow, what are your earliest memories of the club scene?
My earliest memories of the clubbing scene are from festivals like T in The Park which I have been going to since I was born to watch my dad play in the Slam Tent or Bacardi B-Bar. To be honest, I found it all a bit scary at first, with a load of rowdy Glaswegians loosing the plot. Now I’m that guy! ;)
You must have seen some sights in Sub Club growing up with your dad Harri, being our long standing Subculture resident. Any favourite stories?
Highlight is playing at Subculture for the first time b2b with my old man when I was 18, I was absolutely shitting myself. Still get goosebumps thinking about how exciting that night was to this day.
Glasgow’s music scene is booming right now, why do you think this is the case?
It has always been ‘booming’ but I think people outside of Glasgow are beginning to take more notice because of the names coming out of the city, with the likes of HudMo, Rustie and Jackmaster etc.
Musically and career wise, the last two years have been pretty hectic for you, what are some of your highlights?
There have been loads. Fabric, Space, XoYo, Warehouse Project, Smart Bar in Chicago, doing an Essential Mix, touring Europe and the U.S, getting my own show on Rinse FM, releasing records with Optimo and Leftroom. It’s been an exciting couple of years!
We are always interested to hear what other music artists are listening to at the moment. Any tracks , producers or labels that stand out for you right now?
DABJ
Denis sulta
Big Miz
https://soundcloud.com/bigmizglasgow/jupiter-funk
Joshua Barr
Picture this… we are travelling round the beautiful Ibizan landscape from Ibiza Town to Santa Eulalia, through the green and peaceful North and back down through Santa Gertrudis. What 5 tracks would you play for our journey?
The Congos – Fisherman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JhTM0Lar3Q
Luther Vandross – Give Me The Reason
Positive K – I Got a Man
Stevie Wonder- Love Light in Flight
The Paradise – In Love With You
What else have you got lined up for this summer?
Just back from playing at Glastonbury which was amazing, played at Bez’s Acid House, and he was on stage dancing to my set, didn’t get out his maracas though…. Playing Hideout, SMS, TITP (Sub Club at The Tennant’s Arms), couple of dates at Space and Sankeys in Ibiza, Fabric, XoYo and some other stuff in the pipeline that I can’t tell you just yet…
Who would you most like to play b2b with?
Joey Essex
What do you miss about Glasgow when touring or staying in Ibiza? Where would be your ideal venue for a meal/drink when you come to back play at Sub Club?
Family and friends, the weather, Philadelphia chippy.
Bier Halle with the troops, or a mother India but that usually puts me to bed so maybe not ideal before night out.
Where do you dream of being in 5 years time?
Fingers crossed I will still be holding down the job I love. Djing and producing.
Did you buy your dad an new bunnet or any new beach wear for fathers day? How many hats has he got now? ;)
I was in Ibiza, I will bring him back a sombrero.
Advance tickets to catch Jasper James alongside Sensu residents Junior & Barry Price are on sale HERE or from RA. More also on the door from 11pm.
Leisure System return to Glasgow bringing a suitably heavy lineup for the occasion, with DJ sets from Hemlock Recordings boss Untold and Ostgut Ton / Leisure System resident Barker to boot. And for the main event they’ve also invited a true innovator in electronic music, the mighty Clark and with him the challenge of shoehorning his enormous live show into our intimate venue.
Leisure System itself is a renowned record label based in Berlin, Germany. Originally an event promoter and web-radio host, back in 2011 Leisure System decided to open a label division, starting with this 12″ EP from Russian artist Pixelord.
The label’s output is described in a tagline as “modern electronic music for dancing”, and explained in more details in the description of the first release: “Leisure System Record’s first release is a clear statement about the label’s simple, but nonetheless distinct commitment: To be a platform for timeless dance music in the folds of house, techno and electronica, disregarding media-hype and genre borders. Music that is thrilling and soulful.”
But as wide ranging and experimental as they may be, the Leisure System crew are ravers at heart. A cornerstone of the label is JETS, Machinedrum’s giddy production duo with Jimmy Edgar. For example they’ve always had a soft spot for Disclosure, who have played for them twice downstairs at Berghain.
