Klubfiller is one of the brightest new talents on the scene. He’s been a big name on the bounce and Northern scenes for a few years, despite only just turning 21! We see great things in his future, so we thought we’d have a chat with him ahead of his first huge gig of 2009 – Frantic’s Hard Disko at Ministry of Sound on New Year’s Day!
Hi Klubfiller, you’ve already made a name for yourself with your productions as Stevie B – what was the first kind of music you released?
Well hello! I started out making music at the age of 13-14, and as my material began to get played in clubs around the North West, I put out a few white labels which sold ok.
However, my first ever official production was of “Uniting Nations – Out of Touch” under the name of “The Outsiderz” and made it on to a Ministry of Sound compilation, which I’m really proud of as it was my first official remix and really got things rolling career-wise.
After this I mainly focused on my Stevie B alias and worked with some great people and labels, including Ministry of Sound, AATW, Raverbaby, Gusto, EMI, Feverpitch, Positiva, Quake (Japan), Warner Brothers (Germany).
I really feel now though that my Klubfiller material is where my true passion lies, and where I can be most creative and try new ideas and sounds.
It was your 21st recently, how did you celebrate?
Well I’m still recovering now from it all *laughs*
I look like I have really milked my birthday as it lasted over 3 weekends, all with different sets of friends and family but it was a very drunken affair with lots of Jack Daniels involved as usual!
You must’ve got into music at a very early age – do you come from a musical family?
Yes, I have always been into all types of music and started learning the guitar from the age of 6 I think. I also picked up the piano along the way.
I have a cousin called Miles Kane who is 1 half of The Last Shadow Puppets and is also in the band The Rascals. I’ve got another 2 cousins (James & Ian Skelly) in the indie band The Coral, so it’s quite a musical family tree!
This year has seen you start releasing a different style of music. What made you decide to move across into hard dance, and how would you describe your style?
Well, I’m a lover of pretty much all dance music but from an early age I have always loved more of the harder stuff, but for one reason or another never got round to really making it.
Then one day I was speaking on MSN to DJ Kurt from the hardcore scene and he put me in touch with Andy Whitby and the rest as they say is history!
And as well as releasing a lot of material on AWsum Records you’ve got your own label, Defiance. What have you got coming up on the label?
Defiance has had a fantastic first year, and I would like to thank everyone who is showing their support for the label including Andy Whitby, Anne Savage, Cally Gage, Amber D, Lisa Pin Up and Kutski to name a few.
The label has also been topping some of the download charts on sites like www.trackitdown.net, www.djdownload.com and www.Junodownload.com, which is fantastic as they are 3 of the big stores when it comes to digital material.
In 2009 there is a lot planned for Defiance including exclusive digital mixes and I’ll also be pulling in the talents of other remix artists from different genres to really shake things up.
There is also talk at the moment of a possible artist album, all of which will be revealed soon!
All the latest information can been found on www.defiancerecordings.com and also on any other Klubfiller productions at www.klubfillerfans.com
As 2008 draws to a close, what have the highlights been for you?
2008 has been a whirl-wind of a year for me! So much has happened in such a short space of time, but some of the key highlights have been (in no order)…
• Frantic’s 11th Birthday when my set got moved to the main stage
• My back 2 back set with Andy Whitby @ Bounce Heaven in August
• Playing at the famous Hard House Academy, what an incredible venue!!!
• 6 tunes on Tidy’s “Music For A Harder Generation” CD compilation
• Working in the studio with people such as Andy Whitby, Cally Gage & Amber D
• Kutski playing “Klubfiller – Rockin” on Radio 1 was also a big highlight for me recently
The list goes on really; it’s hard to list only a few as I’ve had so much fun this year…I just hope there is more to come in 2009
If the Hard Dance Santa could bring you anything you wanted, what would you ask for 2009?
A pre-made vocal booth, as that is all that’s needed in the Klubfiller studios right now, and is in the process of getting sorted but if it could come all made from the Hard Dance Santa it would be greatly appreciated *laughs*
On a serious note however, in 2009 I would just want things keep progressing as they are and to keep DJing at events up and down the country and meeting lots of new clubbers.
What Disko outfit will you be digging out for New Year’s Day?
Hmmm not too sure really, I may have to dig out my good old disco afro and strut my moon walk on the dance floor after my set (with a Jack Daniels in hand obviously)!
You’ve already played at Ministry once this year – not bad for someone who’s only just breaking into the hard dance scene! How did that come about & how do you feel about how fast your career is taking off?
The set at MOS in May is, for me, one of my best sets of the year - I just really enjoyed it, great venue, great atmosphere and great clubbers; you can’t really ask for much more.
With the night being AWsum vs. Kiddfectious and me being a part of the AWsum team it’s all down to Mr.Whitby. It was a great honour to be booked so early into my hard-dance career, what an amazing venue!
We get the feeling you really like Ministry then! What else do you have planned for the New Year, any other gigs, plans, and holidays?
This year’s New Years Eve is a pretty busy one up to now, the night beginning for me at 53 Degrees in Preston for Bounce Heaven where I am currently a resident; then it’s a dash in the car all the way up to The Point in Sunderland for Klubbed Out’s New Years Eve party. It should be a great night - I just have to watch how much I drink with the drive from Sunderland to London the next day.
And what about for Christmas? Will you be having a traditional Christmas day or will you be too busy hard-dancing it up?!
Christmas is very traditional for me; all the family come round and we have a big dinner turkey and all the trimmings, I can’t wait now!
Tell us your best Christmas Cracker joke…
Question: What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
Answer: Frostbite.
Gotta love Google ha-ha
You cheat! Thanks for your time Stevie, we’ll be checking out your hard bounce at Ministry of Sound on New Year’s Day!
Add youselves as going here everyone!
For more info on Klubfiller please visit:
www.klubfiller.com
www.klubfillerfans.com
www.klubfillerdsi.com
www.myspace.com/klubfilleruk
www.defiancerecordings.com
Booking Infomation:
Chosen DJs
Telephone: +44(0)5602237492
Mobile: +44(0)7737537219
Email: bookings@chosen-djs.com
Website: www.chosen-djs.com