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chrisbird wrote 10 months ago:
Q> City Fly has been growing organically now for a number of years. Was the record label the obvious next step?
A> We have always pushed the underground house sound and have collected record after record over the years, we have met so many up and coming producers and DJs who have become good friends of City Fly so after thinking long and hard over the new year we decided this is the time to make the big step and push the brand to the next level…The label is just the start!
Q> Who do you have releases forthcoming with?
A> So our next release is from our good friend Pablo Valentino aka “CREATIVE SWING ALLIANCE” who has been running successful labels MCDE & Faces Records which has featured the likes of The Revenge, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Grooveman Spot and Simbad to name a few. This release is called the “CSA EP”, it’s a four tracker with a sublime warpy deep remix from our man James Johnston. I am really excited about this EP and as soon as we got our hands on the originals we had to sign them up. This release is due out in September on 12” & Digital…
Also coming up we have releases from up and coming producer Rotty who has a delicious Kerri Chandler sounding vibe to his productions, DJ Shade from Barcelona serves up some Disco for us and there is still plenty of other stuff too, so keep watching this space.
Q> Each release will be pressed to vinyl, are you still a big advocate of this format?
A> I think vinyl is a must. Ash, Jonna & myself all started playing on vinyl nearly 10 years ago now and we have a huge collection. I still spend hours every week searching for hidden gems on Discogs and regularly head to a friends warehouse in hackney to see what he has got in stock for me.
It was always been our dream to have our names on a piece of wax that we could take with us as we get older. So in the New Year you will see some of our own productions & remixes appear on City Fly Records.
Q> You have booked a number of revered artists now for your parties, who has been your favourite and who is at the pinnacle of your to do list?
A> We have always looked to bring raw talent through to our parties who are so into the music like we are. We have been very lucky to be host to so many quality names to grace our decks. The ones that stand out for me have to be Motor City Drum Ensemble, which was a few years back now just after his Raw Cuts releases. Mark E and Agnes at the end of last year were incredible, and this year Ethyl, Giles Smith and Kez YM all stand out for me.
Our line up for the rest of the year is very exciting but two names that we have yet to book that I am itching to do a party with is Mountain People & Move D.
Q> You took your first visit to Sonar festival this year; did it live up to expectation?
A> Wow, Barcelona was amazing however we spent most of our time at the OFF-Sonar parties. They seemed to offer a lot more in terms of the artists that we wanted to see. We did our first label party over there at a cool little venue in the heart of the city. We will be going bigger next year and more than likely outdoors as the outdoor parties over there are crazy. The highlight of course was one of my favourite events “Secretsundaze”, who provided a memorable event with some quality talent and amazing music.
Q> You have always been involved with radio in some way shape or form, is this passion very much still alive in you?
A> Since an early age I always wanted to have my own show mainly because I could never find anything good to listen to in the early years, so after a few years of work experience at the BBC where I learnt the production techniques I finally got the opportunity to start my own show on the university student radio where I could play what I wanted and interact with the listeners, and this was how Jonna & I met and joined forces to create our own sound through City Fly. We currently host a bi-weekly show on http://www.myhouseyourhouse.net, which we have been running for 5 years now and have had some quality guests put together exclusive mixes and featured on our show.
Q> You have recently got back on the production, is it nice to be back in the studio?
A> Since university I took a backseat on the production as was concentrating on pushing the events all around the UK. But now as the City Fly family has grown I have been able to jump back in the studio. I have been working with a number of top producers and there will be some exciting releases from myself on City Fly Records & other labels which I have admired for years
Q> You have lived in London now for a fair few years and came here VIA Birmingham and Leicester. Where next? Could somewhere like Berlin be on the cards?
A> That’s right, I was born and bred in Birmingham then left home at 19 to try my hand at another City and University life. This is where I made my mark and found my sound by being around like-minded house enthusiasts. After a few years in the wilderness in Croydon, I pulled myself back into the house scene with the move to East London 2 years ago now and I haven’t looked back… I had haven’t the big move to London to meet the right people make the contacts and to push my brand & myself as an artist and DJ to the next level. But who knows, if the right opportunity comes along Berlin could be the next stop on this journey!