The men behind the label invited us up the road for some after hours listening…
Robag Wruhme – Colby Nekk (Ned)
Proper chunky weird sorta electronic house from Robag. I like this for super late night when people can only dance slow.
Aphex Twin – Tha (Ned)
It’s an obvious one, but it still gets me every time I hear it. It’s otherworldly and when a bit zozzled after a good party it always teleports me to a lovely place.
DJ Slugo – Wouldn’t You Like To Be A Hoe Too (Michail)
I like my after parties 130BPM+++ and this one is a firestarter. Bit of a pity though that younger audiences are quickly overwhelmed with some of the faster Dance Mania stuff – dancefloors are just too comfortable nowadays!
Otto von Schirach – Teabagging the Dead (Michail)
Every party needs death metal kick drums and Otto’s “shake your booty on the dance floor“ vocals over vomit sounds made into basslines.
This was one of the last tracks added onto Hubie Davison’s debut I Won’t Be There release on Leisure System. It just has a really nice combination of melody and subdued energy, very much of a piece with the rest of the EP which as a whole is one of my go-to afterparty choices
Erykah Badu – My People (Aaron)
Playing this at an afterparty is risky depending on people’s moods – they might eat up the groove or alternately get completely spun-out by the mix. With surprisingly vicious sub-bass and psychedelic accents spinning over repetitions of “Hold on, my people,” it’s a highlight of Ms. Badu’s generally badass Afro-futurist manifesto New Amerykah Part 1.
LL Cool J – I Need Love (Sam)
Because everybody enjoys hearing raw feelings, laid down over a slick R&B beat.
Riskay – Smell Yo Dick (Sam)
Nothing gets past Riskay. I love her no-bullshit attitude.
Anything by Bjork is great when you really want people to go home! (Sam)
Such a rowdy banger, perfect to get things poppin’ at an afterparty.
Sharp Veins – Missing Sun (Peter)
Also always gets hands in the air when it comes on
Ahead of his set in with Untold and Clark, Barker unearths an hour of twisted techno recorded live at Leisure System. Listen up…
The best experiences don’t happen without breaking a little sweat, so use your perspirationally beaded head and get an advance ticket quick smart and stylish. Advance tickets on sale HERE.
Heads up for the Berliners – Leisure System celebrate their seventh anniversary and 25th party at Berghain / Panorama Bar on July 10th. Dies wird gut sein!
Tin Man let’s his music do the talking. Straight to the point – seven studio albums, collaboration projects alongside Donato Dozzy, Gunnar Haslam and Cassegrain, near perfect mixes for RA, Beats In Space, and The Bunker – made Johannes Auvinen one of the most respected acid techno artists in the world. Ahead of his Scottish debut this Friday at Sub Club, Bigfoot’s caught a quick fire chat with him, and he had some important advice for young producers…
Hi Johannes, thank you for taking the time to speak with us.
Friday is your live debut in Scotland, is that correct? What do you know about Sub Club?
I heard from people who played there or just went there that it’s a really great intimate space with a techno vibe.
You’ve had an extremely prolific career with last year’s “Ode” being your seventh album – are you creating music with every waking hour of your life?
Yes, music is also my hobby. I figure, as long as I still have the passion to create, I ought to stick with it. I can make music always and want to.
Can you tell us about the ideas behind the Ode, Wasteland and Scared album trilogy?
It was dark broody stuff. It was meant to be an exigis to lay out, and rid out, the depression of the economic depression. It was trying to get a handle on the cultural moment in relation to that crisis.
You often work with partners, both in the studio and on stage, how did your relationships develop with Gunnar Haslam, Donato Dozzy and Cassegrain, how regularly do you work with each of them?
All these collaborations happened naturally and all started with a curious spirit. I think with each collaborator we were curious to see what we would bring out in each other and what new ground we might discover.
Can you tell us about your early life, musical influences as you grew up? You have lived in a lot of different cities, I guess that gives you a very broad range of things to soak up?
I don’t have any formal musical background. My interest in music grew out of being a radio channel surfer and later as a thrift store record collector. Growing up in California meant most of the music I was exposed to in my youth was either rock or hiphop. House and Techno were exotic.
What is your favourite piece of work, your least favourite?
I like the collaboration work. It is hard to listen to my own work. I know that I just hear it much differently than others.
