Kevin Saunderson in the 80s (click for more)

Detroit techno founder Kevin Saunderson, hinted that he’s considering retiring from full time DJing when he’s 55, this week, revealing that he’s already started building a thriving hair care empire.

“Outside of music I’m kind of an entrepreneur, I like doing other things,” the 47 year old grandfather and father of four kids told the Independent.

“I have a chain of hair salons,” he revealed, “there are about 23 stores in America and that’s growing.”

Chicago School of Shoe-making- click for more

42 year old Chicago legend Derrick Carter also hinted that he’d been thinking about life after DJing via his Facebook Band page last month, proudly posting a photograph of a custom made pair of blue and brown loafers.

“I know it’s meant to be a music page but I’ve been going to shoemaking school and just finished my first pair,” the Classic Recordings legend declared.

“I’m proud of them so I’m sharing! — at Chicago School of Shoemaking,” he added.

The School itself offers two day courses including Basic Tie shoe to So You Wanna be a Cobbler.

“We are dedicated to teaching the art of hand-making shoes to promote self-sufficiency and sustainability. Our goal is to empower all people to enjoy a satisfying and liberating experience around the art of footwear construction,” the School says on their own Facebook page.

“Now people who’ve always dreamed of making their own shoes can learn this valuable skill and craft. Please spread the word!” they add. (http://on.fb.me/txLtM5 )

Whether either DJ ever actually stops performing remains to be seen, a point legendary New York manager Judy Weinstein recognized in an interview with (ironically long defunct) British Magazine One Week to Live in 2007.

Chatting about her Def Mix stable of 40 and 50 something stars including Frankie Knuckles, David Morales and Satoshi Tommie she said none were even close to stepping aside.

“We laugh because a lot of the younger DJs, they were always like: ‘When are the old ones gonna’ retire so we can get a break, back in the 70s and 80s . . . and 90s,’ she told One Week To Live.

“And the older ones, they’re not going anywhere. This is what they do. And until their last breathe, they’ll still be doing it, because the real ones- they last forever,” she laughed.

http://bit.ly/ykMLEq  (the future of DJing?)

http://www.mohawksrock.com/ (Happy customers?)

http://bit.ly/14dmd8 (Kevin Saunderson documentary)

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

Producers for an upcoming European DJ talent show ‘Superstar DJ’ reacted angrily to the news that Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment is planning a rival DJ talent show, suggesting this week that the karaoke king’s version will be inauthentic.

Show creator Gilly Da Silva said she’d been working on her series’ concept for over 11 months and said her winner will need to have ‘proved he/she has the stamina and is prepared to fight tooth and nail to be come one of the world’s most in demand DJs.’

‘It takes a lot of commitment and hard-work to become a Superstar DJ, its all about branding yourself, building a strong following and obviously keeping the audience engaged,” she told Televisual News, “It’s not something that can be judged on a stage like X Factor.” http://bit.ly/xrOloh

Chatting to Skrufff, Gilly (who as well as being the wife of chart topping club crossover star Rui Da Silva) has worked in the nightlife business for two decades, revealed she felt ‘sick to my stomach’when she first heard of Cowell’s plans.

Gilly Da Silva

“His announcement has made us resolute that we are better placed to deliver something that is a genuine opportunity and one that can reflect authentically the real experiences of our participants and partners,” she continued.

 “He needs to stick to his freak shows, because that’s where his expertise lies,’ she stormed.

Speaking about their shows advantages, Gilly’s co-producer Barry Ryan (boss of London production company Free @ Last TV) singled out the ‘credibility of our expert DJs and advisors who have worked for years in what is essentially a closed industry’, a point Gilly also emphasised.

“Our partners are insiders,” she explained.

“We all know that there are some insiders who shouldn’t be on the stage but are there because of nepotism . . . and if we can encourage a few people to step up and grasp an opportunity why should we not – especially in these bleak times.”

So why should the dance industry open its doors to some outsider winner of a competition?

“It’s all in the wording, isn’t it,” Gilly responded.

“If they are labelled ‘some outsider winner of a competition’ then they will have no chance but it’s about who has judged them worthy and brought them forward and with our partners we hope to create a more positive and empowering energy than the usual downbeat and dismissive UK mentality,” she said.

“It’s also about the grammar of how it is filmed – anything can be shown on TV but it’s about the filming style and how the audience is allowed a window to that world – and how you allow your contestants to connect with the audience in the venues and at home. Cowell is planning arena scale and this is misleading,” she suggested.

