Tag Archive for "Duchess Of Pork"

Posts Tagged ‘Duchess Of Pork’

Pecker’s Last Spurts

“And now the end is near a so it’s time to draw the curtain” crooned ol’ glassy eyes Frankie S back in the day and it’s with tears in our own peepers that we bid a fond farewell to PECKER for a bit. We’ve had a blast at Superstore over the past year… we’ve fondled, caressed and shook the dance floors. We’ve boozed, bopped and surfed on and off the bar upstairs. Those Dirtbox boys Pork and Gibson have caressed and teased the limbs of all and sundry with their housey tunage whilst A Man To Pet and I have literally murdered many a superstars biggest hits with our enthusiastic lip-sunk performances. So it’s with a teary eye we bid you adieu and leave you with a collection of other FINAL SPURTS from pop-culture over the years.

Kisses,

John Sizzle x

NIC FISHER

The last Trade at Turnmills before the nightclub shut down, this place is now legendary. I even got myself a piece of the dance floor, literally, as a souvenir.

The last words of James French convicted murderer, sentence to the electric chair.

“Hey fellas how about this for a headline for tomorrow’s papers? French Fries” haha.

GIBSON

Death of Tribalism in fashion… ever since the ’50s there has been a youth movement with their own distinct style rockers, mods, hippies, punks, new romantics, ravers.

Death of Rik Mayall, 1958-2014, Death of post punk comic genius. Famed for his manic characters in The Young Ones, Drop Dead Fred and Bottom.

DUCHESS OF PORK

The 17 deaths of Kathryn Janeway, the fiercest Star Trek captain ever. So fierce she came back from the dead 17 times to make it back home to the alpha quadrant.

Myrtle Snow’s last words before being burned at the stake in American Horror Story.

A MAN TO PET

The last applause of Nana Mouskouri

Basically looking the same as she started never change

The Sound of Music’s “So Long Farewell” inspired me to be the performer you see today. I love nuns, I love children, I love their clothes. If only I was 20 years younger…I’d make a fabulous Maria.

JOHN SIZZLE

Aah Marilyn…. She copped it soon after being sacked from the last film she worked on – Something’s Got To Give. She certainly went out with a bang. Rumour has it the CIA helped her along. Either way I don’t think she was ready… Apparently she was looking her best on her final and uncompleted movie.

Remember Dynasty, that bonkers 80s soap with our Joanie C and co? Did you ever see the even more ridiculous spin-off, The Colby’s? It was shite…. BUT when it ended it threw away reality and had good daughter Fallon meet with some sexy aliens and get whisked off in a deluxe UF fucking O. Now that’s how you make a FINAL exit!

Join John Sizzle, A Man To Pet, Gibson, the Duchess Of Pork and special guest Nic Fisher at Pecker: The Final Spurt this Friday 1st August from 9pm – 3am at Dalston Superstore.

Happy 5th Birthday DSS

By Cliff Joannou / reprinted from QX Magazine with kind permission

Dalston Superstore put queer East on the map five years ago. With an incredible array of club nights, combining explosive DJs with the most mentalist drag queens and trannies, you don’t get more bang for your buck than a weekend at the ‘Superstore. Owners Mikki Most and Dan Beaumont plied Cliff Joannou with plenty of prosecco and told him just how they pull it all together every week…

CLIFF: Why is Dalston Superstore the dog’s bollocks?

DAN: Come down to our birthday next Sunday and we’ll show you…

You’re on. How has Dalston itself evolved over the past five years, and what impact has the ‘Superstore had on the area…

DAN: When we started out people thought we were crazy trying to open a gay bar in Dalston!

MIKKI: Yes, we were pretty much the first bar in the area, and certainly the first gay bar, so I think people thought we were mental. We’ve opened up a lot of doors in the area for people though, and it’s been amazing to be part of helping make Dalston more diverse. It’s been stressful at times but the booze helps!

How have you set it apart from other gay venues?

DAN: Music, booze, food and fun! You never know what to expect at the ‘Superstore. You could find Grizzle reenacting the Human Centipede on the bar – don’t ask! – and then pop downstairs for dance courtesy of some hot young DJ we’ve found in New York or Berlin.

