ccc
Just for the record, why 'ccc'?When I first bought a computer, I was registering with all these websites - "chris" was invariably taken - "chrischris" was often used too - "chrischrischris", however, wasn't. Due to laziness, the "-hris-hris-hris" soon fell off.
What are you up to these days?As usual, I'm just messing with material for my own pleasure. I'm utterly blown away by Brian Wilson's new recording of
SMiLE, so have been mashing all the original Beach Boys bootlegs to this new 'official' sequence. Just for my own sick pleasure, you understand. I've also supplied the music for some idents on some Sky channel or another, thanks to the brilliant Ben Wheatley - but generally I'm waiting for my muse to return from wherever it seems to have flown to.
As well as that, I'm trying to break the world record for consuming the most amount of baked beans. The world record is six pounds of beans in 1 minute 48 seconds - so far I've only managed 2 tins in 2 minutes, but I feel if Heinz were fully behind me, I'd bring that record back home - where it belongs.
What music are you currently listening to?Just looking to my right, I see a pile of Beach Boys CDs, plus a fine new band from Texas called Hyperbubble (Human League meets Yazoo - & they have a nice song about a cat - which can't be bad), Procol Harum, Syd Barrett, George Harrison, The Who,
Head soundtrack & I've just noticed a Goodies album. Bill Oddie was, in fact, one of the finest composers of the 70s.
Which album, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite?Monkees -
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. While all the 'cool' press were lauding praise on the new wave of mid sixties bands like The Byrds & Buffalo Springfield, the Monkees were seen as fakes. But this album has everything you could ever want - folk-rock, jingy guitar pop, psychedelia, mod pop. It's wonderful - equal to any of the material by the 'rated' artists. It sold bugger all, as all the Monkees fans were hitting puberty & spending their money on kinky boots, drugs & tampons, but it has that lack of side that appeals to my strange tastes.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?Never really fancied being anyone else, although I recall I quite fancied being in Ned's Atomic Dustbin. Like being in the Banana Splits but without having to wash. Oh yes - & I'd quite like to be Hemingway please.
What are the pros & cons of being ccc?Pros: It's easy to spell.
Cons: I've worn out the 'c' on my keyboard.
Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you? Tell us some stories, please!!!Embarrassing: Going to Manchester many years ago with my best pal. We stopped off at a B&B in Bakewell & proceeded to smoke copious amounts of illegal substances. Anyway, we got the giggles &, I'm sorry to say, I proceeded to shit myself laughing.
I scurried off to the bathroom whilst Maff was choking with laughter & noticed a strange black mural on the wall, glass-like, with unusual patterns. I decided the best thing to do was to fill the sink full of water & squat over it - do you see? So there I was, a-swishing & a-sploshing away, when suddenly the bathroom was lit up. The mural was in fact a window & the landlady, having turned on the light in the next room, was now peering through the glass & coughing extremely loudly...
Bizarre: Last year I was sending ridiculous emails in to my local paper to see if they'd get printed in the letters page - including a few from old ladies thanking a superhero dressed as a monkey for returning their handbags etc. Anyway - next thing I knew the local paper contacted me as they wanted to write an article on 'Monkeyman'. Within a week, it was all over the national press & I'd come home from work to find BBC 24 News vans parked in the village, reporters knocking on the door & receiving phonecalls from radio stations. When it was revealed to be a hoax, the local newspaper wrote a scathing article about me - what did they expect? A real superhero?
The First of ccc:First album you ever bought = Sgt Pepper. Sounds corny, but there we are. I saved up my pocket money for weeks & weeks - took the bus to Watford on my own for the first time & then realised I didn't actually have a record player. My older brother let me play it about three times on his Lloytron super-stack hifi until I badgered my mum for a stereo for Christmas.
First movie you watched that gave you severe wood = Calamity Jane. All those whips did it for me. For some unknown reason, many of my formulative years were spent lusting after Doris Day. I assume it was after hearing her singing "Move Over Darling" - as erotic an experience there can be. Whenever I saw current photos of her in her 60's or 70's, I'd have the arduous task of pondering: "Would I...?"
First book or mag you read that was scary = Sparky Annual 1970. Similar to the Beano, there was a particular cartoon about two children whose mother had disappeared. Their father met a wicked stepmother, who, it turned out, was a witch & had turned their mother into a bird. Sounds shit, but I was an impressionable child...
First concert you went to that was awesome = Best concert I ever saw was the Divine Comedy playing in a pub in Canvey Island. Neil Hannon was mates with the landlord & chose to play a warm up gig before his USA tour. It was an autumnal Sunday evening, the sea breeze nipping at my nips & it was all rather splendid. Plus he told a heckler, the size of Bluto, to fuck off - which was nice.
First mash-up you heard that rocked your world = Reverend Dan - "Get This Organ Started". He'd plopped a link on Beta.com, I clicked it & was absolutely blown to pieces. How the hell did he do that? From there, I went to his site, clicked on the links - found GYBO & then, suddenly, was faced with thousands of the damned things. Read up on the FAQ's, got a copy of Acid Pro 4 & that was it - my social life, gone.
Which bootlegger, in your opinion, do you think is the most underrated?Superdan. Just because he was so nice to me in Harrow.
What do you think is the 'secret ingredient' behind a ccc boot?An all-encompassing love of music, a record collection that stops dead after 1979, an understanding girlfriend & many, many, many cigarettes.
Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?GHP's I'm A Believer / Paperback Writer...it was just...so, so...bloody obvious - Gah! Glad it was him that did it though - I'd have just messed it up.
What was your reaction when you discovered that someone was bootlegging your boots on eBay?Shock, then pride, then anger, then pride, then a little more shock, more pride & then, before I had a chance to react properly, they were gone...
"The older the geezer gets, the better are his boots..." Discuss...The thing I love about mashes is that you can tell a lot about the 'mashee'(?) by their song selection. The chances are that the boots you enjoy the most are done by someone from your own peer group. So - no. I disagree. I suppose you get better technically from practising, but the average person will only download tracks that utilise artists they enjoy. More like "The older the geezer that downloads the old geezer's mashes, the better his boots seem to the old geezer."
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...Zimmerman = Best fake motorcycle crash ever
The Concretes = Mazzy Star
Ultra396 = Pot pourri
Boom Selection = Pot noodle
EMI = No reason why
MTV Mash = No idea
Syd Barrett = Effervescing
Julie Newmar = Purrrr
Prince Nelson Rogers = Bambi
Charles Manson = The 5th Monkee
All your boots seem to have that sixties connection. What is it about that era that inspires you?Having an elder brother & sister & being an inquisitive little bastard - I went through their record collections like a rat up a drainpipe. My sister had all the Beatles, Monkees & Motown - my brother had all the reggae, prog rock & rawk. I'm kind of stuck in that decade & just pick at odds & sods after 1970 - then buy everything they've ever recorded. I'm thoroughly ashamed at my record collection - yet, disgracefully proud at the same time.
What do you remember about the following years:1969 = Year I was born. Don't remember much apart from milk. So much milk. I understand The Archies were number one when I was born, which explains a lot, really.
1985 = I remember the Duran-ees returning from Live Aid, each one arguing over who cried the most during David Bowie's passionate lament. Plus Aztec Camera, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, O' Levels, buying my first Dylan album & masturbating furiously over the lovely Doris Day (not literally, you understand).
1989 = The NME, when it was still great - the Stone Roses being on the front page every single week. The Roses inspired me to quit my job & join a band. We were almost successful (big in Bushey) & since then I've never looked forward.
1993 = First ever Glastonbury, bucket loads of dope & stupid hair.
1997 = Giving up dope & experimenting with beer (Hair not quite as stupid - but still stupid).What's your favourite Saturday night record?Divine Comedy -
Promenade. This is right up there in my all-time top five favourite albums. Perfect with fine wine, good company & rare cheese. One of those albums that actually makes you feel more intelligent after listening to it.
And your Sunday morning one?Euphoria -
A Gift From Euphoria. A sumptuous album recorded by two Canadians in 1969. It's brimming with lush orchestration, psychedelia & bizarre sound effects. They split up after one album, were never heard of again - or since (the album sold bugger all) & one of them is now rumoured to be a woman. Perfect. Busted would die for that kind of publicity.
What's the most ridiculous rumour you've heard being said about you?I used to get accused of being gay as I seemed to attract gay men like a magnet. Must be that huge handlebar moustache I used to wear (or was it the red indian outfit...?)
Describe the average ccc day.5:00am: Get woken up by my girlfriend (& cat) going to work (& shitting in next door's garden) I wish my girlfriend would stop doing that - & then back to sleep.
7:30am: Stagger downstairs for coffee & a cigarette - watch the brilliant 'Big Cook, Little Cook' ("My name's Ben & my name's Small, we've got the cleanest kitchen of all") on BBC2 - feed the cat & then off to work.