Gilly also stressed they are currently still in talks about who is giving away the prize away, in contradiction to details posted on the earlier Televisual News report.

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

Leading Ibiza club promoter Danny Whittle was ‘sick in his own mouth’ when he heard of TV impresario Simon Cowell’s plans for a ‘superstar DJ’ X Factor style talent show, he revealed this week, and vowed that Pacha will have nothing to do with the concept.

“How likely is it Pacha would get involved? We wouldn’t, it has nothing we would want,” said Danny.

“What impact will the show have on club culture generally? None at all,” he predicted,“Certainly not the side of club culture that actually matters.”

Handling Pacha’s bookings since the late 90s, Danny helped David Guetta and more recently the likes of Swedish House Mafia and Luciano become bona fide international stars off the back on weekly residencies at Pacha though predicted established DJs will have little to fear from Cowell’s contestants.

“They will just create some shit DJ who will probably make a fortune playing in shit clubs,” he suggested.

Danny Whittle on Ibiza-voice (2004 interview): WHAT IS IT DANNY WHITTLE DOES EXACTLY? - Brand Director? Musical Director? Content Director?”) click for more

Details of the show emerged via a press release Simon Cowell released in which he promised it will ‘capture the incredible rise of the DJ phenomena’ and discover ‘the world’s greatest DJs’

“DJs are the new rock stars,” the multi-millionaire TV presenter declared, “It feels like the right time to make this show“.

Underground tech-house type Danny Howells was as unimpressed as Danny Whittle about the show, telling Skrufff he was ‘pretty repulsed’ when he heard about it.

“Hasn’t he done enough damage to music as it is? I can’t see how this would be entertaining either – I don’t think the X-Factor fans are gonna’ be flocking to this and I won’t be giving up Corrie (Coronation Street) to watch it,” he said.

“He’s obviously seen the rise of the pop DJs, and as a result this will be nothing at all to do with music. It will be about pretty boys who have marketability and play lowest common denominator shite, like the pop DJs who are already polluting the world. If it would throw up a new DJ Shadow or Grandmaster Flash, it would be interesting. But you know that isn’t going to happen,” said Danny.

Danny Howells; click for more

Unlike Danny Whittle, however, Howells predicted the program will have a wider impact on wider club culture.

“I dread to think what it will do actually, but I think we already live in an age where the word “apprenticeship” doesn’t seem to exist,” he pointed out.

“This show will just reinforce that and we will see more pop DJs come out of nowhere with a great “light show” and gimmick and who, hopefully, disappear just as quickly.”

“Looking at it positively “ABBA rose to prominence after being in a talent show (Eurovision Song Contest), so you can’t dismiss the possibility of someone talented coming out of this. But I really don’t think they’ll be looking to find a new David Mancuso or Larry Levan.

They’ll be looking for someone who looks good being papped (photographed) on a jet-ski, who can tell an engineer which Electro Sample pack to use, and who knows how to raise his arms into a Jesus Christ pose. I rarely get booked alongside those guys, sadly,” he sighed.

“Anything to add? Where do I apply?” he laughed.

Danny Whittle concurred.

“Can I enter?” he chuckled, “I have some records and I could be called “Danny Double Dex”.

click for more on Dave

British techno legend Dave Clarke was similarly unimpressed.

“What’s my reaction to this story? Disbelief followed by resignation,” said Dave.

“The fact is, the art of the ‘DJ’ has been denigrated in the commercial light to such lows that this was inevitable. Too many commercial DJ’s worry about image and many feign “performances” so that it either enables their light jockeys to have a strict programme at best or it’s feigned because of a lack of real time talent (a lot of ‘producers” don’t even make their own music; this has been true for 10 years or more). “

“Smoke and mirrors have always been around . .  .BUT . . . does X-Factor or any of the other shite have any effect on cool music?….Not at all. So aside from the pride in being in an industry that for all intents and purpose didn’t really exist when I started except as a dream, an aspiration this DJ TV thing it is just a direction that was inevitable for the marketing people to follow.”

Dave’s expectation of the show’s impact on wider club culture fell somewhere in between the two Dannys.

“The commercial clubs will fall over themselves to feature this shite, but then they never followed the underground anyway,” Dave predicted.

“Certain magazines will no doubt push hard to be part of this to validate their “polls” but mostly I have always found the term “Club Culture” an oxymoron in 90% of cases in the commercial world. Go to Ibiza and show me the “Culture”, it’s more about “Vulture”.

