Content @ The Roadhouse

Find us every first Friday of the month at The Roadhouse, Manchester.

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02.07.10 - GILES SMITH (SECRETSUNDAZE)

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New Website - www.musicwithcontent.com

[ Monday, September 13, 2010 | 0 comments ]
We have a new site. Please check it.

We will be taking down this blog in due course.

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Giles Smith @ Content - Pick Of The Week - Guardian Club Guide

[ Tuesday, June 29, 2010 | 0 comments ]
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Giles Smith Interview - Giles will play Content @ The Roadhouse, July 2nd

[ Monday, June 28, 2010 | 0 comments ]
If you know house and techno music, chances are you know who Giles Smith is. If you are really lucky, you would have experienced one of his infamous secretsundaze parties – possibly in a quirky London venue, maybe at Sonar or even in Paris. Or maybe you have seen him DJ somewhere like the Berghein, Robert Johnson club, Panorama Bar or the Warehouse Project.

Failing all that, you may have just wigged out to one of his secretsundaze mix compilations that he compiled with his partner in crime, James Priestley….or possibly you own a Two Armadillo’s record or two?

The fact of the matter is, Giles is a very busy man. We were lucky enough to fire a couple of questions his way prior to him appearing at Content, this Friday, JULY 2nd.


Q. Hi Giles! We’re really looking forward to having you over. I guess you’re most famous for throwing your secretsundaze parties and producing music under your Two Armadillo’s guise. Can you tell us how secretsundaze began?

Well it was started by 4 people including James and myself. It was just the usual story of us wanting to throw a party for our friends sharing the music we liked. There was some talk of doing a Sunday party but actually the venue we fell in love with – the now closed Loft of 93 Feet East in Brick lane was only available on Sunday and after looking at rooms all over London we kept coming back to that one. We weren’t so into the other rooms and also the venue would not just let you have 1 room – they wanted to you to take all 3 on a Friday or Saturday (the days we were originally thinking of). In the end we were so keen to do a party there – Sunday it was. Of course the daytime thing reared its head as we figured people didn’t want to stay out all night Sunday with many having to work on Monday. It then became this summer party so it kind of worked itself out quite organically over that first summer and that set the stall for the last 9 years.

Q. You’re currently playing all over the world, apart from secretsundaze, what is your favourite club to play?

Hmm…very difficult. Sometimes you have an amazing night at a club where you just connect with the crowd and that can be very special even if its not always the most amazing venue but I would say in no particular order Robert Johnson in Frankfurt (the best “living room” with amazing sound and lots of knowledgeable heads – playing there this Sunday for the 11th birthday). Panorama bar in Berlin (for the long nights, long daytimes, the hedonism - playing there at 10am is something very special – playing here in July) and Club 11 (previously Yellow) in Japan (this has an amazing sound system too and last time I went over there to tour with Wbeeza I ended up playing over 8 hours). I also really like Trouw in Amsterdam – great concept with a great restaurant, amazing club space and the staff are some of the most professional, friendly and passionate I have come across.

Q. As mentioned earlier, you produce under the name Two Armadillo’s. That’s quite an unusual name – care to elaborate on where it came from?

It was just a random quirky name that I came up with and we liked. The fact there were two of us – I didn’t want it to be our names and be more anonymous. I also wanted it to be a bit human and not some techy pseudonym that so many duo’s / production teams seem to have. Last but not least Armadillos live underground too!

Q. Can you tell us a little more about what musical projects you have forthcoming?

Two Armadillos have a fair bit of new stuff forthcoming – we just did a remix on Metalheadz for Commix. Their highly rated album has been remixed by mainly non D&B artists such as Burial, Marcel Dettman, Kassem Mosse, Pangea amongst others and we were asked to remix the only housey track from the album. This was a great a honour to be in this trailblazing company and the only House producers on board. This should be out in October. Also have a new 3 tracker ep for secretsundaze music which will start in September – have releases lined up from Ethyl and Flori, Brawther amongst others. We have loads of other stuff kicking around too that I’m trying to work out what to do with.

Q. How do you find production? Was it something that came naturally or did you have to work hard in order to pick it up?

Well I work with Martin who is a very good engineer. Martin approached me to work with him when he was working in Phonica. He had obviously had quite a bit of success as King Roc remixing the likes of New Order and Future Sound of London but wanted to experiment with different sounds and knew I was pretty knowledgeable about more old school and underground forms of House and Techno. He was working with many people before but we liked working together so much and I think both taught each other a lot that we try and work together as much as possible. We both kept missing each other the last 6 months due to touring commitments so that’s why there has been a bit of a gap in our releases of late. To be honest the only reason I haven’t put something out on my own is time. I run secretsundaze, I set up The Secret Agency with 13 artists and I DJ a lot. Making music well takes time and also the fact Martin and I have had such a good reaction I prefer to carry on working together.

