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Return of the Mack
Ten years ago, C.J. Mackintosh was making Number One club anthems. Now he’s making a far from quiet comeback on the dECkS. Words: Jim Byers
In September l987. an unlikely collaboration between two DJs and an experimental indie band produced a record. This record kickstarted a chain of events which is still unravelling today.
‘The whole thing was really spontaneous.’ recalls CJ. (Christopher John) Mackintosh. ‘Dave [Dorrell] happened to know the two guys who were doing the track. They were messing about. and they got to a point where they were stuck. Martin lYoung. one half of Colourboxl went to school with Dave. He called Dave. Dave rang me and said come down and do some scratching. Then it was at Number One. It's weird actually. because I was talking to Dave a while ago and he‘s managing Bush now. We were just saying. “God. it‘s been ten years . . ‘ The record'.’ Pump Up The Volume‘ by M.A.A.R.S.. one of the most memorable club tunes of all time.
(7.]. Mackintosh has a reputation for being one of the UK‘s most prolific remixers. The softly-spoken Londoner. who started his career as a hip hop [)J. boasts a list of remix credits that takes in names as diverse as Simple Minds. Whitney Houston and D‘Angelo. But. he hasn't been in the studio since last December. ‘I just took a long break from it.’ explains the 3|- year-old former DMC World Mixing Champion. ‘I just wanted to get away from it fora while. I think it‘s ‘cos I left the Ministry. and I wanted to get back into travelling again and playing to different crowds.‘
’The American garage thing is great, but sometimes you can't play it at peak times. I feel like there's a bit missing which could be tougher but still keeps
the song.’ er Mackintosh
Mackintosh was a resident at London‘s Ministry Of Sound for two and a half years. That came to an end last year for reasons which remain unclear. ‘lt just didn‘t work out.’ he says.
Without the Ministry residency. Mackintosh has eased himself back onto the guest circuit. ‘I realised how much I missed it.‘ he admits.
Mackintosh is renowned for his American vocal garage style. a reputation which. he says. is still valid today. ‘I still love the American stuff. even though I play a lot of British records as well. But. I think there‘s something missing. Something a bit harder. The American garage thing is great. but
Talking loud: vocal garage US style from C.J. Mackintosh
sometimes you can‘t play it at peak times. I feel like there's a bit missing which could be a bit tougher btit still keeps the song. Quite often I'll get a record. I‘ll play it and I‘ll think. “The vocals nice". and I‘ll turn it over and play the dtib. and I‘ll think. “Yeah. I can play that. but why didn’t they put the vocal on top of the dub?" So. that‘s what I‘m actually going to start doing myself.‘
As a garage DJ. how does he feel about London's current ‘speed garage‘ scene‘.’ ‘lt‘s a stupid name. isn‘t it'." he says. ‘l've never been a
big fan of it. I‘m not a big fan of the way it‘s played. which is too
fast and it's kind of. well. you could say that there's a hip hop element in it where they‘re cutting tip stuff. and it can get a bit messy. l have played some of it though. l.et‘s just say it doesn’t offend the in any way.‘
Mackintosh's future plans include setting up his own label, (‘osmack. for which he’ll write and produce his own material. He also intends to build a proper studio and win the lottery.
CJ. Mackintosh guests alongside Brandon Block at the Colours T in the Park Special, The Arches, Glasgow on Sat 12 Jul.
i always be in our memories as Club
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ODD NOISES COMING from Glasgow's Velvet Rooms? That'll be the construction of its new room which began in early July. Work in the space that was once Joe Paparazzi's VIP room is expected to take six weeks, and will not interfere with the running of any of the Velvet Rooms' extremely popular club nights.
MEANWHILE, DOWN THE road, The Garage and Reds have been hit by . the licensing board for allegedly exceeding their capacity according to fire safety regulations. See Agenda for full details.
A SAD FAREWELL to Glasgow’s Club
X at the end of June, with not a dry eye in the house when the last drink i was drunk and the last shape
thrown on the dancefloor. It will
Sex. No news yet as to what will happen to the venue.
UPDATE IS A new free monthly i magazine published by Northern 5 Nightclubs, the people behind
.3... i Edinburgh's Wilkie House and The 3
Gallery venues. It covers the best l club nights in each venue and carries interviews with both resident and guest DJs, as well as charts and listings. Only one small criticism — it all looks very familiar. . . Northern Nightclubs are also preparing to open Catwalk, a new cafe, bar and club venue at the top , of Broughton Street.
LlZZARD LOUNGE AT Edinburgh’s Cafe Graffiti can't get any better, can it? Actually it can, and it will, i with the introduction of a tasty new indoor super noodle bar. Plus, when the summer eventually arrives, there'll also be an outdoor beer garden. With a great venue, excellent music, cool crowd and relaxed atmosphere, this is the place i to be of a Saturday night.
ANOTHER EDINBURGH DJ getting out and about is Burger Queen's Huggy, who has been enlisted to mix a forthcoming compilation album for Subversive Records. He’ll be promoting that soon with a gig at Twilo in New York.
(Jim Byers and Rory Weller)
Nichola King of the Basic Collective sings at the Lizzard Lounge.
ti -/4 Jul 190/ THE llST 57