Naive Melody has played host to a haunt of artists since it’s inception in 2005, be it from New York, Tokyo, Paris, or Detroit’s finest originators, you can trust them to come up with the goods at each party. Whether it’s exploring unfamiliar territory, or covering old ground, Naive Melody pay attention to detail where it matters and make it their own in notable style.
Elliott (Naive Melody) caught up with Eddie C ahead of their party at Soup this Saturday to talk about the 7” record, Berlin and the movie behind his new label ‘Red Motorbike’.
Q) Hi Eddie, pleased to have you joining us in Manchester. Can you tell us where you’ve been playing in Europe so far this year?
A) Hi Elliott, my pleasure! I’ve bought records from Manchester all my life… never been… can’t wait!
Have been all over lately it seems. Started the year off in Moscow. Was in Barcelona for Mutek. Had a lovely couple of weeks in Tel Aviv and Istanbul. Geez, all over… Marseille, Switzerland, Poland.
Played a Witch Burning Festival in Goerlitz, Germany. Die Hexenfeuer! Pretty crazy. Of course, many great nights are here in Berlin too! So great. The whole world comes here so there’s no shortage of interesting shows to check out.
Q) Cool. I heard your crates are as deep as the deepest, and not just Manchester records! Were you picking everything up in Canada or have you travelled much prior to your move to Berlin?
A) I try to go record shopping as much as possible, anywhere and everywhere. I suppose crates do get a bit deep after 25 years no matter who you are! I love all kinds of music… moving here though… wow… met a lot of folks with some pretty eclectic taste. I’m always getting: “You know this right?” “What!? You don’t know this!?” Man, you can’t know everything. It’s endless. I’m bad at remembering names on records too. Usually it’s like, “Ahh, the green one will work after this red one”. I have to do visual association… could never be a lap top dj… wouldn’t know what to type in!
Q) ’7 inches of Love’ now ‘Red Motorbike’ both 45 labels, clearly you love the 7” vinyl. How did that start?
A) …and Common Edit! Yeah, those Canadians and their bloody 45s… I think we all had always wanted to make 7s. Koosh wants to organize a tour where we all travel with a juke box. Red Motorbike is particularly inspired by the film Rockers. You can carry more 45s on your motorcycle than 12“s.
Q) Rockers! “How the I feeling now?” Great film… There seems to be a resurgence over the past 5 years or so of reissues and edits on the 7” format. Any other labels you would recommend out there at the moment?
A) I’m actually not the best person to ask as most 45s I get are usually older ones. But lately I have gotten a few things on People’s Potential Unlimited and also picked up a couple of those 7s by Baris K on Nublu.
Q) Desert Island discs are impossible to pick truthfully, but if you had to choose three 7” records, what would they be?
A) Hahah! Doesn’t leave you with too much music to enjoy now does it!
Top 3 7s… wow.
Take Me To The Mardigras – Bob James (Biz Markie’s impossible to find copy with no bells which may or may not exist)
Sister Nancy – Bam Bam b/w Stalag 80 (dubwise)
Tenor Saw – Pumpkin Belly b/w Sleng Teng Version
Actually, that Bob James, if it exists, might be a 12” copy… in which case I’d probably take another Sleng Teng, Stalag or Real Rock… or maybe a Hot Milk… shit.
Q) There’s not much snow on a desert Island, so I can’t see you being very happy there anyway… Would you say that there is a connection between your passion for skiing and music production?
A) Sometimes… I do miss the mountains a lot. But the creative process is all about imagination. Grass is always greener. I was more inspired to write music by films, books and records I had in the mountains than by the mountains themselves. Once music is recorded it’s nice to listen in that environment, I must say. Road trips, barbecues, skiing or whatever… yeah — miss it.
Q) Has living in Berlin influenced your music yet or changed what you buy and play out?
A) Of course. But that being said, I’ve never played to such an ‘open’ audience. They really want you to be as creative as possible. It’s absolutely wonderful. Of course it’s not like it used to be, but I really don’t think someone like me could have moved here even 5 years ago. It’s such a pleasure to live somewhere with such a fascinating musical and cultural history.
Q) What releases do you have planned for the rest of 2012?
A) A few things!
A new one just out now on Let’s Get Lost: An edit/rework I did of Lette Mbulu’s beautiful “Nomalizo”.
I also had an exclusive track on Crue-L Cafe CD which just came out… great disc. Pick it up!
After that there’s a full 12” on Let’s Get Lost. An EP on Crue-L with remixes by Being Borings.
A remix on Crue-L of Tomoki Kanda (of Being Borings). Also, remixes on Classic, Rest! Music and Disco Bueno (of Canada!). Red Motorbike 003 is also out now in select shops… should be available everywhere in a couple of weeks! Red Motorbike 004 and 005 are also being sent out to press shortly.
I have a number of different projects to complete… but summer in Berlin has been getting in the way quite a bit lately.
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Eddie C will be DJing at Naive Melody this Saturday in Soup Kitchen Basement where they’ll be showing the original ‘Rockers’ movie (1978) to celebrate Eddie’s Manchester debut and his new label ‘Red Motorbike’.
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Naive Melody – Saturday 26th May
In the Basement
Eddie C (Endless Flight / Red Motorbike / Canada)
Naive Melody DJs
In the Bar
Folk DJs
Soup Kitchen 31/33 Spear Street
Manchester M1 1DF
£7 – 11pm/5am
Eddie C’s mixes on soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/eddiec