Raf Daddy and Joe Goddard put the fun back into the beat with a brand new mix compilation
Raf welcome to DMC towers. A brand new compilation ‘2 Bears, 1 Love’ swinging our way in a few weeks which is your first foray into the wonderful world of mix-compilations. It’s nice when a mix compilation becomes part of your musical life and you keep playing it for years, was this one of the aims with 1 Love?
“Yes, we were conscious that we didn’t want it to be something that was strictly exclusive new tunes from us and our mates (though there are a couple of those in the mix). Those kind of comps seem to date pretty quickly. A healthy mixture of favourites old and new. We like to think about people getting ready to go out, or driving across town in their car or in the back-garden at a BBQ or whatever. The music has to exist outside of the DJ box and the studio if it’s to stand any chance of lasting.”
So tell us about the two mixes and how they differ, CD1 is undoubtedly a London thing…
“Disc 1 starts with a recording I made of an old dread outside a pub. He was selling tunes for a pound a go so I asked him to sing one about the 2 Bears. A nugget well spent. There’s a tune by Debruit called Dalston Airline 149 which kicks off the mix that is a good musical representation of London. There’s a load of flavours in that one. Grimey beats and house claps, African and Eastern melodies, all come together and are greater than the sum of their parts. There’s a track from Asphodels a new project that Weatherall’s doing. That track fuses sleazy slo-mo disco vibes with a ridiculous bassline. There’s some classic deep house vibes courtesy of Mike Dunn and Mood II Swing. There’s a bit of slack dancehall off Toddla’s album featuring Timberlee from Ward 21. It all finishes with Mosca’s mix of Fourtet which is a tune we’ve played a lot. Disc 2 is more house driven but I like to think there’s real variety in there.”
The artwork has been hand drawn by Bear designer and illustrator Ed Grace – a rarity in these digitally-dominated days. Describe the artwork for us…
“It’s a loving homage to some record sleeves that Joe and I and Ed all love. Specifically the Scientist sleeves from the early 80’s and one for a record called “Live At The Soul All Dayer Of The Century” I think we all connected with the way these records, which to our young ears seemed the height of musical connoisseurship, had very accessible sleeves with a sense of humour. I guess it’s a message that rings with all the bears work really. We’re deadly serious about the sound and making the music as brilliant as possible but it doesn’t have to be presented in an inaccessible way.”
What are some of the tunes you are especially pleased to have included on this mix?
“We’re really happy to have Paperclip People Throw on there and Beau Mot Plage. Also we’re happy to represent some music by people we work with and play with in London that other people might not know. So there’s Run The Track from Ashley Beedle’s new Yardism EP (in fact I think it might be making an appearance on this comp before anywhere else) Also Horse Meat Disco’s mix of Black Devil Disco Club and Knights Of The Hunted – X The Beat which is a deep house vocal banger par-excelence.”
What are some of the compilations from the past decade that still sees the light of day in your houses?
“Hmmmm, not many. Carl Craig’s Fabric one gets a spin now and again. Four Tet’s Late Night Tales is excellent. The Amorphous Androgynous comps are brilliant for getting baked to. Last few weeks I’ve been listening to the mix that Cutmah did for FACT. All knees shall bow to the mastery of Coldcuts Journey’s By DJ.”
DMC are the proud owners of the Back To Mine series. What is the Back To Mine selection you would put together for us if we all headed back to yours for the after party?
“I like it pretty slow and quiet once I’ve left the club….
Bobby Charles – Small Town Talk
Mika Vainio – Ensimmainen Valo (anything off that EP really)
Santo & Johnny – Sleepwalk
Steel And Skin – Reggae Music Once Again
The Teardrop Explodes – Seven Views Of Jerusalem
Lizzie Mercier Descloux – Hard Boiled Babe
anything from The Heart Of The Congos LP
Kitty Wells – All The Time
Nora Dean – Angie La La
The Beach Boys – Feel Flows
Festival season is in full flow, where have been some of the stand out shows this summer?
“There was a stage invasion at Lovebox which was a thrill. Playing house music to a load of under 10s (and their over the limit parents) at Camp Bestival was a lot of fun too.”
What has been the biggest tune of the summer for you?
“Ashley Beedle – Run The Track.”
We have seen you jumping around the likes of Greco-Roman, Trouble Vision and Bugged Out! in London in recent times. Where are your big capital hang outs at the moment and why are they so good?
“The Bussey Building in Peckham is a lot of fun. So is Canavans Pool Hall on Rye Lane where they put on a party called Rhythm Section. Unpretentious, inexpensive and really close to my house.”
Who are the cool new producers and DJs you have spotted this year we should be looking out for?
“Hmmmm, not necessarily that new but I really rate Blawan. Midland is great too. That Jai Paul track Jasmine is blinding but I haven’t heard anything else by him.”
What are the next plans for you studio wise?
“More Bear bangers are incoming…”
And finally, everyone has one – what is your guilty pleasure record you secretly love…?
“A lot of people seem have so called guilty pleasures that are actually quite good records. I think a guilty pleasure needs to be a really horrible record that you can’t help but like. The Macarena for example. Most recently I found myself singing along in the car to ‘Domino’ by Jessie J. Truly a horrible record but a well written pop-song that gets you singing along.”
Watch Bear Love: Stage Invasion at Lovebox 2012…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBUCUa4cqhc
2 Bears, 1 Love is out 8th October on 2CD and download.
Tracklist:
CD1
1. Intro
2. Débruit ‘149 Dalston Airline’
3. Toddla T featuring Timberlee ‘Body Good’
4. Asphodells ‘The Lonely City’
5. Fun Boy Three ‘Faith, Hope And Charity’
6. Heartbreak ‘Blaze Up’
7. Arttu ‘Peace Will Follow’
8. The 2 Bears ‘Birds & The Bees’ (X-Press 2 Remix)
9. Rebolledo featuring Matias Aguayo ‘Pitaya Frenesí’ (Vocal Version)
10. Metro Area ‘Dance Reaction’
11. Mike Dunn presents The MD X-Spress ‘Na Na Na (I Walks With God)’ (Mike Dunn Main Vocal Mixx)
12. Kim English ‘Learn 2 Luv’ (Mood II Swing Club)
13. Ossie ‘Set The Tone’
14. Nneka ‘Shining Star’ (Joe Goddard Remix)
15. Boomerang ‘Zed Bias feat. Robbie Rue’
16. Four Tet ‘Sing’ (Mosca Remix)
CD2
1. Intro
2. Sweet Exorcist ‘Testfour’
3. Crowdpleaser ‘Nenekri’ (Mickey Moonlight Remix)
4. Wiley ‘I’m Skanking’ (The 2 Bears Dub)
5. The 2 Bears ‘Ghosts & Zombies’ (Todd Terry Dub)
6. Iz & Diz ‘Mouth’ (Pepé Bradock’s Ureleased Remix #1)
7. The 2 Bears – Be Strong (Ratcliffe lil whistle remix)
8. Paperclip People ‘Throw’
9. Braille ‘A Meaning’
10. Knights Of The Hunted ‘X The Beat’
11. Ashley Beedle – Run The Track
12. Black Devil Disco Club featuring Nancy 13. Sinatra ‘To Ardent’ (Horsemeat Disco Remix)
13. Isolée ‘Beau Mot Plage’ (Original)