MIKKI: Yes, we’ve always tried to push things a bit here and not just do the obvious stuff. We both ran clubs before [TrailerTrash and Disco Bloodbath] and putting on great DJs is fundamental. We’re open day and night, and I like the idea you can come for a decent cocktail and some food early evening and still be here at 4am in the morning dancing… There’s not too many places offering that in London.

For such an intimate club spot, you’ve had some very cool DJs jump at the chance to play there…

DAN: The best thing about programming your own discotheque is that you get to bring all your favourite DJs over to play. Highlights for us have been an amazing set from Prosumer in the early days, Erol Alkan dropping a disco set, the legendary David Morales playing for four hours, and multiple visits from people like Optimo, Horse Meat Disco, Chloé and Spencer Parker. Plus, our amazing residents – it wouldn’t be the same without Hannah Holland, Borja Peña, the Little Gay Brother guys, Lovely Jonjo, Dave Kendrick, Jos Gibson and the Duchess of Pork et al.

MIKKI: Absolutely, we recently had the guys over from Members Club in Berlin for B(e)ast and the music was really amazing and fresh for London. It’s great to have the freedom to bring over international talent and introduce it to our scene over here.

And it’s the place to put a wig on it…

MIKKI: It’s part of what we are and to be honest all the best nights I can remember at ‘Superstore have involved wigs and heels flying around all over the place. So many of our regulars turn up in flats and leave in heels, it’s what gives the place its sparkle.

DAN: [Laughs] Yes, our bar very often gets mistaken for a stage by our bewigged regulars doesn’t it? We wouldn’t be the venue we are without the support of people like Jonny Woo, A Man To Pet, John Sizzle, Jacqui Potato and Glyn Famous. In fact we are still in awe of their talents… not to mention their ability to stage dive in heels on a Friday night without sustaining any injuries.

Dalston Superstore (117 Kingsland High St, E8 2PB) celebrates its 5th birthday over the May Bank Holiday weekend with the main party on Sunday 4th May.

Pecker Top Ten Dance Tracks (kind of)

Ahead of Pecker this Friday, the four residents, Dirtbox duo Gibson and The Duchess Of Pork plus Grizzle beauties John Sizzle and A Man To Pet share their favourite dance tracks…

A Man To Pet
Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky

“With Kylie I couldn’t understand a word back then, I was only 4.

So I was singing it in a Greek way that was meaning leave the pistol Laki, Laki as a boy’s name.

So Laki was a man with a pistol that he had to leave it.

I wanted to be beautiful like Kylie but I end up looking like A Man To Pet”

John Sizzle
Malcolm McLaren – Deep In Vogue

“And you thought Madonna was Queen Plagiarist! Step forward the genius that was McLaren. The vid for this track is j’maze and showcases the vogue we all aspired to way back in 1989. Check out the Orbit and Mark Moore remix… stunning, girl!”

Gibson
The Beloved – Sweet Harmony

“I find it hard to believe it’s 22 years old and it still as powerful and current now. The production is really simple production kinda like Hot Chip today. Always felt this track was really unifying with people.”

Tiga – Burning Down

“This track will always remind ME of the hotness that was The Cock at The Ghetto. And I can’t remember that much of what was going on there. But it was always rammed with hot guys. I think.”

A Man To Pet
Kim Wilde – You Came

“I came out to my cousin to this song don’t know why

I think was the white with that Kim wearing on that video with the red scarf something makes me come to this idea

also I wanted to fuck Kim

weird.”

John Sizzle
101 – Rock To The Beat

“Aciiiiiiid! We’re here in 1988 and sweating our nads off in THE summer of love. Pills were £20 each…. and were proper strong. This track used to smash it at legendary rave nights like Troll which was in the Soundshaft, adjoined to Heaven. You could go between the clubs and get totally trolled. Nice one matey.”

Gibson
Utah Saints – Something Good

“This track has so much energy, love the synths. Reminds me of my raving days and of course Kate Bush vocals make it a perfect collab.”

The Duchess of Pork
Company B – Fascinated

“It’s an old Dirtbox favourite that used to get played every single time. Really good with a sniff of amyl.”

