FROM ENGLAND, WITH LOVE (…and Hot Beats!)
Freemasons to DJ at Dance on The Pier 2010!
Freemasons to DJ at Dance on The Pier 2010!
Russell Small and James Wiltshire are The Freemasons. Since 2005, this dynamic duo from Brighton, England have been creating musical mojo all over the world with their original works and their unequaled collaborations with other top artists. Anyone who takes their dance music seriously (and you SHOULD, boys and girls!) knows about the Freemasons’ high-energy, pulse-pounding, adrenaline-infused remixes. The roster of women the boys have worked with is like a “Who’s Who” of A-list divas: Faith Evans, Amanda Wilson, Kelly Rowland, Siedah Garrett, Whitney Houston, Kylie and Danii Minogue, Shakira, and Solange. The Freemason’s remix of Solange’s big sis Beyonce’s “Deja Vu” got the duo nominated for a Grammy in 2006. One of the pair’s most popular club anthems is “Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)” with Sophie Ellis-Bextor. The track reached #1 on MTV Dance Charts and stayed there for for 13 consecutive weeks, as well as hitting the #1 spot on Gaydar Radio Top 20. The Freemasons’ latest album, “Shakedown 2”, was released in June of 2009. Gaydar, the hot gay dating megasite, will be bringing the mixmasters across the Atlantic to DJ for the biggest and hottest open-air dance party of the summer: Heritage of Pride’s 24th Annual Dance on the Pier, on June 27. The Freemasons’ latest dance track is their hypnotic remix of “Bittersweet,” again with their muse Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Expect a mushroom cloud-sized explosion of pure joy when the boys drop this track and others on the mass of sweaty, shirtless guys on Pier 54 at this year’s Pride.
The Freemasons spoke with Jed Ryan:
JR: Hi guys! So, out of all the original tracks that you’ve done, which are what you would call “Essential
Freemasons”? Put another way, what songs should all of us download as a warm-up for your upcoming appearance in New York City?
Freemasons: Ooooh– Great question!! Start with our mix of Heather Headley’s “In My Mind”– still a favourite of ours. As the vocal just soars, move onto “Rain Down Love”– one of our most favourite productions with the incredible songwriting and vocal skills of Siedah Garrett. Every mix tape needs a slice of Whitney and “Million Dollar Bill” was certainly one of our most enjoyable remixes. Ramp up with Beyonce’s “Ring the Alarm”, then come back down to a wonderful emotive musical journey with our cover of Alanis Morrisette’s “Uninvited”. That should give anyone a taster of what we get up to over here by the English seaside!
JR: Nice!!! Now, the list of divas that you have worked with is amazing! Out of all of them, who was the most memorable? Why?
Freemasons: Remixing can be a solitary business, as you’re alone in your own studio environment with a song that been laboured and loved by others. I think our mix of Faith Evans’ “Mesmerized” will always be very special to us. It was a long time ago, but our production techniques really started to come together on that one, and it’s always been a crowd favourite. Topping that was Beyonce though. What an honour and pleasure to remix three songs from that
album. One thing that’s always struck us when we hear the remix parts is how talented these wonderful artists are. Incredible singers!
JR: Without giving too much away, what surprises do you have in store for us at The Pier Dance this
June?
Freemasons: PLENTY! Most importantly, we will be playing a version of what will hopefully be a new single from us
featuring the beautiful vocals of NYC singer Wynter Gordon. It’s been a while coming, as we wanted to make our next move a very special one. It will be it’s debut as a complete mix at pride. We have a whole series of little edits, re-works, and specials lined up. The last few gigs have really inspired us and thrown us back to the mixing
desk with new purpose.
JR: I can’t wait! The two of you have played at such major events as New Years’ Eve 2008 for thousands of people, and Mardi Gras in Sydney, Australia, in 2009. Do you think that even these events can prepare you for thousands of shirtless gay men in 90 degree heat in New York City this June?!
Freemasons: This is a huge gig for us. We are very proud to be playing this summer in NYC: a city we fell in love
with last year and we cannot thank Gaydar.net and Heritage of Pride enough for bringing us out again. It is something we have been looking forward to for months… and as the day gets closer, we are getting more and more excited (and nervous). But yes, I see your point: I don’t think anything can truly prepare us for this event and I know we’re
going to have our breath taken away by the atmosphere of New York City’s gay community out en masse, to dance, celebrate and take a group stance against bigotry and ignorance.
JR: That’s great to hear! Now, lastly, I hear that there’s a new Freemasons album in the works. What else do you have coming up for your fans?
