Kissy Sell Out
Encyclopedia
Kissy Sell Out an English
DJ, producer
and graphic designer
. Kissy Sell Out quickly gained notability in 2006 for his eccentric electro productions and energetic DJ style. In 2009 Mixmag
described him as "one of the most exciting, charismatic and entertaining DJs of the decade". In 2011 he continues his BBC Radio 1
show midnights til 2am on Thursday nights, heads the independent record label San City High and performs numerous DJ sets around the world.
in Essex
. It was during his adolescent years growing up there that he became obsessed with records by Nirvana
, Aphrodite
, Swans
, Felix Da Housecat
and John Martyn
, while dividing the rest of his time between school, DJing at teenage house parties and chasing girls at the local roller-skating
rink. It is these childhood adventures which he claims still provide the greatest impact on his music. The broad range of his musical influences usually manifest themselves in very melodically complex post-modern dance tracks around 128 BPM in tempo.
Until 2009 the majority of his musical output as a producer was in remix
es for other artists but since then he has released two albums "Youth" and the critically acclaimed follow-up "Wild Romance".
When not working on his own music, much of his time as a music producer is spent mentoring fresh names in dance music through his label San City High and also by judging various DJ competitions such as the Red Bull
Thre3style UK tour.
In July 2007 Kissy Sell Out was signed by BBC Radio 1
to present a monthly installment of a specialist dance music
show called In New DJs We Trust. In October 2008 he permanently took over Eddie Halliwell
's Thursday night slot to host his own weekly show called the "Kissy Klub". His radio show covers a huge selection of musical styles and genres with the tracks often seamlessly mixed together. A notable feature of his radio shows are the Kissy Klub Versions which are unofficial remixes created specifically for the show.
Inspired by early recordings of underground drum'n'bass events in the UK, Kissy used to frequently use an air horn
during his DJ sets and in June 2007 was pictured on the front cover of DJ Magazine blasting one into the air.
As Kissy grew more experienced, his live DJ shows began to focus on his intensely speedy technical ability to mix records of all genres together on four Pioneer CD decks. A signature trick he developed on his radio show and live tours was to put electro beats over classical pieces of music. This is something which began to attract significant media attention when was invited to speak at a formal debate against Stephen Fry
about the relevance of classical music to the youth of today in May 2011.
During his final year studying Graphic Design
at Central Saint Martins College Of Art And Design in London
, Kissy worked full-time as a design assistant at a high-fashion magazine called POP Magazine.
es of songs by various artists which are played exclusively on Kissy Sell Out's BBC Radio 1
Show. The idea to remix songs specifically for a radio show is widely down to the BBC's rules on conflict of interest
which restrict the amount of air time producers such as Kissy can fill with their own material. Since Kissy's own re-edits of tracks have been a widely talked about feature of his DJ sets since 2006, Kissy felt it was important to continue this feature in his burgeoning radio show and thus the Kissy Klub Version concept was started.
Very few of these remixes have ever been played by any other DJ and at the moment it seems there are no plans for any such remixes to be released commercially.
Whilst including the post-modern motifs of Kissy's high energy arrangements (many of which are played on classical instruments such as cellos, oboes and plucked violas), all the tracks revolve around the more familiar dance music conventions of breakdowns and bassline drops which reference genres such as UK speed garage, electro and drum'n'bass. Online press tipped the twelve-track album as "...retain[ing] the extroverted sound he has become synonymous with, but is overall more confident."
http://www.baaf.org.uk/gi/fund/intouchv4.pdf. The E.P. contains a popular blog-house track called "Get Busy Tropicana" as well as "You're On Fire" which was championed by Zane Lowe
on BBC Radio 1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/zanelowe/tracklistingarchive.shtml?20080219.
Kissy also began supporting the Changing Faces charity in 2010 after meeting a severely facially disfigured young girl in a British airport whilst on his way to DJ in Ibiza. In an interview with Thomas H. Green published in Mixmag
he talked of how the brief but poignant moment reduced him to tears and made him realise how lucky he was to be a successful DJ.
, Headman, DJ Touché, The Loose Cannons, Eddy Temple Morris and Tommie Sunshine
, Kissy has insisted on championing unsigned artists and new independent producers as much as he can on his radio shows, festival appearances and press interviews.