A Man To Pet
Michael Jackson – In The Closet

“I came out to my school with keep it in the closet

my teachers expand me to the next level it was absolutly traumatic

last but not list was leaving the school for prostitution with this song.”

“Then I was officially out

but never to my dad and mum.”

Gibson
Fax Yourself feat Carrie Ann – Strut Your Techno Stuff

“This track is the seminal new beat track and really defines some of the early music I played when we first started Dirtbox.”

The Duchess of Pork
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit

“This one’s not really a dance track but I’ll always remember 16 year old me going crazy to this at the local alternative bar and then having to cycle home in the freezing cold in a t-shirt because a tramp from the station next door had pissed on my tie-dye jumper and suede jacket in the corner.”

John Sizzle
Dionne – Come Get My Lovin’

“I’m not leaving the 2nd Summer Of Love! This groove from Dionne was everywhere and perfect for a big pile of chillin’ queens having a love-in on the banquettes of clubs from Ibiza to New York to Canvey Island. Proper gorgey surging house beats baby.”

Join the Pecker boys this Friday 4th April at Dalston Superstore from 9pm – 3am with special guest Colby B.

DJ Lina

Actual New York legend DJ Lina joins us at Dalston Superstore next week for a 2-day residency spanning the lesbian delights of Clam Jam on Thursday 5th February with resident DJ Cathal, followed by Pecker on Friday 6th in the laser basement alongside the Duchess Of Pork and Gibson (Grizzle host upstairs).

As the long-time resident DJ at Sip N Twirl in Fire Island Pines, a summer resort for NYC’s LGBT community, Lina Bradford knows a thing or two about making people dance. And so we’re taking advantage of her current winter sojourn here in London and getting her behind the decks two nights in a row! Ahead of her mini-residency we asked her a few questions about her hometown, her performances as Girlina in the ’90s and more!

How does one get to be the undisputed Queen Of Fire Island?

I find it funny to have any labels attached to me, ‘cuz when jew know me I am So Not That Gurl! I guess it’s because I came during a time when love and positive light was needed. The Island was very dark after the AIDs scare and morning parties, so people pulled away, and then in 2005 there was a new beginning… and me!

How much would you say Fire Island Pines has changed since you first went in the late 80s/early 90s? For better or worse?

Well it has changed a lot; I did have a huge part to play on that. For one, John Whyte, the OG back in the day, in the ‘70s and ‘80s was racist and didn’t like women or trans or drag queens… And so the birth of the 4th Of July event that is today known as The Invasion! Then when he died Eric [von Kuersteiner] and Tony [Roncalli] bought up everything and that’s when I brought life to it, as there was never a High Tea before, and that was also the birth of Lina’s Lounge.

You’re originally from Manhattan and have lived in NYC most of your life correct? Do you think people have a tendency now to romanticise New York’s gay scene in the ’90s? Or was it really that amazing? Tell us the truth please Miss Lina…

Yes, born and raised, so I have seen and done it all! The ‘70s and ‘80s amd YES early ‘90s were EVERYNESS!!!! The early ‘90s were the last good times of what I considered to be the end of NYC, till about ‘97ish. Now it’s very Middle America and not edgy at all! No artist can afford to live there and they have to move outside the city, NYC is a Dorian Gray of what it used to be, it’s sad!

Talk us through an average night at your night Twirlina at Sip N Twirl? What make it special?

What makes Twirlina so special to so many, including myself, is its COMMUNITY! Love and respect, there is Low Tea, Middle Tea and then there’s Twirlina! It’s Thursday through to Sunday, with a different vibe every night, as I have to make the music and visuals different for myself, or no one is gonna feel it if I am not!

Haha, so Thursday is Rewind Thursday- all ‘80s and my spin on ‘80s… it’s THE SHIT BABY! Friday is Lina’s Lounge- soulful house. Saturday is GBOGH! That’s Go Big Or Go Home! Bigger sound, factory beats. Sunday is TBS- Throw Black Sunday. Klassics All Klassic Disco. It’s the fact everyone comes upstairs as it’s all outside on a huge outdoor deck that’s packed and my DJ booth is in the center, everyone kisses and hugs me and takes photos. It’s just simply otherworldly and ALL LOVE!

