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SOCIAL DISCO CLUB INTERVIEW
Hey Humberto, thanks for the dope mix! Please tell us where you are from?
I'm from Porto, Portugal.
The mix you sent in attest to skills honed on a club system. I've heard some good things
about the clubs in Portugal ... are you are resident anywhere or promoting any parties?
Well, there's not so many good clubs over here, unfortunately. But we have 2 ace clubs -
Trintaeum in Porto and Lux in Lisbon. Trintaeum is a club with 200 people capacity, where the
dj really feels like he is in the middle of the crowd. Actually Trintaeum was the club where I first
play as Social Disco Club, and since that first time, I have had a monthly residence - I really
feel at home over there.
I also play regularly at Lux, which is one of Europe's best clubs. Its really big, has a great
soundsystem and amazing promoters. The location is also amazing - in front of Tejo river.
I'm not a promoter, but I always try to push the scene over here, especially the disco scene,
ahahah. And yes, I think it's growing. Facebook is really an amazing place to push these kind
of litlle movements.
Do you manage to get many guest djs over?
Not as much as I like to. With this big world crisis, clubs can't put themselves in a position to
book "new talents". They rather prefer bring the big names, to assure the investments.
But I managed to host Kevin "Nitedog" from Blackdisco / Lovefingers, and Greg Wilson at my
Trintaeum residence.
How did you get into disco music?
I'm a DJ for about 15 years, and I started out being a resident DJ in big clubs, (When the big
clubs played good music, ahah), and in those early days, I use to play a lot of soul, acidjazz,
disco and of course, the main style, house. But the tracks that always got me going, were the
disco related tunes. So, when I became bored of the club scene, (the only music that works
was like shit electro house), I decided to stop and think on my next step. Was easy to decide.. I
stayed like 1 year closed at home, preparing the 1st night, as Social Disco Club. Diggin,
editing, selecting, reading books, searching for documentaries, about disco. And all that time
closed at home, really put me in the mood of that fantastic era.
And I REALLY needed to have that mood and belief that what I was trying to sell was really
good, because I was attempting to start playing records that only a few played in Portugal, and
not all night.
Like I used to say, "when you get into disco, you never coming back".
You've got a new release on Disco Deviance that just came out, please tell us a bit about
the tracks on it?
I'm really happy with this one. First because it's released on a label that I really admire and
have followed since the very beginning. To be part of such a great family, with people like Dicky
Trisco, Greg Wilson, Pete Herbert, Ashley Beedle, etc, makes me really proud. Second
because I really believed the tracks are strong - I play "Give Me The Sunshine" in almost all my
sets for more than a year (!), and never get bored of it - and usually I get bored of my own stuff.
And "Don't" always gets a party going..
I have waited for this record for more than a year, but I think it really is worth the wait. I have to
take my hat of to Dicky Trisco for the amazing job he is doing on all his labels. He really knows
how to do it well. I think we have exchanged like 1.232.959 emails already, ahah
I believe Greg Wilson had a hand in you hooking you up with DD? I remember that he digged
your first release "Barna vs Porto EP" and helped to push it ... love that record, still a huge
favorite over here.
Yes, Greg was there since the very begining. He really is a gentleman, and always helps guys
starting out. I think he was the first guy i sent stuff to. I remember sending him "And You Dont
Stop", and he ask me for an instrumental version to make a mix from both. Then he introduced
me to Zac (Barna Soundmachine), and the 1st record was born.
I was super exited to hear that you were doing a remix of Don Carlos's classic "Alone"
from 1991 on Calypso. What a bummer it won't get released, what happened?
Well, I will not speak in people's name's or labels involved to answer this.
This is the story: Me and a big name were invited to remix "Alone". The plan (not mine), was to
release the original and remixes on a big (recent) label. Of course I accepted, and really tried
to do my best not to mess with such a big classic. I didn't have any parts of the original track,
so the job was even harder.. So I ask a friend if he can help me playing some parts, etc. The
result was almost a cover that I'm really happy with. After many months waiting, that release
was cancelled. It made me mad, but don't give up. I was invited to release it as bootleg cover,
but I don't want to do it that way. So I try to keep in touch with the owner rights, (Thanks to Tony
Carrasco, from Klein & Mbo, that helped me reach them and really believed in my version). I
have an answer from them like: "We don't like your version, so we don't want it to be released".
Honestly I was relieved because I can now forget that tune, ahah.
That sucks! I guess you just move on, right? So, what other releases have you got in the
pipeline?
Of course, I moved on the minute after I put the wav on the internet, ahah. Next releases
coming out are:
- remix for my Portuguese mates, Johnwaynes, on Groovement Portugal - Will be out 12 April
on 12".
- new rework 12" on my label Hands Of Time Gold (Sub label of Hands Of Time for reworks,
edits, etc)
- remix of GiulioDj on Elevator People.
- remix of Mirror People on Permanent Vacation.
- rework on American Standard.
- original on Is It Balearic? Recordings.
- original on Elevator People with Faze Action Remix.
there might me some other stuff coming out in the meanwhile..
Do you often play live instruments in your recordings and what's your studio set up like?
Unfortuntely, I never had any musical training, so I try to do my best with what I learn myself. I
sample here and there, I play some notes, here and there. Basically, I spend many hours
doing what a musician does in 5 minutes. ahah. Live instruments are only used when I go into
studio, and are other people playing them. At home I have a soundcard (a good one), a valve
phono pre-amp, a midi keyboard, and a computer with loads of vst's.
What 5 records did you listen to today?
Sean P "Originals Vol.3"
KZA "Dig & Edit"
Bottin "Discoursive Diversions"
ZEvolution "ZE Records Re-edited"
Michael Jackson new Box Set
What puts a smile on your face?
When I am doing, or remixing some track and start "getting there"; getting a party going;
hanging around with my girlfriend and my dogs, stuff like that :)
Would you like a give a shout out to anyone?
Yes, to Rui Trintaeum who believed me since the very beginning; to Rui Vargas and Dexter at
Lux; to my agents, Thomas and Tamara; to Dicky Trisco and Greg Wilson, thanks for the
encouragement; to Hands Of Time distributor, Dan Hill; to my girlfriend and biggest fan Ana
Lemos, thanks for your patience, love you. And of course, to you mate for kindly hosting the mix
- you really do such a great job on your site.
Thanks!
Tracklisting:
1. Kenneth Bager - Sound Of Swing (Pilooski Dub Edit)
2. Social Disco Club - Give Me The Sunshine (Social Disco Club Edit)
3. Johnwaynes - Falling Leaves (Social Disco Club Remix)
4. Ilija Rudman - Dance Disorder (Faze Action Remix)
5. Imagination - Changes (DFP Back To Garage Mix)
6. Tensnake - Get It Right
7. Situation - Get On Up (Situation Edit)
8. Exodus - Together Forever (Pete Herbert & Dicky Trisco Edit)
9. Ike - Docs Edit
10. The Revenge - Forever In Their Debt (Pitched Down Mix)
11. Social Disco Club - Don't (Social Disco Club Edit)
12. Je Davu - Jam (Keep Me Warm Edit)
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