Some of the fresh faces in music Kissy has shown support for include Ronnie Flex, Foamo, Jo Kira, Metal On Metal, Proxy, 16 Bit, Jack Beats
, Last Japan, Norrit, AutoErotique, Bear Cavalry, Kamikaze Cream Cake, Late Of The Pier
, MC Cobra, Linda's Nephew, Chew Fu & the Palms Out Sounds blog, Haydn Haydn, Cap'nHarry, Figure, Frankmusik, Thoko, Mr. Vega, Matt Sayers, Dynasty, ETC!ETC!, Black Peter Group, Futuristic Retro Champions
, and Andy George & Jaymo who were notably signed to BBC Radio 1 after Kissy picked them to support him on a special BBC Introducing
edition of Radio 1's Essential Mix
.
Kissy is also a curator of a recently established unsigned music festival in the French Alps called Tignesfest.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
DJ, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and graphic designer
Graphic designer
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
. Kissy Sell Out quickly gained notability in 2006 for his eccentric electro productions and energetic DJ style. In 2009 Mixmag
Mixmag
Mixmag is a British dance music and clubbing magazine. It styles itself as "the world's biggest selling dance music magazine", with an Audit Bureau of Circulations audited circulation of approximately 21,250...
described him as "one of the most exciting, charismatic and entertaining DJs of the decade". In 2011 he continues his BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show midnights til 2am on Thursday nights, heads the independent record label San City High and performs numerous DJ sets around the world.
Background
Although Kissy has often been described by the press as being a staple of the east London electro scene, he is in fact from ColchesterColchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. It was during his adolescent years growing up there that he became obsessed with records by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, Aphrodite
Aphrodite (artist)
Aphrodite also known as A Zone or DJ Aphro, is a UK jungle and drum and bass DJ/producer commonly referred to as the "Godfather of Jungle", who works along with Micky Finn on their joint Urban Takeover label...
, Swans
Swans (band)
Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...
, Felix Da Housecat
Felix da Housecat
Felix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat....
and John Martyn
John Martyn
John Martyn, OBE , born Iain David McGeachy, was a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. Over a forty-year career he released twenty studio albums, working with artists such as Eric Clapton and David Gilmour...
, while dividing the rest of his time between school, DJing at teenage house parties and chasing girls at the local roller-skating
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
rink. It is these childhood adventures which he claims still provide the greatest impact on his music. The broad range of his musical influences usually manifest themselves in very melodically complex post-modern dance tracks around 128 BPM in tempo.
Until 2009 the majority of his musical output as a producer was in remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es for other artists but since then he has released two albums "Youth" and the critically acclaimed follow-up "Wild Romance".
When not working on his own music, much of his time as a music producer is spent mentoring fresh names in dance music through his label San City High and also by judging various DJ competitions such as the Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
Thre3style UK tour.
In July 2007 Kissy Sell Out was signed by BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
to present a monthly installment of a specialist dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
show called In New DJs We Trust. In October 2008 he permanently took over Eddie Halliwell
Eddie Halliwell
Eddie Halliwell is an international Trance DJ. Halliwell has held residencies at Goodgreef, Gatecrasher and Cream in Ibiza, was named DJ of the year by leading dance music magazine Mixmag in 2003 and 2005...
's Thursday night slot to host his own weekly show called the "Kissy Klub". His radio show covers a huge selection of musical styles and genres with the tracks often seamlessly mixed together. A notable feature of his radio shows are the Kissy Klub Versions which are unofficial remixes created specifically for the show.
Inspired by early recordings of underground drum'n'bass events in the UK, Kissy used to frequently use an air horn
Air horn
The air horn is a device designed to create an extremely loud noise. It is usually composed of a pressurized air source coupled to a horn through a valve which allows the device to be turned on and off. Air horns have been installed on large semi-trailer trucks, fire trucks, and some ambulances for...
during his DJ sets and in June 2007 was pictured on the front cover of DJ Magazine blasting one into the air.
As Kissy grew more experienced, his live DJ shows began to focus on his intensely speedy technical ability to mix records of all genres together on four Pioneer CD decks. A signature trick he developed on his radio show and live tours was to put electro beats over classical pieces of music. This is something which began to attract significant media attention when was invited to speak at a formal debate against Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
about the relevance of classical music to the youth of today in May 2011.
