Bob’s My Uncle (Happy Mondays Cover)

By gavin hardkiss on June 24, 2009

Michelangelo Battaglia has declared this to be the Balearic Summer 2009. So without further ado, here’s a cover version of Happy Mondays “Bob’s Yer Uncle” from my new album ”+++”.

Back in 1990, a friend and I were backpacking around Europe, and Scott Hardkiss cajoled us into soaking up some rain and music with 70,000 revelers at the annual Glastonbury Music Festival. It was an psychedelic adventure of epic proportion. Highlights were:

- The Cure stopping mid-song during ‘Fascination Street’ and Robert Smith urging the masses to take a few steps back so that a helicopter could land in the crowd and pick up a girl who had been crushed.

- Tonka Sound System or was it Spiral Tribe all-night day-glo mud rave

- The Happy Mondays out of key and out of their minds on the main stage.

I fell in love with the Happy Mondays. Rambling-mad-cyril-lyrics, out-of-key-yet feelin-it-vibe, indie-dancey-meandering-groove and, of course, Bez’s jogging-in-place-maraca-work-out. “Bob’s Yer Uncle” has always been one of my favorite tunes, so I decided to cover/remix/re-edit and make it into something different and new for this Balearic Summer 2009.

Working with guitarists Rahmeen Shary and Ray Mathews, we crafted this version during live performances at the Kava Lounge in San Diego and Moonshadows in Malibu.  David Christopher from Rabbit in the Moon helped out with the aceeeed and bass.

BTW …. I had to change the title to ‘Bob’s My Uncle’ because I do have an uncle named Bob ….. long live uncle Bobby.

right-click download here

Posted in chill, dance, disco, music, unreleased | 8 Responses

I Feel It

By gavin hardkiss on June 18, 2009

In anticipation of posting tracks from the new album “+++”, I though that I would post the first song that I ever made, which was released on vinyl in 1992 on the first Hardkiss Music release.

“I Feel It” was created in a shoe box apartment in the Lower Haight with Frank Genius. The Lower Haight was coming out of it’s post-industrial phase. The ravers, graffiti artists and djs had yet to set there print on the hood. There were still a lot of dog collars, metal chains, black leather jackets and stiff angry beats. We holed up in Frank’s apartment with a sampler and arpeggiator and made this track. Around the same time, Robbie, Scott and I were spending our hard earned cash in a basement studio beyond Twin Peaks, mapping out the other tracks which would round out this first Hardkiss release. A kind soul, Meru, showed up and offered to release the song on his Fabulous imprint in the UK. He gave us some cash to put out “San Francisco: The Magikal Sounds of the Underground” stateside.

You can buy an original copy of this record here.

Oh …. how neighborhoods change.  During the 1990’s, with the explosion of dance music and dj culture, the Lower Haight would become a bastion for vinyl jukies, crate diggers and train spotters.  At one point the area from Dividadero to Waller had the highest concentration of vinyl record stores in the world.  Here’s a list off the top of my head - Tweekin, Groove Merchant, Open Mind, Rooky Ricardo’s Records, Faster Bamboo etc (help me … I know there are more!!)

Thanks to Tweekin and Groove Merchant for keep it going in 2009 and beyond!!

right-click download here

Posted in breaks, chill, dance | 2 Responses

Abandon Ship Sharks and Mermaids

By gavin hardkiss on June 5, 2009

This was a brilliant A&R move by the guys at Astralwerks. Put Gavin, Robbie and Scott Hardkiss in a studio with Kool Keith and lets see what happens. Kinda like when Salvador Dali and Alice Cooper collaborated on the First Cylindric Crono-Hologram Portrait of Alice Cooper’s Brain in 1973.

I went to Toys-R-Us and bought some snorkeling goggles and plastic mermaid paraphernalia and we mailed a care package to Kool Keith in LA with some ideas for the song.  Then we met up at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco for the recording sessions.  Keith arrived with an entourage and brilliantly free formed all the lyrics right there in the studio. Frankly, he couldn’t wait to go check out the local strip bars and eat at Brandi Ho’s Chinese Restaurant.

