Charlotte, two brilliant Tech tracks swinging our way in ‘Photograph’ and ‘Banshee’ coming out on Gung-Ho Recordings – is this reflective of the music you are playing at the moment?
“Indeed, I am attracted to music with the best, sonically exciting production and all the tracks that have excited me the last couple of years have been the fierce techno tracks. Electronic music is sounding so strong at the moment and so I have evolved a lot from the more housey sound.”
How did the collaboration with Coburn/Cass and Slide’s Pete Martin arise in the first place – a superb remix for his ‘Lost Life’ tune and then some brilliant remixes for the likes of David Guetta and Infadels, how did you hook up?
“They wanted a Lottie remix of ‘Lost Life’ and Serge (Santiago) who I’d been doing remixes with at the time had gone to Ibiza, so I ended up doing the remix with Pete and it just worked in the studio together. We then remixed AHumans – ‘Black Moon’ into an indie disco belter which went down really well so we just carried on from there.”
I think we all understand the reason behind the name of your band, but for those that don’t…
“Dr Strangelove is a Stanley Kubrick film made in the 60s but is still relevant today and could have been made a few years ago when Bush was “leading” the American government. I’ve had an obsession with Peter Sellers since I was a young girl and this is his finest moment for me. He plays 3 different characters….. The president, a captain and of course Dr Strangelove himself, both hilarious and disturbing in equal measures and my favourite film.”
What are the big 10 tunes you are playing at the moment?
01. Dr. Strangelove – “Photograph” GUNG HO!
02. Ocelot – “Our Time” WALL OF SOUND
03. Tom Neville – “Run In Reverse” RISING MUSIC
04. Click Box – “Wake Up Call” MINUS
05. Green Velvet & Kid Sister – Everybody Wants RELIEF
06. Loko/Mijail – “Jungler” DARKSIDE DIGITAL
07. Joel Mull – “Passing Through” TRUESOUL
08. Dr. Strangelove – “Banshee” GUNG HO!
09. Maetrik – “Paradigm House” TRIEBSTOFF
10. Oliver Giacamotto – “Gone Hunting” DEFINITIVE
What new artists/DJs should we be looking out for in 2010?
“Ocelot are my favourite producers (and DJs) at the moment. I’ve hammered their ‘Our Time’ single and I’ve heard the album and its mega. There’s also a DJ called Suze Rosser who I DJ’d with at her night in Jersey, she’s fantastic, discerning and technically perfect. Jamie Jones is a superstar too, he’s already doing rather well and is definitely one to watch this year.”
Now I know you love a dinner party, what ten famous people dead or alive would you invite to yours?
“Prince, Miranda Sawyer, Kate Bush, Dorothy Parker, Noel Fielding, Julia Davies, Julie Walters, Stevie Nicks, John Shuttleworth and Peter Sellers. I really want this dinner party now.”
And also, yourself and myself are the Conde Naste’s of the clubbing world, where is your favourite holiday destination you have been to?
“The 3 M’s…Mauritius, Maldives & Malaysia. But this is actually where I normally am… Manchester, Macedonia and Margate.”
Biggest musical influence in your life?
“Prince”
Best club you have ever played at?
“Tenax in Florence and Space, Ibiza.”
Best DJ you have ever played alongside?
“That’s a toughy. When he’s on form Sneak, and Josh Wink is consistently excellent.”
What are the two things that yourself and Pete bring to the table that is making Dr. Strangelove such a success?
“Pete’s very musical and wise in the studio. I come in bursting with sounds in my head from DJing and ideas I’m desperate to try out.”
What do you prefer, driving up the motorway to a gig or driving around your garden on your little train?
“I need both in my life, not the motorway journeys particularly, I can do without them, but I love the two extremes of my life…playing in clubs across the World and then returning to my family life at home.”
Did you find it difficult in the early days of your career getting into what was predominately a male based profession?
“I didn’t register it being more difficult at the time and I have always said if you are passionate about something enough and put that into practice it will come into fruition whatever your gender, but now I actually think it must be harder for girls. There’s still nowhere near enough female DJs working alongside the blokes and while there is fantastic female talent out there there seems to be no sign of it balancing out.”
What is coming next from Dr. Strangelove?
“A vocal track soon to come and more remixes of a couple of our favourite artists.”
Favourite Miami and Ibiza party you’ve spinned out at?
Our (I hate using this word but have to in this instance) the ‘legendary’ missdemeanours after party on the roof of The Nash hotel, our missdemeanours boat party before the police were called out to bring us to shore and send us packing and the Circus/Carl Cox night at The Crobar for Miami. In Ibiza – playing inside Space in the Discoteca last August just before Grace Jones performed was thrilling, it was rammed obviously and I could play a lot darker than I normally do when I’m on the terrace and I loved every second of it. Playing the main room in Amnesia when Manumission were there a couple of years ago was incredible too.”
What is the best piece of advice your mum has ever given you?
“You can be anything you want if you put your mind to it. Every parent should tell their child that.”
One album you’d never give up for all the tea in China?
“‘Sign Of The Times'”
An amazing video for the new track, who is behind this beautiful piece of work?
“Her name is Jane Danowski and she is a new film maker (it’s all about the ladies this year my dear). It’s just gone up on youtube by the way.”
You are married to Wall of Sound’s boss Mark Jones, what has been your favourite ever Wall of Sound release?
“‘Zoot Woman’ was musical perfection and I will never tire of listening to their first 2 albums but the new Shychild album ‘Liquid Love’ is equally inspirational and every home should have a copy.”
Craziest city you have DJ’d in?
“Caraças, Venezuela”
Best remix you have ever put on vinyl?
“Fat Phaze – “Its Magic” (Lottie & Serge Santiago mix)”
You love your red wine, finest bottle of plonk you’ve ever had?
“Well, at the risk of sounding like a complete cock…the bottle of Margaux Grace Jones bought me when she came to visit us at home. I’m drooling just thinking of it actually.”
Favourite Hacienda DJ and Hacienda classic ever – you were one of the stalwarts in the queue every week…well we all were.
*Mmmm, I can’t choose one so here’s 5…Kariya – ‘Baby Let Me Love You For Tonight’, ‘Robin Wants Revenge’, Nicole ‘Rock The House’, Voodoo Ray’ (of course) and Derrick May’s (Mayday) mix of Dee-Lites ‘Wild Times’…I still play that actually, it’s utter genius.”
Do you think DJ Justin Robertson has ever been grabbed and shaken around like “a frisky puppy” which is how he described your tune ‘Photograph’
“All the time…specifically at his fabulous ‘Black Rabbit’ parties, a lot goes on down at those do’s.”
Best label of all time?
“Wall of Sound.”
And finally, what do you miss the most about living in Chester?
“Aaaah the walled city….My family (obviously) and fellow Northerners.”