During his final year studying Graphic Design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
at Central Saint Martins College Of Art And Design in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Kissy worked full-time as a design assistant at a high-fashion magazine called POP Magazine.
Kissy Klub Versions
Kissy Klub Versions are specially created unofficial remixRemix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es of songs by various artists which are played exclusively on Kissy Sell Out's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Show. The idea to remix songs specifically for a radio show is widely down to the BBC's rules on conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
which restrict the amount of air time producers such as Kissy can fill with their own material. Since Kissy's own re-edits of tracks have been a widely talked about feature of his DJ sets since 2006, Kissy felt it was important to continue this feature in his burgeoning radio show and thus the Kissy Klub Version concept was started.
Very few of these remixes have ever been played by any other DJ and at the moment it seems there are no plans for any such remixes to be released commercially.
Youth
Kissy's debut album Youth took over a year to make and is inspired by his childhood memories of growing up in Essex, UK. It contains 11 tracks, 3 of which are instrumental. As well as covering cheerfully remembered anecdotes of Kissy's "teenage relationships, drinking & social misbehaviour," the content of the songs on the album are said to also reflect the hard times Kissy and Danimal Kingdom experienced while writing the album. In a cover feature for iDJ magazine, Kissy talked about the post-adolescent alienation he felt during the recording process and the relationship problems he and Danimal Kingdom encountered which resulted during the making of the album in a song called "Bethnal Green Café" being penned.Wild Romance
May 2011 saw the release of Kissy's sophomore LP "Wild Romance" on his label San City High. The 12-track album is heavily influenced by the theatrical showmanship of his live four-deck DJ performances and weekly show on BBC Radio 1.Whilst including the post-modern motifs of Kissy's high energy arrangements (many of which are played on classical instruments such as cellos, oboes and plucked violas), all the tracks revolve around the more familiar dance music conventions of breakdowns and bassline drops which reference genres such as UK speed garage, electro and drum'n'bass. Online press tipped the twelve-track album as "...retain[ing] the extroverted sound he has become synonymous with, but is overall more confident."
Albums
- Youth (2009)
- Introducing Kissy Sell Out (2010 - North American only release)
- Wild Romance (2011)
Singles
- Her / Permanent Record (Released 9 May 2007 on San City High Records)
- Her (Released 23 July 2007 on Lavolta Records)
- Rikkalicious Feat. HervéHervé (DJ)Joshua Harvey, otherwise known as Hervé, is a DJ/producer from the UK. Hervé is known for rave-orientated productions and DJ sets.Along with Sinden and Kid Sister, his track "Beeper" reached number 1 on the dance chart in April 2008....
(Released 20 October 2008 on Cheap Thrills Records) - This Kiss (Released 1 June 2009 on San City High Records)
- Come On Over (This Could Be Love) Feat. TinashéTinasheTinashé is a Zimbabwe-born British singer-songwriter, born in Zimbabwe 4 April 1984, known for his synth-pop sound and his African influences.-Biography:Tinashé was born in the township of Highfield, birthplace to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe...
(Released 8 March 2010 on Island RecordsIsland RecordsIsland Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
/San City High Records) - Garden Friends (Released 9 April 2010 on Ministry Of Sound Australia)
- Joanna (Released 16 August 2010 on San City High Records)
- Wild In The Warehouse / Redrinkulous (Released 4 April 2011 on San City High Records))
Compilations
- Mashed Four: Mixed By Kissy Sell Out and The Aston ShuffleThe Aston ShuffleThe Aston Shuffle are a house music duo from Canberra, Australia. They are made up of Disc jockey and electronic music producers Mikah Freeman and Vance Musgrove...
(Released 19 April 2008 on Ministry Of Sound Australia) - Kissy Sell Out's Xmas Blowout: Mixed By Kissy Sell Out (Released 1 December 2009 on MixmagMixmagMixmag is a British dance music and clubbing magazine. It styles itself as "the world's biggest selling dance music magazine", with an Audit Bureau of Circulations audited circulation of approximately 21,250...
