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Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’!
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Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme!
Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works.
Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain!
Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September!
NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases!
Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup!
Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast!
Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music!
SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023!
The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023!
NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music!
Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project
The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22!
A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden
Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma
Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino
New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik!
PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records!
Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters!

Interview with the Cheshire Catz

Reported by HarderFaster / Submitted 26-08-04 14:36

In the run up to the final Bank Holiday this year, and the madness that is the 4th Annual Riot! Carnival, we decided to pin down the Funky House duo that are the Cheshire Catz (well Dan anyway), to find out a little more about their infamous house parties and their own inimitable take on house music…

Q1: I know you're probably asked every time, but just how did you meet?

A: We met at an after-party in Brixton. I was DJing and Jon kept coming up to the booth asking if he could put a record on. He didn't have any with him - he just lunged into my bag and pulled something out! We ended up playing back to back until 9am - that was the start of all this. Why didn't I just say no?

The Cheshire Catz



Q2: In the tradition of great double acts - who is the straight one?

A: We are both very, very silly indeed. Our silliness knows no bounds. But when it comes to house music we can sometimes be a little too serious and we have to stop ourselves and give each other a slap! We even have our own short-hand sign language behind the decks for when we are lost in the mix. The most popular of which is an elaborate hand movement which means 'DESIST! GET YOUR HANDS OFF THE MIXER!'


Q3: What one song would you have most liked to have written or produce?

A: It's a little known 2-year old track called The Rock by Punx. A synth-driven slice of emotional tough techy dirty twisted funk – an end of set Catz stormer. It sounds like it was made by aliens. The bassline just tears it up - wraa wraa wra wraa wra-wra wraaaaa!!!!!


Q4: What Producer has had the biggest impact on your sets this year?

A: Oooooh that's hard. But if I had to name one producer that has featured in our sets more than any other this year it would be Eric Prydz. We try to keep our sets really varied though and you won't hear the anthems that all the other DJs are caning. We also play around with a lot of the tunes - re-editing them to fit our sets or extending the breakdowns.


Q5: Your called the Cheshire Catz because you live on Cheshire Street. If you lived on Hackney High Rd, what would you have called yourselves?

A: We would have moved Smile


Q6: It a little known rumour people tend to get hurt at your parties! What's the worst injury ever sustained?

A: That's a vicious horrible rumour! No-one has sustained a (serious) injury at a Cheshire street session. Ahem.


Q7: If you had one party left to play ever - where and what would it be?

A: RIOT at The End of course! Without Riot or the Ignition DJs, we wouldn't be where we are today. And I must mention Matthew Duffield of Sedition DJs, our agency - The D-Meister knows the score.


Q8: What annoys you the most about the other?

A: Jon really hates the fact that my mixing is far superior to his. He hasn't quite got the hang of the internet yet either so it's unlikely he'll read this Smile


Q9: What's been your most memorable gig and why?

A: Probably the Riot Warehouse party in June last year, which was our first proper set as the Catz really apart from a few bar gigs and Cheshire Street Sessions of course. The Catz had arrived!


Q10: What was the track that made you fall in love with Dance Music?

A: Cool answer: French Kiss by Lil Louis, or Go by Moby. Honest answer: naked in the rain, by Blue Pearl!


Q11: What's your record of the year so far?

A: Cheshire Catz - Powercutz!


Q12: Speaking of Powercutze we understand when you were working on this your first track in the Turnmills Studio there was a power cut while you were laying down the lead sound - hence the track is called Powercutz. If this hadn't happened, what would you have called the track?

A: We've made a lot of re-edits, a couple of bootlegs and remixes so far but this is our first original Catz track. Yeah, we were wiring in an old 303 - the original acid house bass line generator - turned it on and everything went dark! We lost about an hour of recorded stuff which was annoying at the time but it worked out fine in the end. And we did manage to get a really sexy 303 stab in there with loads of echo on the top. We were thinking about calling it Primecutz, as a nod to our studio engineer, Dave Parkinson, as he is one half of hard trance pioneers Prime Mover. Dave is a completely gifted engineer and a lovely guy - we are really lucky to be working with him and have learned a lot.

The Catz at Work


Q13: What's your favourite memory of partying at Bar Riot?

A: The first time we played - in November 2003 - it was about an hour into our set - we were just starting to get over our nerves and really enjoy it. We dropped David by Gus Gus - the Darren Emerson mix - and when the bass line rolled in (on that fantastic sound system in the End) the place started going mental. Jon and I just looked at each other and thought 'right, this is it!' And I glanced round at Tom Real by the side of the booth and I could see him dancing and grinning. Tom has been really supportive of the Catz right from the beginning so to see him enjoying it meant a lot. That was a moment. We'd been clubbers at Riot for over a year so to get behind the decks and rock the house was an incredible feeling.


Q14: This Sunday you'll be bringing the Cheshire Catz magic back to Bar Riot, what else will the pair of you get up to?

A: So far the weekend looks like this:

Friday - finish the b-side to our new EP at the turnmill's studio with Dave - a dirty acid house stomper
Saturday - tune shopping in the morning, in the afternoon going through all the new tunes we've bought recently, and the promos and CDRs we've received over the last couple of weeks - and begin working out a rough set for Riot.
This is our first set for 3 weeks as I've been away in Thailand, so we are itching for some deck time. Oh - and argue and bicker a lot over what to include in our set! When we are planning a Riot set, we do choose certain tunes because of the incredible sound system.
Saturday night - party! UP at the Rhythm Factory maybe? Haven't decided yet!
Sunday - Roast beef and Yorkshire puddings. Then RIOT!!
Monday - recover from Sunday...