9:00am - 1:00pm: Spend the morning working my balls off for a publishing company.
1:00pm - 2:00pm: Either go for a swim or go to the pub (depending on the pain of working at a publishing company between 9:00am - 1:00pm).
3:00pm - 5:00pm: Spend the afternoon working my balls off for a publishing company.
6:00pm - 6:05pm: Feed & play with the cat. Mess around doing all the things I want to do; mashing, listening to music etc before my girlfriend gets home at 6:05pm.
6:05pm - midnight: Hoovering, washing up, chores...
Any principles of life you live by?It's all too easy & boring to be a nasty bastard - if a dog can do it, then why be that low? It's much more of a challenge to be nice to people. I say give a flower to a complete git tomorrow.
What are your plans for the future?To marry the love of my life, to get my arse in gear & finish (& redo) the
Revolved project & do as I've always done - bumble along blindly & see what happens.
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?I've not been as excited about a musical movement since the baggy / Britpop era. I wish the technology had been around as a teenager - I had all the ideas, but just couldn't express or put a name to them. When Maggie pushed hard on students to get out & get jobs, she also killed off all the youngsters who (in the 60's & 70's) had time to compose songs, form bands, gig & express themselves. It's the time factor that killed music in the latter half of the 80's. If Lennon & McCartney had been born two generations later they'd have been working in Macdonalds. Once the record companies & media finally latch on I suspect it'll be killed off - but, for now, you just can't beat the thrill of scurrying around the Internet & discovering great music - unavailable anywhere else - & claiming it as your own. I love it.
*Exclusive ccc Boot*
Dreaming Of Cats (The Cure vs The Coral) [OFFLINE]
You can check out more of ccc's boots at his website
here, or visit his
Revolved project site
here.
McSleazy
What are you up to these days?I've been working on tracks with a view to getting a female singer involved. It's poppy, but firmly based in electro. There’s upcoming gigs in Paris (with GHP, Loo & Placido & DJ Zebra) at the Rex Club on Oct 13th & a gig in Budapest too. Also on the horizon is a Charlatans remix project, & a couple of other wee remixes.
What music are you currently listening to?A lot of pop. I've no experience in writing pop vocals, so I'm soaking myself in it to try & get inspiration. For relaxation, I've being going down-tempo recently.
What, if push comes to shove, is the album that changed your life?Different stages of my life have had different albums to go with them.
Adam & The Ants –
Prince Charming has stayed with me as a magical album. "Scorpios" is a genius track, & the best first track on an album ever.
Guns N Roses -
Appetite For Destruction. I learned the air-drums to the entire album.
Depeche Mode –
Violator. Best synth-pop album in history.
Suede –
Suede. I played that tape to death.
Primal Scream –
Xtrmntr. Hit the nail on the head at the time. Woke me up a bit.
Do you still remember the first record you bought? Where did you buy it?I remember buying the Joboxers – "Boxer Beat" but I don't know if it was the first.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?I don't know if I'd want to be someone else. I would like to have fronted the Police, so I suppose Sting circa early 80s.
Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you while manning the decks?Embarrassing: I guess stripping off at the last Bastard that I played at. I always get a bit pished before the Bastards, & it's one person's fault (you know who you are. He may be an afternoon drinking expert, but I'm not used to it)!
Bizarre: Trying my best in Slovenia to play undanceable tunes to piss off the hired dancers in the club. They eventually refused to dance anymore during "Paradise City"!
You've supported the likes of Kelis & the Charlatans. Any fantastic stories to tell? Please don't spare us any details!!!I didn't support Kelis – I was double booked. Turned out to be fortunate tho, cos when I should have been on, I ended up having dinner along with Kelis. She's extremely pretty. I was watching her soundcheck, & she was really getting involved with the musical arrangements. She knows her stuff.
No fantastic stories really. Charlatans were sound. They've been around long enough to know you don't act like a dick. The night was so relaxed. They all came out before the doors opened & asked me to play my remixes & bootlegs on the PA. Very cool people.
The Last of McSleazy:Last album you bought (or downloaded) that was shite = Nothing springs to mind
Last movie you watched that gave you wood = Spartan. Surprisingly good
Last book or mag you read that was a total waste of time = ???
Last concert you went that was awesome = Kelis
Last mash-up you heard that made you go "Damn! Why didn't I think of that?!!" = Loo & Placido – "Kids Rock"What is the most irritating thing that bugs you about being the head honcho of GYBO?LV15 once told me that a lot of newcomers to the board might think I was GYBO admin, & that's all. I hadn't put anything online for a while, so that kinda kicked-started me. I guess the downside is having to get involved with some of the sillier arguments on the board – arguments I would prefer not to be involved in. The upside is being able to create something like GYRO which I think is gonna be a lot of fun...
Looking back at GYBO, is there any "what-if's" or "if-only's" you would like to share with us?You can't think like that. I've had a lot of good stuff come my way since GYBO. I wish LV15 would come back tho...
Which bootlegger, do you think, is severely underrated?After seeing the top 100 bootleggers list thing recently, I was horrified to see how low Ultra396 was. Neither him, nor his cohorts have ever released a bad track. Get that sorted, kids! Ben (Soundhog) is finally getting the attention he deserves. Generally, I think the talent is recognised.
Describe your ultimate bootleg fantasy involving LV 15, Kylie Minogue & Daz Automatic...All four of us are in a room. LV15 & Daz leave.
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...Erol Alkan = I'm sure he's an anagram of something, but I haven't figured it out yet. I've never met the fella, but I'm assured he's a talented DJ.
Turbonegro = Watched them from the DJ booth at T in the Park last year. Hilarious.
Jirob = He used to post on the board, didn't he?
Ian Davenport = Could lose a couple of pounds. Quite sensitive. He's probably crying now.
Weiser = Poor fella.
The Passion Of The Christ = Perpetuating the Catholic myth. It didn't even have his wife in it!
Kate Moss = She's leading that poor Har Mar fella astray.
Obie Trice = Improved upon by Tone.
Southern Fried = KFC gives me the runs every single time.
Tim Burgess = Nice guy.
Which decade do you consider its music the most exciting?This one, cos it's not finished...
What do you remember about the following years:1984 = Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom
1989 = Trying skiing for the first & only time
1992 = Saidflorence
1999 = Fight Club
2002 = Quit working in Sleazys
What's your favourite Saturday night record?Bon Jovi – "Living On A Prayer"
And your Sunday morning one?Mogwai – "Tracey (Kid Loco Remix)"
I read that you can whip out a pretty mean Salmon En Croute. So what other speciality dishes can one expect in the McSleazy kitchen?I do a wonderful Lasagne. Tonight, it's Pork Escalopes with a white wine & mushroom cream sauce.
Any chances of us hearing that elusive solo album this year?There'll be an album soon, but it won't be a straight forward McSleazy album.
What are your plans for the future?Production & remixing. No ringtones, thank you.
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?It'll keep going, & every now & then, there'll be breakthrough tracks.
Lastly, what is the ONE thing you want to be least remembered for?The man who never died.
Check out one of McSleazy's DJ-Mix sets below:Superchunk (DJ set for Xfm)
You can also visit McSleazy's website
here, or order the
Franzie Boys 12"
here.
Churchill
Just for the record, why the name 'Churchill'?
I started using the name on various forums, & just started using it on GYBO as well. It came from a role-playing internet game, where you had to write football-related stories that affected your teams results. I was managing a German side. One week I had a particularly challenging match against my nearest rival, who was managing a London team. I chose to do a "London is about to be blitzed" posting & re-wrote a speech of Churchill, "We will fight them on the beaches" became "we will fight them on the pitches" etc. I got called an "honorary German" in retaliation, & so I chose "Andreas" as my first name.
What are you up to these days?
Well, I'm coming to the end of a Uni course, so I'm about to start doing things again, semi-musically. I finally got round to doing a remix, so maybe a few more will be on the cards soon. Maybe a few fun mash-ups as well, as I've got a few appearances in Bristol & London coming up. More details about them on my website.
What music are you currently listening to?
I've always had quite a range in my CD collection. I've currently got Razorlight, Jamelia, Franz Ferdinand, Scissor Sisters & Britney Spears on rotation, along with a few electro tunes, & some chart music like Annie & Natasha Bedingfield.
What, if push comes to shove, is the album that changed your life?
I can't say anything really changed my life, but it would probably be something like Blur -
The Great Escape. I think it was at that point that I stopped pretending I liked rave & drum n' bass, & started liking "real" music again. I think I'd been rebeling against being brought up
listening to Uriah Heap, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Beach Boys, Wout Steinhous, Del Shannon, et al. How silly I was.
When was the last time you bought a record that was shite? Where did you buy it?
I don't know where I bought it, but it'd be some really dodgy dance compilation from around 1995 maybe like this one I think:
Every album I've bought since then I'd still listen to today.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?
