barrybreaks

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About me
So what's the story,eh? Okay, First things first- For me I got a great life right now....why? Because as you can probably guess i'm a Vinyl addict/Deejay. The best thing about being a Deejay is watching people smile and having a great time, and the feeling of supreme happiness, when i'm spinning the funk and being a part of the togetherness that brings everyone to the dancefloor. Most of my friends are involved in the music scene in one form or another, a lot of wholm I've known for practically my whole life, music has always been around me. I grew up in East Kilbride, Scotland on a diet of rock music as my dad is fanatical about Led Zepplin, The Rolling Stones, etc. so the impact of hearing loud drums probably had a profound effect on me during my first years! Matter of fact my parents even went to watch "The Poet's" when i was a baby (eat that break dj shadow!) so to me it's actually the most important thing in my life.I have to admit though, my parents bought me an old david soul record that i loved when i was four, apparently, so i had a long way to go! When i was 12 years old I was really bitten by the electro-hip-hop bug, dubbing copies of the classic Electro-series tapes, that were already fourth hand copies. my dad hated hip hop, so i knew i was onto a winner! All of my friend's shared the same enthusiasm so it was always a race to cop the best stuff, that lead me on to the longest relationship i've had with anything. records. it's always really been about vinyl, I've always loved records.
The first record i actually bought with my own money was "Straight Out The Jungle" by The Jungle Brothers, it was such a breath of fresh air - for a diy record i couldn't believe it was so seamlessly put together, a proper album, and not a bad first purchase! I then moved down to Frome, England then spent the next period of my life buying records, drinking, skateboarding, trading up records (TK421, where you at?), listening to ultramagnetic mc's and partying and buying more records! I was heads down looking for hip-hop, nothing else interested me musically during that time. then one day, one of my friends passed me a copy of "52 beats" BY DJ Kid Capri and that was it.Hearing him cut up classic funk and rock breaks from every notable hip hop track, sliced and doubled over two sides of a d90, i knew that there was trouble ahead, i had to have all these records so i took a trip to New York and bought a ton of funk records- seeking out all the old Ultimate Breaks & Beats stuff, which opened me up to so many genre's of music that i would have "flicked by" in the crates- my habit for buying records really snowballed out of control from there! I thought, if i get all these records i'd be satisfied because i'd have it all.Hah! As time went on and all the obvious bases were covered, i was getting really bored of looking for the generic "breaks" and was beginning to look out for new things to play, i started to focus my attention towards finding original funky sounds from any genre, heavy-duty cover versions (crowd pleaser's if you will)- but with the heavy funk backing and rock solid breaks to play out and keep the crowd dancing.And tough modern beats that work well with the old stuff. Which is where i am today.Anyways, I've been playing-out for about 15 years now, beginning my trade at the near infamous Frome Festival, (Farmyardeez!!!!)...! Met some really inspirational guys; Patch, Gino, and Spye from Bristol-legends Undivided Attention who gave me an insight to how much work and effort you have to put in, and i gained a ton of confidence to just go out and give it my best to entertain the crowd.
Since those heady days, i've continued apace with a myriad of local parties in the North-Somerset area, noteably "twats disko" with snipe, which probed the links between dark graffiti-art and 80's no wave sound, in a church undercroft! I also co-organised a successful club night "Tighten Up" with Chris Gringo that ran for a year in Frome and roped in fellow mates Pazza & Trimmz and Rich B for dj support,with the emphasis on good-time sounds, fun behind-the-turntables with the deejay's on a mission to out-do each other with the fattest beats and dancing, the likes of which haven't been seen since in the town (cheers then mendip council!) many classic nights were had that are never to be forgotten, in addition I've supported a variety of acts from Bristol Hip-Hop crew Aspects, Original Funk-Pioneer Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, to Dirty Beatnicks, Gringo Ska and Propellerhead's Will White (also Glastonbury Festival several times!) I am pretty well known in my area as the guy with the obscure/rare records, and I pride myself on my "digging skills",(too many quid bin miracles to mention!) and I've been fortunate enough to have travelled all over the world in hot pursuit of new and exotic sounds, and have found amazing records in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, New Zealand to name but a few, which really opened me up to the fact that world music didn't mean- world muzak, the shit peddled by peter gabriel etc, but an infinate pool of funky music waiting to be discovered. I think it's important to play what you find, and not resorting to played out anthems, however I understand that if you're playing abstract beats to two trainspotters, and the crowd is getting pissed off, then you've missed the whole point.I've learned that to be adaptable is essential. No matter how smart you think you are as a deejay, that you have all the funk-in-the-box- someone will always ask for the abba record. My answer is always" yeah sure, i'll play it next"....!? Also it's not about throwing thousands of pounds at record dealers! Lazy and Wack! Admittedly, I have occassionally succumbed if it's the right record, and if there is something that i'm missing occasionally i may make the occasional big offer (Big up yerself Mark Res!) But there have been so many amazing discoveries in the world of funk, and a constant supply of 5 quid a pop amazing nu-funk by the likes of the dap-kings, quantic soul orchestra, the new mastersounds etc. that dj's playing that stuff now are being shamed as lazy and too eager to please the ignorant crowd! Also, it's cool to be heads down in the crates looking for 60's funk only, but there's a bigger world out there, personally over the last few years I've been blown away by the likes of Fort Knox five, and the All Good Funk Alliance etc, taking over from where the Bronx dogs etc. left over, making quality funk breaks that really shred up the modern dancefloor, and compliment the old funk, boogaloo and latin stuff etc. From this point in time in my opinion, the production levels seem to be going off the hook, with new hot acts such as Featurecast, Rephrase, the Q Dup Foundation, BombStrikes records, Goodgroove records, and the Basement Freaks among many others set to blow up, and take the old funky sound into the future. Big plans are currently underway with a fantastic venue on the South coast of England, where I'm teaming up with Simon@Product 23 to showcase the future funk sound, and dj's/bands that we love to fans and a new audience alike, watch out- it will blow up for sure... (rant over!)

