Flashmob – Real Sound Of The City Interview (RSOTC)
Stephen Corrie talks to Flashmob about new & up coming music projects, plus how his sound has evolved since the duo’s split. He also talks about how he uses social media and the power of it being used as a promotional tool.
Find out more and keep updated on flashmob here:
https://www.facebook.com/flashmobdj/
Tune into the interview here or read the full written dialogue below:
[stephen] – Hello Unity Radio this is Stephen corrie, I’m here LIVE from Gorilla. Those who locked in on Friday would of noticed and may of noticed a key element missing from the show. We have Class Enemy in for the guest mix and myself and Joshy on cohost and mixing duties. We were missing the headliner Flashmob so I have come in here early doors, my set is at 3 o’clock, so yes I have come in absolutely early doors to catch up with the him myself Mr Flashmob, How are you doing?
[flashmob] – I am very well thank you, thank you for having me and yep very excited for tonight.
[stephen] – Welcome to Manchester
[flashmob] – Thank you very much
[stephen] – You missed a bit of snow we had yesterday
[flashmob] – Well yeah we have snow in Italy, so
[stephen] – Haha, you have the rain now.
[flashmob] – I’m use to the rain every time I come to the UK, rain, rain, rain and don’t forget, last week I was in Ireland.
[stephen] – Yes we will be chatting about that…
[flashmob] – Plenty of rain.
[stephen] – So for those who haven’t heard about Flashmob, tell us what is Flashmob?
[flashmob] – What is Flashmob?
[Stephen] – Yes please.
[flashmob – Flashmob used to be a production team made out of two people. Now its just me Alessandro. I make House music and a light blend of Techno music if you can say that. And I have a Label called Flashmob Limited and another Label called Flashmob Records. Flashmob Limited is doing some harder House like Point G sort of…that kind of House, raw and Detroit Techno. And Flashmob Records is the label where I do bigger tunes, sort of more dance tunes, but that’s been on hold the last year since splitting from Limited I’ve had Phil Weeks, I’ve had DJ W!I’d, just release my own track with Laura Jones and have many coming up with Chris Carrier and Kindimmer from Poker Flat Remix. and I am talking to artists like Mr G, Mark Henning so basically the statement is I am not going to compromise with the charts, I’m not going to compromise with the market, I’m going to do something that very few people are doing out there. I’m just going to put quality music out there and have the courage to do it.
[stephen] – Sweet. How would you say your sound has changed over the last year or so, How has it evolved?
[flashmob] – Well sound is, for a producer, sound is, for a DJ is always has to progress and change in a way otherwise you get bored. Because you are doing the same thing all the time. My sound in a way, having released on Alan Fitzpatrick’s label, ESD. Detroit Techno tracks, but they are not that far from the kind of House that I am doing at the moment so I would say yes for sure the sound has evolved but its not that I have lost the identity that Flashmob used to have. It’s divided in two now. There’s a darker part and a more different houser part so.
[stephen] – We all know you DJ and play out with your own music, How does social media effect how you deliver to your audience?
[flashmob] – I have a strange relationship with social media in the sense that I try to keep away from the DJ, I mean I love what I do and like playing out. I like everything of it. I mean it. You know from the bottom of my heart. If thing if you come see me play you’ll understand that immediately but at the same time I have a family and I like, I don’t want to get too messed up with social media. I don’t take them that seriously. I use them simply to promote music. If you go on my social media you’ll see only music and see only stuff that refers to music. Obviously social media gives you a great opportunely. For example tonight I’m here with my tour manager Ollie. We’re going to most probably LIVE stream the event with mentions and that is something that for example technology and social media puts you in the position to do. A couple of years ago you couldn’t think of something like that so, in a way its good because obviously you need social media and they enable you to do things and promote your music in a very different way and very good way. On the other hand there is so much s**t going on social media. You know, DJs should be making quality music, they should be following their belief. They shouldn’t be copying on someone else’s homework, you know. And they should be b***hing about everything. And a lot of DJs survive by only b***hing, only b***hing, they aren’t even making their own music, so.
