GS13: AL KENT (THE MILLION DOLLAR ORCHESTRA) PODCAST + INTERVIEW

Groovement Soul

Groovement Soul Podcast episode NO.13 is an exclusive disco mix compiled by Million Dollar Disco don Al Kent as a teaser for his upcoming gig with us in The Grand Social on the 25th August 2012. It's a straight up disco mix packed with gems and everyone at Groovement Soul HQ is really digging the vibes. INTERVIEWQuestions compiled by Colin Leopold and Keith Dalton Q. You played Southport Weekender in May. How has it changed from recent years and what time did you make it to bed?A. It's changed quite a bit because they have the new venue now. Not in a bad way, it just feels a bit different. Still the same people loving the same music though. And that's what makes it what it is, so it's all good. The Connoisseur's Corner is a much better room now, much bigger, better atmosphere. It's not like it was back in the day though - not as many moustaches for a start. I think I got to bed at 7am or so. It's hard to leave because there's always something going on. Q.With so many old and new disco compilations out there, how do you go about sourcing tunes and giving listeners something different?A. I don't know.. I just buy records I like when I can find them. It's got harder in the last few years though because more and more people are chasing the same records. But I try to avoid getting involved in all that.. there's still plenty of records out there that are gathering dust with my name on them.Q. You are well-known for having an extensive record collection of disco rarities. If you arrived home to find your house burning down, what one record would you run in to save and why?A. It would have to be Walter Gibbons' mix of Gladys Knight. Because I love Walter and that's an expensive one to replace. All my Walter records are stored together though so I'd probably cheat and grab them all.Q. Searching for old records can bring you across some strange characters and situations. What's the weirdest record buying experience you've had in the search for a beat?A. Probably a guy I met at a record fair in Glasgow who had a crate of not bad disco stuff, told me he had a warehouse full of it in London so we arranged for me to go down. He probably thought I wouldn't show up, but I did.. he seemed a little freaked out when I called to say I'd arrived, then he took me to his "warehouse" - a lockup garage on some dodgy estate that had obviously been flooded daily for a decade, full of really shit pop records floating in mud. You always get bullshitters - guys who've got tons of records that they never let you see. Record collectors are weird.Q. What effect has the popularity of Soundcloud had on you as a dj and releaser of music?A. None! I avoid it as much as I can. I do have an account, and I do update my stuff occasionally, but not often. There's just too much garbage on there to wade through. Most of it seems pointless.. just people desperate for comments.Q. What's the secret to a good disco edit? Any new names to watch out for and what are they doing differently?A. I don't really know the answer to that. But editing is like production.. it takes a certain level of skill, and a good ear, a good understanding of music. There's too many people think that making a played out disco record a bit longer is a good idea. Soundcloud's full of that.Q. Tell me about the Scottish music scene. What do you love and hate about living in Glasgow?A. Scotland's always had a great music scene, especially Glasgow. But things are getting tough now because there aren't as many people left who are genuinely into good music. We've all got a bit older and nights out happen less often so it's hard to get the crowds that used to be out every weekend. Which means a lot of really good parties can't compete. It's a real labour of love, which actually makes for better parties, but also means a lot of potentially great ones fall on their arse.. It's the same everywhere now though. Young people just want cheap drinks and not many seem to have great taste in music.A. I love Glasgow because it's my home.. I know it like the back of my hand. There's not really anything I hate about it. It's kind of annoying that I have to fly half way across the world to get gigs though.Q. In 2008 you launched a live disco project with an orchestra under the Million Dollar Disco moniker, tell me a little about how this came together. What was the biggest challenge in such a grand project?A. It was really just an idea to add some live musicians to my productions that grew wings. I started with some keys, then found a bass player and eventually ended up with twenty musicians, including a horn and string section. The biggest challenge was really just finding enough channels on the desk for all the parts we recorded!Q. A lot of the best disco is about vocals. What makes a 'good song' in your opinion?A. Soul. Anything sung with real passion has the potential to be a great song. I love lyrics too - that's something that's becoming a bit of a lost art. Q. How important is the artwork of your compilations to you? Is this your own work and if so how did you get into it? A. Yes, I do it all myself. It's really important to me - I'm a bit of a perfectionist so I couldn't really let anyone else do something like that for me. I'd just tear it to shreds. I'd be the worst client ever. I've always been into art, especially graphics. I do quite a bit of that stuff.Find out more about the Al Kent story. TRACKLIST 1. Al Kent - Open Up Your Mind2. L.T.D. - Love To The World (edit)3. Fatback - Master Booty (edit)4. Sandy Barber - I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own (Al Kent Classic Mix)5. Disc & That - Space walk (edit)6. Carol Williams - Love Is You (edit)7. Ross carnegie - f Minor Disco (edit)8. B.H.Y. - Handle Me With Care (edit)9. Cameo - It's serious (edit)10. Dillard & Johnson - Here We Go Loving Again (edit)11. Seventh Wonder - Do It With Your Body (edit)12. Rhani Harris - Six Million Steps (edit)13. Loleatta Holloway - Ripped Off (edit)14. Mass Production - Can't You See I'm Fired Up (edit)15. Southern Exposure - Love Is (edit) LINKS:Resident Advisor PageMillion Dollar Disco WebsiteDiscogs Page