I’m not a DJ, so it’s kind of interesting that I have had three gigs in the space of 7 days.   Saturday it was Kazu’s birthday.  She’d taken over the lofts on the corner of Hollywood & Vine for a breathtaking dinner and dance party.  I was the entertainment along with my trusted sometime DJ partner (the one with the actual skills) David Ireland (BPM/Vapors).

LtR - D squared (Dan & David)

The theme of the party was old Hollywood glamor which meant donning a suit, but it was worth it as everyone (with the exception of Michael ‘Skiny’ Power and Emma Parker Bowles who didn’t get the memo) looked suitably glamorous.  Don’t worry Emma, you still looked hot and don’t worry Michael, you still… well just don’t worry.

LtR - Natalia and Helena

The only slight snag (there always is one)…  I had developed an ear infection and therefore my hearing was down to about 20%.  Not ideal when you’re a DJ.  Still perhaps I was the world’s first deaf DJ on that lovely night in Hollywood.  Happy Birthday Kazu.  Thanks for sharing it with us.

In 1963 someone at Pirelli’s marketing department walked into the boardroom and told the board that he (definitely a guy) had an idea for next year’s calendar.   Then he pulled a little gold, silk chord that pulled a tiny set of red velvet curtains so that they parted to show Robert Freeman’s work.  This was the first Pirelli ‘nudes’ calendar, and they haven’t missed a year since then.

Roll on 45 years…. and we are very proud to announce that the 2010 (I know, can you believe it?) calendar has been shot by Terry Richardson on location in Trancoso Brazil, utilizing Wilbert Das’ UXUA Casa hotel both as a location for the shoot and as the residence of choice for Terry and the worlds most beautiful girls.  Wilbert and Terry have worked together before on Diesel advertising campaigns, so Wilbert was only too pleased to play host to Terry and the girls, indeed it was an honor that is only extended to the most luxurious and exotic locations.

Here is a sneak behind the scenes video. 

The girls included: Catherine McNeil, Eniko Mihalik, Ana Beatriz Barros,Miranda Kerr , Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Daisy Lowe and Lily Cole

Here are some behind the scenes shots… you saw it here first…

Congratulations Terry, it looks amazing.  And I mean the calendar and your job!

http://www.uxuacasahotel.com

(All photos by FLO)

When I think about Malibu I think about a select few of my friends that are so rich that they have nothing more to spend their money on than beach houses in Malibu.  I think of the Pacific Ocean and overpriced calamari, I think of that coconut drink and I think of … um… a very drunk anto-semetic Mel Gibson.  They were all there on Saturday when I DJ’d at Moonshadows (okay, no Mel).  

Now, lets be honest, Moonshadows is not the coolest place on earth; it’s not the coolest place in California; hell it’s probably not even the coolest place in Malibu, but it has one of the best little bar areas and DJ set ups hanging over the 10ft surf that was crashing onto the rocks below, as the herons dived for fish. All in all it is quite a special little place if you don’t mind the, as Chrisso put it on my Facebook page -  ’Fake tans and two season old Christian Dior knock offs’.  You forgot the fake boobs and the Porsche driving dudes with their Ralph Lauren’s tied around their shoulders.  But besides that, it all looked rather pleasant when I arrived with Flo (see his blog What’s Up Flo?), his wife Liz and Helena (my hot missus).

It all started well enough too… I stuck to a Giant Step vibe early on and kept it cool, soulful and clean (basically any records with the word ’sun’ in them, with the exception of Walking On Sunshine was in there) for my vinyl only set (I don’t do CD’s and computers are for charlatans).  Things progressed a bit through the world of laid back hip hop (Tribe Called Quest, Soul 2 Soul, De La Soul) and then just as I was about to up the tempo a little to Cafe Del Mar sunset vibe (think Future Sound Of London), the damn mixer broke and I was left with only one channel working out of eight, and the headphones monitor on the blink.  That kinda took the wind out of my sails a bit.  It needn’t have mattered though, because in the nick of time, David Ireland (BPM/Vapours top brass) arrived with new needles and worked a bit of magic on the mixer and he was up and away taking over where I left off (with California Soul I think).