Was it difficult to move your studio from place to place, your family are from Finland and you have also lived in California and Vienna, right?
Yes. I remember saying to myself more than once “I am never going to recable a studio again.” But, it is the inevitable fact of being a synth user that you will forever need to recable.
Where did your love for the “acid” sounds grow from?
I was born to acid.
How would you tell young producers today to approach making music, knowing what you know now?
Probably – just don’t give a fuck. Don’t take anyones advice.
What gear are you travelling around with at the moment for your live shows?
Two Roland 303, TR-8, fx, laptop.
What do you still hope to achieve?
To stay acid.
On Friday you can hear this master of acid brings his live set to Glasgow for the first time. With a cerebral sound of touching simplicity, brace yourself for some classic 303 sensibilities set in an acid-drenched aural atmosphere, all coaxed lovingly from Tin Man’s collection of mighty machines. Expect cathartic hardware experimentalism with solid support from Bigfoot’s Wrick and Chris.
Long term Subbie favourite and Maitre D of Parisian house Ivan Smagghe checks in to kick it off for June and start our party right at Subculture this Saturday. Chatting to Ivan over the years in hotel bars or during car journeys to and from airports, here at the Subbie we’re clued up on his love for movies. From his early teenage years his weekly film viewing schedule regularly rolled in to double figures. His taste in films is as varied and as exciting as his own music and his DJ selections.
We chatted (quietly) up the back row ;) where Ivan was more than happy to share his cinematic playlist of 10 favourite films…
“10 MELODRAMAS THAT I SUPPOSE YOU’D NOT I THINK I LIKE (out of a very very long list)”
RICH AND FAMOUS (GEORGE CUKOR,1981)
“George is a bitch but he’s the queen. this is like Dynasty crossed with Jane Austen with bad hair. An ultimate household favourite. His last film.”
JULIA (ZINNEMAN,1977)
“Another last film, Fonda also has pretty bad hair, Redgrave is fantastic, it also deals with the anguish that goes with writing. Zinneman is like a god where I come from.”
A conversation about Fred Zinnemann’s film Julia (1977) with Academy Award-winning sound designer and film editor Walter Murch, Academy Award-winning screenwriter Alvin Sargent, and Getty scholar Jennifer Smyth…
“Not strictly a melodrama but still so moving. And the first movie about “les blousons noirs” (French rockers)”
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (SCHLESINGER,1967)
“Casting and Exteriors. Photography. Why would you even want to try and remake this I wonder.”
ABSENCES REPETEES (GUY GILLES, 1972)
“Contrary to public opinion, the love for heroin makes very very good romantic movies.”
MARIANNE DE MA JEUNESSE (DUVIVIER, 1955)
Shot both as a French version and a German one in 1955 (that must have taken some balls), this is simply the campest movie I have ever watched (contains deers and gay undertones).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH8s5-rXhpI
SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION (NEWMAN, 1970)
“Paul Newman is a beautiful man. An average actor. But he is probably the best american melodrama director of the seventies.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKdF-IP7rE0
THE WOMAN ON THE BEACH (RENOIR, 1947)
“Renoir arrives in America and makes a movie with a coast guard, Joan Bennet and her blind painter husband, Drama ensues.”
THE TURNING POINT (ROSS, 1977)
“Bancroft, Shirley McLaine. And the guts to insert 30 minutes of ballet dancing in the middle of a movie.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2sUO3IeoJI
THE HEIRESS (WYLER, 1949)
“Olivia and Monty. Monty & Olvia.”
Thanks to Ivan for sharing that with us.
You can catch Ivan on Saturday at Le Subbie as he takes up le rôle de premier at Subculture from 11pm. Joining Ivan pour la soirée to provide your Saturday bande sonore will be acteur de soutien Telford. Advance tickets are on sale HERE or more on the door.
Also keep an eye out on SUB HUB channels for details of Ivan’s apparition en matinée at the BBC Music at the Quay event en extérieur this Sunday.
Following his outstanding pop up gallery at Sub Hub back in April in our loft space high above Glasgow’s Style Mile, we caught up with Dan Axon, the main man behind Joints, Lines and Fades, an exhibition of artwork created for the Dixon Avenue Basement Jams record label.
Dan Tell the Subbie readers who you are and what you do?