“What impact on superstar DJs?” he sighed.

“There are two types of DJs ; those that care and represent a belief, an integrity and those that care only about money and fame, the term ‘superstar DJ’ is a lazy term by lazy journalists,” he grumbled.

“I can’t wait to see all the fragile ego past-it DJ’s trying to line up to be a “judge“,” Dave concluded.

“I also bet there will be some shite intellectually challenged hacks phoning up now to see if they can be involved.”

http://bit.ly/cu0uiL  (Simon Cowell in action on X Factor)

http://daveclarke.com

http://bit.ly/AkbTuu (Danny Whittle on Ibiza-voice (2004 interview): WHAT IS IT DANNY WHITTLE DOES EXACTLY? – Brand Director? Musical Director? Content Director?”)

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

Paul Arnold

London club promoter Paul Arnold chatted to Skrufff this week about moving his Chew The Fat parties to East London’s Xoyo and also revealed that he’d been particularly inspired by a recent Skrufff interview with Tim Deluxe in which Tim chatted candidly about the reality of life as an international DJ and club star.

“I really enjoyed the Tim Deluxe feature because it was fascinating and very truthful,” he said.

“I forwarded it to a few artists I manage who are in very similar situations. It’s so frustrating managing an artist who has such good opportunities but goes through those similar issues. This article has been a great help for them knowing it’s not just them,” said Paul.

Tim Deluxe (click on the picture to read the interview in full)

Chatting to Skrufff last December, Tim, who in his 16 year career has had massive worldwide hits including speed garage smash RIP Groove and house anthem ‘It Just Won’t Do’, outlined the common breakthrough DJ formula he encountered.

“The irony is when you gain commercial success it drags you away from were you should be at. You see it time and time again in this industry,” said Tim.

“New producer/s makes hot tunes > blows up = gigs everywhere > remixes instead of original productions > tours too heavily > physically and mentally tired = no new records.

“Also add copious amounts of free alcohol and drugs and you’ve pretty much got the picture. Burn Out, Divorce, Addiction, take your pick! This cycle is so common.”

Similarly travelling the world as an in demand DJ for over ten years, Paul’s globetrotting adventures came to an abrupt end when he discovered he was suffering from leukaemia in 2007.

Now fully recovered Paul has now taken up long-distance swimming (while Tim does marathon running), though admitted one of his frustrations about his illness was discovering it was partially self-inflicted.

“A big frustration was the lack of knowledge I had, and that people still have about the risk of cancer and how it is caused, especially amongst people leading those party lifestyles,” he reflected.

“Most people thought I just got leukaemia by chance but it was definitely a disease brought on by lifestyle. People don’t understand that,” he said.

Chew the Fat returns to London at their new home of Xoyo on Friday February 10, headlined by garage legend MJ Cole, Foamo, Hot City, French Fries and a Donga presents Well Rounded Records Showcase (room 2).

(Read the Tim Deluxe Interview in full here)

http://www.thefatclub.com

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

International party girl Paris Hilton talked up her superstar DJ ambitions this week, telling FHM magazine she’ll be devoting her full attention to promoting her soon to be released second album.

“I have a huge passion for house music. It always has been my passion. I just haven’t been able to focus on it, because I have been doing reality TV for so long now,” the billionaire heiress claimed.

“I’ve been working on the album with lots of other top DJs for a while now and I think people will be really surprised. It’s very modern and very catchy; perfect party music.” (Digital Spy: http://bit.ly/AuNriq )

News of her imminent arrival amongst the ranks of fellow celeb DJs Manufactured Superstars, Steve Aoki, David Guetta and (rumoured new flame) Afrojack came as the Daily Mail identified another soon to be massive superstar DJ;16 year old DJ C Squared.

The precocious teenager is reportedly already earning $10,000 DJ fees at gigs around LA including most recently the Big Bang 2012 party in Hollywood, the Mail said.

DJ Squared, who’s real name is Conor Cruise, played for 1 hour in the VIP room at the gig, though despite his age was un-chaperoned by his adoptive parents, Hollywood actors Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise.

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

click for me

Click below to see Skruff favourite (and regular contributor) Laurent Garnier’s latest visual opus. C’est fantastique? (mais ouu!)

Click below for one of the best dance videos ever:

For unknown reasons, Facebook have been censoring Skrufff.com for over 2 months now (blocking the ‘share’ button)  BUT if you click the ‘Like’ button all the way at the bottom of the article, it still works) 

Bad Company (click for more)

“I have played at a gig in Detroit where a guy got shot dead outside the party. After that we all had to lie on the floor for 10 minutes waiting for the police to come while a gang was outside shooting bullets thru the windows.”

