We meet Greg Holland to find out more about the club tipped for big things in 2008
If you have wondered which clubs will make it big in 2008, chances are you've heard of Detroit Public Radio. From its humble beginnings in a student pub, the club is now attracting plenty of attention at its monthly Music Box residency. With an exciting party lined up for 15th February, we thought it was a good time to find out the score...
1) Can you describe the night for people who might not have heard of it before?
The night is a mixture of a soundsystem and live bands, cosmic house and a bit of techno, with Chicago and Detroit influences. The music comes from our soundsystem, which comprises the Spandex DJs (3 DJs playing cosmic disco and house sets through guitar-effects pedals and analog mixing desks to create a warmer tone) and Spandex Valley, a three piece cosmic-disco-house-punk-funk band who create soaring jams of four to the floor disco bliss. Spandex Valley are actually in the studio at the moment recording their first EP and they have been named as number one band to watch in 2008 by Piccadilly Records. Then there is Adam Chumps who makes all our artwork and his comic, Chump Mag, and Lisa Stannard who screen-prints Spandex Valley artwork and Chumps artwork onto t-shirts and dresses for us. You can find out more about them by checking them out on our MySpace, where they're our top friends. All these people make up Detroit Public Radio and that is why we do it - because we have so much support and inspiration from our creative friends.
2) How did the night get started?
We started at the Rampant Lion about a year and a half, where we did a leaving party for a friend. At that point it was just one DJ and the band, Spandex Valley. Everyone was blown away and said we should do more so we carried on putting on parties at the Rampant Lion until they got big enough to take over to the Music Box. And from there we’ve sprung over to Ruby Lounge as well, where we put on a night called Chump which has live funk, soul and disco bands.
3) Why did you choose that name?
We saw a website called that for a real radio station called Detroit Public Radio and we thought it fit what we were doing. The house, the bands that always play, the DJ samplesets we do – it all comes down from the people who were making house and techno music in Detroit.
4) What have you got lined up for this month’s party?
This month we’ve got Jamal Moss. There was a venue in Chicago called The Music Box, funnily enough, and that’s where the original Chicago house sound came from. There was an original pioneer of Chicago house called Ron Hardy and he has true descendents who he taught the style to. The last of these was Jamal Moss – the last disciple of Ron Hardy.
5) Your flyer says ‘Members Only’...
Members Only is just another name that Jamal Moss goes under. He makes reedits of disco tunes which he puts out under that name.
6) What was your favourite highlight of last year?
One of the best parties was just before Christmas. We had Spandex Valley playing a live set and Pendle Coven, who are on Modern Love Records, playing a live electronic set with all their drum machines and synths. It was absolutely packed and there was an amazing vibe.
7) What kind of crowd do you attract?
An older crowd, really. It’s not studenty – it’s people in their early twenties through to people in their thirties who are into disco, soul and house music. It’s people who are well into their records!
8) Which other nights in Manchester are you into at the moment?
Not a great deal, really. Hoya Hoya’s coming up from our friends at Sketch City (23rd Feb), that should be good. I’ve been to a few Warehouse Project nights but I’m not really into it – it’s not a great vibe, it’s not a warm, close-knit vibe, it’s just a big hole. There are interesting nights, I suppose, but I’m not really interested in them.
9) Anything else exciting coming up that you’d like us to know about?
At the end of March we’ve got Firecracker Records down from Scotland to do a showcase at one of our nights and then the last night in April we’ve got Kid 606, which is a very big deal!
Detroit Public Radio
Music Box
Friday 15th Feb
10pm – 4am
£7
http://www.myspace.com/detroitpublicradio
Comments
18/06/2008 by Julie
I completely agree with sir Gregg Hollands' quote above re: your favourite highlight of last year:
I thought the night was beltin with as you say a proper vibe, Spandex Valley were well cheeky and Pendle Coven got me a bit giddy with their 303 squelching in me head! Proper idiots....awesome!
As for fat old bald men...they get me well horny!
Any plans to invite those chaps back and get silly this year? I dont think they were bald or fat, but if they were I wouldn't have noticed, coz they knew how their s**t!
Rated 5 out of 5
19/04/2008 by Alvin T. Thwomp
Detroit public radio is a steamer! and possible the least most boring night ive ever been to. Last time we all went dressed up as fat old bald men and it was mint!
Rated 5 out of 5
10/03/2008 by greg
Tim, boring people such as youself, get bored easier than most.
...and harrison, i cant see your point in regards to the picadilly records recommendation.
Rated 5 out of 5
21/02/2008 by matt
Fat old bald men? when was this? i've been to every party since the rampant lion and it's always had a great vibe.
Always cheap as well... which other nights should learn from!
Long live the Spandex crew and the Detroit public radio broadcasts!
x
Rated 4 out of 5
15/02/2008 by tim
this is possibly the most boring night ive ever been to in my life. i'd be surprised if i saw anyone in their 20s at all, it was all fat old bald men as far as the eye could see.
Rated 1 out of 5
15/02/2008 by harson
they wouldn't happen to be bessie mates with piccadilly records would they? their 'top tip for 08' is meaningless as those guys wouldn't recommend anything unless something was in it for them, $ $ for eyes - have they ever covered anything successful from manchester before? no. no they've not. mancAD you should interview them about this
Rated 1 out of 5
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