And what brings you to the most expensive city in the world, LONDON?

What I love about Londouge is the feeling of old skool, jew all keep it so real and recognize good music! And culture! And always push it and keep it current!

What’s your Number 1 tip for maintaining a flawless public persona?

By ALWAYS keepin’ it 100% baby! I Love Love Love people and positive energy!

Is the DJ Lina shower curtain the best bit of DJ Lina merchandise or are there more amazing gems out there?

Haha there are DJ Lina t-shirts we do every year when I shoot the posters In March… the shower curtains came from those. There’s even a line of jeans on the way!

What’s one record people might be surprised to learn you know ALL THE WORDS to?

Not really any more but most may not know I am a huge klassic rock chick. Led Zepplin is MY EVERYNESS! I have everything and know every song to everything haha! LOVE THEM, PLANT ROCKS!!!!!!!

Your performances (and especially your dance moves) as Girlina are legendary in New York, what was the most memorable?

WOW, jew all did yo’ HOMEWERK! Girlina, wow haha! I would say The HX Awards… HX was a huge magazine that was around forever, it just folded a few years back but it was ‘92 I think and Girlina did Feel What Yo Want by my friend Kristine W. Junior gave it to Girlina and she put that song on the map and BROUGHT IT 2 LIFE! And herself and she won Best Performer of 92.

What’s your key look for early 2014 in London?

My lewk: it’s klassic fresh faced with a 1940’s vibe and a mix of ethnics and preppy!

And finally, share with us your signature dance move…

Well back in the day it was The Drop And Kick and Queen of The Runway! Now it’s a lil shimmy hahahaha!

Join DJ Lina for her Superstore 2-day residency on Thursday 6th February for Clam Jam and on Friday 7th February for Pecker.

Duchess Of Pork’s Guide To Men

This Friday night welcomes a new night for manly men and their admirers… Pecker! Grizzle duo John Sizzle and A Man To Pet will be spitting feathers in the aviary bar whilst Dirtbox’s very own Gibson and the Duchess Of Pork are joined by special guest Dave Kendrick in the Bird Bath Basement. So to celebrate all types of manly men, we asked the Duchess Of Pork to give us a guided tour around all the types of (preferably topless) men you could meet in a dark sweaty basement…

The Early Arrivals

The first ones in the club, sitting around waiting for other people to turn up for an hour or more. Often the last ones to leave too.

The Mary Go Round

The Mary Go Round samples the delights any dark basement has to offer all night long, snogging everyone that lets him, inspecting the goods and picking the best one(s) to go home with at the end of the night.

The Hot Daddy

The swarthy older gentleman hanging around on his own in a corner, who is being swooned over by half the clientele. Often checking things out from another part of town, but sometimes local.

The Drag about Town

The resident drag queen that gets the party going by being generous with their prosecco and dancing on the bar.

The Chatty Cathy

A gay so talkative he spends all night talking to anyone who cares to listen (or not), completely oblivious to the fact everyone’s looking out for a fumble in the dark corners.

The Nerdy Hipster

Wouldn’t ever dream of taking his top off, until it gets too hot and sweaty and he doesn’t have a choice.

The Grindr Queen

That’s the one who goes out to a steamy dark basement, to then spend the night having his face illuminated by his phone screen. If he has any reception.

Join the Duchess Of Pork in the laser basement at Pecker on Friday 8th November from 9pm – 3am at Dalston Superstore.

The Queer Archive

In one week’s time a brand new night comes to Dalston Superstore: The Queer Archive. Editor and producer of the TQA Konstantinos is hosting the very first party as a fundraiser for Greek trans* artist and activist Paola Revenioti to secure funds to put on an exhibition of her work at the White Cubicle gallery. With a hot line-up featuring the likes of A Man To Pet, The Lovely Jonjo, RUFUS&Bambi and more, it’s set to be a FUN night of fundraising! We caught up with Konstantinos to find out more about his plans for The Queer Archive…

Why does London need The Queer Archive?