Q> What else can we expect from the City Fly camp?
A> We have loads coming up, apart from our events in Leicester, London, Manchester & Leeds we are hoping to tour some more of the cities around the UK & Europe to showcase some of the talent we have on the Label and of course our residents.
We are launching a Pod cast Series with some artists new and old to City Fly.
I am also setting up the “The Fly Agency” in a few months to push our artists to the next level and to see them get global bookings. We are very much a big family who all chip in together to push this sound and want to bring people in who have the same ethos.Make sure you head down to our next event at the Basing House, Shoreditch:
City Fly….to London with COTTAM (Aus, Use of Weapons), PABLO VALENTINO (MCDE, Faces Records) and J SHEZ (City Fly)
12th August 2011
10-4amQ> What artists and labels are currently floating your boat?
A> I have to say in recent years the music is getting better and better. Some of the new artists breaking through for me are the likes of Brawther, James Johnston, Fred P and Rio Padice but there are so much more I could add to the list. For people who know me well and know my sets I always like to drop some old school tunes and making a resurgence on the scene are the likes of Chez Damier who’s music from back in the day is still sounding so fresh. Its funny really how the deep sound has always been around but it has become so popular today that the likes of Kerri Chandler are being booked for Circo Loco, its crazy!
And for me a lot of the smaller up and coming labels are doing it for me like Delusions of Grandeur, Rush Hour (who have been revamping some old legends like Virgo Four) and of course My love is Underground who have absolutely smashed the 1st 4 releases with that old school late nineties sound. Really cool label indeed!
Recent Mix
http://soundcloud.com/city-fly/city-fly-with-j-shez-15-05-11
City Fly Soundcloud
http://soundcloud.com/city-fly
City Fly Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/CityFly
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Bearweasel & Sam Russo
08.07.11
11.00pm – 04.00am
Featuring…
Bearweasal (Tsuba, Murmur)
Sam Russo (Leftroom, Fear of Flying)
J:Shez (City Fly)
FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173235109406546
RA Event: http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?272907
Basing House
25 Kingsland Road
Shoreditch
London
E2 8AA
http://www.basinghouse.co.uk
enquiries@basinghouse.co.uk
Headlining tonight’s expedition will be Tsubas’ Bearweasel. From the early days lapping up UK rave on tired old cassettes via pouring over every last word in Future Music Magazine and perennial weekend sessions soundtracked by the likes of Newcastle¹s Shindig and master jocks including DJ Sneak, Stacey Pullen and Green Velvet, music has always been Dean Muhsin¹s porn of choice.
Dean has quietly gone about his way, earning the respect of his peers and the love of those he plays to courtesy of consistently classy DJ sets (when you have taste making e-zines like Resident Advisor chatting about your lauded warm-up sets, you know you¹re doing something right) and tracks and remixes for the likes of Tsuba, Classic, Soma, Brendon Moeller and Stevie Kotey's Hairy Claw.
Joining him will be Leftroom and Fear Of Flying shining star Sam Russo. Aside from his defined musical output, Sam has been busy regularly rocking the likes of ‘Cocoon’ and ‘Circo Loco’ at South Coast club, Junk. He has also very recently entertained clubbing institute Fabric’s masses on no less than 3 occasions. With plenty more Room 1 bookings in the pipeline, as well as consistent bookings all over the UK, 2011 just keeps on getting better.
City Fly’s notorious deep house don J:Shez completes the line up. City Fly is a party with a family vibe, now in its 7th year the brand gets stronger with parties in Leicester, Manchester, Leeds and London. Motor City Drum Ensemble, Paul Woolford, Lovebirds, Kris Wadsworth and Kez YM are just a small selection of the artists City Fly regulars have been fortunate to witness. Their new vinyl imprint has furthered this success and the first release has successfully sold out in pretty much every record store lucky enough to stock it.
We welcome you to the new Brick work Jungle in the centre of Shoreditch, with the late night license, roof terrace and Funktion One Sound system.
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