Q. What can the people of Manchester expect when they come to see you play at Content on Friday July 2nd?

I really don’t like to say too much or describe how I play. I like quite a cross section of stuff in the House and Techno area from moody deep stuff to some more garagey vocal House from the past to more atmospheric Detroit stuff. It really depends on my mood and of course the club and atmosphere to an extent.

Q. If someone said they were going to take your record collection away but allow you to keep 5 records, which 5 would you choose?

I couldn’t answer this. Have so many records it of course depends on the mood. For sure I love “The Morning Factory” by Ron and Chez which we re – released on secretsundaze and also “The Saga of The Evil Queen” by Larry Heard. These were the 2 respective final tracks from my mixes on secretsundaze Volume’s 1 and 2 so are pretty special to me but there are so many more.

Q. What are your other interests outside of music?

I like film, mainly more underground art house foreign films as opposed to the big Hollywood blockbusters. Also very into fashion or I should say “style” (which doesn’t ever go out of “fashion”). I used to work in fashion before but it’s true it’s a very cut throat, competitive and bitchy industry. I guess I like beautiful things full stop be that beautifully shot films, well cut clothes or last but not least music that makes me feel something.

Q. The world is currently trying to recover from a global recession; Britain is adjusting to a new government and, during these trying times, surely faces many more challenges ahead. Which leads me to my next important question, what is your favourite type of sausage?

That’s a very easy question for me to answer. Newmarket where I am from easily produce the best sausages! My father used to buy them every Saturday and they have the Royal Warrant on them. They are a special blend and a bit spicy.

Thanks for your time Giles. See you THIS FRIDAY at the Roadhouse!!

Tickets for this Friday are available online or in Piccadilly Records and Eastern Bloc, on sale at the stupendous price of £6 advance. Tickets are selling well for this!

http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?172212

http://www.skiddle.com/events/11376677/

To get into the mood for what is promising to be a wicked party, we have a few mixes from Giles. Check the links below.

FREE GILES SMITH AUDIO FAMILIES DOWNLOAD

FREE GILES SMITH RESIDENT ADVISOR MIX DOWNLOAD

If you’ve never been to Content, and wanted an idea of the vibe, feel free to take a peek at the videos below.

SASCHA DIVE @ CONTENT

KENNY LARKIN @ CONTENT



That’s all from us. Hope to see some of you down at the club this Friday x

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GILES SMITH (SECRETSUNDAZE) - 02.07.10

[ Thursday, June 10, 2010 | 0 comments ]


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FRANCK ROGER - 04.06.10

[ Tuesday, May 25, 2010 | 0 comments ]
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DELANO SMITH - UK EXCLUSIVE

[ Thursday, April 22, 2010 | 0 comments ]

As we move towards the summer, we take things on a more deep and groovy vibe by bringing you one of Detroit's unsung stars: Delano Smith.

Inspired and mentored by the motor city's answer to Larry Levan - the late great Ken Collier, Delano began to perfect the art of DJing in the late 70's playing disco in various underground clubs around the city. Then, in the early 80's a new sound emanating from further down the Interstate 94 in Chicago began to catch Smith's attention. That sound was house music. Delano was there throughout the birth of Detroit's own house music scene and held residencies at some of it's early clubs before bowing out of the arena to pursue a career in the computer industry just as the Music Institute opened it's doors in 1987.

Then, almost a decade later in the mid nineties, the house bug bit again and the inescapable lure of a life in music drew Delano towards two old friends, Mike Clarke and Norm Talley, with whom he set up the now infamous Beat Down Sounds crew. Together they were responsible for some legendary parties and were also chief contributors to the highly respected Detroit Beatdown compilation released on London based label Third Ear Recordings. It was around this time that Delano started his own Mixmode imprint with Tony Foster and began to increase his production output with subsequent releases on Still Music, Sushitech, Third Ear and Undertones, all of which have received widespread critical praise.

Having been behind the wheels for more than 30 years, Delano's DJ sets are smooth and effortless - encompassing deep sounds, filled with funk and as you would expect from one of Motown's children, drenched in soul. Do not miss this rare EXCLUSIVE UK gig and Manchester debut of a true underground hero.
£7 advance tickets - special price!
Purchase them from HERE
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07th May | DELANO SMITH | The Roadhouse, MCR | UK Exclusive!

[ Friday, April 9, 2010 | 0 comments ]
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