The Queer Archive is primarily a blog that showcases queer films and video art found on the internet. It is a selection of the best there is on offer, selected by a great list of contributors. Since it’s on the web, it can viewed by anybody anywhere and not just in London. The other side of The Queer Archive is production and curation of films and art exhibitions. Through our fundraising efforts we will be able to help filmmakers and artists to create and promote their work. There will be a whole series of The Queer Archive fundraising parties to help us fund these projects. At the moment our activities will mainly take place in London, but there are plans to go further afield in the future.

Who are the key artists that inspire TQA?

There are so many queer artists and filmmakers around the world. There is so much to see but sometimes it’s difficult to remember and find the work online. The Queer Archive will make that easier and more accessible for viewers to watch what is out there.

What queer films- both short and feature length- should we be looking out for this winter?

I’m looking forward to Concussion by Stacie Passon.

Tell us about the first TQA fundraiser planned here at Dalston Superstore?

We are trying to raise money to put together the first UK exhibition of a great artist and activist Paola Revenioti. I know she’s got lots of fans in London so I hope they will all come and support us. The DJ list is very impressive. Holestar, The Lovely Jonjo, A Man To Pet, Hello Mozart, RUFUS&Bambi, Duchess Of Pork. They were all so happy to come and play. I am so very grateful and I’m sure it will be so much fun!

How did you put together the line-up for the party? Did you specificially reach out to queer DJs and performers who you feel align with the TQA ethos?

First of all I wanted both girls and boys to play. All of the DJs in the list play amazing music and people love them for that. And they’re all friends or people I’ve worked with in the past. It wasn’t my intention to only reach out to queer DJs, it just happens that I mostly know queer artists.

What can we expect from the night?

Great music and wild dancing!

Why is Paola Reveniotti an artist we should be supporting?

Paola has been a fighter for queer rights for decades and decades. She has created her work based on her instinct and love for life. And she has been fighting against the establishment through any means available to her. She published her anarchist queer fanzine in the ’80s, she organised the first gay pride in Athens funded by her own prostitution, she currently directs a series of great documentaries.

It is important to know our past and Paola is an important chapter in gay history. More people need to know about her, especially nowadays that history repeats itself and people make the same mistakes.

Where are the best places to find queer art in the capital?

Fringe Film Festival is one of them. We showcase the work of great queer artists, along with our program of films. The exhibition program lasts for approximately the whole month of April. The film program of the Tate Modern is very often queer oriented. Little Joe magazine hosts brilliant screenings of great queer films. In general there is queer art to be found in London in various places. But we need more, don’t we?

What was the last thing you read/saw/heard that moved you?

The Velvet Rage by Alan Downs.

Who else might we hope to see The Queer Archive highlighting in future?

I have some thoughts about the next project we will take on, but it’s very soon to tell.

Join Konstantinos for the very first fundraiser for The Queer Archive next Friday 27th September at Dalston Superstore from 9pm – 4am.

Nic Fisher’s Totally Fetch

Friday sees Gutterslut’s Nic Fisher join us for the Totally Fetch: Fringe! Vs Mean Girls official afterparty, alongside Hannah Holland, Duchess Of Pork, Kostakis, John Sizzle and Vangelis & Tareq. And to get us in the mood, the lovely Nic made us this totally fetch mixtape which we’ll be alternating between that and re-watching Mean Girls so we’re fully armed with every imaginable (and amazing) line ready for the quote-a-long tomorrow night at the Rio Cinema. Make sure you get your ticket from the Rio’s website!

TRACK LIST:

1. Round Table Knights – So Good (Teenage Mutants Remix)

2. Nicone – Why (Monte Remix)

3. Kolombo, Compuphonic – Sand Storm (DeMarzo Remix)

4. LouLou Players, Kolombo – Don’t Go Away (Zombie Disco Squad Remix)

5. Nick Curly – Underground (Dennis Ferrer Remix)

6. Flashmob – Hot (Original Mix)

7. Dusky – Nobody Else (Original Mix)

8. ReKreation – Before Me (Leftwing & Kody Remix)

Join Nic at Totally Fetch: Fringe! Vs Mean Girls Afterparty on Friday 12th April from 9pm – 4am at Dalston Superstore.

