Danilo Plessow is a hard man to pigeonhole. Since 2003, he’s been producing with Joachim Tobias under the Inverse Cinematics banner with an emphasis on soul underpinned by driving hypnotic rhythmical and percussive elements. Their debut full-length Passin’ Through was released this year, but there’s another reason why people have been talking about Plessow in 2008. He’s the man that’s responsible for the Motor City Drum Ensemble project, producing music which seems to encapsulate the spirit of Detroit despite being made in Stuttgart – a place that is considered Germany’s own ‘motor city’.

His Raw Cuts series of releases saw Plessow take a cut-and-paste approach to house music, splicing up disco and soul loops to create house tracks that managed to be retrospective and forward-thinking at the same time. He also uses the Motor City Drum Ensemble moniker to indulge his techno side, putting these records out on his and Mujaba’s Four Roses imprint.

Danilo’s mix touches all these bases, taking us from subdued disco through to bumpin’ house before going deliciously deep.

Dont miss this one.

When, where and how much?

Friday 20th March
11:00pm – 03:00am

The Roadhouse
8 Newton Street
Manchester

£5 advance
£7 other

How to buy tickets

You can buy tickets online using Skiddle where it’s safe, secure and easy to do. Plus you get to save yourself a booking fee.

Skiddle : Buy £5 advance ticket

Or you can buy from our dedicated ticket outlets Junk [Dale Street] and Piccadilly Records [Oldham Street] Plus we can always come and meet you and personally deliver tickets if you’re in the city centre and surrounding area.

Facebook event page

If you’re on Facebook then join our dedicated Facebook event page. Don’t forget to let us know you’re coming.

Mixes

Interviews

Discography

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Motor+City+Drum+Ensemble

Myspace

http://www.myspace.com/motorcitydrumensemble

This record absolutely blew me away the first time I heard it. A collaboration between Larry Heard and Joe R Lewis, one of Chicago’s most talented, underrated and most inspiring operators. Joe’s career kick started almost 20 years ago down at his local ice skating rink where he organised packed to capacity parties every Friday and Saturday. Loop Machine was the name of the party and DJ’s such as Frankie Knuckles and Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk were frequently on the bill. Off the back of the Loop Machine Joe then opened his own club which he christened The Jungle club. It was here he struck up a close relationship with Larry Heard who was a regular down at the venue.

The Love Of My Own was Joe’s first release, put out on the newly formed Target Records in 1987…rare as as hens teeth it is too. I picked up a copy in Berlin a couple of years ago at a hefty price and then sod’s law it recently got bootlegged and re released, so if you delve deep enough you should be able to grab yourself an unofficial slab of this superior black stuff. Following this Joe went on to release a further 2 EP’s on Target Records which are also like gold dust, if you can find one you’ll be paying top whack I promise you. Whilst talking hard to finds, look up a track called Midnight Dancin’, this also came out on Target records in 1990 and was another collaboration between Joe and a guy called Darryl Godlett under the disguise Survival, this record went on to become one of the most recognised Chicago anthems of all time.

Anyway…Joe R Lewis – The Love Of My Own…enjoy.

Our good friends at LOOSE have put together an ‘exclusive special disco mix’ for us to share with you all. It features some exclusive edits and reworks from the chaps themselves with a track listing that is sure to get even the more frigid disco head nice and wet. LOOSE are a well established party down in Laaandan Town who can be usually found thumping their sound out around various boozers and basements such as Platinum, The Star Of Bethnal Green, East Village and Alhambra on a monthly basis.

Over the years they have put on a healthy serving of deliciously tasty special guests such as: Justus Kohncke, Peter Visti, David James, Dan Kinasz, Aeroplane, Severino, Namedrop & Benoit, Dan Hill, Tom Mangan, Frank Tope, Sound Stream, Pete Herbert, Maelstrom, Greg Wilson, Maurice Fulton, Phoreski, The Cosmic Truth, Moustache Mamas, Joakim, Simon Rigg, Ajello, Gavin Herlihy, Phil Mison, Jimpster, Palmskin, Richard Sen and Future Beat Alliance to name just a few!!! One thing’s for sure, these guys definitely know how to throw a party!

If you’re in London at the end of the month, LOOSE have the incredible Ray Mang [Eskimo / Mangled / Bear Funk] playing at their next party which is sure set to be a belter. It’s all happening on the 27th Feb at The Star Of Bethnal Green, 359 Bethnal Green Rd, London, E2 6LG. Check their website for more info http://www.myspace.com/loosekids

Enjoy the mix!

