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jumping By day D] Q fits suspended ceilings on Glasgow building sites. By night he lifts
the roof playing house music to the Cl’OWdS. Words: Rory Weller
In the next month every dance magazine in the country will be carrying a major article on Glasgow’s DJ Q. the 22-year-old from the far East End whose debut album Face The Music comes out this fortnight.
In the last year. his disco looped singles with a Detroit edge ‘Make Your Mind Up‘ and ‘7494’ have garnered outstanding reviews and his first two singles. written in 1994 as East End Tracks on the now deleted Gemini label. have appeared again on the Sounds Like Glasgow compilation.
DJ Q is most definitely hot property. London’s Go Beat are offering him advances in the region of 20k plus new equipment. and he‘s on the ‘must have‘ roster of remixers taking on the work of Brian Transeau. L’il Louis. Carl Craig and Bentley Rhythm Ace.
But not everyone appreciates what DJ Q is doing. Despite all the attention he‘s getting from the music industry. every weekday morning at 9am. he’s on a building site in his overalls continuing the trade he began after leaving school as a YTS suspended ceiling fitter.
Up until now it‘s a job he’s been happy doing. working all week. making music at night and going out large style at the weekend. especially to his
'l'm getting pushed forward as some kind of Pat Lally of the house scene.’ DJ 0
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DJ Q: a man with letters after his name
beloved Saturday night at the Sub Club. But now as the noughts on the cheques start to increase and his DJ work takes him around the world (he was in Los Angeles at the beginning of the month. but rarely plays Glasgow) he reckons it may be the time to make the break and become a professional musician.
‘I got a verbal warning for going away early today.‘ confesses Q. ‘I felt like saying “shove it up your arse. ‘cos I don‘t need to do that job anymore‘. I’ll need to weigh the odds up. but if someone wants to pay me money for sitting in a studio rather than being on a building site. I‘ll do it. I‘d miss the guys I work with. they‘re really nice. aye. but the guys in the office are just arseholes.‘
Although once as publicity shy as his one time collaborator Lex Blackmore (Blue Boy). he‘s now happy to play the media at their own game. Content to do the rounds of interviews and photo shoots necessary to make the record company press officers feel as if they‘ve got something to do. He knows what it‘s like to have a bri- nylon-suit-man in a worksite Portacabin look down his nose at him. and he’s keen that when he gets away from it he’s going to stay away.
With his positive attitude to the media it has fallen on Q to be a sort of spokesperson for the city‘s club scene. willing to speak his mind and ruffle a few feathers if need be.
‘l‘m getting pushed forward as some kind of Pat Lally of the house scene.’ he says laughing. ‘I was getting slagged off because my photie was everywhere. but you need someone up here to be the representative. As long as they don‘t take it all too seriously I can handle it.’
Face The Music is out now on Filter
Club news
The latest gossip from Clubland.
TWO CLUBS OPENING in Glasgow this month are The Basement on Queen Street under Pizza Hut, and Babaza in Royal Exchange Square where Club X used to be. The Basement will run a student night on Thursdays, soul on Sundays and commercial dance at weekends. Moroccan-themed Babaza is owned by the King City Leisure group (Archaos, Delmonicas, Polo Lounge etc) and is aimed at the older clubber. Full listings for both clubs next issue.
HIP HOP FANS should note that New York's hotly-hyped rap outfit Company Flow are playing live at Surely, The Honeycomb, Edinburgh on Thursday 6 November. The Flow are blowing up big time Stateside and are, according to one music magazine, 'In danger of becoming the best hip hop group in the world'. Tickets are £6 for Seen members and £7 otherwise.
THE NORTHERN MIXING championships at Wilkie House, Edinburgh have been postponed until the end of November due to unforeseen circumstances. Phone the venue on 0131 225 5583 (ask for Simon) for further information.
WE'VE HEARD OF visiting guest DJs sticking around for a few days after their gigs and all that, but the news that Groove Theory's sometime resident Nelson Rosado hasn't been home to New York in two months comes as a bit of a shock. I bet his wife isn't too pleased either . . .
If you like a little art in your club life sashay along to Glasgow's CCA from 24 Oct-S Dec for their Waves In, Particles Out season where ten contemporary artsits examine sound from 'interactive documentation of singing tree frogs to minimal electronic dance music'. As part of the season Jonnie Wilkes, Hamish McCherly (Jilkes and Hatch pictured below), Keith Mclvor (Pure) and James Seenan (Painkillers) will come together as Vodershow and record a track in one of the gallery spaces. See panel in Art section on page 88.
23 Oct—b Nov 1997 THE llST 69