We were left to piece together the music with the rap and it ended up being a exercise in frustration since it was all in a EMU sampler and the engineer that we employed was confused by what we were trying to do. It ended up sounding like 3 different songs which is kinda cool.

right-click download here

Posted in breaks, hip hop, music | 1 Response

Tango Del Mar (new DJ Mix)

By gavin hardkiss on May 28, 2009

Buenes Aires. Caracas. Santiago. Cartagena. Bring it on! Been chomping at the bit to record this latin tinged dance mix for a while but couldn’t find the right combination of tracks. But I finally got it together this past week. I’m a big fan of Bajofondo and Gotan Project who have brought the tango sound into the 21 Century. Some are calling it Neo Tango. The music on this mix is more on the minimal clubby tip - dark, mysterious and abstract.

As usual, I have included some tracks from local San Francisco artists including Justin Martin and  The Sexicanz Y Los Cyber Cholos.

The good folks at NOISE have this mix as a featured podcast.

Track List
1. Justin Martin - The Fugitive (Gavin Hardkiss Edit)
2. Paulo Olarte - Solo Tu (Isolee Remix)
3. Lauhaus - Casamance (Original Mix)
4. H.O.S.H. - Gartenarbeit
5. Stimming - Una Pena (Original Mix)
6. Danny Fido & Affkt - Points (Original Mix)
7. Le Chien Perdu - The Cause Of The Tangerine (Original Mix)
8. Butch & Julie Marghilano - Last Tango (Original Mix)
9. Bajofondo - Pa’ Bailarte (mix by Omar)
10. Solomun - Prinz Mono
11. The Sexicanz Y Los Cyber Cholos - Cumbias
12. The Sexicanz Y Los Cyber Cholos - Noaye
13. Guido Schneider & Jay Haze - Acai (Original Mix)
14. Steven King - Charanga (Original Mix)
15. Alfonso Padilla - Vallenato (Sirvelo Mix)
16. Francesco Rossi - Tango Verano (UMF Main Mix)

The mix is available for download from Soundcloud. Just hit the button down there that says “gavin hardkiss.” They may want you to register but its well worth it!!

Posted in DJ Mix, dance, house, minimal | 1 Response

Afro Punk Explosion (DJ Mix)

By gavin hardkiss on May 11, 2009

This is one of my favorite party mixes. Created earlier in the century when DFA was rising with The Rapture’s House of Jealous Lovers and mash ups and edits were just starting to enter the scene. You’ll find some Red Hot Chili Peppers and Donna Summer amongst some of my favorite San Francisco cohorts including Spun (Rong) and Garth (Wicked, Greyhound). Also, East Coast cohort King Britt (FiveSIx) who used to sell Scott Hardkiss and I vinyl at Tower Records when we were at college in Philadelphia in the ’80s.  And the prolific Tony Senghore who contributed so much to the San Francisco label Panhandle.

Having spent my youth in Africa, I have a strong affection for repetitive grooves and vocals. Before we had modern electric instruments all we had where voices and drums. Punk music appropriated the whole call and response thing. House perfected the drum groove and simple repeating vocal line.

This DJ mix is a bit of a history lesson on the afro-punk-dance explosion that has had us dancing our socks off since we were kids.

The mix is available for download from Soundcloud. Just hit the button down there that says “gavin hardkiss.” They may want you to register but its well worth it!!

Posted in DJ Mix, dance, house | Leave a response

Rachdingue

By gavin hardkiss on April 29, 2009

My favorite night club in all of Spain is The Rachdingue Discoteque which opened it’s doors in 1968 with Mick Jagger and Salvador Dali dancing ’til dawn.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to perform at the clubs 30th anniversary, and have returned several times to play with the likes of Romanthony (who did the vocals on Daft Punk’s ‘One More Time’), Paul Johnson and Spacetime Continuum.

