Name Nick Warren Occupation Legend on the trance and progressive house circuit; one of the UK‘s original superstar DJs/producers and former tour DJ to fellow Bristolians Massive Attack. Where did he come from? Warren moved to Bristol in the mid-80$ as a fresh-faced 20- year-old. before putting himself about the local clubs playing a mixture of styles. Eventually settling into a house-orientated groove in the early 90s, his status as the city's top DJ was confirmed when Massive Attack made him their resident DJ on a tour of North America.
Where did he go from there? In one word: Cream. Warren's reputation in Bristol got him the gig as the Liverpool club's resident DJ, putting him in right at the ground floor of the 90s superclub explosion. As Cream became a household name. so too did Warren and the army of fellow DJs playing regularly at clubs like Ministry of Sound. Also helpful in raising clubland's exploding profile was the boom in mix CDs. Warren was asked to contribute to the Mixmag Live! series as well as the early days of the Global Underground collection. before becoming the first DJ to put together one of the Back To Mine comps.
Any other business? The not-inconsiderable matter of Way Out West, Warren's chart-friendly alter-ego alongside fellow producer Jody Wisternoff. Still making music to this day, WOW began their career with the ‘Montana' single in 1994, and created a bona fide commercial dance classic in 1996 with ‘The Gift'. Although the day of the superstar DJ might have been and gone, a victim of evolution. the reputation which Warren built up at the time should stand him in good stead for many years to come. (David Pollock)
I Nick Warren plays Taste at Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Sun 10 Dec.
34 THE LIST 30 Nov M [)e(: 7006
REGGAE. DUB MUNGO’S HI FI The Woodside Social, Glasgow, Fri 8 Dec
Last year The List ran an article on how the Woodside Club’s existence was being threatened by a small group of local residents complaining about noise pollution. It is with both joy and a little sadness that we bring you an update on the situation. Thankfully, the campaign seems to have died down for now due to the many changes the venue has enforced to combat any cause for concern. ‘l’ve not heard anymore about it,’ elaborates Doug from Mungo’s Hi Fi. ‘I think they have stopped the campaign. The Woodside is now only open late on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so maybe this has helped. I also heard that they threatened to open a rehab clinic or needle exchange if they lost their license. I don’t know how much truth there is in this,
This issue: Shit Robot
Nothing at all to do with Glasgow’s own new rave acolytes Shit Disco, Shit Robot is the latest name to emerge from the stable of DFA Records, James ‘LCD Soundsystem’ Murphy and Tim
Goldsworthy’s unbearably good New York label.
Yet more semi-retro lo-fi NYC cool for us to marvel at, you
say?
Not entirely. Shit Robot have more of a long-distance relationship with their label. Marcus Laiiibkin (the man behind the Robot) is originally from Dublin. yet left his trade as a cabinet maker to decamp across the pond in 1993. He and fellow Dubliner Dominique Keegan made a mini-empire Out of the Plant brand, first DJing and recording under the name, then opening Plant Records (fans of the Sound of Young New York series may recall the imprint) and the Plant bar in 2000. It was at his bar that Lambkin first met Murphy, a learn up which has survived Larnbkin's recent move to Stuttgart. So what does the Robot sound like? Hopefully not Shit?
Nope. As you would expect from any DFA affiliate. Shit Robot (originally the name of a night Lambkin and Murphy ran at Plant) Creates a minimal and somewhat dirty setind that's in tune with DFA‘s spiritual home city's past endeavours. The debut ‘Wrong Galaxy' EP demonstrates, however. that
l ambkin takes more of a cue from acid house and electro than post-punk. as it's a minimal but infectious burst of groove-laden artifice. (DaVid Pollock) I Shit Robot plays Blit/krieg Bop at the Arches, Glasgow, Fri 8 Dec, with Errors, The Matchsticks (former/y Flying Matchstick Men) and the Art of
Parties DJs.
but it’s an amusing thought.’
However, after seven good years at one of the city’s most treasured venues, sadly Mungo’s have decided to pack up their soundsystem and move to the Glasgow School of Art. Doug admits that this has been ‘a tough decision’ but factors like the smoking ban, (‘only six people are allowed out at a time to smoke, which is OK until it gets busy’) and noise complaints about music and the fact that they ‘couldn’t have any live element after midnight’ meant that it put a stop to them bringing MCs to perform. Duncan Birrell from Superfly admits that he hasn't, ‘had time to think about those locals recently but no doubt we’ll hear all about it when the license is up for renewal.’ Unlike Mungo’s Hi Fi, they are staying put, or, as he puts it, ‘we intend to keep on keepin’ on. It’s still as colourful and loud and sweaty as ever.’ (Sandra Marron)