I can't say I've ever thought about it before, but I'd say it has to be something I'm not. An extrovert, confident, & it'd probably have to be somebody who is a singer, but not necessarily one thought of as any good. So maybe somebody like Robbie Williams?
What's the pros & cons of being Churchill?
The pro is not having to worry about trying to impress anyone. The con is being asked if I can do cheap car insurance all the time!
What is the most disgusting thing that has ever happened to you?
I'm a pretty sure the most disgusting thing to happen to me has happened at the Bastard nights in London, & I'm pretty sure that I don't want to keep having them brought up, so I think I'll stay very quiet about them.
The First of Churchill:
First vinyl you ever bought = Comic Relief - "Stonk Song"...I think!
First movie you watched that gave you wood = Hmmm...Mermaids. Possibly. I had a thing for Cher when I was 10 years old. Although maybe I should keep that quiet & say it was because of Winona Ryder. Yes, that's the reason. Honest!
First book or mag you read that scared the hell outta you = Some weird Readers Digest book about myths & legends around the UK. About devil's footprints, & other odd stories. I think I was about 10 when I read it so that's probably why it scared me. Also finding out how old Cher actually was, at that time, was also rather scary.
First concert you watched that made you wanna do music = I can't say I've yet been to a concert where I wanted to DO music. Although the Common Ground festival this year made me kinda have a warm feeling about doing something on a stage, in front of so many people.
First mash-up you ever heard = I'd probably heard others in the past, on MTV minimixes & at clubs etc, but the one that I really took notice of was Kurtis Rush's "George Gets His Freak On". It was the first time I bothered to go on the net & find out more about the track. It started the trail that led to Boom Selection & then GYBO.
In your opinion, which bootlegger is still considered the best (for now, that is!)?
Difficult question. For simple but effective A vs B, Lionel Vinyl rules. For production value, GHP. For remixes, McSleazy, & for the glitch works, I'm a fan of cry.on.my.console. So the best bootlegger for me would be a hybrid of those four. I shall call my creation "Josmarliogra"!
On the other hand, which bootlegger deserves a smack in the mouth?
I'll say myself. Because for many I don't appear to have a purpose on GYBO. I occasionally come along & wind a few people up, have arguments with the same people over & over, & yet most people on there now have no idea who I am! I'm just a weirdo who gets involved in a few unsavory acts at a London bootleg night! I've gone past resting on my laurels, so it's probably time for me to start posting tunes on the board again. Maybe I've got time to convince a few people to put me in their top 10 list on that poll that somebody set up on the board!
What is the best boot you've ever done?
For many it seems that it's only good if it's dancey, so "Foolish Sonnet" (The Verve vs Ashanti) often seems to get overlooked, but I'd say it's my best one.
Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?
My Gloria Estefan drum n' bass bootleg. I've never got round to doing it! I should have another go some day.
If Michael Jackson commisioned you to do a boot to help get his credibilty back, what will your terms be? Humour us please...
I'd accept the job, as long as I could have a look around Neverland. Then I'd make up some story about him, & threaten legal action. I think the judge would go through out the case though as I'm probably too old for the story to be believable.
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...
Richie Deluxe = Lazy git. Where's CDX2? He should spend less time on his bootlegs & more time coding!
Elephant Six = Is that a mistake?
Germany = 1 England 5
Marshall = Court Marshall?
Oorsmeer = The best blog in the world.
West Of Bastard = Can't wait to go back (soon)!
Sonicflood = Never heard of them, & having googled, & seen what they do, I think I'm glad...
Jerusalem = Bring Me My Chariot of Fire!
Cartel Mike = I'm so sorry for bringing Starsky The Hutch to your bootleg nights...
Danni Minogue = Pleasant on the eye.
What's your favourite Saturday night record?
That undoubted classic, the one I'd probably hear every saturday night down the local, if I went out much, Spandau Ballet - "Gold".
And your Sunday morning one?
Coldplay - "See You Soon"
What do you remember about the following years:
1983 = Nothing, not even my 3rd birthday.
1989 = Anfield. Last minute. Michael Thomas. "It's up for grabs now!"
1994 = Copenhagen. Against all the odds. Smudger Smith volleying in a tremendous goal to beat Parma 1-0.
1997 = I got my first ever job. Part time, working in an International Students House. But even gorgeous foreign students could look a bit rough at breakfast!
1999 = Dennis Bergkamp missing a penalty, Ryan Giggs tearing us apart, The Scum having one very lucky season.
Do you still see yourself involved with bootlegs in ten years time?
To some extent, yes. Now that the technology is here, I'm bound to hear a tune in the future & think of an ideal mash, & do it out of curiosity. Whether there'll be any board to post it on, or any interest to hear it by anyone else is another matter!
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?
I think we've gone as far as we can in creating a new novel mashup, but it IS still a good learning tool. You can learn the technical skills at home so perhaps that means that there's less reason to need to get work experience in a studio, cleaning floors & making tea, when you can learn at home. Although it would still help teach some people the virtue of patience. I definitely think that home musicians are going to get stronger & stronger. The strength of Internet & technology in general will help them. Learning new techniques, making tunes & getting them to the people who matter is becoming easier & easier. I think anyone who wants it hard enough, has that bit of luck, & in some cases have the talent, can do it. Most of the time though, a bit of luck is all you need. I foresee a lot of bedroom one hit wonders getting into the charts in future!
You can go to Churchill's forum site
here, or visit his site & download his boots
here.
DJ Zebra
Just for the record, why the name "DJ Zebra"?Because of a book,
Le zèbre by Alexandre Jardin. My philosophy teacher thought I was like the man the book is about: a excited guy, always doing a thousand things...And a zebra is a bi-coloured animal, & as him, I don't always know where I'm going.
What are you up to these days?I'm DJing all over France, doing a rock show behind my turntables, & little by little in Europe. I also have a daily radio mix on Oüi Fm (rock radio in Paris), doing mash-ups & remixes for French bands. Plus I will compose an album in French in spring 2005.
What music are you currently listening to?
I always listened to a lot of funk & soul music: Sly & the Family Stone, P-Funk, Cameo, Stax Records...I like the funky side of all music, in rock, afro-latin, reggae, hip hop or electronic sounds. But I also like the punk energy.
What album, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite?The only album I know in all its details is a live recording made by Prince & the Revolution in 1986, for his birthday in the "Parade" tour. It's not a real album, but it's my favorite one. If not, I'd say
Truth & Soul by Fishbone.
When was the last time you bought a record that was horrible? Where did you buy it?In 2001 in Los Angeles, I bought a jazz compilation. I thought it was good, but it was played with a cheap synthetiser by a bad local band. It didn't happened to me again since that time.
Which artist, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?Joe Strummer, or maybe Frank Zappa.
Can you recall the most embarassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you when DJ-ing?
Embarassing: This year, in February, I was invited to a big rock party to mix bastard pop. I started with Rage Against The Machine "Killing In The Name Of". After the intro, I cut to play my Shaggy vs. RATM "Killing Boombastic". Half of the audience started shouting. They were really angry, & I had to stop the record. I mixed only 30 minutes & I finished drunk backstage.
Bizarre: Once I smoked herb before mixing, but it was too strong, & I heard the music much slower than it was. I was pitching it up, but then it was too fast for the dancers. I never smoked again before mixing!
The Last of DJ Zebra:Last album you bought = The Libertines
Last movie you watched that you cried = L'adversaire, a French movie about Jean Claude Romand
Last book or magazine you read that was awsome = L'empire des loups from Jean Christophe Grangé
Last concert you went that was boring = The Vines
Last mash-up you heard that rocked your world = a mash-up between "Hella Good" (No Doubt) & I don't know who, downloaded from Go Home Productions' website ("Artist A vs. Artist B"). When I heard it, I jumped in my room. It made me crazy!!!What are the reactions of the French when it comes to bootlegs?It's easier in electronic styles (house, techno, drum n' bass or hip-hop), but not in rock; because the dancers don't like to hear strangers on their favourite sacred songs. But on the radio, it's different. They listen more than dance, so they take the time to appreciate.
Which bootlegger, in your opinion, is considered the best (so far)?
It's not a surprise if I say Mark Vidler (Go Home Productions). I'm always surprised by the quality of his mixes. The sound is good, & he's a real musician! I also love the works from Loo & Placido & TiMG.
On the other hand, which bootlegger should stop making bootlegs altogether?Me...because it takes too much time, & my wife says, "Make music for money, honey!"
