Shaboom Records returns

Shaboom Records returns

2 October, 2008 | 11.04AM

• Written by: blakkat
• Filed under: Music News: blakkat, blaktrax, shaboom

Shaboom Records has been quiet in recent years but has lately returned to the scene.

Peter Wohelski caught up with Shaboom Record’s head honcho Mark Blakkat Bell [pictured here in his younger days] to find out where he’s been hiding.

Shaboom has been suspiciously quiet the past couple years.  I guess it’s taken awhile to get adjusted after moving from Blackpool to LA.  How are you finding Los Angeles as compared to ‘sunny’ Blackpool?

Well, apart from the similarity in all-year-round gorgeous weather and beautiful beaches, Santa Monica Pier and Blackpool’s Central Pier are one and the same.

Although, I sometimes feel like I’m living in Tony Scott’s True Romance or even Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner.

Shaboom has always been known as a purveyor of quality house music, regardless of trends. What do you feel are some of the standouts of the label’s catalog on musical merit alone, sales figures and critics be damned?

Too many to mention. 

I never gave a fuck about what anybody else said, if I liked a tune I’d release it, regardless of style. 

We put out everything from deep & techy to loungey bar grooves, from klanky industrial to soulful house, but if I had to choose a few I’d say Shaboom’s ‘If You Need Me’ (Blakkat’s Street Party Dub), UBU ‘Pixels’ and The Second Hand Satellites Orbit series.

After a few years away, what made you decide to finally have a dig through the Shaboom vaults? What tasty treats are you unearthing for house music fans for the first time?

We decided to let the people choose.

Many of our releases were very difficult to get hold of and now with the success of Digital Download Networks such as Beatport, anyone anywhere can acquire our music. 

Evolution’s remix of ‘Revolution’ was huge with Sasha and John Digweed but was only ever available as a 500 pressing white label. 

We also released 10 full albums that have never been available as downloads and are still very much sought after.

Other rarities include The Blakdoktor remix of Shaboom’s ‘Woman Cry’ and Fred Everything’s remixes of ‘East River Rituals’ featuring Robert Owens’ ‘You Can’t Fight It.’

Are there any plans for brand new releases and remix revisitation of some of the Shaboom classics?

Absolutely.  We are gearing up for the release of a smoking hot new remix by Manuel Tur of Blakkat’s ‘Deeper’ alongside some previously unavailable remixes.

We have a new record from Josh Wink and some new remixes by Crazy P and Majik Johnson plus a new set of vocal releases featuring Taka Boom and myself.

You’re a devoted Everton fan.  What’s your prediction for the Toffees this season? Will they repeat their Top 5 EPL finish and make a stand in the UEFA Cup or are they destined to slink back to mid-table mediocrity?

I think we have a very good chance of finishing in the top 5. 

Our manager knows that if changes have to made they will. 

I hope we do a better job in Belgium next week than they did against Blackburn in the Carling cup, if they don’t, mid-table is better than what we had to stomach through the ‘90s!

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