Ahead of their first party of the new-ish term where they go back to back for all four hours, we thought it would be a good shout to have a wee chat with the boys who hold the fort at Sub Rosa week in, week out. When it’s not one of their impressive guests in our famous booth, their resident duo Spittal & Nowicki produce the goods each Wednesday from 11pm. More often than not, it’s the residents’ selections that our clued up crowd go home raving about. So here it is, a little bit of an overdue get-to-know-you with Sub Rosa resident’s Spittal & Nowicki…
So first up let’s break the ice, what’s your name and what’s your story?
SPITTAL – Max Spittal, from Craigie, a neighbourhood in the city of Perth originally, but now a resident in Glasgow, South Side to be a bit more specific. Story wise, I’m just a bloke who collects and plays records, like most of the lads you’ll see behind the turntable, I’m pretty normal, ish. I run a record label – Made Fresh Daily as well, which has always been fun. I’ve been part of Sub Rosa for a long time now, maybe 3 years or so? I was here since the beginning, nearly.
Stefano Esposito – Carry On (JC Williams Remix) [Label – Made Fresh Daily]
NOWICKI – Jozef Nowicki and I’m from Glasgow. Born and raised but fully Polish by blood and heritage. I’ve been clubbing in Glasgow since I was about 14 and first got into electronic music by going to places like The Arches and Sub Club. I’ve just come back from partying in Dimensions Festival in Croatia and today bought my first synthesizer so looking forward to using that.
Tell us about your entry into DJ’ing.
SPITTAL – First gig ever was in a pub called The Malt House in Perth, I’m pretty sure I was 16 and ran a weekly party of sorts for under-agers to drink and experiment in an actual pub (well, it had a license I think). Surprisingly we were still playing house music of sorts, we (I ran this circus of sorts with Tarky and Chris Addley) didn’t cut our teeth with Dubstep or Electro or Psytrance or anything like that. The pub ended up getting shut down after around a year from noise complaints among other felonies. The owner left with a ridiculous amount of 16 / 17 year olds pocket money and moved to Australia once his court proceedings were over, search for ‘Scott Peoples’ on Facebook, he looks like he’s had a class time since we lined his pockets with gold and lost him his pub.
NOWICKI – I’ve always been sort off obsessed with music, putting on tunes from an iPod at parties etc, then later on recording mixes via Virtual DJ (Yes Virtual DJ!!) hahaha to play at parties. That obsession then went into buying vinyl. My first gig using a proper set-up and decent PA was in the venue on a Ferry sitting on the Clyde. It was an official pre-party for Rockness festival organised by a good mate.
Have you got any tips on any artists we need to be keeping an eye out for?
SPITTAL – Keep an eye on The Burrell Connection, a good pal and a class producer. Perth Drug Legend is making some mad tracks at the minute too, have a look if you haven’t already. Joe once showed me a loop he made too haha ;).
https://soundcloud.com/theburrellconnection/timelapse
Apart from people I know personally, Christ, there is so much quality music coming out at the minute. Have a dig through Jacques Renault’s charts for Juno Records if you wanna find some class new music of the vinyl variety, always picking gems.
NOWICKI – Lord of the Isles for productions and for DJ sets Marquis Hawkes.
Now you’re not allowed to mention each other here, but who’s the best in the game that you’ve heard/seen with your own ears/eyes?
SPITTAL – Neville Watson played Live at Fabric London a couple weeks back with Harri and Dom, everyone was blown away by him, he is definitely up there. Gerd Janson at Subculture a while back was a night to remember too, that man can play. Further afield – seeing Guti play Live at Amnesia, Ibiza in 2011 was an experience too, fond memories.
NOWICKI – Jon Hopkins – I’ve seen him at the Art School and in Dimensions, both times mind blowing! Also the guys from Firecracker records at La Cheetah earlier on in the year was awesome.
Can you let us in on some of your favourite go to tracks that you pull out at Sub Rosa?
SPITTAL – FNM – Blu (Steve Bug & Daniel Dexter Remix)
Save The Black Beauty are a go to label for me, they release some class music on 12” and are based in Berlin. The one always gets pulled out when it starts to get rowdy.
The Burrell Connection – Articulate [Label – West End Communications]
https://soundcloud.com/theburrellconnection/001-1
This track by The Burrell Connection is ideal for me, the final version of this is a sort of collab with Sub Club’s long standing friend Esa. It’s got movement, it’s danceable but it’s still so fucking interesting. It’ll be out on 12” via Glasgow imprint West End Communications at some point this year I think.
https://soundcloud.com/theburrellconnection/001-1
Third World – Talk To Me (Tony John’s Re-edit)
https://soundcloud.com/johnsy72/third-world-talk-to-me-tony
We play a lot of disco when doors open, whether they be edits or originals. He’s a personal favourite I play a lot, an edit of a classic by Tony John. This edit can be downloaded from the link on SoundCloud too, cheers Tony.
And finally this classic by the man himself Kerri Chandler.
The System – You In My System (Kerri Chandler Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkO3kC803UY
NOWICKI – Hmm, that’s definitely a hard one. Here are a few I’ve been known to bring out when things get interesting.
Slam – Positive Education
Dimitri From Paris – Feeling About ‘Cha
Frankie Knuckles – Baby Wants to Ride
Midland – Safi
Mr Scruff – Get a Move On
Finally, before I let you go. Can you give us a wee hint off what you would be listening to when your not digging for track for Sub Rosa.
SPITTAL – Start off with The Infamous, Mobb Deep, beats are class on this especially. Listen to this full album often, hat off to the geezer who uploaded the full thing to YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epA9LGb2KsY
I also listen to Radio 4 when I’m driving at night. Up until I moved to Glasgow I did most of my driving at 3am after Sub Rosa / Sub Club on the way home to my 7am shifts in Perth, stinking. Late night radio 4 is class, interviews with every type of person you can imagine and some class music that covers the entire spectrum. Maybe it’s just best of a bad bunch falling on tired ears?
NOWICKI – The Trammps – Rubber Band (scratchandsniff edit)
https://soundcloud.com/scratchandsniff/the-trammps-rubber-band
Guru – Loungin’
Listen up to this recent Sub Rosa residents mix to get you in the mood for tonight…
https://soundcloud.com/subrosa-glasgow/suburban-selections-from-southern-suburbia
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Limited Guestlist available HERE.