Tete-a-tete-s: Freemasons

Bio:
Name: Russell Small - FREEMASONS

Name: James Wiltshire - FREEMASONS
Hometown(s):Brighton
Occupation(s):DJ/Producer

H: Guyz How/when did you start doing your remixing?

R: I have been producing and remixing for about 10 years, James for around 20

H: What artist is top of your list to remix for and why?

R: Anyone with a phenomenal voice and a great song, these are the reasons we choose the tracks we do to remix.

H: Apart from Remixing, you DJ as well. What places/where? W

R: We Dj pretty much everywhere around the world, a lot more in North America this year.

H: How do you keep up with what's happening within the music industry these days?

R: The same as everybody else, the internet, itunes etc. We look in most territories on itunes, so you know whats big in lots of different countries

H: There is a lot of controversy surrounding blogs that provide downloads/download links.

What is your opinion on this?

R: we have no problem with Blogs putting up clips of tracks, but when they put up the whole thing to download, we feel its taking the piss a little bit.

H: You have done remixes for artists like Kylie, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Beyonce & Shakira and done tracks with Bailey Zuke, Katherine Ellis and Amanda Wilson, how do these collaborations come about?

R: Most of the time the label or management approach us, but if we hear a vocalist that we think, "wow", we will get our management to track them down and ask if they would like to work with us.

H: There are many DJ's/Remixers out there, what makes you different from them?

R: We tend to put in a lot more time than most other remixers, we know producers that spend a few days on mixes, we spend a few weeks.

H: Talking about DJ's & Remixers: Who are your favourites?

R: There are a few, Axwell, Tv Rock, some of the Michael woods stuff, Funkerman, Fedde.

H: What are you working on at the moment?

R: We are working on a remix of George Michael, I Want Your Sex.

It's been one of the hardest remixes we have done, but it's coming together nicely.

H: The Pop/Dance/NRG scene has changed a lot over the past 10 years I think, do you agree and if so, in what way has it changed?

R: The fusion with Urban / RnB has changed everything,pop/ dance has become more mainstream, the upside of this is, a lot of Dance producers are being asked to work with some very big artists.

H: Remixes by The Freemasons appear to have a huge Gay following, do you have any idea why that is?

R: Uplifting vocal house, pretty much says it all :-)

H: Pride season is in full swing; do you go to any Gay Prides and if so: which one(s)?

R: This has been our summer of prides, i have played or am playing at, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Sao Paulo, Brighton, London, Berlin

H: If you were to name your all-time favourite remix that you have done, which one would it be? Deja Vu - Beyonce, it was the remix we got Grammy nominated for, still a big fav with the fans as well