• Divide & Subtract – Less Less Less
• Bombers – Shake
• Steel Mind – Bad Passion
• Five Letters – Tha Kee Tha Tha
• Zopelar – Mine For The Lune
• 40 Thieves – Theme From Nutrider
• Ilija Rudman – Dance Disorder (Faze Action Remix)
• Boozoo Bajou – Same Sun (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)
• Divide & Subtract – Hook Line & Sinker
• Kassav – Lague Moin
• Street Corner Symphony – Symphonic Tonic (Dub)
• Woolfy – Oh Missy (Misstrumental)
• Joakim & The Disco – Love & Romance & Special Friend

 Paul Crognale & Cred - Divide and Subtract: Play in Popup | Download

It’s not often I’m lost for words but when I first heard this LeoZero aka Leo Elstob (A Mountain of One) edit of Chaka Khan & Rufus’ ‘Stop on By’, it sent a bolt like shiver down the back of my neck culminating in a loss of control of my bodily functions – succinctly, superb is how I would describe this edit.

The Popular People’s Front edits inspired by SWAG maestro Chris Duckenfield are certainly, with the odd exception, truly excellent and do what an edit should do , i.e. improve the original whilst bringing something new to the table. The original Chaka Khan & Rufus record (1972) was based on a slow funk riddled groove punctuated by Khan’s stunning vocals.

The LeoZero edit is beefed up nicely with a breakdown to remember and a sensual beat throughout, a perfect way to end the night!

Gwen Guthrie needs no introduction really, with a string of classic disco bombs under her belt such as Seventh Heaven, Peanut Butter and of course the infectious Aint Nothin’ Goin’ On But The Rent, she will always be remembered as one of the finest ladies in Disco. Gwen started her career in the music industry back in 1974 performing backing vocals for the likes of the phenomenal Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Billy Joel to name just a few.

Gwen was also a very talented songwriter and musician who went on to write and produce songs made famous by artists such as Roberta Flack and Ben E King. All the above tracks were famously remixed and produced by Paradise Garage maestro Larry Levan and as her close working relationship with Larry developed throughout the eighties and early nineties, Gwen actually became dubbed as the ‘First lady of the Paradise Garage’ as most of her tracks became huge anthems there.

‘It Should Have Been You’ was Gwen’s first 12” that came out on Island Records back in 1982, it was produced and arranged by Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespear who were renowned for there dub influenced club cuts around that time. The track was in fact taken from her debut album ‘Gwen Guthrie’ of which Sly and Robbie were also heavily involved. It was after this album that Gwen hooked up with Larry Levan but for me this is one of her best moments regardless. Just listen when the track goes solo at around the 4 minute mark…

I remember the first time I heard this record in Legends in the Summer of 92. Wow.

Those beats just hooked me in along with that Todd Terry sounding groove. Then the siren. You can’t beat a good siren and they all know how much we love them at Block E in dusty downtown Ancoats.

It’s a pretty rare record apparently [one on discogs for £60] and it remained unknown and illusive for a long time following it’s release. I collected volumes 2, 3 and 4 and I believe there is a 5 though I’ve never seen or heard of one.

It was only in the last few years I found out via Mike Woods that it’s actually an edit of a track by Safire. Remember her? Needless to say we both went out and bought a copy.

The track was called Taste the Bass with David Morales on the mix. It’s still a great record though since getting a copy I’ve thought about re doing the Deep Beats thing. That said it’s so good in it’s own right I doubt I’d get close.

Enjoy.

You seem to be spending a lot more time in the studio at the moment, is this a conscious decision to concentrate on the production side of things?

Unfortunately I haven’t spend as much time as I wished in studio in 08, I hope 09 will be more productive for that. If it were up to me, I would lock myself up in my studio and lose the key but between gigs and other responsibilities it isn’t really possible. But to answer your question, I am more a production guy than a performer, I enjoy the stage and playing live, however I love to produce tracks.

It seems clear to me anyway that your productions are inspired by a range of musical influences house, disco and techno, what were your early influences as a youth growing up?

I grew up mainly with black music, soul, disco and then later house. Detroit and Chicago have always influenced my music. But also the early Berlin rough techno left its mark. I try, through Soundstream / Soundhack to produce a deep, sometimes dark, everlasting sound.

Have you any new productions in the pipeline?

I have so many unfinished tracks, I would like to bring some of them out in 09 but it will depend on my schedule.

People are looking forward to you playing in Manchester – what is your perception of the city and its nightlife?

My Manchester experience has been mostly through smith’n’hack, which was great fun, the Manchester crowd was great and I hope to give them as fun a night as they have given me in the past.

Did you make any New Year resolutions?

Oh yeah…. More time in studio