So then it was off to my second gig of the night at Michael ‘Skiny’ Power’s birthday.  Skiny is my friend of a decade and it was his 3*th birthday party and he roped me in to play (decks and all) at the 11th hour.  Very good it was too, different vibe, drunker (cooler and hotter at the same time) people and awesome Hollywood Hills views of LA.  Must have been a good night, Michael was last seen lying on his bed, with several beautiful young ladies stroking his hair as he lay blissfully slipping into an alcohol induced sleep.  

Good times.

Goldie is a special individual.  A genuine ‘one in a million’.  A prolific graffiti writer from back in the day (I once got a minibus to Wolverhampton with a bunch of others to go find some of his original wall works), then the Drum & Bass producer and label boss (Metalheadz) who produced certainly the most successful and  perhaps the most amazing and most beautiful  D&B records of all time (Timeless), then becoming an actor (James Bond baddie, Snatch Yardie and Eastenders villain), like he had nothing better to do.  

In short, Goldie has no shortage of talents.  NOTHING, however, prepared me for this…

Now this isn’t a new clip, but because this was a BBC2 show (God Bless ‘em, this is BBC2’s version of American Idol!) it isn’t widely known, so I’m showing you guys because it’s testament to true genius.  What’s all the more extraordinary about this is the response from the classical music world and the fact that GOLDIE CANNOT READ A NOTE OF MUSIC!

Now some of you think that being a conductor can’t be that hard, but ask anyone who’s tried; an orchestra will fall apart without a conductor.  It’s absolutely central to the seamlessness of the performance of 40+ classical musicians.  Try asking them if it is possible to do what Goldie did without being able to read music and most will tell you that it’s probably not, at least it’s nothing short of extraordinary.

Personally, what I love about this was that it was the time when Goldie was at his lowest.  He was going through a messy divorce and had just suffered the most horrific ski jumping accident that shattered his right leg and gave him a TWO FOOT LONG scar down his right side.  Some people don’t recover (on many levels) from that kind of thing.  So seeing this, really gave me a little faith in humanity, faith in our ability to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves down, and a BIG chunk of respect for my friend.

So what is Goldie doing now?

Art.  Take a look…

Now there is no denying that these works from Goldie haven’t been influenced a little by a small british artist called Banksy (ahem!) but then again, I would imagine that Banksy, in many ways had to have been influenced by Goldie both through Goldie’s pioneering work as a grafitti writer and as the provider of the soundtrack to our urban lives in the 90’s.  So in my book this is British art that has grown from a complete ‘collective Britishness’ that it is hard for anyone who hasn’t lived that life to understand, interpreted and delivered by one of the few that has the vision, skill and inherent NEED to define it.

Misogynistic?  Hmmm, maybe some of Goldie’s work does show the female form from a fundamentally male point of view, but then again, a) Goldie IS a guy and b) Goldie’s mind is so subversive, so able to switch between truth and irony, I couldn’t say for sure what his motivation is.  As with all art, it’s up to the beholder to decide.

Whatever you think about Goldie, and my bias is that he’s been a friend for a decade (I think that the photographer at our wedding took more photos of him than he did my wife and I), but whatever YOU think of Goldie, there is no denying that when the Space People of the future look back at pop culture in Britain during the last two decades, they will dig Goldie.  He flipped between the underground and the mainstream so effortlessly that he defied definition.  He will be held responsible for some of the most significant images, sounds and emotions for a great many of us.  And what would Goldie’s response be to you if you were to politely suggest that you didn’t like what he was doing?

This.

Watch out for an exclusive interview with Goldie on this Blog soon.

http://www.metalheadz.co.uk/

Congratulations to Wilbert Das and everyone at the UXUA Casa Hotel in Trancoso, Brazil for being honored in the 2009 Travel & Leisure Magazine Awards for Best New Hotels.

