Meet the Remixers

So as you may know, there are a few folk out there who have agreed to remix songs from the Lighting and Electrical album.

The remix process is exactly the same regardless of the remixer. It all begins with either myself, Anna or Cam drunkenly acosting some poor unsuspecting soul who has made the grave mistake of displaying a modicum of musical talent whilst we happen to be within earshot. After a period of badgering (usually in stereo) the poor buggers are sufficiently weary and tearfully agree to get involved. Ha!

Then, after several weeks of promising faithfully that 'I'll do it tonight!', I eventually get around to burning a CD of badly labelled and hugely disorganised WAV files that (allegedly) contain all the component parts of the songs necessary to construct a remix. After carrying this CD around in my bag for another week or two I eventually send it, accompanied only with a scribbled note that says 'Hi there. New tune to remix. Have fun! Can you have it done by Wednesday? Did I mention there was no money involved? Ok? Byeeeeee!!!!!!!!'

When the CD arrives the remixer gets cracking. Simple, really.

'A remix, yeah? For Friends of the Stars? Micheal Fucking Jackson! I'm in.'

At the moment there are several remix tunes on the boil and it's all very exciting, I must say. TeaTowel have got two cooking, including a stunning 7 minute Krautrock-tastic take on our track "The Frequency of the Word Turtle". Mike Stokes (Bentley Rhythm Ace) is on the case, as is Clutch Daisy (X [isgreaterthan] Y) and there are, of course, a few others who have yet to receive CDs from me. At this stage, only one remix is available to hear on our myspace thingum, and that's from Manchester's finest folktronica twiddlers Lee Andrews & Rob Hyde (Mum & Dad), but there are more in the post!

Anyroad, we thought it might be fun to post some information about these people. The reason being that our main criteria for us asking these people to remix us in the first place was that their music is wildy different to ours and so, by extention, they are probably wildy different people to us, leading wildy different lives.......all of which should lead us to some wildly different remixes. Do you see??

So with a view to providing you said insight, I emailed a remixer last week to find out what they were up to over the coming weekend. Incidentally, the remixer does not wish to be named as he's scared of the internet, but by way of a clue for the more eagle-eyed readers amongst you, I can reveal that he lives in Manchester and his name isn't Lee......Here's the fanstastic, tongue-in-cheek (i think!) Barleytastic response I received:

The weekend starts at 4 this afternoon, when I'll be picking upthe chaz from Kelvin in the new rockabilly electro cafe downstairs. Then some last minute tune-shopping before meeting some DJ mates in the northern quarter to talk about DJing. Then I'll start DJing about 10, in a new members bar exclusively for DJs, by DJs.

Leaving there about 5, I'll flex back home with some chick, also a DJ, and DJ before having rigourous sex (in steady 4/4 time). She'll wake me up with a kick-ass breakbeat set, before taking it downtempo through the afternoon. We'll nip out to pick up a few tunes, perhaps some mild beat-digging if there's time.

Then, on to a party (taking a bag of tunes along, as if people know what kind of music to play at parties! Anyway, I'll be bored otherwise.) After tearing the roof off (of course) it's back home to bed.

Sunday, mainly reordering records alphabetically (Think it's theKompact section's turn) and changing the 'record of the week' on my wall (dudes love that stuff). Bit of banter on the Underground Resistance forum and then probably have some mates over for one of my famous 'Sunday sessions' in the garden. Proper fucking balearic tackle.

Shaping up to be awesome, as ever.

Wow, eh? What exciting lives the Friends of the Stars remixers lead! It's a wonder they find the time to knock our stuff into shape, innit.

xxxx