With the success of the Re-Launch of MDS last month on Sat 26th Jan 2019 down at Basura Blanca, we've decided we'll be doing a by monthly event at the Amsterdam formally The Brunswick. at 106 - 108 Brunswick St, Glasgow G1 1TF Tel: 0141 552 0001
Keeping to the original format as on our launch "VINYL ONLY" Covering "60's 70's Crossover, Rare, 70's 80's Modern Soul, Disco Boogie, Funk, Rare Groove, New Releases, Edits, Soulful Vocal, Deep & Gospel House" No mp3's Wav files, or any cdj's. VINYL all the way. Your hosts on the evening, two of Glasgow's well known Dj's from back in the day Colin Gate & Kodie Blak.
Your hosts on the evening, at "MAISON DE SOUL" Two of Glasgow's well known Dj's from back in the day Colin Gate & Kodie Blak.
These guys hadn't graced the decks in Glasgow bak2bak for about 10 years, before our last event in January. Have to say, that one was something rather special, all who attended loved it. So we felt we should make this a regular event by monthly.
Both Colin & Kodie's passion for everything Soulful is quite mesmerising, when you sit in, as an outsider listening to these two together in conversation. They've both came full tilt from their humble beginnings as collectors of 70's 80's Modern Soul, Disco, Boogie, etc as youngsters back in the 80's to their collective knowledge of Soulful Deep Vocal & Gospel House of today.
COLIN GATE
Colin Gate is a music producer and DJ from Glasgow, UK. He started buying records aged just 11 years old and has never stopped since ! First it was Motown and northern soul, and then, when the acid house scene of the late 80’s hit, he switched to house music.
He was soon releasing his own music and remixing for others, eventually signing to Deep Dish’s label Yosh*toshi in 1993, which led to a string of soulful house releases on labels such as Cajual Records and Junior Boys Own. The biggest hit of the time being “ Somehow, Somewhere There's A Soul Heaven” which, even 20 years later, is still played on the rare soul scene as a classic.
Colin also ran Bomba Records in Glasgow before moving to New York to work for Todd Terry’s Freeze Records in 1996, where he stayed for 3 years DJing in NYC’s club and bar scene, as well as working in A1 records in the east village. It was there that he began frequenting NYC’s Body and Soul club which has formed the basis of his musical journey since.
He curated the late Walter Gibbons’ record collection after he passed and purchased many unreleased tracks and remixes which still remain the envy of DJ’s today. Returning to the UK in 2000 he opened his own record shop, Defunkt records in Glasgow’s west end, which shut in 2005 just before the vinyl revival hit.
Since then he has worked as a music consultant for brands such as Puma, Nike, Levi’s and Top Shop as well as selling and curating a vast stock of records and ‘stuff’ he has acquired over the last 30 years. He still continues to release music under a variety of pseudonyms including a few acclaimed records that still remain anonymous to this day !
Colin still occasionally DJ’s and plays a continuous thread of uplifting dance music, taking in rare 70’s soul, disco, boogie and deep house whilst promoting a positive message through the lyrics.
KODIE BLAK
Kodie Blak who's been tagged as "The Quiet Man Of Soul" in the past, has a reputation of pulling tracks out the bag, that many wonder, "Where did he get that" When questioned about his influences and how he got into Soul or Djing, he always states i was never into the scene till mid 80's, about 83-84, then right through into Garage House early 90's , 91-92.
As a young revivalist Mod late 79 early 80's, till around 82. He was more into 60's R&B and Blue Note. The progression into Northern Soul came about via the Scooterist scene. In the mid 80’s, he’d travel up and down the country going to northern all-nighters to get that taste of soulful R&B.
Wanting something more upfront, he'd heard about the Blackpool Mecca & Morecambe for their infamous all-nighters. This scene was totally different in a way that opened his ears to something fresh from the norm. His enthusiasm took him taking in 80's Soul weekenders.
This gave Kodie an appetite to start collecting some of those tracks, he'd heard at these events, which later got him into Djing. Doing the odd slot at Scooter dances, then starting up his own nights in Hollywood Studios and The Cotton Club in Glasgow. He was always on the lookout for sounds, that were New Releases, some of which are now classified as Modern Monsters, which he dropped on the odd occasion that arose.
His progression into house music was by mistake. He recalls. I was at the 100 Club with a close friend for a nighter, around the end of 1990 “We got passes for The Ministry Of Sound the following night, i thought why not. He was totally mesmerised with the soulful sounds of Chicago House dropped by Doc Martin that he was hooked instantly”.
On his return from London the following week, he went straight up to Sound And Light in Great Western Rd and bought a set of decks. Not really having a clue what to do, he set a goal at trying to mix. Little did he realise this was going to take more than a few weeks. After about 10 months trying to beat match and finding his sound, he decided to hand out some tapes, when he was out and about. Not exactly the best beat matcher at the time, but his choice of tracks had a few people take notice.
So finally all those tapes handed out, paid off when he was offered a residency at The Rock Garden in 92. One of Glasgow’s most infamous pre-club from back in the day. This was the stepping stone to kickstart Kodie’s DJing career, where he held a residency for nearly 10 years. His diversity, depth and knowledge of dance music combined with soul within his sets, had people travelling all over. With many waiting outside in whatever weather, just to get access to hear what he was going to drop that night.
His reputative Dj sets gave him an open window, to play at many bars, clubs throughout Glasgow and surrounding areas. Which over time had him travelling, all over Britain and some parts of Europe, spinning quality Soulful & Deep House. Alongside some of the top Dj's at that time.
He decided around 2006 to give up djing, as he refused to go digital. Something he still struggles with today. But he does admit, he'll have to start sometime or another. If he wants to get his hands on these download only cuts, that he's dying to get his hands on. He does make one point, he refuses to play any old soul, disco, funk, boogie, via an mp3, wav, flash drive in any of his sets. If he doesn't oan it on vinyl, then he won't play it.
Catch both Colin & Kodie spinning the grooves @ MAISON DE SOUL