Can you list ten of your favourite bootlegs of ALL time?01. Go Home Productions - "Karma In The Life"
02. Loo & Placido - "Kids Rock"
03. TiMG - "Don't Stop The Jungle Boogie"
04. DJ Zebra - "DJ House Lovers" (I'm proud!)
05. Go Home Productions - "Music Go My Way"
06. Loo & Placido - "Queens Of The Freaks"
07. Kelis - "Trick Me (Ultra396 Remix)"
08. McSleazy - "Paranoid Funk"
09. TiMG - "Toxic Secret"
10. Bangers & Mash - "Pass The Devil"
Bonus track: DJ Prince - "I Want You Back Human"
Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?A French boot by Loo & Placido named "Danse comme un connard", between 2 French bands: Les Conards & Prototypes. Very very funny. I like when the mash-ups make me laugh (like the Freelance Hairdresser ones).
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...
Thomas Bangalter = Music sounds better with him.
Audio Sault = What is it?
La Haine = Matthieu Kassovitz is a genius.
Depeche Mode = Not punk enough.
The Beathunters = Who are they?
Streamload = Useful.
Bathing Ape = Excuse me?
Monica Bellucci = "C'est le plus beau rôle de toute ma carrière"
The Kinks = The grooviest white band.
GYBO = What would I do without GYBO?
Which decade do you consider the "golden era" of music?
It was before all these Records Industries, before electrified instruments. I would say the 20's, because everything I hear from this time is amazing.
What do you remember about the following years:1985 = Prince & the Revolution. I saw this birthday concert I told you before, it was a shock!
1989 = My first year at Art School. I bought drums, guitars & amps, & I played in my first band, punk rock stuff.
1994 = The year of success. I was playing in a band called Billy Ze Kick et les Gamins en Folie, & one of our songs, "Mangez-moi", was the summer hit in France & Belgium.
1997 = I got married. I still am...
2003 = Back on air! After 5 years without having a radio broadcast, Oüi Fm proposed to me to do rock mixes every friday night. I said "Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!"
What's your favourite Saturday night record?Prince's "Sexy Motherf**ker", or James Brown's "Cold Sweat".
And your Sunday morning one?Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On".
What's the good thing about being DJ Zebra?
Having a big cock.
And the worst?Not to use it as often as I want.
Do you still see yourself making boots in ten years time?Why not? I don't think I'll be a DJ anymore (not the way I do now, for sure), but I'll certainly be a producer & musician, & if i have ideas of good bootlegs to do, I'll do them.
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?
It's a free movement. The more we are, the best it is, so there's a future! I don't know if the boots will be as surprising as they are still now, but I will listen carefully. A home musician has to be a musician before all, & a computer can't give talent. I think the bootleggers need more talents than remixers, because we have to compose with more complicated material. We need more motherfuckers in the house!!!
Check out this exclusive DJ Zebra boot:Are You Gonna Be My Motherf**ker? (Prince vs Jet)
Here's another two of DJ Zebra's boots:1.
C'mon F**k Me2.
Rock N Roll TrainYou can visit DJ Zebra's website
here or listen to his radio show at Oüi Fm
here (Click on "
DJ Zebra mixe et remixe").
DJ Nite
Just for the record, what's the story behind the name "DJ Nite"?
Well, I was born Derek John Knight, so my name actually is DJ Knight. It's like my parents had something in mind for me from the very beginning. Then when I started doing mixes with my mates at school, one of them suggested that I use "DJ Nite" as my DJ name. I just did it for a laugh, but then it's stuck!
What are you up to these days?
Well, I spend my days working in radio, & putting out the odd mash-up mix when I get the chance in the evenings. At the moment I'm working on a longform mix, so keep your eyes peeled for that. My DJ-ing activities are mainly limited to parties as I haven't got round to promoting myself properly. But at the moment that suits me just fine.
What music are you currently listening to?
Ok...let's see. Loving the Charlotte Hatherley LP. Was pleasantly surprised by the Prodigy LP too. Mylo, Radio 4, Barry White, Eric Prydz vs Retarded Funk, the pop behemoth that is Girls Aloud, lots of High Contrast, the new Dizzee LP, some battered Roxy Music LPs I found in Oxfam, Mercury Rev, Dilated Peoples, & lots of great stuff from GYBO of course...
What, if push comes to shove, is the one album that changed your life?
Only one? Wow. Well, if I'm honest, it has to be The Beatles -
Sgt Pepper. A dull but honest answer! I copied a cassette of it from the library when I was still at primary school (just don't tell the Feds). I listened to it so often it's sort of imprinted on my brain. Like almost all the Beatles records, I can keep coming back to it & find something new. I can't pretend I was impressed by how amazing the production is, or the social commentary. I just thought it was a great collection of songs that I could sing along to, & that says it all really.
Other contenders have to be Blur -
Parklife that resparked my love of music when I was suffering lots of teenage angst, & probably The Prodigy -
Experienced & The KLF -
Chill Out, both which opened a whole other world of records being more than just words.
When was the last time you bought a record that was shite? Where did you buy it?
Well, I did buy an Ocean Colour Scene record in 1995 that was very bad. I ended up making a sculpture out of the CD with a lighter. And the only CD I ever voluntarily gave away was Oasis -
Be Here Now, which I gave to my brother. Probably the most disappointing album I've ever bought.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?
I think there's certainly a part of me that would've liked to have been a Beatle.
Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you while manning the decks?
Embarrassing: DJ-ing at a New Year's party. The dancefloor is rammed. I'm somehow playing a great set despite being half cut. I get a text from my mate asking directions. I text him back. As it's sending, I put it down on one of the decks. Cue *beepbeepbeepbeepburrrrrrrr*. The decks died. The record winds down to silence. The whole dancefloor turns and stares at me. "Sorry! It looks like decks don't like mobiles!" Thank God I had another record cued up (I think it was McSleazy's Madison Avenue vs Song 2 which saved me).
Bizarre: I was DJ-ing at a student night & a girl comes up to me & requested for "Holler" by the Spice Girls.
"Sorry I don't have it." (I genuinely didn't. Why on earth would I?)
"I'll snog you if you play it."
"Well, that's nice, but I still don't have the record."
"My boyfriend will beat you up if you don't play it!"
"I think the bouncers might have something to say about that. BUT I STILL DON'T HAVE IT!"
"You're shit."
"Thanks..."
The First of DJ Nite:
First album you bought (or downloaded) = Queen - Greatest Hits Vol.1
First movie you watched that gave you the creeps = Watership Down. Terrifying! I was only 8.
First book or magazine you read that gave you severe wood = Sky magazine with Anna Friel in it not wearing an awful lot.
First concert you went that was life changing = The Manics at Glastonbury had me crying like a baby. I was slightly drunk, but it was still hugely emotional.
First mash-up you heard that rocked your world = The Timelords - "Doctorin' The Tardis"
What is the most outrageous rumour you've heard that is said about you?
Well, one girl was absolutely convinced that I was gay even after I'd snogged her. Which was a bit confusing!
Which bootlegger, in your opinion, is underrated?
I like a hell of a lot of Jools MF's stuff. I don't think he's underated as such, but I'll give him respect anyway!
On the other hand, which bootlegger deserves a kick in the the gonads?
Richard X for being so goddamn successful without selling out.
Can you list ten of your most favourite bootlegs of ALL time?
I'll certainly have a go! This'll probably change in 5 minutes...
01. Girls On Top - "I Wanna Dance With Numbers"
02. Freelance Hellraiser - "A Stroke Of Genie-us"
03. Go Home Productions - "Sexual High"
04. The JAMMS - "Downtown"
05. Alex C - "Music Has The Right To Know My Name"
06. Stuntmasterz - "Stardust vs Madonna"
07. Jools MF - "The Massive Streets"
08. blo_up - "Burnin'"
09. Schoen von Hinten - "Average Girls & Boys"
10. C.H.A.O.S Productions - "A Fine Dream"
Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?
Go Home Productions featuring Barry Wilson - "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Be Your First", because it's such a wonderfully sublime combination of two of the happiest, most loved up records ever made. I wish I'd made it so that I could play it to any girl I like & make her fall in love with me. It's that good.
What is the one thing that is seriously lacking in the bootleg scene these days?
Pre-1990 acapellas & instrumentals would open up a whole new world of possibilities. And it'd be cool to see more girls, as those few that do produce stuff offer a totally different perspective to the male-dominated ones.
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...
Boom Selection = Welcome to the Pleasuredome
James Hyman = Well hung, apparently...
Arsenal = The lads
Kasabian = Overated
Lionel Richie = Sex pesting a blind girl
Slsk = Fntstc
Guinness = Great ads, mine's a lager
Roule = French for 'The Best'
Tyra Banks = Maybe I could be America's Next Top Model
Crazypellas = Never been...
Which decade do you consider the 'dark ages' of music? Why?
The 1930's, I guess. After the roaring Twenties, & pre-the Jazz Age & The Ratpack & Elvis & the whole Rock & Roll explosion. I think every decade from then onwards has got better & better, simply in the quality & quantity of music being produced & listened to. There's a hell of a lot more great music around today, but there's also a lot more rubbish. You just need to filter out all the crap.
