-= The Motherbird Agency =-

dirtybird

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:18:39 +0000

‘dirtybird’ has always been synonymous with sweaty bass-lines, quirky ideas, and bumpin funk. It is only fitting that a label based on a philosophy of bringing smiles to the dance-floor was created by a party. In 2003, Christian Martin took a risk and bought a giant sound system on his credit card. The party was named after a drawing of a bird that Barclay Crenshaw (aka Claude VonStroke,) used to draw when he was a kid. The line-up was rounded out with Christian’s brother Justin Martin and his room-mate Worthy. All four DJs were tired of the same old San Francisco vocal house that they heard everywhere they went. The grand idea was to change the landscape of San Francisco house music by throwing an epic free party in the park based on this new sound. The result was only seven people showing up to this first “epic” event.

But even back then with the seven girlfriends and room-mates who came to that first party you could sense something special starting… a new era of die-hard dedicated DIY producers all with new productions based on heavy bass-lines, smiling faces and fun. There was nothing to lose and everything to gain. Soon after, Barclay decided that a label would come next. Barclay was from the suburbs of Detroit and he had already seen the likes of Juan Atkins and Ritchie Hawtin rise up from nothing and create their own musical landscapes, so this was a logical progression.

Barclay had saved enough money to start pressing records by shooting and editing corporate research videos. In 2004, his girlfriend (now wife) “Aundy” heard about the plan for the label and decided to give her man the greatest gift of all time. She said, “I’ll give you one year to make this record label work. I’ll pay the rent, food and bills. If you make $XX amount of dollars you can do it forever. If you don’t, you have to go back to work for corporate America the rest of your life.” How’s that for a killer ultimatum? So, in January 2005 the label was born with DB001 “the Southern Draw” by Justin Martin and Sammy D, a super freaky record that landed dirtybird a vinyl distribution deal in Germany. A few months later, DB003 was released. A track called “Deep Throat,” Barclay’s debut record that blazed through over 11,000 vinyls, 20 odd licenses and easily surpassed what seemed to be an impossible financial goal for a 1st year record label. It also introduced the world to the name Claude VonStroke.

Since 2005, the little party in Golden Gate park has grown up. The original crew is all the same with the newest addition of Jessica (J. Phlip) Phillipe. Now the crew is flying around the world, releasing records, and still throwing the best parties in San Francisco - but with a few more than seven people in attendance.

Claude VonStroke

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:26:48 +0000

Claude VonStroke does not scowl and look mean while he DJs. He does not pretend to know everything and he will be nice to you and your friends. He is grateful to be doing music for a living and he knows that the reason people go to parties is to have fun. If you want to act cool and not have any fun then please do not book him.

The name “Claude VonStroke” was a random joke that caught on after a series of tracks grabbed the attention of underground dance music in 2005. His very first record, “Deep Throat,” was an unusually quirky affair that caught fire worldwide and he has been blessed with similar success stories ever since. Claude’s real name is Barclay Crenshaw, a guy raised in the suburbs Detroit who wanted to be a filmmaker but always had a knack for music. After several different film careers of varying success and with some help from his friends, VonStroke started the “dirtybird” label at the very late age of 32.

Since 2005, dirtybird has carved out a niche as a premiere American label and has released over 40 EPs. VonStroke has released two artist albums as well as a Fabric mix and over 25 remixes for a wide range of commercial and underground artists from Indy rock group “The Rapture” to Detroit techno legend Kevin Saunderson.

In an effort to give something back to the community VonStroke unveiled a new label “mothership” in 2007. A large percentage of the label’s proceeds go to a music school for children in Claude’s hometown of Detroit, Michigan. This label features more euro-flavored techno and house featuring groups like Catz ‘n Dogz, Maetrik and Voodeux.

Tour wise, Claude has headlined almost every major club, festival and basement after-party in the world. The outdoor dirtybird parties in San Francisco’s scenic Golden Gate Park have also become a legendary summer destination point for both locals and international travelers.

But like we said at the start, Claude VonStroke is only coming to see you if you want to enjoy yourself and get sweaty and nasty. If you want to wear a sweater and frown in the VIP section, he is not the right DJ for you.