Music A to Z
All Good Funk Alliance,Bob Crewe Generation,Coleman Brothers,Dap kings,Erule,Fort Knox Five,Groove Collective,Hopeton Lewis,INI,Joe Bataan,Kraak & Smaak,Loading Zone,Mexican Institute of Sound,Nickodemus,One Gee Plus Three,Pyramids,Quantic,Red Astaire,Skatalites,Tommy McCook,Ultramagnetic MC's,Van Halen,Whatnauts,X Clan,Young MC,ZZ Hill Etc. Etc.
Mix CD
Barnyard Funk (2004) Jimi Mendips Experience Recordings- Funk Compilation (out of Print) The Hector Ramirez Review (2006) 43a Recordings -Latin Funk Mix (Out of Print) Currently working on New C.D, due for end of 2007
Who I would like to meet
Anyone with NICE records for sale, Premium-salaried Party needers, and anyone else into the Funk!?
Interests
Digging for beats, buying records, and working out ways to get the next bunch of records through the door. Being PAID to deejay at parties, International Travel, Records and being paid, because records and International travel are a ball ache if you're skint!!
Current Top 10 Party Starters/Old and New (no specific order)
Tal M Klein- houston brownwater moccasin (B Team remix)
Mael Z Trom- Mash Da Peaz
Beat Vandals & A Skillz- Sunshine
50 Artoo- Wookie Funk
Rephrase- Chase the tail (All Good Funk Alliance Remix)
Percy Sledge- Stand By Me (DJ Czech Mix)
Qdup Foundation- Get Ready (AMac On A bassline Mix)
Parov Stelar- Wanna Get it
Unknown- California Soul (Big M Bootie Remix)
All-Time Top 10 Hip Hop Party Rockers (no specific order)
Ultramagnetic Mc's- Message from the Boss
Most Wanted- Calm Down
Pete Rock & CL Smooth- The Creator
Lakim Shabazz-When You See The Devil (Smash Him)
Demon Boyz-Recognition
London Posse-My Beatbox Reggae Style
Kaos- Let's Dance
Eric B & Rakim- Juice
Main Source- Peace is Not The Word To Play
del The funkee Homosapian- mistadobolina (remix)
Top 10 45's, (any era/genre)
Willie rosario- Shining Knight
Pyramids- Enjoy Yourself
Flying Fish- Mr Matawe
Ernie & The Top Notes- The Dap Walk
Latin Breed- I turn you On
Kingsmen- Louie, Louie
Mohawks- The Champ
Paul McCartney- Let 'em In
Sharon jones & the Dap Kings- just dropped in....
Trio Moccoto- Nao Adiata
Label art

*Hector Ramirez review Mix- barrybreaks CD Logo Artwork (43a Recordings)2006
This was a promotional c.d comissioned by several local business's in frome, to represent the Frome Festival 2006, where I was one of the resident dj's. I decided that as it was in the high-summer and the days were long and warm, i'd be basing my set around some puerto rican funk bombs that i had in my crate, as you do! Copies of this flew out as a freebie, (man of the people) and due to a tragic oversight in the ensuing flurry of dispersal I didn't even have one left over for myself!
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