Hello! I’m an artist and designer currently living in York, i’m a mixed-media artist which means i’ll do pretty much anything to avoid proper work – i’ll wash your car for a tenner, for example. Go on then call it a fiver.
How did you get to know and end up working with Rub A Dub and D.A.B.J?
I moved up to Glasgow in 2000 and immediately got involved with those reprobates. When I moved back down tut Yorksher I couldn’t shake them, and recently they asked me to do a series of drawings to use as inserts for the Dixon Avenue Basement Jams label.
Tell us a bit more about your sketches of certain places in Glasgow, including our beloved Sub Club?
The idea was to depict Glasgow themes that are significant to the label – so Dixon Ave, The Soundhaus, Rubadub, and of course the Sub Club plus a few others. I wanted to work in greyscale to see how much power and energy could be developed without using colour. The drawings got increasingly technical and complex – the later ones were using up to 20 stencils before the line work even began. It was a good project, I really developed some techniques. Kenny and Dan were very supportive and just let me get on with it – they knocked the odd one back which you actually appreciate as an artist – it means they care.
FAG PACKET CONCEPT-” This was my initial idea of just drawing the punters, or their energy, almost like an energy map of the site.”
FIRST ROUGH – ” Here I was working on how to represent peoples energy individually but also as one entity. There are dozens of these, working towards stencils which are the base layer of the final pieces.”
ENERGY MESH – “This first finished piece was a lot of fun, I was absolutely arseholed doing this one Saturday night and I think that comes across in a good way. Dan and Kenny liked it but said it was difficult to recognise it as the Subbie.”
AXON’S PLAN – “Needing more information to draw the entire space I sent this plan through to Dan…”
LURINKY’S PLAN – Dan responded with this masterpiece. We probably should have just called this the final piece. Obviously he wasn’t DJing on that night because he’s definitely a c**t but he’s written ‘DJ’.
ENEGRY BALL – With enough info to draw it I set to and here is the piece that will be used as the next DABJ insert…as someone said at the Sub Hub show “I like the jaggy shit” I hope I’ve done it justice…
How did that come about? Was there any funny stories about certain targeted locations ;)
It was around the time the label was really getting going. I was up visiting and Kenny and Dan put the idea to me, it sounded interesting to draw buildings in a tripped-out manner – I started studying architecture but it bored me to tears so I jumped ship to art school. This was a nice chance to have some fun drawing buildings and spaces. The Sub Club drawing was ridiculous – no-one could remember it properly, even the day after they’d been in the place (something in the water?). We sent some very amusing sketches (probably not suitable for general consumption!) back and forth until we decided we were all halfwits and I came up just to sketch it. There’s a few versions of that drawing – and mountains of roughs.
5. Hypothetically speaking, if you could have designed the artwork for any three music albums, what would they be?
” haha that’s a good’un – err…any three bands with an actual artwork budget please. No but seriously, i’m music-mad so won’t give it too much thought – off the top of my head some things I could maybe do justice.. I haven’t just picked my all-time favourite records here – i’ve tried to pick music that I think my style suits “
Drexciya: any album but “Harnessed the Storm” is a fave – really atmospheric and immaculately produced, best synth music ever in my opinion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBWrk9OUKm8
Napalm Death: “Again any but i’m into the new’un; “Apex Predator”. People think it’s mindless music but if you listen carefully it’s actually mindless noise haha.”
Jeff Beck – Wired “Bit of a weird choice this because i’m not a huge fusion/jazz fan but i have a tape of “Wired/Blow by Blow” in the studio and I often find it really motivates me (that one and DJ Miltons “1-800 Get Some More” mixtape from 1997) I think the intensity and heaviness of this music is similar to that of my work. It sounds a bit like the inside of my head. Which can’t be good”
A series of nautical themed paintings dedicated to a good friend of mine who was lost at sea off Brazil a year ago in his tiny boat…
I’ll be announcing shows for this work later this year – watch my site/twitter @danaxondesign for details of this and other shows.