Justin Martin

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:57:44 +0000

As the late Oscar Wilde once said: “life is too important to be taken seriously”, an ethos that Justin Martin is sticking with despite achieving soaring success over the last six years as a producer and international DJ.
Justin initially pricked the ears of the electronic music community in 2003 with his first record ‘The Sad Piano’ on Ben Watt’s Buzzin’ Fly label. Everyone in the electronic music food chain got involved, from the A list DJs like Derrick Carter and Pete Tong that were playing the track, to the international music press that were raving about it. It even translated to the German underground, with Poker Flat licensing it for Steve Bug’s ‘Bugnology’ compilation. Like someone that goes bowling for the first time and gets five strikes and a turkey, Justin couldn’t really have hoped for a better entrance.
Feeding off the energy of the San Francisco underground and mentored by fellow super producer Claude Vonstroke, Justin was intrinsically involved with the development of dirtybird records, appearing on its first four releases. Justin was soon ready to take flight, releasing a string of solo EPs which flaunted a very unique sound and garnered still more respect among fellow DJS and heavyweight’s of the scene.
As well as his formidable arsenal of original productions, Justin is now equally known for his collaborations with his brother Christian as The Martin Brothers, producing such hip-hop influenced hits as ‘Stoopit’ and ‘Dum’. Justin has also made his mark remixing such bona fide classics as Radiohead’s ‘Nude’, Marshall Jefferson’s ‘Mushrooms’, and TG’s ‘Revox’, firmly establishing himself as the man to make big tracks even bigger.
Demand for Justin’s skills behind the decks has skyrocketed with his bookings schedule basically crammed to capacity for the next 4 months. With bookings confirmed everywhere from Exit Festival (Belgrade), to Sonar (Barcelona) to Panorama Bar (Berlin), Justin’s diary is reading like the dreams of a professional raver. Stateside he continues to be a regular fixture at the dirtybird events in San Francisco and beyond.
Further nods to his skills as a DJ and tastemaker are apparent in his growing discography of mix compilations, most notably his own ‘Chaos Restored’ mix series on the prestigious Buzzin’ Fly label.
Music journalists typically describe Justin’s sound as ‘melodic and tough’ with his music encapsulating both melody and emotional depth yet always with enough undeniable ass shaking properties to translate to the floor.
“I’m always trying to find music for my DJ sets that rattles sound systems, but still has enough melody and interesting texture to expand your mind even if you’re sitting at home on a snowy or rainy day.”
In 2009, production wise Justin has a few EPs scheduled to drop on dirtybird, a remix for Freerange, and a DJ mix for Ministry of Sound’s ‘Underground series’ compilation. He remains as enthusiastic as ever to be involved in the scene. When recently questioned by Resident Advisor on what he’d be doing if he wasn’t a DJ or dance music producer he just replied: “Wishing I was a DJ or music producer.”
By all accounts it’s hard to tell him to wipe that smile off his face.

Christian Martin

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:59:45 +0000

Christian Martin’s love affair with electronic music began in 1995, as an early attendee at Southern California’s now legendary Moontribe full moon desert parties. After absorbing late 90’s club life in New York, London, and Los Angeles, Christian settled in San Francisco in the spring of 2000. He started playing records in 2002 under the tutelage of his brother, Justin Martin, armed with a stack of Justin’s old vinyl and used Technics 1200’s from Sammy D.

In 2003, inspired by the massive desert soundsystems of old, Christian founded the dirtybird soundsystem. Along with co-founders Justin Martin, Worthy, and Claude VonStroke, dirtybird’s Sunday afternoon BBQ’s have quickly become a Golden Gate Park institution.

Along with Christian’s residency at dirtybird’s monthly club night, he’s been busy in the studio, polishing multiple remixes and originals. 2009 looks to be busier than ever for Christian as he helps shape the future of dirtybird’s unique sound.

Worthy

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:47:57 +0000

Worthy grew up around Washington DC in the early days of Deep Dish, Scott Henry and the early American rave scene. In the late 90’s after moving to New York City, he met good friend Justin Martin and was exposed to the sounds of people like LTJ Bukem, Stacey Pullen and Sasha. These artists greatly influenced his early ear while the expanding dance music scene encouraged him to play records of all genres; from hip hop to breaks to techno and drum ‘n’ bass.

In 2001 Worthy moved to San Francisco. He set up his studio and began producing house and techno music and DJing around the city. He later conspired with Christian Martin, Justin Martin and Claude VonStroke to co-create a fresh take on outdoor parties, rightly named Dirtybird. The Dirtybird parties have quickly become an institution for San Francisco die-hards and a destination for international travelers.

2006 brought the launch of Worthy’s label, Anabatic Records. Originally intended as an outlet for the release of his own music, Anabatic quickly branched out to take on new artists. Anabatic has been providing a steady stream of high quality tech house and has been gaining the praises of top DJs and Producers around the globe for its edgy new sound.