What do you remember about the following years:
1989 = My school friend Thomas accidentally poured Copydex in my hair.
1993 = Arsenal Cup Double.
1996 = Finishing my GCSE's to the sound of Britpop.
2000 = Doing my first proper mix tape for a millenium party.
2004 = Mallrats was right. Dicking about on escalators is a bad idea.
What's your favourite Saturday night record?
Deee-Lite - "Groove Is In The Heart"
And your Sunday morning one?
Glenn Campbell - "Wichita Lineman"
Any principles of life you live by?
No sell out. Love is all. Hug your enemy. Fight the power. Stick it to the man.
What are your plans for the future?
To sell out.
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?
I think the line between official releases & bootlegs will blur, as recordings become less physical as records & CDs to mp3s & whatever follows them. I think record companies (or whatever they turn into!) will be more happy to take on bootleg mixes so that they can distribute them & make a buck off them. But there'll always be the underground producing them in the first place. And the cream always rises to the top.
*Exclusive DJ Nite Boot*
Falcon's Dreaming (Loleatta Holloway vs DJ Falcon)
You can also check out other DJ Nite's boots at his website
here.
Dog
Just for the record, what's the story behind all the 'Dog'-related aliases? (Eg. Phil n' Dog, Act Of Dog etc...)
Right, for a long time now my Internet nickname has been Dog (from a William Gibson book), so everything stems from there really. The name 'Act Of Dog' was thought up by Rich (aka Agent Graves) whilst on a snowboarding holiday when he suggested it as a name for a music track. I liked it so much I pilfered it for my own use & here we are today. It's sort of a play on words along the Act of God lines. Did ja see what I did there? As for the 'Phil n' Dog' thing, well that's just the collaborative name for the bootlegs that I produce with Philmanns. Pretty self-explanatory really.
What are you up to these days?
Just finished a full-on remix of Fatboy Slim's "Slash Dot Dash", which will be on the board soon, plus the tdpz Prodigy album has another track from me on it & that's due soon too. Apart from that, (I'm) just working on new boots, trying to get time to work with Phil for more stupidity & just taking the scene in really.
What music are you currently grooving to?
Currently shaking my paws to Mylo's album
Destroy Rock & Roll plus anything chunky, acidic & with lots of breaks in it.
What album, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite?
Easy.
Brown by Orbital is by far my favourite album. It was their second full length album & the one where they really established themselves as serious players in the UK dance music industry. Unlike the first effort,
Brown actually had a proper structure to it & flowed much more easily than
Green did, & it's fair to say that in places it's more of a musical journey than a collection of tracks. The entire piece from the start of "Lush 3-1" to the end of "Remind" just has to be heard by everyone who even remotely likes electronic music as it's got to be one of the finest pieces of music around. Utterly stunning.
Can you recall what was the first album you bought? Where did you buy it?
Hmmm, first album? That was probably the
Muppet Show Album which I don't think I have any longer. As for where I bought it, I haven't a clue.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?
Another easy one really. Paul Hartnoll from Orbital. The man is a god, end of story. Paul is basically responsible for the majority of Orbital's music & anyone who can produce tunes of such a phenomenal quality like that should be elevated to the status of major deity. I've been fortunate enough to meet him & Phil on a number of occasions & he has just such an endless enthusiasm for music & music-making gadgets, plus he's a really nice bloke too (they both are).
Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you?
The most embarrassing thing was after the Metallica / Megadeth gig at Milton Keynes Bowl many moons ago when I got sunburnt across my forehead BUT only where the cap that I was wearing (backwards) didn't cover. So, there I am with beetroot lines on my head, back in university on the Monday & everyone is just stopping & laughing at me & my sunburn. I could've died!
As for bizarre, I can't really think of anything that fits, other than having to rescue a friend of mine from a riot at Dance Valley (Amsterdam) in 2001 when he was trying to get onto the coach at the end of it all. Having to haul somone over a crowd by just one arm is quite a bizarre experience in my book.
The Last of Dog:
Last album you bought (or downloaded) = Hexstatic - Master View
Last movie you watched that gave you wood = Shaun Of The Dead
Last book or magazine you read that was exciting = William Gibson - Mona Lisa Overdrive
Last concert you went with a different agenda, other than listening to the music = Who the hell goes to gigs for anything other than to listen to the music?
Last mash-up you heard that was the dog's bollocks = GHP's Stone Roses vs Kasabian
Can you recall what are some of the most hilarious reactions to your bootlegs?
Seeing someone crowdsurfing at 'Bastard' when "Gay Muppet Bar" was first played out there. That was pretty cool.
Which bootlegger, in your opinion, is seriously outclassed?
This is where I'm diplomatic & boring & just say that we've all got our strengths & weaknesses. I can't genuinely remember who it was but there was one boot when everything was out...key, timing, the whole enchilada but the person who made it just couldn't hear it at all & apparently "wasn't bothered about keyclashes" so he went down in flames. Other than that, I think the output on GYBO is an excellent standard.
On the other hand, which bootlegger deserves the loudest applause?
Ok, I AM going to name names here. I have a lot of respect for Lumpy & Dunproofin' on this one. Lumpy because he just makes the silliest, smile inducing tunes known to man & you can't help but like them, & Dunproofin'...because like me, he's got a respect for the club dancefloor & personally I like to hear tunes that'll get me flapping like a goon in a club. I tend to download bootlegs on the content though, not just because of who's produced them.
Can you list ten of your favourite bootlegs of ALL time?
Phil n' Dog - "Gay Muppet Bar"
Lumpy - "Resting On My Laurels"
Go Home Productions - "Ray Of Gob"
Dunproofin' - "We Want Your Acid"
[insert name here] - "Gimme Ragga Joanna" (SL2 vs Eddy Grant)
Agent Graves - "At The Sloop John River"
Act Of Dog - "Lush News"
Miss Frenchie - "Slow Gate"
Exactshit - "Killer Boots"
Lumpy - "Higher State Of Carnival"
Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?
Yeah, the SL2 vs Eddy Grant one. Still makes me smile so much when I hear it.
Ten reasons why dogs are better than cats.
They're not
They're not
They're not
They're not
They're not
They're not
They're not
They're not
They're not
They're not
Can you tell I'm a cat person?
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...
Lassie = Early morning TV
Sixx Mixx = Music
La Folie = Eh?
Martin Gore = Fast Fashion
The Concretes = Guitar-based music?
Audiogalaxy = Lifesaver
X-Large = Way of life
Giselle Bundchen = Who?
Zildjian = Crash
Mutant Pop = Bootlegs
Which decade do you consider the 'golden era' of music?
Has to be the Eighties for me. I spent that decade getting into everything that's shaped my musical tastes now with the synthpop, new romantics, NWOBHM, rave & everything else that was floating around. Pretty much everything I listen to now has it's roots in the eighties.
What do you remember about the following years:
1989 = Away in Portsmouth at Uni, getting very smashed everynight. Class!
1995 = Left Uni, became an employed person. Mmmm, money!
1999 = Lots of personal shit kicking off...not a good year.
2000 = The turn of the millenium.
2004 = Saying goodbye to Orbital at Maida Vale. Best gig of my life. Ever!
What's your favourite Saturday night record?
Brown by Orbital
And your Sunday morning one?
76.14 by Global Communication or Programmed To Love by Bent.
What's the good thing about being Dog?
When people find out my name, there's the look of familiarity as they link it back to "Gay Muppet Bar". I can also lick my own balls...(yeah, riiiight).
Do you still see yourself making boots in ten years time?
Hopefully (making) remixes & getting paid, but I can't predict the future of the bootleg scene really, no-one can.
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?
Well, the scene will always evolve & mutate. At one point electronic music was only for the rich people but as the 'bedroom producers' got their hands on cheaper kits, the market was flooded. I think that now all you need is a PC, some software & the ideas, the bootleg scene will flourish & maybe become a lot more accepted in the mainstream. Personally though, I like it as a dark, almost seedy underculture. I don't think I'd want to be on TOTP fannying around miming with a synth whilst a tune I'd booted or remixed was playing out the PA...
You can visit Dog's website here.
DJ C Boast
Just for the record, why the name 'DJ C Boast'?Well, I couldn't & can't really think of anything for a name. I was playing around & did a little mix & that was the name I used, plus it partly came as my uncle is a DJ / bootlegger who goes by the name of DJ Boast.
What are you up to these days?What am I up to? Well...I am forever learning how to bootleg (in time & all) & how to create my own tunes...which I am intending to use my MIDI keyboard I have. Basically I need to learn how to use it.
What music are you currently listening to?More than I ever do! I've been listening to a lot of dance music & the ones I have been listening to are Dizzee Rascal & The Streets.
What, if push comes to shove, is the album that changed your life?Well, all I can say is I've never been one for albums till a couple of years back, but my favourite of all time would be a recent one by the Streets which is called
A Grand Don't Come For Free.
