The East End Film Festival kicks off next Wednesday 27th April in London. Its the tenth anniversary and our good friends Carl Barat and Jon McClure are involved.
The festival opens with the World Premiere gala screening of Roger Sargent’s ‘The Libertines – There are No Innocent Bystanders’.
Who is Roger you might ask? he’s been described as one of Britain’s most important photographers, having snapped many of those iconic photos associated with The Libertines. The documentary is a revealing access all areas with Carl Barat, Pete Doherty,John Hassall and Gary Powell when they got together in 2010 for the band’s reunion.
If you’re down in Brick Lane over over the bank holiday, don’t miss the exhibition of Roger Sargent’s photographs in Spitalfields Market.
I’ve been mostly working towards getting some vocal stuff out in 2011(artists are long), but I do have two instrumental EP’s dropping very soon. Check out the early preview of the first below.
Just Geo – The Milky Way EP 1. Deus Ex Machina
2. Milky Way
3. Galactus
4. Dark Matter
That is dropping in February on MVN Audio, and for those who don’t already know about me make sure you go and check out Under The Influence which is out right now.
Second EP is pretty different to the above and it’s called FTW, I’ll be releasing a whole heap of information about that in the near future…(no point telling people about two EP’s at once) …but for now here’s a clip of Boy Better Know spitting over one of the forthcoming beats.
Also I’ve started raping my soundcloud with random audio, so make sure you regularly check it out for stuff like old vocals from 2003-2007 to new bangers.. or just stuff that has no purpose.
In fact here’s something random I made that has me slightly gassed…
The NME AWARDS TOUR starts in exactly two weeks from today in Glasgow on the 3rd of February with an amazing line-up – needless to say we are very excited. Magnetic Man, Crystal Castles, Everything Everything and The Vaccines are playing thirteen dates all over the country (Tour dates below).
Here’s the video for new Magnetic Man track ‘Getting Nowhere’ as a bit of a taster:
Full UK Tour + many more London dates with amazing artists like Carl Barat, White Lies, Yuck and many more…
More info here
Have you ever thought to yourself ‘I wish I could work with some of UK’s best MC’s or Rappers’? Or as a fan, ‘Imagine if Tempa T vocaled Pulse X or Dot Rotten rapped over Spartan‘? Well this new project we’re involved in is JUST FOR YOU!
This New Year sees the launch of Volume Control, a new, original and dynamic project bought to you by Underground Journalist Hyperfrank & Roundhouse’s creative centre. Every edition will bring you the hottest established, as well as up and coming, acts. Music lovers will get a chance to choose what these acts will spit fire over/make a track from. Productions with a choice will range from exclusive content, classic instrumentals and a few wild cards thrown in there (to test the acts on the mic). We at Boxfresh are also excited to be involved as brand sponsor for the first volume, paving the way in fresh style.
The first edition sees Dot Rotten, well known for his Rotten Riddims and vicious flow, step up to take on 3 hectic but very different productions. Dizzee Rascal’s classic Wheel , producer of Tempa T’s Next Hype, Darq E Freaker comes with a remix of one of the best beats of 2010 – It’s Sparta. The last is from Beat Geeks, a production team from Nottingham, who bring their grimey hiphop influenced production forward with Nightmare. With many vibrant artists & producers already on board for future volumes, make sure you get your vote in so your voice isn’t on mute.
Get involved by voting over at: HYPERFRANK
Voting ends – 9.1.11
TOTR fav’s Fuzzy Logic have released their debut E.P “Goodtimesdotcometh”.
Boasting six tracks there is something for everyone on this E.P and trust me when I say there are some absolute gems. There is even a feature from the talented Roses Gabor.
Personal fav’s: Armhouse and Drunk mans speech.
To get your dirty mitts on the E.P you can download it here from iTunes, also to keep up to date with the bands shenanigans follow them on Twitter @FuzzyLogic_Baby.