“Once I drove from Paris to Plymouth for a gig. It took me 13 or 14 hours to get there by car. And when I finally arrived at the gig, the promoter said to me ‘you are 10 minutes late . . . fuck off!’ Then he had the security guy throw me out. That was 18 years ago. I’ve never ever been back to fucking Plymouth since . . .”

Flashback (recorded immediately after a particularly gruelling overseas trip)

This week, Skrufff are launching a new series of DJ travel stories focusing on the highs and lows every international DJ experiences. Notoriously French definitive dance legend Laurent Garnier kicks off proceedings . . . .

(For more on Laurent; click here: http://www.laurentgarnier.com/ )

—=—

The Best

Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): What’s the most opulent travel trip you’ve experienced?

Laurent Garnier: “Nothing incredibly big, I’m afraid, I’ve never even been in First Class. I guess the most flash one I’ve experienced was when we- i.e. myself plus the band, traveled to Ibiza few years ago in a private jet.”

Skrufff: What’s been the best hotel?

Laurent Garnier: “For me the best hotels are definitely not the super big luxurious ones. I like the smaller hotels with a bit of character and super friendly staff.”

Skrufff: What do you need to make a trip perfect?

Laurent Garnier: “for holidays, to travel with people you love being with, a glass of champagne and a comfortable seat on the plane. For gigs, I need plenty of movies to watch and work to do.”

Skrufff: What do you always travel with?

Laurent Garnier: “My computer, tons of music, headphones and small speakers.”

Skrufff: What are your top three travel tips?

Laurent Garnier: “Relax, be patient and avoid low cost airlines.”

—–=—–

The Worst:

Skrufff: What’s been your worst travel nightmare?

Laurent Garnier: “I’ve had more than a few having been traveling for 20 years but I guess the one that stands out the most was a flight I took from Paris to Figari (Corsica) about 10/12 years ago. There was so much wind and turbulence buffeting the plane that loads of passengers started screaming and crying.

Then when the plane was on its final approach to the airport, everybody fell completely silent because everyone believed we were going to crash. It was so frightening. Once the plane landed- safely- they actualy closed the airport for the rest of the day. Since that day I have always hated flying, even though I continue to do it every single weekend.”

Skrufff: What’s the worst hotel you’ve stayed in?

Laurent Garnier: “As with nightmare trips I’ve stayed in more than a few nightmare hotels. From super dirty/grotty hotels in eastern Europe when we went straight after the war in Serbia to some super dodgy ones in the deep south in the United States. Once I was chased by the owner with a riffle. Don’t worry, I  have a list of bad hotels.”

Skrufff: What’s the worst experience you’ve had at customs/ Immigration?

Laurent Garnier: “The big winners for rudeness are still United States customs and Immigration, they definitely win the gold medal. The better your visa will be on your passport, the more they will screw with your head.”

The Russian customs can also be real ‘dodgy dudes’. Every time we take our band equipment, they hold us for hours because we refuse to pass them money under the table. They win the silver medal. And I would say that the Brazilian embassy in Paris wins the Bronze medal for being so unfriendly, difficult and rude when you try to get a visa to go and play in Brazil. It’s been like that for years, believe it, it’s not a one-off experience. It’s particularly strange because Brazil is so great and Brazilians are such lovely people.”

Skrufff: Have you had any bad encounters after clearing customs, with dodgy taxi driver or not being picked up?

Laurent Garnier: “No I haven’t really had big problems, unlike the famous DJ I know of who was kidnapped in Russia by a different club organiser from the one they were supposed to work for, then forced to play in the kidnapper’s club before they were dropped back at the airport after the gig.”

Skrufff: What do you avoid on DJ trips?

Laurent Garnier: “I am very careful who I go and work for nowadays, I have had some really bad experienceds with dodgy promoters. If I receive a booking request from someone I don’t know, we always ask our DJ friends and agents if the guy is cool or not. A lot of bad promoters have being blacklisted now  and most agents have access to that list.”

I also always make sure that the reservation is really booked at the hotel I am supposed to stay at. We book our own flights these days too so I always know that I can come back easily (in the past I had bad experiences with return flights not being booked for my way home). I don’t travel with too much things, I keep as light and “normal” as I can. I now also work through an agent for all my gigs: that way things are easier and safer.”

Skrufff: What do you hate about travelling?

