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

H:  You have remixed for so many well-known artists; do you ever feel star-struck?

R: No never, we always think WOW, but once you get into it, you don't really think about it

H: What is your favourite hang-out?

R: Behind a DJ box, its where I spend most of my weekends

H:  What is your favourite tipple?

R: Patron Gold Tequila

H:  You are to host/have the perfect party; who would be your dream guest list and why?

R: We are not really into the whole celeb thing, so all our friends and family.

With a huge thanks to the brilliant

FREEMASONS

http://www.facebook.com/#!/freemasons

H.Xx

Paul Burston

With huge thanks to my fabulous friend

Paul Burston

http://www.paulburston.com/Site/Home.html

http://www.facebook.com/#!/paulburston

H.Xx

Vanilla Lush

H: Vanilla, when did you first do drag?
V: Back when I still lived in Amsterdam (1997), I started Uni, which meant that with no job and just a student loan, money was tight. 
   We had dressed up as girls once before for a Party in Rotterdam, and that went down well. 

So I thought it a brilliant idea to spend some money on Makeup, Shoes, Dress and Hair,
   So that I could go and get free entry at this club I wanted to go to. 
   When I got there I realised several of the Drag Queens there I already knew - just not in Drag. 

So thats where the whole saga started.

H: Who do you consider to be your inspiration? 
V: I was lucky to start Drag in Amsterdam in the Late 90's, just as Diva Mayday, Covergirl Sonny and Nikki Nicole were establishing themselves on the scene. 
   Those three and Misstika were my original inspiration - then from there after I moved to London and met such wonderful Drag Queens as
   the late Steffan Whitfield from the Way Out Club and Dusty'O and Tasty Tim of Trannyshack.

H: Where do you get your fabulous wigs and outfits from?
V: Now for getting Dressed: It's realy not that difficult if you have a creative mind.
   And it helps to have an eye for a bargain. 

I am all about mix and match; Primani, Peacoxi and anywhere else that has something nice. 
   

I make a lot of alterations myself on the machine so it isn't too high street.
   As for hair - where I live there are a few wonderful hairshops for my ponytails, halffro's and extentions. 
   And I found a few lovely little websites with cheap and cheerful wigs that arive next day.

 H: Who's your favourite drag queen?
V: I am not sure if I have a favourite - I can only say who my good friends are

namely Gloria von Rottenhole (Escape) and Ritzy Crackers (Trannyshack).

 
H: What would be the ultimate drag performance for you?
V: All singing all dancing all glamorous Terri and Chrystal and Sahhara from Madame Jojo's are amazing. 
Funny thing is out of those there's only one a Drag queen. I'll leave it up to you all to figure out the rest.

H: World famous drag queen RuPaul has this amazing show: RuPaul's Drag Race. 

Would you ever consider participating?
V: You know what, I dont think I would. 

If we're sticking to her format then its not realy for me.
1: I don't mime anymore. 
2: I don't tuc. 
3: No breastshapes. 

And after Brittain's Got Talent, I think that it's better to work hard and get there the long way round - most things that look too good to be true
generally are...

 H: What is you best chat-up line?
V: Darling. Really. I have to beat em off me. I don't use lines. ;-)

H: What is your ultimate put-down line?
V: Who did your make-up Girl? the COUNCIL?

H: What is your favourite hang-out?
V: Escape in Soho.

H: What's your favourite tipple?
V: This queer likes a beer :-)

H: If you were to have/host the ultimate party, who would be your dream guests?
V: Hmmmmmm.... all my sisters without whom it would be very boring + Stephen Fry, George Michael, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley,
Pamela Andersson, Ronnie Corbett, those types of guests.

H: Vanilla, I have known you from back in the days in Amsterdam - would you ever consider moving back there?
V: Shock Horror. No, Amsterdam was great when I was there.

But it has changed. And I haven't changed with it cuz I was here.

So when I went back to do a few shows last year, I soon realised that I was not in Texas anymore.
Home is London and I dont see that changing for a few millenia yet. I plan to be around for a while :-)

H: What makes you different from other drag queens?
V: I am Dutch.
And laugh all you like but I think that's the only thing that gives my Vanilla the Edge.
We are from a whole different planet.

H: A few years ago, you did my make-up when I went out to London Pride in full drag.
Where did you learn how to do the make-up so well?

(Me as Anna Static; make-up by Vanilla Lush)

V: Trial, error, failure, distress, disaster, baby wipes - start again. 
Do that for 14 years and you end up looking like me.
And.... you are never done! Nor do you ever know it all. 

I learn something everytime I look at another artist at work.
It fascinates me and excites me to see little tricks and ways and habits and to grow and polish my craft.

 
H: You never leave home without
V: A few backing tracks, flat shoes, and bus money!

 With a huge thanks to my gorgeous friend:

VANILLA LUSH

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Vanilla-Lush

http://www.myspace.com/vanillalushmusic

H.Xx