Claude VonStroke has always kindly suggested that you book him “if you want to enjoy yourself and get sweaty and nasty.” But if your idea of fun is “wear[ing] a sweater and a frown in the VIP section,” then he advises against it altogether. This no-frills approach has served him well: as a producer, he’s been supported by the likes of Pete Tong and Richie Hawtin; as a DJ, the man has no regard for convention, blending genres and electrifying dancefloors. His credentials are bottomless. And we haven’t even mentioned his label, dirtybird Records, which has changed the face of dance music both in America, and around the world. Plus, he’s a really nice guy. We caught up with Claude ahead of his set tomorrow night to talk about dirtybird, San Francisco, and “the next dubstep.”
CLAUDE VONSTROKE – HARDFEST SUMMER 2012 MIX by Claude VonStroke
Claude VonStroke will be playing U Street Music Hall tomorrow night, Thursday, August 30th, alongside Nacey. Doors open at 10pm. Purchase tickets here.
You’re renowned the world over as a DJ’s DJ. How did you get your start disc jockeying?
We were lucky enough to have a radio station at my high school and I started a show all the way back then.
With dirtybird, you have managed to create a family of both great artists and people. You’ve also simultaneously cultivated a unique aesthetic that reaches all the way from San Francisco to Bristol (UK) and is notorious for bringing the house down. How the hell did you pull that off?
On the music side, I only sign records I love. The people we work with and sign seem to have a knack for finding us. We put out the message that we like to have fun and like-minded people seem to gravitate towards the label.
San Francisco or Berlin?
San Francisco for me, but I can see the appeal of Berlin for some. SF is really expensive even for a bad apartment on a really grimy street. That doesn’t make for a nurturing environment for artists. Even so, SF has something special; a certain creative, free spirit that cannot be duplicated.
Tell our readers a bit about Krush Gruuv, if you don’t mind?
It’s a side project, and I don’t know if it will continue or not. We will see.
What are your thoughts on the global movement toward American “dubstep” and progressive house in popular music?
Everything has gone corporate. This has pluses and minuses. The verdict is still out for me; I think it depends on how bad the backlash is from the 10-15 million dollar DJ. Whether it will ruin the marketplace or keep it strong has yet to be seen.
You’re a self-professed hip-hop head. What do you think of “trap” music, an emerging genre that is heavily influenced by hip-hop and the 808, with artists like Flosstradamus and Brenmar at the helm?
I had this discussion with my label manager about eight months ago. I had made a folder of tracks and I said, “Watch this shit, it’s going to be the next dubstep.” And here we are. I need to go with my instincts more. As with everything, there are incredible, trend-setting producers, like Eprom and Hudson Mohawke, and then you have the others.
How did the union between dirtybird and Dave Spoon’s better half, Shadow Child, come to be?
Dave sent me some music and it might have been Dan [Pearce] (Eats Everything) who started big-upping the first track, [“String Thing”]. So I got on it and realized, “Hey, this is some really cool genre blending of jackin’ house and old drum ‘n’ bass melody riffs.” That was one of our best EPs of the year.
String Thing [out now on Dirtybird] by Shadow Child
After the 808 kick, what is your favorite sound?
Water.
Where would you be without your beard?
Sitting in a Delorian in the year 2006.
How many goats would we have to trade you in exchange for your edit of “Super Sharp Shooter?”
Four goats.
What’s coming up for dirtybird, Mothership, and specifically Claude VonStroke?
dirtybird has got so many great things happening, with a new Tom Flynn release [ed. note: out today digitally], a new Kill Frenzy release, as well as Eats Everything and Justin Martin album remixes; everything is sounding incredible. Mothership is still on a slow, slow ride. I cannot focus properly two labels, so one has to be just a few records a year. For me, I have a Kimbra remix, a Crosstown Rebels remix, a Justin Martin remix, and then some originals coming down the pipeline.
Claude VonStroke
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