Laurent Garnier: “Everything, I hate it. It’s the only aspect of my DJ life I don’t like. So I always work when I’m travelling, it makes the whole process go faster.”

Skrufff: What’s been the most frightening experience you’ve had on your DJ trips; ever been robbed/ followed/ threatened?

Laurent Garnier: “I have being left alone in the streets of New York without any money, luggage, hotel or a plane ticket to get home by a real fuckwit of a promoter.

I have played at a gig in Detroit where a guy was shot dead outside the party. After that we all had to lie on the floor for 10 minutes waiting for the police to come whiles a gang was outside shouting bullets thru the windows.

I’ve had a few bad ones in the US where the police came and raided the parties with CS gas, guns and very heavy-duty behaviour.

There was a crazy one in Mexico where the police stopped me DJing pointing a gun at me, then the whole crowd went completely nuts and try to crush the five armed coppers against the wall. The cops ran away and never came back. I really thought that someone was gonna get shot …it was mad .”

“I have had to deal with proper mafia promoters, some bastards that told me to fuck off and threw me out of the club without any money after playing all night at gigs (that happened few times in France).”

“Once in Austria, while I was sleeping after a gig Scan X, who I’d worked with that night, was staying in the room next door.He brought the promoter and kept him locked in his room for a couple of hours until the guy finally decided to pay us. There was a massive argument and fighting going on in the next room while I was asleep. Those guys were super heavy motherfuckers but Scan X still got them to finally pay us . . .

So the answer is YESSS , I have been robbed, followed and threatened and much more besides.”

Skrufff: Last not least, please let us know the best websites to plug for you, plus details of upcoming releases?

Laurent Garnier: “For everything go to  www.laurentgarnier.com where you can listen to PBB my 24/7 online radio:  you can listen to all my weekly radio shows called IT IS WHAT IT IS:  you can see all the coming dates for all future gigs.

And you can also buy my new live DVD (only 2000 copies available) of the concert we did at the Salle Pleyel in Paris last year. This is a very VERY special one (perhaps my best concert ever). You can only buy this DVD on my website.

Otherwise, I am currently touring with the LBS project (half live/ half DJ)

We are in the studio (with the LBS crew) recording for a new album. Due next year. And for facebook, questions and stuff go to Facebook, Laurent Garnier (official page). I am the only person looking after that page.”

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——=——

For unknown reasons Facebook are currently censoring all Skrufff stories, so the ‘share’ button doesn’t work. 

However, if you follow Skrufff.com on Networked Blogs (to the right on your screen), the stories are share-able. Or please try clicking the like’ button right at the bottom of this page. 

(compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff )

Live in Montenegro

Individual Top 10s:

Phuture Traxx

Sara Mrs Smith

Secret Cinema

Steve Mac

The model

Timo Maas

Tom Tom Club

Utah Saints

Way Out West (Jody Wisternoff)

X Press 2 (Rocky)

—-=—–

Daniel from Phuture Traxx (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

Phuture Traxx (Daniel)

1: New Order – Blue Monday

2: Plastikman – Spastik

3: Underworld – Born Slippy

4: Afrika Bambaataa – Planet Rock

5: The Prodigy – Charly / No Good

6: Soft Cell – Tainted Love

7: Nitzer Ebb – Join in the Chant

8: Front 242 – Headhunter

9: Visage – Fade To Grey

10: Jimi Tenor – Take me baby

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Phuture Traxx (Daniel): “Blue Monday is a great dance song, just a classic that will be around for a long time to come. It still makes people dance, you can also integrate it easily into a proper techno set, and I simply can’t stop listening to it.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Phuture Traxx (Daniel): “With Bonzai’s classic rave-tunes Cherry Moon Trax 1 “The House of House” and Jones & Stephenson’s “The First Rebirth” I started to go clubbing and to events every weekend. Of course my musical taste changed pretty quickly and following my early rave period I spent a lot longer listening to the like of Plastikman (“Sickness”, “Krakpot”, “Spastik” …), Jeff Mills (“The Bells”), Dave Clarke (Red 1 + 2) and many others who had a bigger influence in my early days as well.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had great influence on you which didn’t cross over to the mainstream?