Do you still remember the first record you bought? Where did you buy it?Hahaha!!! Now don't laugh...I was only little, it was that Zig & Zag song that was out...LOL
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?There's never been an artiste I'd like to follow really. I would if I could like to bring something new. Maybe someone like Stijn, John Foxx minus the singing though.
Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you?Tough question....now this is probably when I played for my footy team about 3 years ago. I was running to take the throw in when a bird had decided to go toilet on me! LOL...It had sh*t on my hand so I quickly rubbed it off hoping no one had noticed.
The Last of DJ C Boast:Last album you bought (or downloaded) = Natasha Bedingfield
Last movie you watched that scared the hell outta you = Never has been one but the one that made me jump the most was probably Urban Legend 2.
Last book or mag you read that was a total waste of time = ???
Last concert you went that was awesome = Q
Last mash-up you heard that rocked your world = Soundhog's Eminem vs Metallica - "Enter Superman".
What is the most irritating thing that bugs you about GYBO?Guests!!! They're bloody irritating! 1) They never say the right things & 2) They're cocky sods!
Which bootlegger, do you think, deserves the greatest applause?McSleazy. Why? Because he's achieved more than most or even anyone. He runs GYBO. He's very talented at what he does & I love the sounds he uses in his remixes. I can't get enough of them! He deserves to be supporting artistes like Kelis & the Charlatans.
Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?Soundhog's "Enter Superman". It's a masterpiece.
"GYBO is infested with elitists". Discuss...Depends on what you mean really....there seems to be more respect for those who have been there for a long time & a fair bit less for the newbies.
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...Oorsmeer = Cool place
DJ Tripp = Funny & maybe irritating
Smith Wigglesworth = Eh?
the_dr = Not a good place to go!
FHM = Oh oho oh sweet child o mine!!!
Heidi Klum = Nice
Mike Skinner = The 'lyric master'...
Corsair = Records
Richard X = A man who's achieved at the highest level.
KY Jelly = Hmmmm...jelly!
Which decade do you consider its music the sexiest?Early 90's purely because I remember loads (of it).
What do you remember about the following years:1982 = Wasn't here
1986 = My sister was born
1995 = Was about 5...LOL!
1997 = Began gettin' into music
2004 = The Streets!!!
What's the worst rumour you've heard that is said about you?Probably a silly one that I fancied a real ugly girl...
Any principles of life you live by?Not really. I just do what I can & achieve the best I can & try to live a nice easy life with no hassle or anything.
What are your plans for the future?Well...I plan to continue to do musical things that meet the GYBO massive....& settle down with a good job.
Do you still see yourself making boots in ten years time?I do & I don't...I can see myself making my own stuff though & remixes.
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?I think the future can become bigger if it gets the right people's attention. And I'm sure it does attract a lot...its good fun.
One of DJ C Boast's boots:
Stand Up & Touch This (DJ C Boast vs cry.on.my.console.) [OFFLINE]
Lionel Vinyl
Just for the record, how many aliases do you go by & why these names?
I like a load of different styles of music, & I like to produce things that represent that. The aliases are just a way of grouping the different genres, & hopefully giving people an idea of what to expect. At the present we have:
Lionel Vinyl - "Conventional" bootlegs, long mixes & bootleg DJ-ing.
FakeID - Original work, electro/house remixes & clubbier DJ-ing.
Gloomybear - Cheesy housey bootlegs, filtered vocals, pitched up, pitched down. The Don't Care Bear!
Geoff Carpet - Downtempo bootlegs & remixes. The sunday morning to Gloomy's saturday night.
half.arsed.beats - Breaks & electro DJ project in conjunction with EzLee.
Erm...think that's it at the mo!
What are you up to these days?
Having a bit of a rest. The day job insists on getting in the way! But coming up I've got gigs at Uprising in September, Brighton & Berlin in July, & some fun stuff lined up for later in the year, so I'm trying to get a lot of new things together. I've also been doing some remix bits & pieces, including something for a friend's band which may or may not see the light of day on the same label as Whitey.
What music are you currently grooving to?
At the minute in my Winamp list:
High Contrast - "Racing Green"
Fresh - "Floodlight"
Har Mar Superstar - "DUI"
Spankox - "To The Club"
Spektrum - "Kinda New (Tiefschwarz Mix)"
Annie - "Chewing Gum"
Plump DJs - "Soul Vibrates"
Girls Aloud - "Love Machine"
What, if push comes to shove, is the album that changed your life?
The Orb -
Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld. The record that wooed me away from my exclusively indie world when I was a teenager. I remember hearing "Little Fluffy Clouds" from that album on Annie Nightingale (for those who don't know, kinda the female equivalent of John Peel). She'd always come on straight after the chart show on Radio 1 on a sunday & play these fantastic records, & "Little Fluffy Clouds"
sums that up...
Do you still remember what's the first record you ever bought? Where did you buy it?
Either "The Green Door" by Shakin' Stevens or "My Camera Never Lies" by Bucks Fizz.
Probably from a Woolworths in Derby. God knows how old I would have been.
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?
Ron Jeremy
What is the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you while DJing? Tell us some stories please!
Fortunately not too many embarrassing stories, aside from the usual classics like taking the needle of the wrong record while playing, turning off the amp, wrong speed etc...Bizarre though would have to be the other month when I was DJing at
the Wolfman / Pete Doherty gig at The Scala in London. People are probably bored of this now, but the whole night was just so odd, with the most motionless, zombified crowd you can imagine, staring transfixed at the empty stage waiting for Pete Doherty to come on, while I played what I thought was one of the best sets I've done for around 3 hours. Very wierd gig.
What is the most outrageous rumour you've heard about you?
That I'm responsible for the "Lionel On Vinyl" Lionel Ritchie number doing the rounds in the UK. I've had a LOT of emails about that.
The Last of Lionel Vinyl:
Last CD you bought (or downloaded) = Young MC - Stone Cold Rhymin'
Last movie you watched that scared the hell outta you = Phone (Japanese chiller in similar vein to Ring)
Last book or mag you read that was boring = NME
Last concert you watched that gave you wood = Muse at T in the Park. Fantastic. Was down in the photo pit, so had a prime spot.
Last bootleg you heard that made you go "Shit! Why didn't I think of that?!" = Around 80% of Frenchbloke's "Back With A Big F**k You" long mix.
In your opinion, what is THE greatest bootleg of all time?
Impossible to pick out, as it depends on the mood I'm in, but I'd probably say some of the early Soulwax ones, back before 2 Many DJ's, & you had to catch them from the little spaceships on their website. INXS vs Beastie Boys, or Skee-Lo vs The Breeders...things like that. They just seemed so fresh then, & they still do now.
What is the most irritating thing about being a GYBO mod?
PMs from people saying "HEY YOU CHECKED OUY MY MIX MAN ITS GREAT WHY DONT YOU LIK IT UR ALL SUCKDICKS WHO JUST KISS EACH OTHERS ASSES MY MIX WAS THE DOPE STUFF MAN U DONT KNOW JACK AND THINK YUOR SO GREAT BUT YUR NOT HOPE YOU LIKE IT ANYWAY _ HOLLA BACK"
Which bootlegger deserves a kick in the gonads & why?
Churchill, cos hopefully he'll then finish some of those demos he's got littering his hard drive, all of which have fantastic potential.
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...
Vector Warrior = Frequently drunk, but a genius.
John Peel = Frequently old, but a genius.
Duran Duran = Jane Fonda naked.
50 Cent = Complete & utter wanksta.
Grant Robson = That's not perspective, he really IS that small...
AC/DC = Frequently used to rock me. Often all night long.
Visa = The evil force that lurks within my wallet.
Deep Throat = Possibly a job for Mulder & Scully.
Uncut = How I like my movies.
Pilchard = S'fish innit.
Bastard = Hotter than hell itself.
Which decade do you consider the 'dark ages' of music & why?
The 30s. The 20s were all about hedonism...kinda like the Ibiza generation of its time. The 40s gave us a new accessible form of Jazz. The fifties invented the "teenager", but what was the musical legacy of the 30s? Big Band...Big f**ken Band. Rubbish.
What's your favourite Saturday night record?
Bomb The Bass - "Bug Powder Dust"
And your Sunday morning one?
KMD - "Mr Hood"
What's the pros & cons of Elektrobank?
Pros: Everything under one roof, being able to offer space on the web for friends, & hosts who so far haven't noticed the level of bandwidth abuse...
Cons: The infamous valuehost server, & its habit of deciding 30% is more than enough of a download for you mister.
What are your plans for the future?
Well, the car needs a clean...I've got a lights wash to put in the machine, but other than that I'm clear for the evening. What did you have in mind?
Do you still see yourself doing bootlegs in, let's say, ten years time?