In 2007 Worthy broke out as a producer with his release of Irst_Te? on Dirtybird, Crack EL EP on Leftroom, and Bass Quake and Mummer EP on Anabatic. As well as doing remixes for Curfew, OM, Utensil, and Tentigo records, Worthys music production has been showing up on DJ charts across the world and has been played by everyone from Carl Cox to Sven Väth to Ben Watt.

With no signs of slowing down in 2008, Worthy has already released the underground hit Work The Walls on his label and its accompanying music video has given fans a glimpse into the la la land of his mind. With plenty more remixes and originals on their way and the continued growth of Anabatic Records, Worthy is set to continue getting everyone working the walls around the world.

J. Phlip

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:14:05 +0000

J Phlip (pronounced J Flip) known to some as Jessica Phillipe discovered house music in her hometown of Champaign, Illinois, just 2 hours south of Chicago. Sometime around her 19th birthday she got her first DJ rig - two belt drive turntables and a mixer lacking EQ knobs for $100 bucks! From then on, her poor roomates were forced to listen to a constant dance party in-between her Systems Engineering studies. There aren’t a lot of 4.0 braniac engineering majors who decide to become DJs instead of cashing in on their degrees but Jessica truly loves the music and has dedicated her life to it.

Her proximity to Chicago’s famous house scene tremendously affected her sound, but the distance afforded her the freedom to incorporate a variety of other influences into her repertoire. Her sets posses a fun, “lets-not-forget-this-is-dance-music,” feeling and simultaneously keep you guessing about what might come next. Her collection spans house, tech house, deep house, techno, booty bass and pretty much anything that make you shake your ass.

She’s currently a well known DJ/Producer in San Francisco. Her skills on the decks and in the studio have secured her highly desirable spot as an official member of the dirtybird crew. She has a residency at San Francisco’s infamous Endup nightclub, which is notorious for its non-stop, never-ending parties.

Jessica continues to have new productions coming out on dirtybird where she has signed on as an exclusive original artist. She is currently Claude VonStroke’s favorite support DJ and has already played at amazing high profile gigs like Fabric, Space Ibiza & Back to Basics. She was also chosen for URB Magazine’s Next 100 of 2009 and is looking forward to Berlin, where she will be moving in the spring of 2010. Look out for her this spring in Europe - she WILL be making asses shake on the dancefloor and she’s just as excited about it as the day she got her belt drives!

(Letter from Claude VonStroke)

“It is not that often that i get to hear someone play who i think is amazing. It is even more rare for me to hear a person that understands what the real “dirtybird” sound is all about. Jessica (J Phlip) is one of those rare gifted DJs who I love to listen to. I can fully attest to her skills on the decks as I have travelled on tour with her from the UK to Spain to Germany and beyond. I promise she can hold her own with anyone I have ever heard play on any stage. If you are thinking about booking someone fresh from dirtybird I really think this is the DJ who can deliver the goods as they were meant to be delivered. Straight from San Francisco with dirty basslines, bootylicious funk, and cute as hell - J. Phlip is the total package. She is moving to Europe for the summer, so this is a chance to hear someone really cool from the original San Francisco dirtybird crew who doesn’t sound like everyone else.”
– Claude VonStroke

Motherbird artists to perform at WMC2009

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:01:50 +0000

Claude VonStroke hosts the exclusive Miami showcase event for dirtybird & mothership. Over the last 4 years these two American dance labels have become some of the best in the world and we promise to bring you music you will not hear anywhere else in Miami. 2 Floors open air location with custom Void audio for guaranteed amazing sound. Say goodbye to the usual Miami party experience as you know it. We are running our own crew, no VIP style, no attitude, delivering that same hometown experience you get at dirtybird/mothership in San Francisco. Feature sets with tons of unreleased material from Claude VonStroke, Italoboyz, Guido SchneiderJustin Martin, and many more…

presale tix: http://www.residentadvisor.net/dirtybird

admin — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:16:31 +0000

The Motherbird Agency represents talent from the dirtybird and mothership labels. Claude VonStroke & Andrew Kelsey (from Blue Collar Entertainment) started the new booking agency in order to bring all the best artists from both labels together under one roof.

Voodeux

admin — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 13:29:14 +0000

Described as ‘Halloween on wax’ Voodeux is the human manifestation of creepy house and techno. James Watts (AKA KiloWatts) and Tanner Ross’s collaborative black magic goes back six years when they met online at a website devoted to music synths and production and have been collaborating ever since.