ARTY BOLLOX: I’m probably guilty of shifting media and even style too much which may confuse audiences but I don’t get how many artists can churn out variations of the same piece for years on end – it certainly helps to sell and find an audience but that would bore me to tears. I have to make a conscious effort to make series’ and not just one-offs – once i’ve realised an image I instinctively want to move on, I guess i’m just not commercially wired. I really respect Gerhard Richter for that – not only for his continual high quality output over several decades but for his courage in continually moving forward and exploring and never pausing to cash in.
PRACTICE BOLLOX: I work on music related art a lot and I create electronic music as a hobby – the two are very related – my art is always made listening to loud music or about music, and when I create music I think quite visually/sculpturally and try and translate the shapes, textures and forms into sound. When I used to release music it was quite inaccessible – my art is made with the exact same uncompromising ethos but somehow translates to an audience better. Now I have my music back as a hobby and it feeds my artwork. In the future I’m continuing with the fine art and design stuff but i’m also going to start with product design again.
We’re sure we will see Dans work in and around the Sub Hub or at the club again some time soon, but in the meantime keep an eye out for what’s upcoming…
Following on from ‘Twelve Twelve Hundreds’ – a test piece for a new series of circular/rotational works actually created on a Technics 1200.
If you’re interested in buying originals or prints of Dan’s work, or would like to commission him for a one-off piece or artwork for your club/label/band then give him a shout on info@danaxon.co.uk.
Our mutual pals over at No Way Back Cafe on Nithsdale Road (Glasgow’s Southside) currently have a limited number of DABJ print sets in stock too.
Howling is the accidentally beautiful birth-child of Australian-bred, bohemian folk artist/singer/producer Ry X and the solo project one half of Âme live, electronic producer and Innervisions label runner Frank Wiedemann. Their collaboration Howling first came to prominence when Dixon closed his Boiler Room mix with the astoundingly gorgeous eponymous track and a bajillion Soundcloud comments later, the EP Howling was finally released. Their debut album ‘Sacred Grounds’ was released at the beginning of May and their first single ‘Signs’ has already honed a successful wide-spread response including airtime on Gilles Peterson’s show. Ry X’s hauntingly seductive and distinctive vocals make the most mesmerising miasma of sound, complemented by the simplistic yet melodious piano, deep drums and enticing electronic tones of Frank. Although the two are drawn from different backgrounds, the pair perfectly align here to create something magical through their music.
We caught up with Frank and Ry ahead of Sunday to chat over Organs, Surfing, Driving and Yoga…
For those who don’t know, please tell the Subbie readers who you are and what you do?
We are HOWLING. We are RY X+ Frank Wiedemann (ÂME). We make music and art things.
Some online coverage refers to this collaboration as “Accidental” how did it come about, and where did the name Howling come from?
‘Howling’ as a name came from our first release together. We didn’t consolidate the project at first in a name form because it really was a collaboration based on a track that came out before we had even played a show, its been a feeling out process…but we are here now, and thankful to be here.
You’re rooted in fairly different musical backgrounds, did things click straight away? What went down at the first studio session?
‘Howling’ was the first ‘studio session’ but we weren’t in the same studio, or timezone, or country.. or continent. So it began as both of us contributing in our own sense of safety and with our own characteristics. We have melded since then, but thats how it began.
Did you guys pull the live band together yourselves? Ry, do you write most of the vocals yourself?
Yah… we brought in a dear friend and wonderful musician, Jens Kuross, and made sure we had the flexibility and ability to do everything live and create and flow in new directions outside of computer screens. Thats been important to us.
Live sets are a massive selling point now for club shows, this one is dynamic and very rare for a night club, What was your first ever experiences of live music?
We didn’t have much to follow in this way… because not many people were doing it yet.. now its a more common ground for live/electronic acts to meld it all together, but even 3 years ago it was a DIY place to figure out how to play it all live for clubs/venues/festivals. We each have different first live experiences.. mine was Sting actually.
Who would be your most obvious musical influences?
They differ between us, but some artists we both love..
Arthur Russel
Jeff Buckley
Radiohead
Fela Kuti
Bjork
Massive Attack
Nirvana / Pearl Jam
Steve Reich
Obviously there are still some some electronic, analogue activities driving this show, Are there any new music production technologies out there that you’re excited about right now??
Yah we are playing around with new programs that let you sync computers to live playing. Its a long process learning what fits best for us. We use LIVE in flexible ways on stage and in our production, but yah we always aim to use analog gear and push that as much as we can as its what we both love.