With the Grime scene currently enjoying success on various platforms, it may be hard for some to look past the obvious achievements of the artists currently basking in the mainstream glow, however behind them we have a flourishing independent movement of DJ’s, producers, artists, and of course labels. I shouldn’t really have to point out how important it is to have these independent record labels putting out good grime music, but start ups such as Pitch Controllers, Butterz, Oil Gang Records, and many more, are breathing new life into the Grime scene.
So for that reason I had a chat with Simon from Oil Gang to find out about his upcoming releases, what to expect next, and the future of the label.
For those who don’t already know, Who is Oil Gang? What do you do?
I’m just a fan of the music. I was running out of Grime records to buy so decided to set my own label up to put some more out there. Too many good tunes don’t get released or get lost in free promo’s so I think its a good thing there are a few labels about at the minute promoting the tunes properly and getting them in the shops. It’s a lot more expensive than putting an order in with Chemical Records or somewhere but it’s addictive and easily worth it when you get the finished vinyl.
How did you get the name Oil Gang?
It’s just the name of an old computer game, I liked the sound of it and thought it worked as a label name so used it.
You’ve already released one EP from DJ Spooky, and there’s another on the way. How did you start working with him, and what’s it like?
I met Spooky in Uptown Records, they used to put on promo events for the release of a new CD and I just got chatting to him about Grime and Arsenal and then when I started DJing on Urban FM I got sent a few tunes from him. After I decided that I was going to put out some records I went through a load of his tunes and picked out what was eventually on the Murderer EP. The vinyl for that sold really well, ‘Murderer’, ‘The Devil Within’ and the ‘Iron Gates’ remix got played out by people like DJ EZ, Starkey & Spyro and D Double E vocaled ‘The Devil Within’ on his track ‘Bassline Murder’. I’m really pleased the label is putting out his music as I think he is writing the best Grime out at the moment. It’s proper raw Grime, nothing is watered down and I don’t think I will ever get bored of hearing tunes like ‘Over Capacity’ and the ‘Iron Gates’ remix.
What else have you got planned for the future of Oil Gang Records?
I have just sorted an EP with Darq E Freaker which has got some amazing tunes on it and they should start appearing in sets soon. Then there is the Darkside EP with Spooky, that one has got a few delays but hopefully it all gets sorted as its a really strong EP. If you have heard ‘Main Stage’ or ‘Darkside’ out then you will know what sick tunes they are. Those will both be out early 2011, after that, who knows? Send me demo’s!
Well, its quite a small scene and you see the same people at a lot of the events so I have just met a lot of the producers out at nights. Other than that I chat to people on Soundcloud, Myspace and get tunes through there or I download free EP’s put up on Grime Forum to see if there is anything I like. I first heard mistayif – Fortress Riddim in the Studio section on Grime Forum and then got in touch with him through Soundcloud, same with Splurt, I first heard his productions on the free Vomit EP downloads he put out on Grime Forum. So yeah, for radio or a mix its just tunes I am into at the moment. Even though i only do one show a fortnight I still get through loads of songs and so I’m always buying new bits that are out or finding new stuff to play.
What do you feel are the main influences on the sound of the label and your radio show?
With regards to what I would actually want to sign and put out then its either got to be really hype Grime that works out in the clubs or something like ‘Rhythm & Slags’ or ‘The Return VIP (Mega Refix)’, those are two bugged out, proper mental tunes. Just stuff that I like and think works as a strong EP, I’m not looking at getting other genres to remix the songs; I would prefer to put out 100% Grime and get DJ’s from other genres to play that in their sets. I’m just going to stick to signing music that I love and not worry about what I think other people want. With Splurt’s ‘The Return VIP (Mega Refix)’ I didn’t expect that to get the response it has got but I really wanted it for the EP so put it on there anyway. I thought it would be too much for most people but its been getting a really good reaction from DJs and is in Starkey’s current Top 10.