Das, whilst best known for being Creative Director and chief creative force at clothing giant Diesel for the last 18 years, is no stranger to design across multiple disciplines.  His handiwork is felt across the design spectrum from cars to furniture.  

UXUA, an entirely independent project has been a labor of love for Das.  This very wonderful experiment into organic hotel design incorporated local laber and materials and  pushed the boundaries of what is possible when others tell you what is not. The vast majority of the main build of the project utilized recycled materials from the local area and the positive and thoughtful spirit with which the project incorporated the local village and villagers reverberates around the place still.  It truly holds a special charm and warmth.  The result, a stunning luxury resort, built  at once as a retreat from the world outside of Trancoso and as a refreshing and much needed change from the latest spate of boutique ‘chain’ hotels, UXUA Casa has already been chosen as a favorite place to visit by creatives (Terry Richardson, Larry Mullen), brands (Bvlgari) and … well… normal people as well.  Not bad for only being open for 2 months.

For bookings or further enquiries go to: http://www.uxuacasahotel.com

Young Artists Showcased on Chart Climbing Album from Veteran Producer Danny 

Saber 

Los Angeles, Ca June 16, 2009 – He has found great success as a producer, mixer, 

composer and multi-instrumentalist and now Danny Saber’s latest project, the album 

Saber Bytes, is proving to be another glowing success. The album features several young, 

up and coming artists showcasing the best of new hybrid alternative music Saber is 

known for.

Saber Bytes has already reached an impressive #15 spot on the Top 200 CMJ 

Radio Charts following its May release. College DJ’s across the country are heralding 

this latest effort from this Indie Label as a rival to major labels. 

Saber found the need for this ground breaking compilation album in this time when new 

music is cluttering up the World Wide Web. 

Danny & Alice Cooper present NME Award - 2008

“On one hand, everyone has the power to be heard,” Saber says. “On the other hand, how 

can young musicians separate themselves from the pack? Saber Bytes was created to give 

young artists a platform to be heard. This compilation of tracks features some of the best 

new music anywhere. I would like to thank all the artists for lending their talents to this 

effort.” 

One only needs to look at Saber’s impressive resume to see his knowledge and 

experience in creating exceptional music. Based in Los Angeles, Saber is a skilled multi 

instrumentalist on the guitar, bass, organ and keyboards. In addition, he is a much sought 

after DJ who you can find spinning at VIP events and lounges. He was also a member 

of the 1990’s U.K. rock band Black Grape.  He has collaborated with a wide range of top 

selling artists spanning genres including pop (Madonna, Seal, and Esthero), rock (David 

Bowie, U2, and The Rolling Stones), heavy metal (Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Marilyn 

Manson, and Alice Cooper), hip-hop (Ghetto Fabolous and Busta Rhymes) and film 

composers (Marco Beltrami). Saber has recently scored and composed for feature films 

such as Blade 2, The Jackal and Moulin Rouge as well as commercials for such 

companies as Coors, MacDonald’s, Taco Bell and Squirt. 

With such a remarkable resume a solo album from this talent is long overdue. Saber 

Bytes showcases new artists such as Drinkme with the heart pounding dance track 

“Manifesto” and Michael Melohn’s smooth electronic uber ballad“Prayer”, plus many 

more and three bonus videos. Saber Bytes was released by Pisces Pastorales and Danny 

Saber Records distributed by KES Music and Video Distribution. For more information 

please visit: http://www.dannysabermusic.com. 

It’s been long enough.  The Bunnymen are set for a triumphant return to Los Angeles.  Watch this space for further info and an exclusive interview with Ian McCulloch soon….

On Saturday night, we went to Damian Lazarus’ launch party for his new album - Smoke The Monster Out [Get Physical].

Here is my review of the night:

2500 people

Post apocalyptic stage that had smoke and flashing lights coming out of it that made it look like it was a kind of crashed steampunk spaceship.

Sexy dancers.  They were sexy from the neck down.  They had Panda or Horses heads.

Brilliant, hypnotic, unique dance music.

Now that’s what I call a review.

