Hesseltime
Hesseltime
07-05-15
Tomorrow night we welcome dreamboat and DJ extraordinaire Hesseltime aka Matt Hesselworth of acclaimed clubnight and record label Tief to the Superstore basement. He joins Greg Spencer and Greg Lowe of Fhloston Paradise for some campy intergalactic techno and house sounds. Ahead of the party, Greg and Greg posed a few of their burning questions to Matt...
By Greg Spencer and Greg Lowe
Matt! We're really excited to have you this Friday at Fhloston Paradise. We hear you were recently in Chicago (Greg L was born there!) and have some new records to play. What did you think of the home of house music and what fabulous records did you pick up?
Hey! Chicago was amazing! I spent hours in Gramaphone Records where I met Michael Serafini (who also runs the amazing QUEEN nights at Smart Bar every Sunday night). I spent a few hundred dollars in there, the best records I found in the bargain bins! The record that I picked up that I have played the most since was an original pressing of Bent Boys - Walk the Night, but I also filled in all the gaps in my Prescription Records, Strictly Rhythm, Henry Street collections etc. A lot of the newer Chicagoan music is amazing too! I picked up some records from Black Madonna, Hakim Murphy, Chicago Skyway and Garrett David and its all amazing. Michael Serafini is also one of the nicest guys going.
You played a great set with Superstore Maestro Dan Beaumont last week. There quite a few 90s house records that had a real diva and runway vibe. Where does your love for that sound come from?
Yeah that was a lot of fun, Dan is great. One moment that stuck out though. I played a Masters Of Work remix of Simply Red (which is an amazing record), Dan looked pretty embarrassed about having to stand there while it was playing before he mixed the next tune in. I think I might have out camped Dan there? I love a lot of old US records and learn a lot from listening to some of my favourite DJs like Hunee, Prosumer, Michael Serafini, Sadar Bahaar etc..
Versatility. That's one word that comes to mind when hearing one of your sets. Do you think of yourself having a particular sound?
Nope! I collect a lot of Afro, disco, psyche, and some krautrock too. My favourite DJs are those who keep changing direction. I find it kind of boring if it is left too long with out a vocal or too monotonous. I like to see people surprised and reacting to the music, not just zoning out or falling asleep on their feet.
Your Tief parties are much loved in London. While not specifically gay parties, you booked the legendary Mr. Ties of Homopatik for one of your most recent parties. How did that go?
Yeah that was a really special one, every time Francesco (Mr Ties) has played for us he has attracted a really mixed crowd, which of course is perfect. I like to think we generally attract a good cross section of people to our parties, gay, straight, older and younger, this is important to me!
Tief is also the name of your record label. What's the meaning behind the name? And can we expect any exciting releases any time soon?
Well, Tief means deep in German, which may come across as a bit pretentious. Truth is I just liked the sound of the word and it looked nice written down. As simple as that really! I guess it's also a bit of a nod to German/Berlin nightlife, somewhere (like so many others) I spend quite a bit of time!
Release-wise, we have some amazing music on the way with originals and remixes from Johannes Volk, Linkwood, Samuel, Amir Alexander, Tin Man, Bicep, Sisterhood, Francis Inferno Orchestra, Efdemin and a few more... really exciting for us!
Bicep, exciting! A lot of clubs, particularly gay venues, have been closing in London recently. Do you think London still has a bright future for dance music?
Yeah I'd say so, people will always party and will always find a way or place to do it. Media like to focus on negativity and while a lot of places are closing, there are other places popping up.
You're a tall, strapping lad. All these basement clubs in London... do you ever hit your head!?
Less hit, more scrape, which is far more painful. Yeah, 6ft 5 is a bit too tall isn't it? I'll just have to leave my stilettos at home for this one...
Fhloston Paradise, is a pretty camp reference to a pretty camp film, The Fifth Element. Your campest moment in a club?
Wearing lipstick on a boat party in Croatia while playing b2b with Harry Midland and DVE? I sometimes play some pretty camp music, so the camp moments can come thick and fast...
Finally if you had a DeLorean time-machine to take you to any dancefloor, past or present, where would you go?
Oh, to Fela Kuti's club The Shrine in Lagos in the early '80s, every day of the week!!!!! Failing that, Studio 54 in the late '70s, to see Larry Levan.
Join Matt aka Hessletime this Friday 8th May for Fhloston Paradise at Dalston Superstore from 9pm - 3am.
Hesseltime