I would hope still be doing music, but would hope it's more along the original lines. But if I'm still DJing then there will still be bootlegs being made. After all, you don't wanna be just playing the same versions of records as everyone else...I was talking to a friend the other day who knows Erol Alkan well...& while it may appear he's turned his back on the Kurtis Rush bootlegs that kinda got him known, he's still making them on a regular basis. Just that he's doing them for DJing only.
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?
As long as there's imagination & inspiration, it doesn't matter what the tools are or how easy they make the process. Quality will always shine through, although we might need to get a bigger sieve to sort through the crap...
You can check out Lionel Vinyl's alter egos at the following:
1.
Lionel Vinyl
2.
FakeID
3.
Gloomybear
Go Home Productions
Just for the record, why 'Go Home Productions'?
"Andy Pandy & the Exotic Lemon Love Bubbles" was a bit of a mouthful really...It was a joke at the time (2002). A bloke at work wanted to form a 'fictitional' band called "Go Home". I'd just put "Slim McShady" together & felt like sending it to XFM's Remix show but thought it should go to them under a more 'production' kinda name...It's stuck...It's more of a joke now. Ha Ha...
What are you up to these days?
Remixes mainly. Some stuff for BMG, Hed Kandi & a couple of other labels. Kasabian, Stonebridge & Alicia Keys are either in the bag or just started. Hopefully doing a major US sports show theme tune remix thing...Recently did an official remix for The Doors. "You're Lost Little Girl" from the
Strange Days album. It's part of a new Doors project pencilled in for next year. Both they & Blondie have been very encouraging since "Rapture Riders".
Done something for Malcolm McLaren not so long ago, which he'd love on his greatest hits package next year...ahem. Remixed Siobhan Fahey's proposed new single & another track from her upcoming album. Some stuff for Catskills. Did a booty remix of Husky Rescue's "City Lights" single not so long ago. Looks like I'll be going to the US / Australia late this year / early next to do some live stuff...
What music are you currently grooving to?
Recently I've been playing lots of Kinks. Some Hed Kandi stuff. Quite a bit of AC/DC actually...Can't get enough of the
Back In Black album for some reason...mid to late seventies Dub comps / Psych comps...I appear to be going through a Mansun phase again...depends what jumps out at me after the cats have knocked over the massive pile of unorganised CDs in the corner. I tend to keep "The Amp" music TV on all day...the odd 'new band' can sometimes catch my attention...oh, & I've been force fed that bloody Keane album. Thanx 2 the Mrs...
Which album, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite?
I've just spent the last hour or so submerging myself in the absolute sheer beauty that is Brian Wilson's
SMiLE (to be released 28th Sept). After 16 years of tracking down every last inch of outtake from the 1966-1967 sessions, I have just heard his 2004
SMiLE in full. Think I've experienced every emotion throughout it...sheer f**king genius...unparalleled on all levels. At this moment in time it makes
Sgt Pepper sounds like a school assembly warm up (ish)...wow..."Good Vibrations" is better than the 1966 single release, "Blue Hawaii" is a BIG surprise. "Barnyard" is intact. "Mrs O'Leary's Cow" is the monster it always promised to be..."Surf's Up" is gorgeous...The Best Album Ever (for now).
When was the last time you bought a record that was life-changing? Where did you buy it?
I don't think I've ever bought a record that has changed my life as such but when I was 6, when I discovered some records in the dustbin that had been put there by the velvet bell-bottom adorned woman, in the flat upstairs. I think she'd just fallen out with her 'lover' & had thrown out his vinyl. In the bin were 3 Beatles albums, a coverless Byrds album & the Blind Faith album with the pre-pubescent topless girl holding a polished aeroplane on the front...That Blind Faith album was probably my first introduction to 'ooh er missus' but it was
Revolver / Sgt Peppers &
The White Album that had the 'musical' effect on me. I played those three albums to death!!! They were far more interesting than my
Stories For Children & Pinky & Perky 45's...
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?
Jim Morrison......shoot me down, go on! I was always fascinated in the self-destruct types. Morrison, Hendrix, Brian Jones, Bolan etc. Living life to the full...I was heavily into The Doors while I was at college. You get the picture...
Johnny Marr is the other. When I saw The Smiths performing "This Charming Man" on TOTP in 1983, I was quite taken aback. 'Pudding bowl' haircut & Rickenbacker. He quoted all the right bands & songwriters in interviews at the time. He singled handedly made me want to play guitar in a band...
What is the biggest pain as well as greatest joy being Go Home Productions?
I came back from Denmark with a severe case of 'the shits'...now that was painful.
Can you recall the most embarrassing & bizarre thing that has ever happened to you while manning the decks? Tell us some stories, please!!!
Suppose the most bizarre was the first time I played out, which was "Bring Yer Own Boots" at Bastard (April 2003). All pre-mixed on one CD & I spent most of the time throwing "Ray Of Gob" T-shirts & CDs at people...I threw out my Adidas retro t-shirt, which I've never seen again. Ho Hum. Come to think of it, that was bizzare & embarrassing & pathetic. Had a laugh though, which of course was the main intention.
Roskilde Festival was bizzare I suppose. Meeting Scissor Sisters & Franz Ferdinand was cool. The gig was excellent. 18,000 punters who totally had a great time...very special...a sea of pogoing Danes during "Ray Of Gob" was hilarious...
The First of Go Home Productions:
First album you ever bought = Black Sea by XTC (with my own money) & Grease - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (with my mum's money)
First movie you watched that gave you severe wood = Planet Of The Apes (1968 version). Charlton Heston approaches Zira for a kiss (just before he rides off with hot 'pre-historic' chick Nova, to shout "God damn you all to hell" at the statue of liberty) & she has this kind of sexy 'ape-like' look on her face...*is this disturbing enough?*...funny how the Tim Burton remake took that one 'look' & applied it to Helena Bonham Carter for the entirety of the movie & left me with exactly the same effect! Sexy chimps...hmmmmm. Nah, it was probably Disney's Snow White actually or Confessions Of A Taxidermist.
First book or mag you read that was awesome = Tarzan Of The Apes Fortnightly (Williams Publishing) 1971-1975 was a great series of comics. Look In & Jackie were great. Jackie was a girlies mag but I used to buy it to collect the series of Osmonds posters that ran for however many Osmonds there were in the Osmonds, each week. I loved A Clockwork Orange, Alien by Allen Dean (Foster). So yes, in answer to you question Krazy comic was the first mag I read that was awesome...
First concert you went to with a different agenda, other than listening to the music = Probably going to see Curve at the Camden Underworld circa 1992. I fancied Toni Halliday, the singer...
First mash-up you heard that made you wanna do boots = "A Stroke Of Genie-us" by Freelance Hellraiser
What do you think is the 'secret ingredient' behind a GHP boot?
My wife's cooking & the liquid available at the Dunnings Bar in Upper Watford. Damn!...the secret's out...
Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?
Ultra 396's "Whoops! There Goes My Remedy" (Tweet vs The Black Crowes) springs to mind after we did our Strictly Rockers thang. It's a great combination & I'd always planned to use "Remedy".
How has the success of "Rebel Never Gets Old" & "Pistol Whipped" changed you?
Made me stay down the pub for an extra pint of Strongbow...Both those records have been fortunate enough to get me more work etc. Those records have not changed 'me' as such...
"The older the geezer gets, the better are his boots..." Discuss...
Who is this 'geezer'??? Thinking about it, my favourite 'bootlegs' seem to be done by musicians who've played the circuit a few years ago & have stumbled their way into this arena...they seem to be close to, or just over 30...LOL...age has no relevance...37 isn't old...40 is.
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...
Audio Junkies = Jed
Tony Montana = It's not his real name...
GYBO = GAYBO (& the fact that most people I meet from it, still pronounce it that way!)
Pitchfork = Media
Cassette Boy = (The genius that is) "Fly Me To New York"
Steve Jones = Guitar hero & the best DJ in the USA
Lindsay Lohan = Behave! She's young enough to be my daughter...Eliza Dushku anyday...
MTV Mash = Er...if you're strapped for cash...
Cabin Essence = Part of the genius that is SMiLE...can't wait for Sept 28th...
Hillsong = Never heard it, any good?
Which decade do you consider its music the sexiest & why?
The Seventies (& just into the eighties). 1976-1982 was sexy for me, both in being there & with hindsight of the singles & albums released. I adored Debbie Harry & Chrissie Hynde in equal measures! In the seventies, girls looked like girls & boys looked like girls. Damn sexy eh!
