Sunday 10 July 2016

Dig Deep on Cowbell Radio #33 with Andy Pyett (Fool's Gold Party Collective)


This month I am rather pleased to be bringing you an exclusive mix from choice selector and party DJ Andy Pyett!

A lover of electronic music for many years; Andy's sets cherry pick the groovy aspects of underground house, disco and techno alongside established classic tunes. Andy hails from London, where he is part of the Fool's Gold Party Collective.

A regular visitor to the North West working with the Trailor Trash crew at The Beat-Herder Festival and at their own events. Andy has also played for the Loungevity Crew at Solfest.

Saturday 16 April 2016

Dig Deep on Cowbell Radio #32 with Sam Pemberton (Dead Horse Gang)


To celebrate 3 years of Dig Deep on Cowbell Radio we have a 2 mixes back to back this Saturday night, plus a sprinkling of new tunes throughout the show.

Kicking off at 7pm, first up we will be taking you back to last year's Beat-Herder Festival with the debut airing of the recording of Paul Thornton and Chris Holt live in Trash Manor.

Then at 9pm we hand over to Sam Pemberton (Dead Horse Gang) for an exclusive hour long set that showcases Sam's exceptional talents on the decks. A true natural, Sam will take you on a journey of choice selections that will run through till 10pm. Sam's mix gets the Dig Deep vibe spot on and features Afro flavours, Latin/tropical grooves, percussive workouts and some newer disco/house edit stuff to boot.


I first heard Sam DJing at Solfest last year and really liked what he played. Then I got the chance to play alongside him at The Open Mind Bar in Carlisle (a Dead Horse Gang event) and was blown away by both his taste in music and his effortless DJ skills - he mixed for ages like a techno DJ whilst cutting up tracks like a pro hip hop turntablist. I asked Sam to do a mix for the show there and then...



Q&A with Sam Pemberton (Dead Horse Gang):

Saturday 2 April 2016

Dig Deep Mix Series - #3 SNO


Over the years, whilst doing the Dig Deep Radio Show, I have been lucky enough to feature some fantastic and often exclusive mini-mixes from some of the world's most respected DJs and selectors.

Presenting 3 hours a month of radio is great fun, but sometimes you just want the music straight up. That's where the new Dig Deep Mix Series comes in - pure undiluted music from a different guest DJ each time. For DDMS#3 it's my pleasure to welcome SNO to the Dig Deep family.



SNO aka Selina Nongaliphe Oliphant grew up in the township of Bophelong in the Vaal, South Africa. SNO's uncle was the finest collector of Jazz, Soul, Funk, Afrobeat and Disco. "He suffocated me with tune after tune for years. When he sold his collection, I felt loss that I still haven’t felt to date."

Thursday 10 March 2016

Dig Deep on Cowbell Radio #31 with Al 'Hot Mix' Holmes (Chicago)

This month's special guest for Dig Deep on Cowbell Radio is none other than veteran Chicago based DJ Al 'Hot Mix' Holmes.

Al has been playing records in the city since 1982. Graduating from Medal High (the school that produced many people that had a big impact on the Chicago house scene including Robert Owens, E-Smoove & Braxton Holmes) Al's influences include Farley 'Jack Master' Funk, Steve 'Silk' Hurley and Frankie Knuckles.

With 30+ years in the game, Al has been remixing and producing music for more than a decade. During that time Al has released a string of Chicago house, gospel and gospel house EPs and singles on the Power Mix Group 1 record label.

No stranger to the airwaves, Chicagoan's will have heard Al on the 2nd largest Gospel station in the US, inspiration1390.com. Al is also known to provide regular fixes of house on gottahavehouseradio.com and housestationradio.com.

This is Al 'Hot Mix' Holmes 2nd guest mix for the show - this time he is on a jacking 4/4 tip that captures the true House sound of Chicago.

As usual PT will be starting us off with a raft of new and tasty selections covering everything from chill out, deep house, [nu] disco, boogie, electronica, dub, and techno.

Dig Deep On Cowbell Radio with Al 'Hot Mix' Holmes (Chicago)
Saturday 19th March 2016
7pm-10pm

Follow the show:
facebook.com/DigDeepOnCowbellRadio

Wednesday 9 March 2016

Dig Deep on Cowbell Radio #30 with Mark Grusane (BBE / Sounds Familiar / Spacedust)


Fresh from dropping a very popular set for the Dig Deep Mix Series last month, we welcome Chicago based DJ and producer Mark Grusane to Dig Deep on Cowbell Radio.

The more I learn about Mark Grusane's history the more I realise how much I don't know. It turns out, what I did know is only the tip of the iceberg.



A pioneer of underground disco and boogie, in his time running the legendary Mr. Peabody's record shop in Chicago, Mark probably handled and heard every disco record that was ever produced in the USA. Knowledge he put to good use when compiling the Night Drive Vol.1 A Journey Into EP and the Real Sound Of Chicago LPs for BBE Records.

Monday 22 February 2016

Cream Of The Crop - Blink And They're Gone Vinyl Chart


The number 1 slot this time around goes to a Japanese 10" that was pressed in 2012. Described on Discogs as 'A stunning disco break re-edit by Japan's finest' and with Juno listing the label as 11154 and earlier releases on the Tide label being attributed to DJ XXXL, all evidence suggests this is likely to be the work of DJ Muro.