Freemasons: We move into a new studio on the 1st of July and that will definitely speed our recording up later on in
the year… which is going to really make a huge difference to our efficiency and quality. We’ve been in redevelopment for the last eight months and really glad we did. We’re really close to moving our sound on in stunning fashion. We have just commissioned to remix a fascinating new UK Band called Hurts. Think Depeche Mode ’round at the
Pet Shop Boys’ apartment with a thoroughly modern twist, with dark but very uplifting songwriting . One of us went to see them live a couple of weeks ago and almost had an epiphany whilst in the crowd. Incredible stage presence! The single we’ve been asked to remix is our favorite: “Wonderful Life”. Check out their demo video on YouTube; this got them signed. We’re very excited. We’re also going to concentrate on getting our material released internationally instantly and will have some very exciting developments in the coming months. Find us on
Twitter from July for full updates on the album and other music projects: Freemasonsmusic.
JR: Thanks, gentlemen! See you in New York City!
JR: Hi guys! So, out of all the original tracks that you’ve done, which are what you would call “Essential
Freemasons”? Put another way, what songs should all of us download as a warm-up for your upcoming appearance in New York City?
Freemasons: Ooooh– Great question!! Start with our mix of Heather Headley’s “In My Mind”– still a favourite of ours. As the vocal just soars, move onto “Rain Down Love”– one of our most favourite productions with the incredible songwriting and vocal skills of Siedah Garrett. Every mix tape needs a slice of Whitney and “Million Dollar Bill” was certainly one of our most enjoyable remixes. Ramp up with Beyonce’s “Ring the Alarm”, then come back down to a wonderful emotive musical journey with our cover of Alanis Morrisette’s “Uninvited”. That should give anyone a taster of what we get up to over here by the English seaside!
JR: Nice!!! Now, the list of divas that you have worked with is amazing! Out of all of them, who was the most memorable? Why?
Freemasons: Remixing can be a solitary business, as you’re alone in your own studio environment with a song that been laboured and loved by others. I think our mix of Faith Evans’ “Mesmerized” will always be very special to us. It was a long time ago, but our production techniques really started to come together on that one, and it’s always been a crowd favourite. Topping that was Beyonce though. What an honour and pleasure to remix three songs from that
album. One thing that’s always struck us when we hear the remix parts is how talented these wonderful artists are. Incredible singers!
JR: Without giving too much away, what surprises do you have in store for us at The Pier Dance this
June?
Freemasons: PLENTY! Most importantly, we will be playing a version of what will hopefully be a new single from us
featuring the beautiful vocals of NYC singer Wynter Gordon. It’s been a while coming, as we wanted to make our next move a very special one. It will be it’s debut as a complete mix at pride. We have a whole series of little edits, re-works, and specials lined up. The last few gigs have really inspired us and thrown us back to the mixing
desk with new purpose.
JR: I can’t wait! The two of you have played at such major events as New Years’ Eve 2008 for thousands of people, and Mardi Gras in Sydney, Australia, in 2009. Do you think that even these events can prepare you for thousands of shirtless gay men in 90 degree heat in New York City this June?!
Freemasons: This is a huge gig for us. We are very proud to be playing this summer in NYC: a city we fell in love
with last year and we cannot thank Gaydar.net and Heritage of Pride enough for bringing us out again. It is something we have been looking forward to for months… and as the day gets closer, we are getting more and more excited (and nervous). But yes, I see your point: I don’t think anything can truly prepare us for this event and I know we’re
going to have our breath taken away by the atmosphere of New York City’s gay community out en masse, to dance, celebrate and take a group stance against bigotry and ignorance.
JR: That’s great to hear! Now, lastly, I hear that there’s a new Freemasons album in the works. What else do you have coming up for your fans?
Freemasons: We move into a new studio on the 1st of July and that will definitely speed our recording up later on in
the year… which is going to really make a huge difference to our efficiency and quality. We’ve been in redevelopment for the last eight months and really glad we did. We’re really close to moving our sound on in stunning fashion. We have just commissioned to remix a fascinating new UK Band called Hurts. Think Depeche Mode ’round at the
Pet Shop Boys’ apartment with a thoroughly modern twist, with dark but very uplifting songwriting . One of us went to see them live a couple of weeks ago and almost had an epiphany whilst in the crowd. Incredible stage presence! The single we’ve been asked to remix is our favorite: “Wonderful Life”. Check out their demo video on YouTube; this got them signed. We’re very excited. We’re also going to concentrate on getting our material released internationally instantly and will have some very exciting developments in the coming months. Find us on
Twitter from July for full updates on the album and other music projects: Freemasonsmusic.
JR: Thanks, gentlemen! See you in New York City!
On June 27th, the British are coming! Heritage of Pride’s 24th Annual Dance on the Pier takes place on Pier 54 at 13th Street and the West Side Highway on Sunday, June 27th from 4:00 PM until 10:30 PM. Visit Heritage of Pride at http://www.NYCPride.org for tickets and more info! Visit http://www.FreemasonsMusic.net and http://www.Gaydar.net for more!
LAVENDER AFTER DARK (because life begins when the sun goes down...) 