‘DISCO MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE'
Outer space
Billy Woods
Sandra Marron talks to Glasgow’s disco king Billy Woods as his OUTER DRIVE night reaches its second birthday.
lasgow has always had a reputation as a hard G house and techno city. Things have changed
slightly with the emergence of an electro scene, but all in all hard dance has always been the order of the day. However, there are some among us flying the flag for a different type of music, one more traditionally associated with old New York.
Things have been going a bit disco in Glasgow town of late and one name keeps cropping up again and again. Enter Mr Billy Woods, his business partner in crime Ash, a piece of equipment called a Bozak mixer and a club night called Outer Drive, which celebrates its second birthday this month at the Sub Club. It’s a night of demented disco played by Glasgow’s finest purveyor of such things, who also happens to be a long-term resident at Melting Pot, another highly acclaimed disco haven in the city.
The Woods name is synonymous with all things disco, but how does a guy from Glasgow become its poster boy? According to the man in question: ‘Through house music oddly. or not so oddly, enough. I got into the house scene when that kicked off in the 803 and that set me to exploring all these other genres that were related to and had helped inspire the scene. I’m heavily associated with the disco genre because I was involved when that whole disco revival stuff was going off in Glasgow a few years back, but the truth is that I’ve always played a variety of styles.’
Musical genres are becoming harder and harder to define, with each club night inventing a new style weekly. What sounds like disco to you could sound
5 Hit
like funky house to someone else. ‘Disco means
different things to different people.‘ explains Woods. ‘I’ve always played across the board. disco. house or whatever takes my fancy. I’ve never really set out to
sell any particular music genre to anyone. I’ve always I just tried to introduce and open up people’s minds to
what I would consider good music. For me disco is more an attitude towards DJing than a musical genre.‘ Along with business partner Ash. his Bozak mixer is key to the Outer Drive set up. ‘The Bozak is universally considered to be the best sounding DJ mixer ever produced. It was designed in the 60s when audio stuff was moving from tube technology to solid state so it was designed to replicate the warm sound you get off valve gear,’ enthuses Woods. For us mere mortals, that means one thing, a sound you are unlikely to hear anywhere else in Glasgow. ‘The thing that is immediately noticeable when listening at club sound levels is that it gives music much more presence and clarity than you average DJ mixer. Highs sound so much more alive and the bass sound isjust huge.’
Rather than make bold statements about the year ahead, Woods is happy to take stock of what has been an eventful 12 months. ‘The year has been great so
far. Ash and myself have worked very hard on the ; night so naturally it’s rewarding to know that the people who come along notice and appreciate the 1
effort.’
Outer Drive, the Sub Club, Glasgow, Fri 19 Aug.
THE BEST DAN’CEFLOOR ACTION
=1: Funhouse Barfly’s weekly indie, pop, rock and punk marathon with Radio 1’s Vic and Paul Needles is indeed a house full of fun. Hear lots of great new indie and rock tunes here before anywhere else in the city. Barfly, Fn’ 19 Aug.
:2: Ill-Ft Twisted electro meets electronic house as the Record Playerz resident Hi Fi Sean goes solo for a one-off non-arty party. Obscure electro and big tracks sit rather snugly side by side in Sean's record bag. Glasgow School of Art, Fri 19 Aug.
:3: Ash The boy is something of a local celebrity in his native Dublin with a residency at the city's hottest nightspot Spirit. His set is an eclectic mix of funk, soul, break beat and hip hop. Yum. B/uu Basement, Sat 20 Aug.
:2: Divine! It’s one of the longest running club nights in Glasgow and rightly so. A delectable feast of deep funk and rare groove from Mr Divine! and Hushpuppy. Glasgow School of Art, Sat 20 Aug
:2: Death Disco Remember the track “Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass'? Well, the culprit DJ I-F is hitting the decks at the Arches' monthly electro-fest along with super fashionable Nathan Gregory Wilkins from the Cock. Very nice indeed. The Arches, Glasgow, Sat 20 Aug.
:3: m The summer has seen Traxx residents Jamie Thompson, Laurence Hughes and Tom Churchill play the best in house music. Who needs guests with these guys at the helm? Liquid Lounge, Sat 20 Aug.
:2: TIT Beat 106's Lisa Littlewood (pictured) and co-pilot Grahame Ferguson play a mixtastic bag of R88, house and party favourites at this great midweek party. Proof that clubbing isn't just a weekend sport. MAS, Tue 23 Aug.
18—25 Aug 2005 THE LIST 13