David Holmes - Essential Mix (Extra Info)

This is one of my favourite mixes of all-time, so naturally I've done plenty of digging for extra info on it since it came out in 1998.

One record used in this mix was uncredited (the two chicks chatting about being a madam during An Elephant Called Slowly by Howard Blake).


The record is the spoken word LP Xaveira! by Xaviera Hollander (a famous madam in the mid 70's). The copy I picked up is even signed by THE Xaviera (What the hell kinda name is 'Bink'?).

David Holmes also sampled the same LP at the start of Compared To What (on Bow Down to The Exit Sign) where she's talking to a bartender.


Another thing that makes this mix so god damn good is the echo effect right at the start of Contact by Brigitte Bardot. I asked Mr Holmes what kind of unit he used to get that effect. He used the legendary 1970's Roland Space Echo RE-201 tape echo.

If you want to use the same effect for your tracks and don't fancy forking out £400 for the original article, Roland have brought out a modernised, digital pedal which emulates the RE-201, called the RE-20 which you can pick up for around £150.

Cheaper still, there are loads of free VST plug-ins modelled on the RE-201 that you can download for free.

Vintage Tape Delay v1.0
Tape Delay V0.2
Analog Delay
Analogic Delay
Dubb Box
Karlette
Retro Delay V1.03

This page hosts many tape echo VSTs.

DJ Tips - Mixing Records (A Sneaky Trick)

Often, DJs rehearse their sets before a gig and figure out the mix points and turntable speed for each record they are going to play (yea yea yea.. I know it aint the cool way to do it, but who hasn't every now and then?).

If they don't have all that much time to learn everything, sometimes they'll note down their playlist and record speeds on a cheatsheet and take it to the gig with them.

The problem here is that they look an unprofessional douche bag scrambling around looking at a piece of paper every 3 minutes.

Here's a simple lil trick for DJs who need to preform a set they have barely rehearsed and NOT look like a plank.

To perform this cunning stunt you will need:

A: Small Post-It notes
B: A black felt tip pen
C: Some rekkids!


Remembering the running order of the records you are going to play is easy - just put them in the record box in the same order you're going to play em.

When you have the speed of a record figured out for that perfect seamless mix, note down the turntable speed on a post-it and stick it to the centre label of the record (along with any other little pointers like mix points etc).

Boo-ya. Now when you're at the gig, you just look like a dude taking out records and mixing them like it aint no thang.

Simple, but effective.

The Real Vibes

This here blog is where I am going to post up many savoury nuggets of info exploring a rich tapestry of sampling, record digging and music making in general.

I have nothing to post right now though.

Oh, apart from the fact that I just found out that the legendary 1994 track 'The Real Vibes' by the Wiseguys (off the 'Ladies Say Ow!' debut single) samples a tune by Johnny Harris called Footprints On The Moon, from an LP called Movements. I've gotta cop me a copy of that!

Peace (and watch this space).