[stephen] – Yeah I see that, I see a lot of imitations, I see, as a young DJ and I don’t even produce music, I do see that. I do also see a lot of originally coming from the likes of yourself. Coming onto your DJ sets…How was Dublin?
[flashmob] – Well Dublin for me is always a very special place to go. Not only because I have Irish origins but because I try to..my nature is to be black and white and I really give it all when I play and in somewhere in a place like Dublin, make no mistake, your in the best place probably on earth. There are very few crowds that react that way. Very few crowds that enable you to give your 110%.
[stephen] – Wicked, was there any tracks in particular have the best effect?
[flashmob] – So, I played a really super super underground set all the way through. Nearly everything coming from vinyl. Nearly everything. So I got to the end and really have impression that if I hadn’t of played some of my biggest tracks from the past. I wouldn’t of got out of the club alive. So I can’t not admit the fact that when I played “Need in Me” things went quite bananas. But at the same time I started the set with a recording of a LIVE interview from Conor McGregor that is very actual. Yeah you can’t imagine how people reacted. And straight after that, the first track was a Dense & Pika track so, this is, you know, it is what it is. I’ll be honest I played “Need in Me” I do a little of my own way to make people happy. I wouldn’t be playing it if not. It’s a old track, DJ sets change each week, never mind, you know. It has 12 million hits and people love it so I give them what they want. Nearly always.
[stephen] – So you mention briefly last month you released your latest track “Classwar” with Laura Jones on remix duties…
[flashmob] – Si
[stephen] – What can we expect, in the production side for you in the rest of 2016?
[flashmob] – So “Classwar” was released on my label Flashmob Limited with Laura Jones remix and I did two versions and its going down really well. And as I said I have another single in May coming out the 6th of May and I am looking at a really great remix from a guy that is not confirmed yet but really good. Then I am remixing Bambook, a Swedish act that I have signed a track on his on my Flashmob Limited and I am talking with Jamie Jones about tracks on his label and I have an album ready but don’t think I am going to release it though because its…I don’t know. I have a feeling its not the right moment and its not the right sound I want to put out. I’m very affectionate to this album but at the same time I can’t put myself in a, the album is done, I don’t want to put myself in a strange position and be too extreme. You have to consider with what I do in the studio is sometimes a year or year a half ahead of what people think I am doing right now. So if I released a album before the end of the year with this new sound I am making it would come down as a bit of a shock.
[stephen] – Is Ibiza on the cards yet?
[flashmob] – Yes I am playing in Ibiza on the 30th of March, my first gig. I’m not sure if I can say who for. So I wont. But then I am going to play a number of other gigs for Sankeys:Ibiza and I am working a lot with Tribal Sessions, I am working a lot with Magna Carta in London and I am hoping to work, maybe do something with Steve Lawler. I’m a big fan of Steve Lawler. Lets see, there are a lot of open doors in Ibiza. There is not much going on so I’m probably going to do my underground boat party, like I did last year with Lost in Ibiza. Maybe to go to DC10. Not sure to play or give some Vinyls out, but yeah that’s pretty much it.
[stephen] – I remember last time you were on Unity Radio, one of the first times I had met you. It was when you were a duo. And I remember the first thing you did was give me a goody bag with Vinyl in it. It was when you were playing for Faux Basement at Sankeys, Manchester
[flashmob] – Si Si, I remember I have a hat for you down stairs. I’ve not lost the habit. We’re in the backstage right now so I don’t have my kit with me…
[stephen] – So you’ve talked about prep for your sets. What have you prepared for tonight’s set?
[flashmob] – What I have prepared is usually only the intro. So if I want to play an intro to hype it up a bit, you know or to get myself going a little bit, like for example tonight there is the Conor McGregor fight so I might throw something in there like that. I just review my tracks. I get rid of the ones I don’t want to play any more, put in the new ones, the new promos, the tracks I want to road test, that’s pretty much it, then I go with the flow. I think it is very important overall to have a quality selection.
[stephen] – I’m going to leave you be, I look forward to listening to your set and yes thank you very much for taking the time out.
[flashmob] – No you are very kind, thank you and yeah lets do more!
[stephen] – Lets do it