Frank, Whats your favourite cheapest piece of gear in your studio?
Organs! Organs are cheap – as long as you don’t need to maintain them, and they have their pure analog raw sound. You can do a lot with organs and a lot have been used on our album.
The debut album was release earlier this month, and there has been some excellent feedback so far. Is there any unexpected fans out there? Anyone in particular?
We are really excited/humbled to share this record, in a simple way, us to people. We don’t have huge expectations at all, but have been really thankful for the love from critics and our friends. I guess I’m always a bit surprised when someone from a completely different world comes up to me/us and starts sharing how much they dig the album.. that means a lot.
Prior to attending music festivals as an artist, were you ever one for attending as a punter?
Of course, we love music and have done our whole lives. Shirtless and mashing through teens…
We don’t like to put music in genres to be honest, but for talkings sake lets call this style , amazing alternative ambient. Are you happy to share some of your personal home listening vibes with us?
ha…well its wide. We listen to a lot of ambient and soundscape stuff too.. Steve Reich, John Adams, Yoshi Wada etc.. and more contemporary stuff, Nils Frahm and Chilly Gonzalez, but then we put on Jeff Mills then its The Police, then its jazz, then its some heavy techno…we really span a lot in our listening.
Frank, you’ve played the Sub Club many times over the years. What’s your expectations of playing as Howling live?
Well, I think it’s going to be tight! And of course I hope that we can create the same intense and close atmosphere with Howling as I always have when I play there solo.
What would you consider to be the perfect warm-up to your live set?
Musically? something beautiful and wide scoping.. Frank has made some playlists for us that go in a few directions. Something that holds tension is key. As far as a warm up in life, I would always love a surf, or some Yoga, then some good local food with friends.
As performing artists, where are your favourite locations and why?
We tour a lot, so we see hotels and venues for most of the time. When we get time we love to go out of the cities into the forests, or coasts and take some time with the land there.. its beautiful to get to experience a new country, new landscape, new sea.. although it doesn’t happen as much as we would like. I dig some shows in Bali ;)
The tour bus looks like a lot of fun, You’ve been on it for more than a week now. What do you like / dislike most about travelling to gigs this way? Who smells the best and who smells the worst?
No comment ;)
Picture this… We are driving through the wilds of the Australian outback, just between Balladonia and Caiguna on Highway One which runs arrow straight for 146.6 mind-numbing kilometers (longest straight road in Oz) What 5 tracks would you play on repeat ;) for our journey?
Theres a 40 minute drone by Yoshi Wada called ‘earth horn with electronic drone’ which could work really well… E2 E4 is an ambient beast changing + evolving over its our long piece, maybe throw in music for 18 musicians by Steve Reich, a little ‘nova’ by burial/four tet, a raga by Hariprasad Chaurasia (indian flute player).. and your already there and back.. (146.6km in australia is a short drive)
We are always interested to hear what other music artists are listening to at the moment. Any tracks or producers that stand out for you recently?
Matthew Herbert has an interesting new record we have been listening to a bit..
Any final comments ahead of Sunday? What can we expect?
We are excited to bring something raw and of the heart to a special long standing club space.. something new for us both in that way perhaps. Intimacy and deep approaches at once. we really look forward to it.
Tickets on sale HERE or from RA. Doors open at 22:30 and it’s 4AM Finish.
The Dam is on the get down in Glasgow town as the Netherland’s foremost record label leaders bring their record bags to the booth tonight. With the residents also in the ring we’re all set for an almighty session.
Serge is the owner and founder of Clone records. Since the early 90s he has been one of the most prominent Dutch underground DJ’s well known for his versatility across the board. He’s a true natural around all things house, disco and beyond.
Serge is a good friend of Domenic’s who also happens to be one of Clone’s best customers over the past 20 years. Clone is not just a label, but a record store and distribution company as well. The team behind this output have spent the last two decades working tirelessly to keep record collections amazing.
Only a few straats away is home to Rush Hour Records. Since it launched in 1997, Rush Hour has become the mainstay of Amsterdam’s booming house and techno movement. As a label it’s renowned as an industry leader for re-releasing forgotten music and even reinventing the careers of artists. More recent times have been equally impressive with a handful of indisputable hits occurring from the label every year without fail. As a record store, Rush Hour provide a channel for music of all genres, with world music and second hand funk and disco sitting alongside house and techno new arrivals and anthems.