 At number 2 Mike Huckaby is back with another gem on his Synth label. My current favourite is 'Let The Dancer Do His Thing' which reminds me of his 'Analog, Tapes & Things' killer from the NDATL Special Edition 2014 EP. There is also another more expensive 12" limited edition hand numbered version that comes with a CD.

REKchampa aka Stefan Ringer takes up the 3rd and 4th spots with an LP and 12" on Peoples Potential Limited. The 6 track Dream Sequence LP is a limited test pressing, whilst the 2 track Fried Chicken Skin 12" features Personal Trainer. REKchampa takes influences from many styles to deliver some of the freshest electronic music I've heard so far this year. Definitely one for fans of Moodhut, Max Graef, Church and Rhythm Section International.

In at number 5 is the forthcoming Mall Grab - Sun Ra EP on Church. Produced in Melbourne, the whole EP has the deep jazzy kind of vibe that I love and for me sits somewhere between deep house and decent bass music. My personal favourite is the piano led 'Down', but everything from the Burial-esque 'French Girls' to the Alicia Keys-sampling 'Cant' works for me.

And that's just the Top 5. Follow the link below to listen to this month's Top 30 picks.

http://www.juno.co.uk/charts/dj/536543-Paul_Thornton_itch_Dig_Deep/1789547-Chart/

Friday 5 February 2016

Cream Of The Crop - All Killers No Fillers Vinyl Chart


First chart of the year and I can honestly say every one of these records is a gem. Boogie Funk Techno Soul Ethiopian Disco Broken House type thing.

This times number 1 spot goes to the North West's top funk and soul outfit, Templebys. The 7" comes as a double A Side and includes the soul shaker that is 'Good Fight' and the uptempo funk workout 'Funkaphrenic'. Already getting support by the likes of Craig Charles who featured it on his BBC 6 Music radio show in his 'What's Big' in 2016 tips list.

At number 2 we have a reissue of Brenda Harris' out and out disco dancefloor bomb from 1978, 'Making Love Will Keep You Fit'. An 11 and a half minute epic of funk licks, throbbing bass and wonderful horns that is available in both black and blue vinyl.

Number 3 goes to Connie Cases's Miami funk chugger 'Get Down'. Originally released in 1982, the remastered Electro Disco vibe fits in perfectly with the newer stuff I play, whilst 'Flowing Inside' on the flip has a nice Balearic vibe.

Apron Records new signing Shamos snaps up the number 4 slot. It's the deep and twisted groove of 'Training Day' that is doing it most for me, but also check 'Ode To Lynch' and the acid based 'Cranbourne Road' for another couple of winners.

The Melbourne-based Chicagoan Casey Rice aka Designer and Four Tet team up to steal 5th with the edgy arpeggio led 'Mothers' keeping it fresh for the slo-mo deep house and techno crew - this is where experimental electronica meets clubland. Meanwhile B Side track 'Dark' does what it says on the tin whilst piling on the funk to deliver a breakbeat laiden bass track that is as fresh as they come.

And that's just the Top 5. Follow the link below to listen to this month's Top 30 picks.

http://www.juno.co.uk/charts/dj/536543-Paul_Thornton_itch_Dig_Deep/1775372-Chart/

Wednesday 20 January 2016

Dig Deep On Cowbell Radio #29 with Phil Austin (aka Left For Love)


This month we get underway by introducing an up and coming DJ and pure music head from the North West UK.

A sucker for a good re-edit or rework of classic Soul, Funk, Disco and occasionally House tunes; a decent groove and a pulsing bassline are a must for Phil Austin (aka Left for Love).

His DJ sets are a heady fusion of classic and modern dance tunes with a strong leaning towards the soulful and funky. The emphasis is always on the dance floor with pulsating basslines, killer keys, rasping horns and soaring vocals, all lovingly laid over a foot shuffling back beat.


Saturday 16 January 2016

Dig Deep Mix Series - #2 Mark Grusane


Over the years, whilst doing the Dig Deep Radio Show, I have been lucky enough to feature some fantastic and often exclusive mini-mixes from some of the world's most respected DJs and selectors.

Presenting 3 hours a month of radio is great fun, but sometimes you just want the music straight up. That's where the new Dig Deep Mix Series comes in - pure undiluted music from a different guest DJ each time. For DDMS#2 I am honoured to present a mix from seasoned crate digger Mark Grusane...

The more I learn about Mark Grusane's history the more I realise how much I don't know. It turns out, what I did know is only the tip of the iceberg.

A pioneer of underground disco and boogie, in his time running the legendary Mr. Peabody's record shop in Chicago, Mark probably handled and heard every disco record that was ever produced in the USA. Knowledge he put to good use when compiling the Night Drive Vol.1 A Journey Into EP and the Real Sound Of Chicago LPs for BBE Records.

Delve a bit deeper into his history and his understated love of digging for and cutting modern soul bangers onto vinyl becomes ever more self-evident. Over the last 10 years Mark has released tracks on Canadian disco re-edit labels Truth Is Light and Spacedust , put out 3 EPs on CG Records Inc, and a deep houser on Amsterdam's Rush Hour.