Jeff Mills – Cat Moda EP / The Bells

Shiver – Subsonic Soundscape

Vapor Space – Gravitational Arch Of 10

I-F – I Do Because I Couldn’t Care Less

Manuel Göttsching – E2-E4

DBX – Losing Control

and so many more.

http://www.phuture-traxx.de

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Mrs Smith (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

Sara Mrs Smith

1: Human League – The Things That Dreams Are Made Of (Unlimited Orchestra

Instrumental) [1981]

2. Orbital – Impact (The Earth Is Burning) [1993]

3. Inner City – Good Life [1988]

4: Gary Numan – Cars [1979]

5: Giorgio Moroder – Chase (Theme from Midnight Express) [1978]

6. Sasha – Xpander [1999]

7. Spooky – New Light (Spooky’s Strobelight Mix) [2007]

8. 808 State – Pacific State [1989]

9. Soft Cell – Sex Dwarf [1981]

10. Spandau Ballet – To Cut A Long Story Short [1980]

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Sara (Mrs Smith): “My life changed in 1981 when I bought Human League’s “Unlimited Orchestra” which was an instrumental version of their album “Dare”. The song “The Things That Dreams are Made Of” was a revelation. It had layers of dub electronic elements built into a crescendo. When the song hit the 3 minute mark I knew I had found my sound. I had never heard anything like it.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Sara (Mrs Smith): “Although it’s not on my list, New Order’s Everything’s Gone Green. I was fourteen years old living in Melbourne and would go to the alternative and Goth clubs and dance until 1am. I couldn’t believe there were people that liked the same music as me, looked cool and liked to dance. If those clubs weren’t open, we’d go to the gay clubs instead. Dancing had become our religion.”

http://www.djsmrandmrssmith.com

http://www.facebook.com/djsmrandmrssmith

http://www.twitter.com/djsmrmrssmith

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Jeroen (aka Secret Cinema) (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

Secret Cinema

1: Lil’ Louis – French Kiss

2: Stakker – Stakker Humanoid

3: Meat Beat Manifesto – Babylon

4: Meng Syndicate – Sonar System (my first release engaged me to do more)

5: Tyree – Video Crash

6: 808 state – cubik

7: Quazar – Seven Stars

8: 69 – Rushed

9: Manuel Gottsching – E2-E4 (I met him in Japan 2 years ago!)

10:LFO – LFO (leeds warehouse mix)

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Secret Cinema: “French Kiss has the ultimate 808 house kick, house clap and house hi-hats. And the chord stab, tang-tang, tange-tang-tang this keeps working over and over again.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Secret Cinema: “It has to be Stakker’s Humanoid, my first experience with Acid in a club/ I heard that track 3 times a night and it still kept me going on the dance-floor with full on Sstrobe-lights . . .unbeatable.”

http://www.secretcinema.nl/

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Steve Mac (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

Steve Mac

1: Todd Terry- Can You Party

3: Derrick May- Strings of Life

4: Carl Craig- Paperclip People

5: House of Gypsies- Samba

6: Raze- Break for Love

7: A Guy called Gerald- Voodoo Ray

8: LFO-LFO

9: Orbital- Chime

10: Stardust- Music Sounds Better

1: Todd Terry- Can You Party

Steve Mac: “This was the record that changed my life and musical direction, I was massively into hip hop and electro (Marly Marl / Juan Atkins etc ). what I particularly love about this record is that it took the sound of hip hop and put it into the 4/4 house sound, everything Todd was doing at the time was amazing, Bango/ Back to the beat / To the bat mobile album . I loved the way he just sampled anything, disco/ hip hop / rock . And totally messed with it like nobody else did. A true legend.”

2: Kenny Dope the bucketheads- The Bomb

Steve Mac: “Yeah this did cross over but you never of thought in a million years it would when you first heard it. It was the drum programming on this record that caught me, Kenny Dope was the man for the sp1200 and mpc etc. the drums pound on this. Just brilliant.”

Derrick May- Strings of Life

The great Derrick May, one of Detroit’s finest. This was THE house/ techno anthem and still is after all these years. “

4: Carl Craig- Paperclip People

Steve Mac: “Mr Carl Craig / Planet E Records . Still to this day Carl is a massive influence on me, he just makes great sounding records that work just like this one.”

5: House of Gypsies- Samba

Steve Mac: “This is where Todd Terry changed the game again. After his 808 machine gun hi hats (Can You Party etc.) came his massive kick drums and loud distorted 909 hats. He took his house sound to the next level big, chunky and tough. So many people tried to copy his sound but did not come close.”

6: Raze- Break for Love

Steve Mac: “This is one of my favourite vocal house records ever and still is to this day. Feel good deep house record with more hooks than a wardrobe. Vaughan Mason, the guy behind this record, also produced disco classics like Bounce Rock Skate Roll, as well as the other no 1 classic Jack The Groove. This man has been around a long time.”