I can tell straight away if a tune is right for the label. With ‘Over Capacity’ I woke up one Saturday and noticed I had been sent a new folder of Spooky tunes so had a listen and I was texting him asking to sign the tune about 10 seconds after I heard the drop. Same thing with this new Darq E Freaker tune I have signed called ‘Running’. I was round his studio the other day listening through loads of his music and as soon as it dropped I new I wanted it for the EP. I can’t wait to start hearing this other Darq E Freakers song ‘The Queen of Hoxton’ from the same EP out in raves, its mental. Spooky gets all of the Oil Gang music first so go check him out at some of the raves he is booked for in December to have a listen or lock into his radio show on Urban FM.
With the radio show I do with Slackk I can play a good variety of Grime. It stars at 11 in the morning on a Sunday which isn’t when most people want to listen to Grime so we start off a bit slower and play some of the more melodic stuff, then by 12 it starts getting more hectic. Its good fun, people in the chatroom are hungover, we’re hungover but after half an hour I am usually awake and ready to play a load of hype Grime.
Who are you feeling in the Grime scene right now (producers and mc’s)?
Producer wise Spooky is easily the best in the scene, every batch of music he sends me has got an EP’s worth of amazing music in it. Darq E Freaker is another producer who has got a really strong sound and for me him and Spooky are writing what I want to hear from Grime, I get the same reaction listening to their music as I did when I heard ‘Champion VIP’, ‘Strung Up VIP’ or ‘Pied Piper’. I also really rate Splurt who writes this heavy, completely fucked up Grime. Other than those three I like music by Darkos, Exo Remedy, D.O.K, Terror Danjah, Jack Daniels, Deset, Mr.Mitch, mistayif, Geo, J Beatz, SRC, Nu Klea, Faze Miyake, Smurf Beatz, Moony, Rude Kid, Scrufizzer, Teeza & Royal-T. They are all writing amazing tunes.
The MC’s who I am listening to at the moment are Rival, Merky Ace, Kozzie, Marger & Scrufizzer. They are all doing something fresh, aren’t watering it down and are all really good live as well. I also listen to whatever Dot Rotten, Newham Generals, Crazy Titch, P Money, Big H and Wiley put out.
Who would you most like to work with or put out material from?
If I could put out an EP by anyone it would be Waifer. Him, Rapid, Wiley and Oddz have put out some of my favourite tunes. I don’t think he is still writing Grime and I have no contact details for him so I can’t see it happening unfortunately.
What else have you got in the pipeline?
Its only me running the label so I can’t plan too far ahead with releases. I am just going to get the Darq E Freaker and Spooky EP’s sorted and then start looking for some more songs I rate. I am aiming at getting 5 EPs out next year, it depends on how quick they sell and whether I can sign more tunes I like. The Quadrant EP is out next month so hopefully that gets the same reaction as the Murderer EP did and then I can get on with the next two, I know a lot of people have been waiting to get hold of ‘Rhythm & Slags’ so I am expecting it to sell well.
Any events we can catch you at in the near future?
I don’t really play out that often to be honest. I enjoy doing the odd set and the last two I did were at the new No Hats No Hoods night in Old St and at Wifey in Dalston. Those are my two favourite nights in London at the moment so check them out if you get a chance.
Any shouts?
Yeah, I would like to say thanks to all the people who have helped me sorting everything out: Spooky, Jackmaster and everyone at Rubadub, Slackk, Elijah & Skilliam from Butterz and Magic & Reecha from No Hats No Hoods. They have all helped me with the process of setting up the label or giving me ideas and second opinions on the music.
Anything else you wanna mention?
Check out the Soundcloud page www.soundcloud.com/oil-gang to see what’s forthcoming on the label and to send me music. Catch me and Slackk DJing on www.sub.fm every other Sunday from 11am-1pm.
New music and footage of Adele recording her next album entitled ‘21′ which is due for release in Jan 2011 on XL recordings.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything new from the Grammy award winner and to be honest it’s been long overdue. I think the music “scene” on a whole has missed her, I am thoroughly excited about her pending new material.
What are your thoughts on the track “rolling in the deep”?
A track called Wishery, comprising vocal syllables, musical chords and sound effects recorded from the 1937 Disney classic Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. Enjoy!
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