Here is an exclusive interview we did with Damian after dinner at his and his partner - Marcia’s cool Echo Park house last week.

 >>> Where are you from?

I was born at the London Hospital in Mile End in the East End of London, making me a 100% bona fide cockney geezer.

 >>> What are your earliest musical memories?

Messing around with my show-tunes loving Grandfather in the garden; singing Old Music Hall songs he taught me like “When you’re living down in poverty street, nobody knocks at your door, door, door, door….”

 >>> How did you get into Music?

Mainly via my cousin Jason (who now works as Sasha Baron Cohen’s costume designer). Aged around 12, Jason helped me discover the joys of smoking, girls and hip hop.

 >>> You’re the guy behind City Rockers and then Crosstown Rebels, known for your unique electro edged dance music with a distinct lack of cheese. At least that’s my opinion.  How would you describe your sound?

Dirty, twisted and deep techno funk for the dancefloor with a touch of wonderful weirdness for the mind.

 >>> What is going on with the label right now?

We have some amazing releases lined up on Crosstown Rebels; in particular the debut album from Jamie Jones called ‘Don’t You remember the Future”, a brilliantly deep album by Butane called “Endless Forms” plus forthcoming singles from Los Vatos, Deniz Kurtel and Different Gear. We are also continuing our very special Get Lost parties at various super venues around the world.

 >>> Moment, your first solo single release from the record  seems to be quite a personal journey, with some pretty sweet melodies and a spoonful of humor, but my ears have been pummled over the years by too loud sound systems so what do I know?  What can you tell us about the record?

‘Moment’ is a song I am very proud of, so much so that I decided it would be the first record to be released from my debut album. I wanted to make something very fresh and melodic, beautiful and bizarre. An honest song which defies musical boundaries and says a lot about my personality.

 >>> Is this the first time that you have sung on a record?

Yes, I never considered myself a singer but I just felt more comfortable trying to sing the lyrics I had written myself as opposed to getting in some voices-for-hire.

 >>> I think your voice fits with the vibe perfectly, has it surprised people?  

Thank you. Many people know me best from pulling strange dance moves, waving my fingers around manically and mixing bizarre records behind the decks, so yes, I think hearing me sing on my own written and produced album has surprised a great deal of people.. in a good way I hope.

 
  >>> Who are the girls singing with you on some of the tracks?

They are Johanna and Miriam, 19 year old Swedish twins who I discovered 2 years ago. Amazing aren’t they?!

 >>> Yes, and they were amazing at the gig.  I LOVED the pat-a-cake stuff they did too.  And what’s this I hear that Pete Tong flipped over the record.  Is that true?

Yes he has been a massive supporter of the album so far. Receiving the golden globe of radio accolades, the Essential New Tune, for my current single Neverending, was a massive joy for me.

 >>> And didn’t itunes put it on their home page?

Yeah, I believe they did. The album is getting some incredible support, I am very happy.. and a little bit shocked by it too.

 >>> What’s been a highlight of your career so far?

I’m enjoying it right now to be honest. The creation of “Smoke the Monster Out” is by far my most proudest moment to date.

 >>> When and where can the U.S. audience see you live?

Next up will the amazing Hammerstein Ballroom in New York on July 3rd. Best to check my website at http://www.damianlazarus.com for my info on my dates and movements.

 >>> Please tell the NSA Blog Readers the answer to a question that I didn’t ask…

Three Blind Mice

British label  maestro Damian Lazarus (City Rockers, Crosstown Rebels) launches his first solo record in LA on Saturday.  This, if the reception that he and the record have had everywhere else in the world is anything to go by, is going to be a night to remember.

Watch this space for an exclusive interview with Damian coming very soon to this blog.

In case you haven’t met Brett Domino yet, he is my step brother’s alter ego and a British sensation thanks to Britain’s Got Talent (where he ended up being the house band for the live final).  Here are three of my favorite youtube videos… including when he made Simon Cowell look like… well… a dickhead.

As you can see Brett is very special.  However, I will soon be posting some Rob J Madin stuff.

Watch This Space…