7: A Guy called Gerald- Voodoo  Ray

Steve Mac: “Gerald is the 303 king of the UK. We all know this great record, it features just the greatest vocal hook in a house record possible. Acid house will live forever and so will Gerald’s music.”

8: LFO-LFO

Steve Mac: “Warp Records has a lot to answer for (so many brilliant records). I’ve chosen this one because it was the bass n bleep time and this one you could never forget with massive sub bass. It used to rock sound systems. Also the use of speak n spell. It’s an amazing techno record.”

9: Orbital- Chime

Steve Mac: “Phil and Paul on Top of the Pops not even pretending to mime/ and just standing in from of some machines was a great moment for dance music. I don’t’ have to say much about this record. It’s just one of the greatest synth melodies in dance.”

10: Stardust- Music Sounds Better

Steve Mac: “This is when Miami was Miami and the Winter Music conference wasn’t like today. You used to come back home with tunes stuck in your head, proper tunes, big records that changed everything and this was one of them. I couldn’t get away from this record, every party I went to it was playing it. DJs like Sneak, Sanchez, Armand, Morales were all dropping it the year it came out and everybody was going nuts. Thomas Bangalter is a great record producer and this is one of his many finest: as well as Daft Punk,Roule records  and everything else he’s done,

This was one of the hardest interviews I have ever had to do because it’s really hard to say what my favourite records of all time are because there are so many. I have listed another 10 below that also had a massive influence on me.”

11: 4th Measure Men4 You mk mix

12: Phuture- Acid Trax

13: Stacker- Humanoid

14: Rolando- Nights of the Jaguar

15: Masters at Work- I Can’t Get No Sleep mk mix

16: Mr Fingers- Can You Feel It

17: Nitro Deluxe- Let’s Get Brutal

18: Frankie Knuckles- Your Love

19 Basement Jaxx;- Fly Life

20 Jaydee- Plastic Dreams

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice (Todd Terry- Can You Party?)

Steve Mac: “Because it changed the direction of my life musically.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Steve Mac: “I would probably say from my real early days it was Cybertron’s Clear.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Steve Mac: “Jaydee’s Plastic Dreams, it still gets played everywhere today.”

http://www.facebook.com/stevemacdj

http://www.myspace.com/mrstevemac

http://soundcloud.com/steve-mac

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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The Model (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

The Model

1: Hell – eat my house – 1995
2: E-Dancer – warp – 1998
3: Anthony Rother – love is for the hardest people – 1997
4: DJ Slip – light in the piazza – 1998
5: James Ruskin – time and place – 1998
6: Technasia – force – 2001
7: M Drescher – music – 1996
8: Jeff Mills – casa – 1995
9: Surgeon & James Ruskin – sound pressure part 1 – 1998
10: Minimal Man – treatment feel – 1994

Skrufff:  Why did you select your number 1 choice?

The Mode: “It was an impressive track. The moment I started to follow Hell was a turning point. This track is dark and intense and pretty stripped down, I felt it totally.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

It wasn’t one single track – it was a show series on Viva TV, hosted by Sabine Christ, Mate Galic and Disko. Back in the mid nineties, in my little hometown in Transylvania, there were literally four of us listening to this kind of music, out of 30,000 people. Our only source of information in post communist Romania during the mid nineties was this weekly 60minute show – they had interviews, live mixes in the studio, videos and the famous platen tips at the end. It was amazing for us.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

The Model: “I would say Technasia – force  – crazy emotional and driving track. Timeless.”

The Model on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/gXmAZy

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Timo Maas (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

Timo Maas

I easily could write you down a Top100…

1: Marrs – Pump up the volume (It simply changed the world for me!!!)

2: Azzido da Bass – Doom`s night (my mix)

3: Leftfield – Open up

4: New Order – Blue Monday

5: Alan Parson`s Project – Mammagamma

6: Phuture – Acid Tracks

7: Soul2Soul  – Back to Life

8: Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy

9: The KLF – What time is love

10: The Prodigy – Charlie

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Timo Maas: “In fact . . . when I heard that track the first time, it totally changed my world and opened myself up for a complete new music style and feeling.”

http://www.myspace.com/timomaas

http://www.timomaas.com

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Tom Tom Club (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

Tom Tom Club (Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth)

Our list goes back to our first night in a discotheque together in 1973, at The Gallery in Providence, Rhode Island.