)
Charity work
In January 2008 Kissy released a four-track E.P. of bootleg tracks on limited edition cds and digital downloads so he could donate all proceeds to the British Association for Adoption and FosteringBritish Association for Adoption and Fostering
The British Association for Adoption and Fostering is a UK registered charity and membership organization that was formed in 1980. David Holmes is its current Chief Executive. David worked as a solicitor before moving on to children’s services in both local and central government...
http://www.baaf.org.uk/gi/fund/intouchv4.pdf. The E.P. contains a popular blog-house track called "Get Busy Tropicana" as well as "You're On Fire" which was championed by Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
on BBC Radio 1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/zanelowe/tracklistingarchive.shtml?20080219.
Kissy also began supporting the Changing Faces charity in 2010 after meeting a severely facially disfigured young girl in a British airport whilst on his way to DJ in Ibiza. In an interview with Thomas H. Green published in Mixmag
Mixmag
Mixmag is a British dance music and clubbing magazine. It styles itself as "the world's biggest selling dance music magazine", with an Audit Bureau of Circulations audited circulation of approximately 21,250...
he talked of how the brief but poignant moment reduced him to tears and made him realise how lucky he was to be a successful DJ.
Support for unsigned artists
Since Kissy himself claims to owe a lot of his early success to the support he received from DJs such as Simian Mobile DiscoSimian Mobile Disco
Simian Mobile Disco are a United Kingdom-based production and remix team formed in 2005 by James Ford and Jas Shaw of the band Simian. Musically, they are known for their analogue production...
, Headman, DJ Touché, The Loose Cannons, Eddy Temple Morris and Tommie Sunshine
Tommie Sunshine
Tommie Sunshine is a record producer, remixer, DJ and songwriter of electronic music from Chicago currently living in Brooklyn, New York. He is perhaps best known for creating dance remixes to popular rock and alternative songs, by artists such as Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, Good Charlotte,...
, Kissy has insisted on championing unsigned artists and new independent producers as much as he can on his radio shows, festival appearances and press interviews.
Some of the fresh faces in music Kissy has shown support for include Ronnie Flex, Foamo, Jo Kira, Metal On Metal, Proxy, 16 Bit, Jack Beats
Plus One (DJ)
Plus One is a Hip hop DJ from Scotland. He won the DMC world title in 2001 He is a former DJ on Kiss 100.As well as touring regularly with the Scratch Perverts, Plus One is one half of production duo Jack Beats along with Beni G from The Mixologists...
, Last Japan, Norrit, AutoErotique, Bear Cavalry, Kamikaze Cream Cake, Late Of The Pier
Late of the Pier
Late of the Pier are a four-piece dance-punk band from Castle Donington, England, currently signed to Phantasy. Their debut album Fantasy Black Channel was released on 11 August 2008 by Parlophone produced by Erol Alkan.- History :...
, MC Cobra, Linda's Nephew, Chew Fu & the Palms Out Sounds blog, Haydn Haydn, Cap'nHarry, Figure, Frankmusik, Thoko, Mr. Vega, Matt Sayers, Dynasty, ETC!ETC!, Black Peter Group, Futuristic Retro Champions
Futuristic Retro Champions
Futuristic Retro Champions were a Scottish indie band from Edinburgh and Glasgow who sang and played Electropop with a Scottish brogue. They played support for such headliners as Kate Nash, Ladyhawke, The Vaselines, Bombay Bicycle Club, Charlotte Hatherley, Friendly Fires and Glasvegas, before...
, and Andy George & Jaymo who were notably signed to BBC Radio 1 after Kissy picked them to support him on a special BBC Introducing
BBC Introducing
BBC Introducing is the brand for new music programmes across the BBC radio stations, showcasing unsigned, self signed and other emerging musical talent primarily from the UK. Launched in 2007 the Introducing brand brings programming from across the BBC under a unified brand with each show retaining...
edition of Radio 1's Essential Mix
Essential Mix
The Essential Mix is a weekly radio show on BBC Radio 1 currently broadcast between 03:00 and 05:00 Saturday morning. Originally broadcast on 30 October 1993, The Essential Mix features contemporary DJs and music producers of electronic dance music....
.
Kissy is also a curator of a recently established unsigned music festival in the French Alps called Tignesfest.