In the late ’90s I created this song which was released on Fiji Record out of New York.  Sounds kinda minimal fresh 10 years later!!

right-click download here

Posted in DJ Mix, dance, house, minimal | Leave a response

Stationary Tornado (Infinite Posse Remix)

By gavin hardkiss on April 8, 2009

When Namaquadisco came out in 1997, people didn’t know what hit em!! The album was a mis-match of styles and ideas that made it unique in it’s day. Al little Chicago/French house, some detailed techno, popping breaks, indie-rock-dub with spanish lyrics, a cover of the nursery rhyme “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and other confusing moments. We released a 12″ of various remixes of the single “Stationary Tornado” with a sticker that said “play at 33 or 45.”

A lot of people liked that since the record was so absurd it wasn’t obvious which tracks were uptempo and which tracks were downtempo. This mix, created by Lee Howard’s Infinite Posse, was recorded at a slow tempo but many DJs played it at 45 rpm. There were other mixes created at a faster tempo which actually sounded better played on the wrong slower speed.

We aim to confuse!!


right-click download here

Posted in breaks, chill, music | Leave a response

Siphoning Cellular Sandwiches (DJ Mix)

By gavin hardkiss on March 20, 2009

From the vaults, from a long lost time, this mix sees the light of day. In the spirit of downtempo dj mixes like ‘1995′ and ‘In Vitro Dub’, this one is heavy on the effects and smokey vibe.

“Eastern alleyways wind like a maze through the smell of spice and tobacco towards the harbor where one of many sail boats will take you away. Destination unknown, though another sea grotto beckons with new fragrances and sounds. A guardian tincture with cinnamon, sandalwood and clove will protect you. Your captain, a fine maiden of the seas, will ensure your safety through rough waters ahead.”

The mix is available for download from Soundcloud. Just hit the button down there that says “gavin hardkiss.” They may want you to register but its well worth it!!

Posted in DJ Mix, chill, music | 1 Response

The Forgotten Opera

By gavin hardkiss on March 13, 2009

This was a bold recording commissioned by San Francisco party impresario Ggreg Taylor for a fund raiser for The San Francisco Opera in 2003.   The Forgotten Opera is a masked ball meant to introduce the spectacle and art of opera to a younger crowd via a frenzied dance party at The Regency Theater.  The SF Opera made their stage props and some costumes available for the event and the transvestites said “yes baby” and were out in style.

I worked with diva Marisa Lenhardt to create a original dance track for her grand performance.  The song below is an instrumental version of the original.  Marisa is a soprano to be reckoned with.  She is also the ruling diva at Burning Man’s Thunderdome.  There is no leather clad motorcylce strutting soprano like her.

We had an opportunity to do an encore live performance at a Thunderdome fundraiser with Justin Young and Delicoco at the DNA.  Here are some pics.



right-click download here

Posted in dance, music, unreleased | 1 Response

Sad and Blue

By gavin hardkiss on February 25, 2009

Originally released on Six Degrees Record’s Torch Song compilation, this was a one off collaboration with The Lady.  Who is the Lady?  No one really knows (except for me and that’s a well kept secret.)

I met her perched on a speaker at The Trocadero Transfer in San Francisco in 1996.  We danced until the sun came up, then parted ways with the plan to meet on the sunny side of Haight Street at 11:15am.  We both arrived on time in that spot where the sun shines and have been great friends ever since.

This song was recorded in Calistoga amongst the olive groves where Love Won Another was birthed.  “Sad and Blue” samples heavily from Mexican composer Fernando Fernandez.  My father-in-law tells me that he worked as a musician at a bordello in the 1950s where he began to compose.  This particular song is about a lonely prostitute

To get to know this era a little better, check out this video or this video.

right-click download here

Posted in chill, music | 2 Responses

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NEWS: You can now purchase all my original albums here on this site.

MORE NEWS: The new album +++ is done. A friend says it sounds like Elliot Smith meets The Beatles on the playground with Paul Simon. Happy Balearic Summer 2009.

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