Fringe! Film Festival 2013

With Fringe! Film Festival currently taking place at various locations across East London, and the official Mean Girls screening afterparty, Totally Fetch: Fringe! Vs Mean Girls taking over both floors of Superstore with Hannah Holland, Nic Fisher, Duchess Of Pork, Kostakis, John Sizzle and Vangelis & Tareq playing the biggest hits from 2004 and the best bits from the Mean Girls soundtrack it’s going to be like the prom you wished you’d had.

We asked the guys at Fringe! to tell us about about a few of the events they’ve got happening during the festival…

WEDNESDAY: Bob Mizer Fight Club exhibition

The Bob Mizer Foundation and Fringe! present a one-week-only installation sampling later period wrestling films from the estate of legendary photographer, filmmaker and independent publisher Bob Mizer at Studio 1.1 on Redchurch Street.

Full info

THURSDAY: Five Dances

The opening film, Five Dances, will be screened at Hackney Picturehouse on Thursday 11th April from 9:30pm. Directed by Alan Brown, this will also be the European premiere and is a classic tale about finding love and succes in the big city.

Tickets and info

FRIDAY: Satan’s Angel: Queen Of The Fire Tassles

The Hackney Picturehouse will be showing the UK premiere of this documentary about lesbian burlesque star Satan’s Angel whose legendary flaming tassel has been entertaining nightclubs since the early ’60s.

Tickets and info

SATURDAY: In Their Room London

This is the world premiere of the third instalment of Travis Matthews’ In Their Room project. Shot in London during last year’s Fringe! festival, this brand film from the director of I Want Your Love and Interior.Leather.Bar is showing on Saturday 13th April at The Rio from 11:30pm.

Tickets and info

For the full Fringe! Film Festival lineup visit the official site: www.fringefilmfest.com/2013-programme

5 Totally Fetch Mean Girls Quotes

With Fringe! Film Festival kicking off around East London tonight, we caught up with organiser Alexander to find out a bit more about their party here next weekend. On the day of the party, Fringe will be hosting a quote-a-long screening of cult teen classic Mean Girls at our wonderful neighbours The Rio cinema, followed by a HUGE afterparty right here at Superstore! Hannah Holland, Nic Fisher (Gutterslut), John Sizzle, Duchess Of Pork and Kostakis will all be raiding their record boxes for fabulous tunes for dancing to. Way better than prom anyway.

For your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Mean Girls and for free entrance to the afterparty, email the correct answer to the following question to hello@dalstonsuperstore.com with the subject “Totally Fetch!” by 10am Tuesday 9th April to be entered into our prize draw.

Who wrote the screenplay to Mean Girls? Is it…

a. Tina Fey

b. Tina Gay

c. Tina Hey!

Ahead of both the screening and the afterparty, we asked Alexander to pick his top five Mean Girls quotes and why he loves them…

Never has feminism been brought to the point so succinctly as by Gretchen Wieners…

All you ever needed to know about sexual health, pregnancy and death by intercourse, as explained by Coach Carr.

Regina George, as seen by her adoring schoolmates. The pretty face of bullying gets away with just about anything. Never has having your face punched been so awesome.

I love Gretchen Wieners and it was hard to choose between Gretchen cracking and Gretchen being really sorry that she’s so popular. But it had to be the latter.

There’s so many good things about this clip I don’t even know where to start. Being half a virgin? Regina’s all carb diet? No, it’s most definitely Karen’s psychic powers. It’s really helpful being clairvoyant.

Join Alexander at Totally Fetch: Fringe! Vs Mean Girls Afterparty here at Dalston Superstore on Friday 12th April from 9pm – 3am

Dick And Fanny

Mixed gay dance party Dick And Fanny comes to Superstore this Sunday to see in the Queen’s Jubilee in style with special guests from Berlin, The Pet Shop Bears. We pinned down the promoters behind the celebrated night, Alex Karotsch and Sandra Le, to find out what makes their night so special and how they come up with inspiration for their fabulous posters…

Tell us about the genesis of Dick And Fanny?

