Special music Monday!: Kid Machine

I know, my presence here was sporadic last week. Many apologies. I could excuse myself, but it's really inexcusable. I forget that even when things totally suck (As they sort of do right now), I still have you. I shouldn't abuse our friendship or take it for granted.

So today I have some music for you!

Let's start with my MySpace playlist which includes Sucker For Pumps, WINNER!, Agness Twin, NewClearChild, Xu Xu Fang, Toy Robot,Diamond, THE NEON TIGERS, oscars brother, and Boo Yeah Club.

And for my featured artist I have Mark Wilkinson, an English DJ and producer who goes by the name Kid Machine. He did a remix of Marc Rémillard's "Feeling Fresh," which you should go check out at his MySpace! His remix is a glistening, spacey, metallic interpretation of Marc's sky-dream track.

Based in South Manchester, England, Mark draws inspiration from Atari computer games, 80's TV show background music, film scores, and every genre of dance music. He also cites his two older brothers as his musical impetus because, as Mark says, "I grew up sharing a room with my brother who's eight years older and he encouraged me to mess around making music on Yamaha Portasound home keboards. I made my first electro tune in 1986 called 'Robot-imix.' I wish I still had that tape!"

Mark, if you ever find that tape, please share it with us!

His other brother used to play a Deep Heat tape in his builders van, which whetted Mark's appetite for Acid House and dance music in general around 1989. At the tender age of fifteen, Mark began mastering the art of mixing. Several years later he was DJ-ing locally at bars and clubs, and even landed a six month residency in Melbourne, Australia.

Upon returning to England in 1990, Mark produced a series of Disco House tracks under the name Maruko and debuted NYC People EP on his label, Deluded Recordings. In 2007, the Kid Machine project was born. Now Kid Machine is signed to local label Sounds of the Suburbs with friend and godfather to his son, Mike TV, lead singer of Beats for Beginners.

Fusing all of his influences - from the Disco of Didier Marouani and Space, Synths of Jarre and House to the likes of Daft Punk and Junior Sanchez - Mark was kind enough to offer up some insight into his music.

Favorite Daft Punk song?
The Discovery Album as a whole, it inspired and helped to get me where I am now with my production and technique in general. But if I was in a hostage situation with a some electro terrorists pointing a gun at my head for an answer, I'd have to say 'Short Circuit' - it's pure genius. I love the ending!

What's your gear? Or you can plead the "tricks of the trade."
A Laptop, it's a Kid Machine KM6000 ;-) LoL!!, also, my ears, my brain and some VST's. It HAS to be Ableton when I actually get out and play gigs. I also have a Roland Groovebox, but that's been redundant for years. They're a bit crap really aren't they! Will I get sued for that comment? [Liz's ntoe: Naw.]

Where can people find you?
Under a heap of beer cans and Haribo packets [Liz's note: The Haribo frogs are the best in my opinion!] in a spare back bedroom in Manchester, England working on new music, or www.myspace.com/kidmachinemusic

What's your going out ritual? Picture John Travolta a la Saturday Night Fever!
Going out is a rarity now, I am a dad of a two year old and have a baby on the way in June. I usually avoid clubs and go straight for good old bars and pubs. Chorlton or Manchesters Northern Quarter are firm favourites to sink a few beers and get a good kebab. The night would start with tracks by Justice, Digitalism, Surkin et al on the stereo to get in the vibe of things. What would O wear? I might work the shirt/tie/jeans/converse (the f*cked up kind) combination. I might be three to four years out of fashion, but I don't give a shit! I have also been known to make a t-shirt especially for a night out. (O used to go out smelling of spray paint after making stencil tees!)

Something about you that most people don't know.
Rotary Connection's 'I am the Black Gold of the Sun' makes me cry like a little girl - "No, I'm fine. it's just something in my eye!" I stole records from a DJ's box in a club called the World in my home town when I was 18. I hate myself for this. Anyone wanna buy some Stone Roses 7"s?

Some of Mark's future projects include a collaboration with Monsieur Rémillard, a remix for Justin Faust, a remix for Cyndi Seui (TBC), Beats for Beginners (my label boss), and a remix for a "HUUUUGGGE UK indie band" (TBC). Busy guy!

Look for Kid Machine's debut EP, Velours 77,on Sounds of the Suburbs Records in April with a remix by German wunderkid Justin Faust. A follow up album is scheduled for summer 2009 and promises "an eclectic take on electronic music."

We'll be watching you!