What do you remember about the following years:
1979 = My favourite year ever for music. Punk was a fading memory & the art-school bands were discovering melody, hooks & er...disco. XTC, Blondie, Costello, Squeeze. 2-Tone, Specials, Selecter, Madness. Teardrop Explodes & Echo & The Bunnymen were almost public & singles came in colours & picture discs. In fact you could take take Franz Ferdinand, Razorlight, The Killers, Libertines etc etc & both musically & visually they would exist in 1979 perfectly...trust me. More importantly, Arsenal won the FA Cup. It was also the Mod Revival! I was a Mod. Bowling & Jam shoes were bought from Shelley's shoe shop in Oxford Street. I (contemplated) getting a parka & an RAF patch...(shudder)
1984 = Bought my first guitar. It was a Strat copy made by Satellite hahahaha...never stayed in tune! £28 quids worth of permanently tuneless plank...My Dad built me an amp. Depending on what angle this 'box' faced the bedroom window, I could pick up either Radio 1 or the local police station...Spent hours balancing a microphone on top of an upturned 'tupperware' mug in front of 'said amp...trying to record my efforts into a Sanyo tape deck. I discovered the joys of 'feedback' & grumpy neighbours. Pretty sure I was doing (failing) O or A Levels at school. Sixth Form, oooh my (all boys) school mixed in with the (all girls) school next door, Unforgettable!! After years of peeking through the fence we could finally...ahem...Frankie Goes To Hollywood & the fact that I left my mother despairing that I just spent her hard earned cash on 8 different versions of the "Two Tribes" 12 Inch. Very clever marketing on ZTT's behalf to be honest. The B-sides were all the same...I was into Hip Hop / Electro soon after. Lots of compilation albums.
1989 = Good year for music. Probably the best since '79. Stone Roses, Mondays, Primal Scream. Baggy. Acid. I played lots of gigs that year. Cider riders...life in the back of a van part one. Had an incredibly shit day job working in a warehouse with a scottish drunk...Fell in & out of love on a weekly basis...I think it was a pretty hot summer that year, hardly surprising since I never found my way out of that bloody hooded top...My memory starts to fade here...
1995 = I left Chicane after 8 years of rock n roll (in)excess. Left home, met my future wife, got engaged. Britpop! Yay...Booo...Supergrass / Verve / Dodgy / Blur / Oasis all seem to spring to mind. Menswear! Hahahahahahaha. Sleeper!!!!! What was her name? Louise Weiser??? I was 28...bloody hell...
1999 = Do you know what? I can't remember a bloody thing about 1999...
What's your favourite Saturday night record?
For many years it was "Stay With Me" by The Faces. Verve's first two singles, "All In The Mind" & "She's A Superstar" got a good airing too, including the respective B-sides "One Way To Go", "Man Called Sun" & "Feel". I wondered if anyone seriously did the 'Saturday Night Fever' routine in their black underpants? I distinctly remember a party when I was younger where the boys were forced to watch the girls do their 'country dancing' routines to the whole of "Out Of The Blue" by ELO...that was on a Saturday night & has haunted me ever since...These days it's probably Prokofiev's "Dance Of The Knights" from
Romeo & Juliet...guess I like to make a grand exit...
And your Sunday morning one?
Mummer by XTC. For some reason I used to annoy the hell out of my sister (in the adjacent bedroom) with this album for many months on a Sunday morning circa 1983. "Sunday Morning" by the Velvets is far too predictable isn't it? I had a CD called
Babbling Brook that I tried out on a Sunday, for that winding-down inspiring vibe. It was an hour long. In fact it was a 30min recording of a brook, babbling...repeated twice. It was meant to be relaxing but came across more like the sound of bacon being grilled, through a Boss Distortion pedal...
What's the most ridiculous rumour you've heard being said about you?
That I wear pink t-shirts, that is sooooooo untrue...
Describe the average GHP groupie.
A rock chick who is invariably a gay man & runs a record label. This is based upon email, MSN conversation & fact...probably.
What are your plans for the future?
To remember to put the chicken in the oven at 5.30 on gasmark No5 tonight...or I'll have no dinner.
I'll keep doing what I do. Interest in my stuff has been pretty big of late & it's taking me to new places, meeting new people & people I've admired as a fan of music. I'm happy to go where it takes me.
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?
I think they'll hang around for bit. Raise a few eyebrows. Visit a few new places. Shift a few units. Continue to piss off the purists & be laid to rest in that bootleg heaven in the sky...There'll always be a space in the music industry for an alternate 'version'.
Some GHP boots:
*Exclusive New Track*
The Vines - Ride (Rabbit Hole Remix)
Plus some old faves...
Union City Noise (Public Enemy vs Blondie)
Play Discodance (Jennifer Lopez vs McSleazy)
You can also visit Go Home Productions website
here, or find out more about Mark's shoegazing past
here.
Miss Frenchie
Just for the record, why 'Miss Frenchie'?
When I arrived in England back in 1996, I used to be a barmaid in a club & all the bouncers were calling me Frenchie. Then when I started getting DJ gigs, the name stuck & I just added "Miss" instead of "DJ" so that people could easily know I was a female DJ (there weren't many DJs called "Miss" something at the time!).
What are you up to these days?
I'm resident at Sugar in Leamington Spa & Boujis in London. I'm currently trying to get an agent to take care of my DJ career. I'm also working on an exciting remixing job but I'm not allowed to say much about it...
What music are you currently listening to?
I love all the DJ mixes people at GYBO make. I can't stop playing Thriftshop XL's "History Of Rock Part 1" at the mo! Kasabian's album is also on heavy rotation with the 5,6,7,8's & the new Fatboy Slim album.
What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?
That's a tough question as I listen to so many different styles! It would have to be split into genres...Some of my all-time faves are: Depeche Mode -
Violator, Madonna -
Like A Prayer, Prince -
Diamonds & Pearls, Nirvana -
Unplugged In NY, System Of A Down -
Toxicity, The Pixies -
Doolittle, Underworld -
Dubnobasswithmyheadman...So many more!!!
Do you still remember what's the first record you ever bought? Where did you buy it?
The first "grown-up" record I bought was Madonna's "Into The Groove". I was 8 & from then on, I became a Madonna fan. Still goes on!
Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?
See above!!! Madonna was my role model. She definitely taught me how to stand up for myself & believe I can achieve amazing things if I try hard enough. She was a great comfort when I was becoming a teenager going through my "ugly-duckling" phase! Might sound sad but hey!
What are the most embarrassing & bizarre moments you've ever encountered while manning the decks? Tell us some stories please!
When I played at the Ocean Rooms in Brighton last year, a girl started stripping & going wild. It was funny! Once a guy put his pint glass on one of my decks while it was playing. I went mad! Thankfully I managed to remove it without spilling any beer.
What is the most outrageous rumour you've heard that is said about you?
A promoter said someone told him I was pregnant! I was shocked! Probably a rumour someone started to remove me from the scene!
The Last of Miss Frenchie:
Last CD you bought (or downloaded) = Armand Van Helden - New York: A Mix Odyssey
Last movie you watched that gave you the weepies = The news are more likely to make me cry at the moment.
Last book or mag you read that was hot! = Bill Bryson - Notes From A Small Island
Last concert you watched that was awesome = Madonna's Reinvention Tour in London.
Last bootleg you heard that made you go, "Damn! Why didn't I think of
that?!!" = All the good ones!!!
In your opinion, what are the ultimate bootleg of all time?
GHP - "Ray Of Gob". Absolutely superb. I never get bored of it.
What do you think is the 'secret ingredient' behind a Miss Frenchie boot?
Being out of key?!! My boots are aimed for the dancefloor but they're first done to entertain my good self & make people smile.
Any boots you wished you've done but didn't?
Soulwax - "Push It Like A Dog" & McSleazy - "Don't Call Me Song 2"
What are the difficulties you faced being a female DJ working in a largely male-dominated terrain?
Promoters are more likely to try to rip me off thinking I won't say a thing. Punters who think it's their duty to chat me up. People waiting for me to make any small mistakes (coz a girl can't possibly mix well!). It's getting better though, I've learned how to deal with all this!
Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...
Bastard = Party
Norman Cook = DJ Guru
Loo & Placido = Vive la France!
The Rapture = Robert Smith?!!
Jamie Oliver = Pukka!
London Booted = Class!
Avent = Who?
Rick James = Superfreak
Stilla = Don't you mean Stella like Artois?!!
XFM Superchunk = Favourite 30 minutes each Sunday!
What do you remember about the following years:
1983 = My brother was born
1985 = Discovered Madonna
1992 = Teenage dirtbag!
1996 = Moved to England forever!
2000 = The year that was supposed to be scary but wasn't really!
What's your favourite Saturday night record?
Electric Six - "Gay Bar"
And your Sunday morning one?
Jimi Hendrix - "All Along The Watchtower"
What are the principles of life you live by?
Never judge a book by its cover & it's better to regret something you have done than something you haven't.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to make a proper living out of what I love doing before I'm too old & wrinkly (don't we all!).
What do you think the future for bootlegs / mash-ups / remixes would be like, given that being a home musician is so easy these days?
I can see it all growing stronger & stronger. More music for the people made by the people. It's looking good!
You can visit Miss Frenchie's website
here.