1: The Intruders -I’ll Always Love My Mama

2: Manu Dibango- Soul Makossa

3: Kool and the Gang- Jungle Boogie

4: KC and The Sunshine Band- Get Down Tonight

5: Donna Summer- I Feel Love

6: Bohannon- Foot Stompin’ Music

7: Sylvester- You Make Me Feel Mighty Real

8: Kraftwerk- Numbers

9: Africa Bambaataa- Planet Rock

10: Marshall Jefferson- Move Your Body

Honorable Mention: Warm Leatherette The Normal (A Mudd Club Favorite)

http://www.tomtomclub.net

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Utah Saints (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

Utah Saints (Tim and Jez)

1: Donna Summer- I Feel Love  (Patrick Cowley mix)

2: New Order- Blue Monday

3: The Shamen- Move Any Mountain

4: Japan- Quiet Life

5: Front 242- Funkahdafi

6: Derrick May- Strings Of Life

7: Public Enemy- Rebel Without A Pause

8: Edwin Starr- 25 Miles

9: Underworld- Cowgirl

10: Throbbing Gristle- Something Came Over Me

11. Utah Saints- What Can You Do For Me

12. Golden Girls- Kinetic

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Utah Saints: “It’s a breakthrough, seminal record – especially this Patrick Cowley remix, it’s 15 minutes of relentless electronic groove that’s light years ahead of its time, and redefined dance music. This mix had the trippy journey of prog rock combined with the soul of disco, the pure sex of the vocal and the full-on energy of the underground gay scenes of Germany and New York.

You can still hear the chemistry of the combined talents of Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer, which are just wrapped up perfectly in Patrick Cowley’s edit/mix. When it came out (1977) there had been nothing like it before, and it was against a backdrop of punk in the UK -this track showed you didn’t need a guitar to make exciting music, and kick-started bedroom producers around the world.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Utah Saints: “Probably Blue Monday -perfect indie/dance genre buster.”

Skruff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Utah Saints: “Front 242 from the industrial side, and Derrick May from the house side.”

http://Soundcloud.com/utahsaints

http://facebook.com/utahsaints

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Jody from Way Out West (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

Way Out West (Jody Wisternoff)

1 Moby – Go

2 Gat Decor – Passion

3 Mory Kante – Yeke Yeke

4 Meat Beat Manifesto – Radio Babylon

5 Hardfloor – Acperience

6 LTJ Bukem – Music

7 Hybrid – Finished Symphony

8 Sasha – Xpander

9 Jam & Spoon – Odyssey to Anyoona

10 Spooky – Belong

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Way Out West (Jody): “It was the first record I pulled off my classics shelf (laughing). There are too many to choose from, it’s an impossible question of which I could never make an honest decision on.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Way Out West (Jody): “This would have to be the first proper hiphop record I ever bought, Mantronix’s Who is it.

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Meat Beat Manifesto – Radio Babylon. The breakbeat blueprint, it still inspires me to this day the way it uses those spaced out dub sounds.”

http://soundcloud.com/jodywisternoff

http://www.jodywisternoff.com

http://twitter.com/#!/jodywisternoff

http://www.facebook.com/jodywisternoff

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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X press 2 (click on the picture for the entire Top 50)

X-Press 2 (Rocky)

1: Afrika Bambaataa and The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock

2: Phuture – Acid Tracks

3: Michael Jackson – Billie Jean

4: Model 500 – No UFOs

5: Daft Punk – Da Funk

6: Joint Venture – Love And Happiness

7: Isolee – Beau Mot Plage

8: ESP – It’s You

9: Elkin And Nelson – Jibaro

10: Marshall Jefferson – House Music Anthem

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

X Press 2 (Rocky): “I think that this was the first record that made me even consider the possibility of being a DJ. I was around 12 years old and my cousin did me a tape with this on it. It just blew me away. I’d never heard anything like it before. Obviously it borrowed massively from Kraftwerk but at the time I was unaware of them. Planet Rock was my year zero when it comes to dance music. It was the earth stopping, mind blowing moment that I thought, this is it.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

X Press 2 (Rocky): “I think this would have to be Acid Tracks. It was the record that gave birth to an entire musical culture. It’s arguable that there were ‘acid’ records before this, but this was the one that signalled the start of something huge.”

Twitter- http://twitter.com/#!/xpre552

Fbook- X-Press 2 on Ministry Radio

http://soundcloud.com/x-press-2

http://www.mixcloud.com/XPress2

http://www.myspace.com/xpress2

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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