Despite the 300 miles that separate the two producers, modern technology keeps the pair in perfect lockstep. “We pass back and forth project files,” says Ross. “He adds to my idea and I add to his idea and the track is done” . This audio clairvoyance is the perfect example of the unconventional approach of Voodeux, and draws on genuine elements of mystery and intrigue evident in their production process. Like a ghost that only shows up once the photo develops there is a presence on their production that is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Voodeux project’s public metamorphosis began with The Curse EP, which came out last year on Mothership. Off the back of the success of this EP, label honcho Claude VonStroke suggested an album along the same spooky theme. Referring to the name of the project Tanner explains: ‘At the time I was watching this crazy ass video of Screaming Jay Hawkins doing “I Put A Spell On You” and he was dressed up in this wild Voodoo type costume and I thought… “THATS IT! VOODOO”

Previously, Tanner Ross, a music synthesis major at esteemed music school Berklee in Boston, had met Justin Martin and Claude VonStroke at WMC 06 and gone on to remix monster classic ‘Who’s Afraid Of Detroit’ on dirtybird. ‘Claude VonStroke showed me the light!’ he jokes, but clearly a reciprocal admiration in each others work paved the way for further alliance. Tanner Ross is also known for his and KiloWatts remix of Lovely Day on OM Records and the hugely popular Lower Allston EP (under his Marcel Wave moniker) on Freerange. He is a self -confessed vintage horror film aficionado.

Jamie Watts (AKA KiloWatts) is an accomplished producer with a formidable discography spanning labels like Artificial Music Machine, Harmonious Discord, Thoughtless Music and his own outlet KilloWatts Music. He has produced five full albums to date, embodying several different projects and styles.

His work embraces the bulk of electronic genres, including breaks, IDM, techno, and downtempo. Full of visionary dimensions, he fuses together a dexterous knowledge of sound synthesis, deep emotional articulation, and solid melodic intuition. His fluency in piano is evident throughout his work, as is his penchant for jazzy riffs, intelligent structure, wistful melodies, and an often cheeky take on the current state and history of electronic music as a whole.

The result of this potent concoction of the pair’s influences and technical wizardry is a hypnotic spell over the senses shrouded in suspense and the unexpected. Resonate with a modern day soundtrack to a slasher movie, Voodeux are about to creep under your skin with a chilling tale of eerie house and minimal techno that will haunt you long after you’ve left the club.

Catz ‘n Dogz

admin — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 13:23:16 +0000

The name is new, but chances are you’ve already heard Catz ‘n Dogz. Previously, as “3 Channels,” the best friend duo have already released red hot club records on some of the most respected underground dance labels in the world including Trapez, Crosstown Rebels, Pokerflat, Boxer, dirtybird, Leena, Trenton, and their own imprint, Channels Recordings. After making underground techno for many years, the duo have now ventured into new territory. This time, as Catz n’ Dogz, the boys have headed towards deep house without losing sight of their harder techno roots ‐ exploring lush organic soundscapes with live drums and instrumentation.

Their full Polish names are Grzegorz and Wojchiech but you can call them Greg and Voitek or Catz n’ Dogz. Back in 2003 they started it all off by organizing a club night in their home town of Szczecin, Poland. This night soon became a residency and their reputation grew quickly. A radio show soon followed on Szczecin’s ABC Radio allowing them to explore their creativity and gain a legion of fans. Soon after that, they began to produce records together as 3 Channels. And now they come to us with their next level evolution, their amazing first full length album called Stars of Zoo as Catz n’ Dogz.

The instant Claude VonStroke heard the new sound he snatched it up for his mothership label. Greg and Voitek had already generated two smash hit appearances on Claude’s dirtybird label, remixing the infamous “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?” on limited one‐sided vinyl which has been seen selling for up to 100 euros a copy on the web! They also destroyed dance‐floors with last years hit “Chicken Affair EP,” crossing over to DJs as diverse as Radioslave, Jesse Rose, and Sebo K.

And now for the reason we care about all this, the music. The full length “Stars of Zoo” is a hybrid masterpiece; a beautiful cross between the best elements of deep house, minimal techno, and cinematically arranged live instrumentation. This is an album of songs – not tracks! Each song shines on its own, yet makes perfect sense when played in the larger context of the album. Early reactions from dancefloors all over the world have been universally positive ‐ a testament to the power of this music.