Saturday’s second guest Antal has been the driving force behind Rush Hour since day one, and as a DJ he’s been inclined to play out music in all forms and formats. His Soundcloud page is home to a host of astonishing mixes from Afro to Brazilian music, along with Turkish, Japanese, and Colombian sounds. That’s not even the half of it. Antal is also a key fixture in Amsterdam’s nightclub circuit, regularly showcasing Rush Hour at the main parties and festivals the city has to offer, as well as organising the labels annual ADE party (formerly at Trouw), whilst keeping a somewhat hectic touring schedule going throughout the year.
Ahead of Saturday’s Dutch takeover Domenic picked his five favourite Jams from the Rush Hour & Clone back catalogue…
Rush Hour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQOwgkOcoOk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZEidKBBblg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3BOpnlTBtY#t=89
Clone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0PVTuDMtmE#t=157
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Bluhz5ERo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8avAaLzJhY#t=112
We are delighted to welcome these Dutch music luminaries to Subculture alongside our own record breaking residents Harri & Domenic.
Subculture is open till 4AM this Saturday, advance tickets are on sale from HERE or RA. There will also be more on the door from 11pm.
Rui da Silva, ‘the Portuguese Pistol’, ‘an old school legend’ and ‘Portugal’s most precious export’, many things have been said about this man, mainly the two latter, as I am the only one who has ever referred to him as the Portuguese pistol, nonetheless I’m sticking with my guns and believe the title is justified. Silva has been battering tribal/house sets for the lairiest part of two decades, with support coming from the likes of Godfather and overall top bloke, Danny Tenaglia. Anyway, time for a word with the man himself. Let’s give him a warm Glaswegian, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Shortbread welcome… Rui Da Silva.
Hello there Rui, here’s your quick fire questions. Can we call you, ‘ The Portuguese Pistol? ‘
Sure why not, I hope it’s a compliment!
It’s been over 20 years since your first project ‘The Underground Sound of Lisbon’, what keeps you inspired nowadays?
The realisation that there is still so much I want to learn and do music-wise… its a never ending chase of knowledge and fulfilment. The more I learn the more I realise what I don’t know yet…
Let’s talk tracks, ‘So Get Up’ was a massive hit for you, have you produced any tracks you believe have not received the credit that you might of anticipated?
Plenty of them, I always take much care of the tracks I produce, looking after them like my children and always wish them the best when they are unleashed to the wide world. If you want an example just listen to ‘On My Mind’.
Tell us two tracks you wish you had produced?
Billy Jean and I Feel Love are two productions I wish I had produced.
Best/worst parts about a dj’s lifestyle? Apart from the obvious… Getting away with wearing sunglasses in doors…
Worst part of a DJ life for me must be the constant disruption on the studio work flow and the food while travelling can also be daunting. The best part is the fact that you get to see people reacting to your music, especially your own productions and its very valuable feedback to be able to bring it back to the studio and tweak the song further…
Touch Me in the Morning was the infamous line from one of your breakout tracks, preferably I like to hit the snooze button on my alarm clock in the morning, what is the first thing you touch?
In the morning…either a cup of tea or my iPhone to check what I missed while asleep.
Can you give us three dance classic tracks that will let our Sub Rosa following know what to expect from your upcoming set?
Obviously Touch Me, also Underground Sound Of Lisbon – So Get Up and perhaps a little bit of DJ Pierre or Lil Louis French Kiss…
One track you would love to remix?
Radioactivity by Kraftwerk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhBG1ilB3ao
Where’s your favourite city in the UK? Choose your answer carefully…
Right so now I’m not sure what to answer… I would say Glasgow is one of the top cities in the UK for sure.
What Label has most impressed you this year?
Been digging the releases on Drumcode, Aus, Noir, Kompakt, Novel Sound
What record do you never leave home without?
‘Touch Me’
Thank you for your time Rui Da Silva, all the best for the bells, god speed, take care and thank you. Much love, goodnight. Sub Rosa 1st release tickets have now sold out, grab second release tickets here.