Q15: One last question - Will we see you in the MainRoom @ Riot! for a little bit of Dave the Drummer or BK??

A: We've been known to dabble in the dark side, but only for a few minutes and with ear plugs in! I do remember once going to the toilet and stopping at the steps at the top of the main room just to have a look - and left about 45 mins later. Ed Real was completely tearing it up!

You’ve heard what they have to say now hear what they have to play at one almighty humdinger of a bank holiday bash at the unbeatable and always special Riot!




RIOT! The Perfect Weekend
Send an eFlyer for this event to a friend Include this Event in a Private Message Direct link to this Event
On: Sunday 29th August 2004
At: The End [map]

From: 15.00 - Late
Cost: Paying guest list £7 guestlist@riotinlondon.com / £7 Members / £9 on the door
Website: www.riotinlondon.com
Ticket Info: This Event Will Sell Out - Please Arrive Early To Avoid Dissapointment

Paying Guestlist; £7 Before 6pm
E.mail Guestlist@riotinlondon.com Before 26th August
Tax; £7 Members / £9 Non On The Door
Destination; The End, West Central St, London, W1
Time; 1500hrs - Late
More: The stuff legends are made of! Our august bank holiday sunday special is the biggest event of the year for the riot! crew. for the last four years we have brought together a collection of the most up for it party people who have travelled from all over the uk and beyond to raise the roof at our mothership venue the end.

This year we have gone even further to create the most exciting line-up ever at Riot!, with no less than six amazing artists making their debut appearance - this is the next level and we can't wait to see your reaction!

See you on the dancefloor, Ed Real & BK
Flyer:
-
Region: London
Music: Hard Trance. Funky House. Hard House. Funky Techno. Breaks.
DJ's: The Mothership;
BK
Ed Real
D.a.v.e. The Drummer Live Final Scratch Debut
Scott Attrill (tidy / Split Records)
Dave Randall (trade)

Bar Riot!;
Leeroy Thornhill Ex Of The Prodigy!
Matt Williams (ignition Dj's)
Cheshire Catz (turnmills)
Urban Life (east London's Best Kept Secret!)
Piqué (peach Funky)

Who's Going? (110) : *antixa*, *Bubbles*, *charlie*!, acidmangakid, Andyking, anushka007, babyred, Beth, Bone-Eta, Brother Adam, bunnykins230, Camden Nurse @ Freeze, Chris Humphreys, clanger, Dan Cheshire Cat, Daniel Reynolds, DDK, Dee, Demented Scriblings, dimitry, djcheekee, DMX, Donna Birt, DR D, Ed Real, eduardo herrera, Elz, emmahardware, Evil Michael, Evil Tart, Frantic Amanda, Frantic Dickon, frantic fan, FunkyFranky, G-whizz, Hard House Hippy, Hard House Lady, hard_house_boy, Harry PT, houseCHICK, Ickle H, Iza, Jessica Alici, Joeyxx, Just-Dee, K.A.R.L., Karl Schmidt, kimba_lee, kojak, Lana M, Larsie, little gem, Little Hayley, littleraver, Lizzie Curious, London_bird, mad.dancer414, MadDog, madjojo, Maria, mark axel, MarkyMark, Matt, Matt Smallwood, Mikey P, MilkNBeansShaun, mimi, Mina, Moonpatrol, Moysey, Nesa, Nicky Hype, papa_lazarou, Petra D-B, pinkE, pk, PrincessTw!steduk, Rascal, Red5, RedCaT, Reece Elliot, richbowenuk, Rosaleen, Seb, Silvertree (Noorie), snowqueen, SpeedFreak, Sue Stripey, sunvisordude, t419kgo, taemas, tasty1, Taty, tender, Terminator, the_thunderbird, Tiger, Tim Ward, Tina, tinkerbell@play, TinyAngel, TWISTEDBITCH, VinDiesel, Violet, WEBBO, Will Frantic, x-ray, Zem, ~deleted5181, ~delted8019 
HF Photographer: Daf HF Reviewer:

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The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
Comments:

From: drm on 26th Aug 2004 22:08.34
Top guys who never fail to put a smile on the crowds face and a skip in their step Thumbs up

From: The Scene on 27th Aug 2004 07:09.20
Didn't get a chance to hear these guys before I left for Oz. I look forward to catching them when I get back, they sound right up my street Smile

From: timmyd9 on 27th Aug 2004 08:25.39
Fantastic guys, fantastic music, evvvviiillll house parties Razz

From: Lizzie Curious on 27th Aug 2004 10:08.40
look forward to hearing another wikkid set at Riot! nice one!

From: BottleofWater on 27th Aug 2004 13:29.14
You will love them Ben, they are cracking and have a fine ability to drop tunes that other DJs wouldn't dream of playing.

From: Frantic Amanda on 27th Aug 2004 14:50.00
Nice one boys! Looking forward to hearing some more of that Cheshire Catz magic on Sunday... !

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