Alex: I started running Kimono Krush with a few friends back in October 2008 at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern and Sandra was kind of begging me to do something east. When I finally did it was Dirtbox, which is very man-heavy. So we decided to do something together that’s a more mixed affair. Sandra and her friend Simon had always talked about how they can never really go out together because it’s either girl nights or boy nights. So we decided to organise something that might appeal to both sexes. Sandra really wanted to book Kim Ann Foxman, so asked her, booked a venue and went ahead with it. We were really shitting ourselves that nobody would turn up but it was a huge success.

Sandra: The genesis really came from wanting to dance with (gay) friends of whatever gender to great dance music. Simon and I had been thinking that if we couldn’t find such a party maybe we should start one but then nothing came out of this. In the meantime I was nagging Alex about starting such a night in east London. I only got involved in it seriously because I really wanted Kim Ann to come and play in London. One day I contacted her not really thinking that it’d work but not only she was super lovely but she was also totally up for it. This is how it started and the rest is history…

How did you come up with your amazing DJ names?

Alex: I came up with my name years before I actually started DJing. It came from a jokey conversation I had with a friend about her wanting to make a porn version of Gosford Park and call it Gosford Pork. I was going to ‘make’ the sequel and call it The Duchess of Pork. And when I was deciding on a DJ name a couple of years later I thought it’d be funny.

?Sandra: Well I don’t have a DJ name but Dick And Fanny was coined by a friend of Alex’s. The idea was to have a name that would appeal to both sexes and be funny. Dick and Fanny are old-fashioned names but also, well, you know…

Describe the musical policy at D And F…

Alex: Our musical policy was very much informed by our first few guests. Since we had Kim Ann Foxman as our main guest for the first DAF and we really love classic house and techno we built the music policy around that and added some Italo and hi-nrg for fun which usually gets played earlier in the night.

What’s one quintessential D And F track?

Kim Ann Foxman – Creature (MR.INTL)

Why is it so rare to find gay clubs that attract equal numbers of guys and girls?

Alex: I think there can be a bit of animosity between lesbians and gays so they don’t always mix when going out; a lot of nights are also geared towards a specific audience, either guys or girls. But in east London there’s a bit more crossover and there are a lot of friendships between gay and lesbians.

Sandra: Not sure why because we are definitely not the only ones wanting mix places. If I had to guess I’d say that maybe people who are starting gay nights here are generally younger and what you’re after when you’re in your twenties is different from what you’re after when you are older. But that’s just a thought. I don’t necessarily think that there is animosity between gays and lesbians (I don’t see it in my circle of friends for sure) but I think guys are not always super comfortable trying to pull when girls are around and girls don’t necessarily go out as much. But these are just sweeping generalisations and I’m very happy that so far we have managed to keep the night really mixed. Essentially we try to make ourselves happy and share that happiness with our friends and anyone else who has similar tastes as we do.

Who is a true Dick And Fanny icon?

Sandra: Madonna…!

Alex: I’d second that.

We love your posters- how do you find the inspiration for them and which is your favourite?

Alex: We love a bit of a pop culture reference so a lot of the inspiration for our posters comes from film, music and TV but we also throw in the odd random image like the aerobic one last year (inspired by ‘80s workout videos and Jane Fonda) and the swimwear one the year before (inspired partly by Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I.).

My favourite is the Pretty Woman poster, I saw it about five times in the cinema when it came out and the poster was too good an image to not recreate as a DAF poster. I also love the Jeff Koons and Top Gun ones.

Sandra: I think my favourite is the Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love one. For what it is but also for the actual photograph, its colours and composition.

Alex: A special shout out also needs to go to our collaborators at this point: Khalid El-Awad and Christa Holka for shooting the images and Lazy Susan for being incredible on all the images.

You’ve been going almost three years- in that time who’s been your favourite all-round guest, your best dressed guest and your most surprising guest (for whatever reason)?

Sandra: We can’t single anyone out really. All the talent we book, we book because we love their work. We have also been super lucky because everyone has been so nice and we have made really good friends along the way too such as Kim Anh from LA.

The best dressed guest was Feral! And our most surprising guest was Maya Jane Coles, we were lucky enough to book her before she became a superstar. We love Maya and we hope to have her return to our decks very soon!

Join Alex and Sandra for Dick And Fanny Presents the pEt sHOp bEARs – Jubilee Sunday Special this Sunday 3rd June from 9pm – 4am.