11/12/08
Text: Nik Mercer
Dirty Records has been pumping out infectious, immaculately-crafted edits of too many artists, styles, and genres to count for several years now. The collective massive collective, which includes Dirty Sound System, Discodeine, Pilooski, and many more also runs a obscure music blog, ALAIN FINKIELKRAUTROCK and plays loads of parties, clubs, and festivals. So yeah, they're both multi-talented and incredibly busy.
The Dirty Sound System guys fielded some of our questions about the label and what they all do in between promoting its forthcoming edits compilation, Dirty Edits Vol. 2.
The nature of edits is really alluring to me. Some people hate them, some people love them; the legality of them is ambiguous in this day and age; the innate worth of them is sometimes questioned. How do you: (a) license stuff, (b) market your releases, and (c) promote everything?
The edits are bootlegs. We release only 1000 numbered vinyl copies per release; we promote them by sending MP3 files to a roster of DJ's we love... there are no physical promos and the records are sold in some good record shops worldwide (mainly the U.K., Japan, and the U.S.) After numerous vinyl releases, we feel it's time to stop on edits as we don't want to be trapped in any formula... some guys are now throwing "re-edits" parties and it scares us... !
You've put out a pretty sizable number of singles, EPs, compilations... what's the process of selecting what goes on each and who does the actual editing, recording?
We (Dirty Sound System) select the music and tracklist the compilation; Pilooski [edits] the vinyl stuff, and we choose only music that excite us.
I like how you said (under About Dirty Sound System), "we are more selectors than traditional DJ's." What do you mean by that exactly and how does it apply to your live DJ sets and edit production?
It means that we know how to rock a party but we're more music lovers that play records than mix technicians...
What was the catalyst that brought you all together? You all seem to be good friends, but there must have been more than just friendship that convinced you to make a label.
Yes, we're friends [who] all met around 10 years ago. We're also of the same mind frame regarding music and more general culture... we like to experience things, and releasing records is a quite exciting adventure when you're a music lover... !
When it comes to inspiration, who do you look up to? More specifically, who are the DJ's/editors that got you making the stuff you do now?
We love a lot of different things and find them inspirational from Morricone's weirdest soundtracks to early Dancemania stuff, indie rock, sixties pop, weird disco etc... some names: Moondog, Terry Riley (editor's godfather), Arthur Russel, Martin Hanett, Kenny Dixon Jr., Theo Parrish, DJ Harvey, Daniele Baldelli, and so many more...
Lastly, since 2000, you've been playing a tremendous number of gigs. I always imagine it's tough to keep sets fresh... how do you cope with that? Also, do you edit on the spot a la Greg Wilson or do you just play records? I'm always curious about the process of DJ'ing... and noting how it connects to producing and making mixes and edits in the privacy of your own home or studio.
Keeping things fresh for us is just trying to not be trapped by any DJ formula by [always] playing some new and un-obvious things... it's boring to play the same music or genre on and on...
