Sean first off, what an incredible release – ‘Global Guide 09’ that brings us a series showcasing not only the future sounds of 2009, but also a guide to the best clubs on the planet with a rundown of the top three in each major territory to accompany the sounds. What are your favourite tracks on the albums…
“This one is a real corker. We release quite a few compilations at Azuli but this is shaping up to be one of the best. It’s stacked with good tracks but personally I’m a fan of Sebo K’s ‘Diva’ and Sebastian Leger’s ‘Bambou’ is a great track too.”
So Azuli, the UKs longest running house label since a release in 1991 courtesy of Dave Piccioni. It all started with him selling records from the back of a van…
“Dave started Azuli actually back in 89/90. But the first proper release came in 1991. It’s been nearly twenty years now! Azuli is the longest running record label in the UK and possibly the world and with how fickle this business can be it’s not bad going. It’s changed a lot over the last few years, where once it was a vinyl business, now that has all but disappeared and today is a mixture of compilations albums, downloads, events and singles.”
Blackmarket Records which Dave took over in 1990, the best record store we’ve ever had?
“I think many would agree with you. Blackmarket is an institution. Many of the DJs that now claim the top club spots have ether worked or bought records in the shop over the years. There’s not much you can’t find on the shelves of Blackmarket if house or drum bass is your thing. We are actually based above Blackmarket so I’m always in there flicking through tracks.”
You’ve released hundreds of singles and comps by such superstars as David Morales with his dancefloor anthem ‘Needin’ U, plus other legends such as Frankie Knuckles, Joey Negro, Francois K, Danny Tenaglia, Tony Humphries, X-Press 2, Diggers and Jeff Mills. What over the years have been the albums that sent shivers down the office staff when first played?
“There’s certainly been some great music coming out of the W1 office. Album wise, the Latenighttales compilations series never fails and two recent highlights are the Air and FatBoySlim editions. Both expertly compiled albums. As for the Choice series, I think every one has it’s merits – but the Digweed, Francois k, Frankie Knuckles, Tengalia have all been great. Good music is what you need, and there’s no shortage of that right now…”
Your parties around the globe are incredible, Miami and Ibiza notably. What have been the best parties from these two places – and also the craziest anywhere on the planet?
“We had a great season at Space a couple of years ago. That can’t be beaten in terms of being at the best club in the world and having a full house every Friday. That was a milestone, but in terms of truly unforgettable parties in Ibiza, our Beach parties this summer were amazing. If you find anyone who attended one of these, they will tell you the same. Dancing on the sand as the sun goes down is what Ibiza is all about….The craziest was perhaps when I went to Brazil a couple of years ago. A festival for 15, 000 people outside Sao Paolo was crazy, we were up on stage, pretty worse for wear with Tiesto while some guy tried to run on and attack him! I know David has just come back from Brazil too where he played on a boat with for 3000 people. It poured down the entire trip but they were still mad for it. Brazil is a crazy place, I think we are yet to through an uneventful party there.”
How difficult is it to organise your Club Azuli secret beach parties on the white isle? Do you get much hassle from the plod?
“They take the usual logistical operation like any party – sound system, DJs, promotion etc. But yes, the difficulty was the police. Trying to let people know but not enough people that the police would find out. We were due to do one in the middle of the summer with Pete Tong. We turned up to put the decor up and the police were sat there. We protested our innocence that there was no party happening – which may have had some weight until a lorry turned up with a generator on the back. Needless to say we were given a harsh warning and a fine. But we just took the party to another beach and 1000 people turned up. Quite how 1000 found out about the change of location is anyone’s guess, but news travels fast in Ibiza and I’m glad it does because the party was one of the highlights of the summer.”
What can the house music world expect next from Azuli in 2009?
“More great compilation albums in 2009. We’re just putting together some finishing touches to a new album – Future Disco, which is a collection of Nudisco sounds currently doing it on the dancefloors. The headliners mix from D Ramirez was voted one of the albums of the year in ’08 and we hope to do another one of those. ‘Choice’ we have kind of run out of artists we love, but we’ve been speaking to Richie Hawtin for a while now so hopefully 2009 is the year that happens.”
How big is the team at the label?
“There’s 6 of us here that cover everything from licensing to events.”
What other labels do you rate?
“There’s hundreds of great labels out there past and present. In terms of a business point of view, who do I admire and respect are labels such as Cocoon, NRK, Poker Flat, 20:20, Sonar Kollektiv etc. They are the medium sized labels and I know how hard it is to make the business work and all of these are constantly innovating and making it work, and still putting out great music. But right now I’m rating Innervisions, Jisco, Leibe Detail, Sonar Kollektiv, DFA, Environ, Tirk, Freerange, Eskimo – there’s loads of good music out there right now – too many to mention.
What DJs / producers / acts out there at the moment are you loving?
Personally? I’m tipping acts like Runaway, Trus’Me, Holy Ghost, L.S.B, Mark E – all people with a disco base to their sound.”
What do you think of the current state of clubland/the music industry today?
“It’s certainly changing and fast! Creatively I don’t think it’s ever been better. There’s so many genres and it seems to be easier than ever for people to start making music which is great. But business wise, I think it’s probably the hardest it’s ever been. The traditional model of selling CDs/ vinyl is becoming unsustainable and you see retailers like Zavvi go bankrupt but downloads are growing so there is an upside. The old days of pressing 3000 vinyl and selling them in a couple of weeks have definitely gone. I think the biggest problem facing the business is illegal downloading. Music is only free for so long before no one can afford to make it anymore. But on the upside, clubland is healthy and still some great parties happening all over the world. there seems to be a real hunger for good parties.”
The English astronomer Sir Alfred Moore spoke on one of your Late Night Tales albums, what was he like? Were you a bit worried his xylophone was going to come out?
“I wasn’t working at Azuli when that happened, but i did hear he wrote a crazy letter typed on an old typewriter complaining how he would never do something like that again. So I get the feeling he didn’t enjoy it much. But he’s eccentric and I don’t think we would want it any other way. Any one with a monical is OK in my book.”
I have seen some weird competition prizes over the years (I know of a promoter who gave away his bed to a clubber once), but giving away a shirt that Danny Howells once DJ’d in…explain please?
That was at the request from the guys at Resident Advisor. They are die hard Danny Howells fans (he tends to attract this breed of super fan). Secretly I bet they are wearing that shirt right now…
