Erol Alkan

Last updated

Erol Alkan
ErolAlkan.jpg
Erol Alkan Live
Background information
Also known asKurtis Rush
Mustapha 3000
Beyond The Wizards Sleeve
Disco 3000
BornLondon, England
Genres Alternative rock, electronic [1]
Occupation(s) DJ, producer, musician, artist
Instrument(s) Turntables, synthesiser, sequencer, guitar, bass, drums, voice, CDJ-2000
Years active1993–present
Labels Phantasy
Website erolalkan.co.uk

Erol Alkan [2] is an English DJ and producer of Turkish Cypriot descent. [3] He grew up in Archway in North London. [4]

Contents

Career

DJ and club promoter

In 1993, Erol Alkan started DJing in various indie nightclubs in London. His first ever public DJ set was at The Gass Club [5] in Leicester Square.

In 1995, he was a resident DJ of club night 'Going Underground' [6]

In 1997, Erol re-launched the club under a new name: Trash. [7] [6] Over the next few years, Trash became one of the most influential clubs of its time. [2] Until its closure in 2007, Trash saw performances by Peaches, LCD Soundsystem, Klaxons, Bloc Party, 2manydjs, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Scissor Sisters, Phoenix, Metronomy, Electric Six and many more up and coming bands.

From 2001 onwards, Erol Alkan became one of the most in demand Djs of the time, playing regular DJ sets outside Trash, focusing primarily on dance music influenced by his sets at Bugged Out. Bugged Out are credited as launching Erol's dance music career after offering him a residency halfway through his debut set for them at Fabric, when Erol filled in for David Holmes who had missed a flight into London. His profile increased considerably during 2003 when he was voted 'Best Breakthrough DJ' by Muzik magazine, and in 2006, when he earned the Mixmag 2006 "DJ of the Year" award. [8]

Remixer

Erol Alkan released a series of mash-ups using the alias Kurtis Rush in the early 2000s, including a mix of Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and New Order's "Blue Monday", which was performed by Minogue at the Brit Awards. [9] Erol also used the alias Mustapha 3000, [10] [11] and is half of the psychedelic dance-rock act Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve, along with Richard Norris. [12] In 2016, Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve released the album The Soft Bounce, featuring collaborations with artists such as Hannah Peel, Jane Weaver, Euros Childs and writer Jon Savage. In 2016, London record store Rough Trade featured The Soft Bounce as one of their top ten records of 2016 in their annual end of year list. [13]

Producer

Erol Alkan began producing bands in 2006. Originally cutting his teeth recording B-sides for The Long Blondes and Mystery Jets, he was asked back to work on their respective second albums. His first production credit is the entire Mystery Jets' much loved second album, Twenty One , which contained the 2 top 40 hit singles "Young Love" and "Two Doors Down", Late of the Pier's debut record, Fantasy Black Channel , and The Long Blondes' second album Couples. [14]

In 2007 Alkan founded his own label, named Phantasy. [15]

Alkan also worked as additional producer on The Killers' hit single "The Man", providing additional instrumentation. [16]


Discography

Original releases

YearTitle
2009"Waves / Death Suite" (with Boys Noize)
"Waves" (Chilly Gonzales Piano Rework)
2010"Lemonade / Avalanche" (with Boys Noize) [17]
2011"Avalanche (Terminal Velocity)" (with Boys Noize feat. Jarvis Cocker)
2012"Roland Rat / Brainstorm" (with Boys Noize)
"A Sydney Jook" (with Switch)
2013"Illumination" EP
2015"Sub Conscious"
2018"Spectrum / Silver Echoes"

Mix and compilation albums

YearTitle
2001Trash Companion #1
2003 One Louder (Muzik Magazine Covermount)
2004A Bugged Out Mix
2006Disco 2006 (Mixmag Magazine Covermount) [18]
2008Ark 1 (As Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve)
2009Re-Animations Volume 1 (As Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve)
2012Another "Bugged Out" Mix & "Bugged In" Selection
2014 FabricLive.77

Remixes as Erol Alkan

YearArtistTrackTitle
2004 Mylo "Drop the Pressure"Erol Alkan's Extended Re-Edit
Alter Ego "Rocker"Erol Alkan's Death Disco Re-Vised
Death from Above 1979 "Romantic Rights"Erol Alkan's Love From Below Re-Edit
2005 The Chemical Brothers "Believe"Erol Alkan's Feel Me Rework
Bloc Party "She's Hearing Voices"Erol Alkan's Calling Your Name Dub & Vocal Re-Works
Mystery Jets "Zoo Time"Erol Alkan Re-Work
Franz Ferdinand "Do You Want To"Erol Alkan's Glam Racket
2006 Daft Punk "The Brainwasher"Erol Alkan's Horrorhouse Dub [19]
Justice "Waters of Nazareth"Erol Alkan's Durrr Durrr Durrrrrr Re-Edit [19]
Hot Chip "Boy From School"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework [19]
Scissor Sisters "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'"Erol Alkan's Carnival Of Light Rework
2007 Klaxons "Golden Skans" [20] Erol Alkan's Ekstra Spektral Rework
Digitalism "Jupiter Room"Erol Alkan's Simple, Yet Effective Re-Edit
Interpol "Mammoth"Erol Alkan Rework
La Priest"Engine"Erol Alkan's Transonic Re-Edit [19]
2008 Fan Death "Veronica's Veil"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework
Sebastian "Momy"Erol Alkan's Murrr/O/Durrr Re-Edit
ZZT "The Worm"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework
2009 Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Zero"Erol Alkan Rework
2010 Chilly Gonzales "Never Stop"Erol Alkan's Piano Pella [19]
Chilly Gonzales "Never Stop"Erol Alkan Rework
MGMT "Congratulations"Erol Alkan Rework
Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams"Erol Alkan Re-Edit #1
2011 Tame Impala "Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind?"Erol Alkan Rework [19]
Erol Alkan & Boys Noize "Death Suite"Erol Alkan Edit
Connan Mockasin "Forever Dolphin Love"Erol Alkan Rework [8]
Metronomy "The Bay"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework [19]
Ladytron "Flicking Your Switch"Erol Alkan Remix
2012 Justice "Canon"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework
Saint Etienne "Last Days of Disco"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework
Kindness "Gee Up"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework
Connan Mockasin "Forever Dolphin Love"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework Version 2
Spandex"The Bull"Erol Alkan Rework
2013Night Works"Long Forgotten Boy"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework
Tame Impala "Be Above It"Erol Alkan Rework
2014 Manic Street Preachers "Europa Geht Durch Mich"Erol Alkan's Mesmerise Eins/Zwei Rework [8]
The Emperor Machine"RMI Is All I Want"Erol Alkan's Extended Rework
Klaxons "Love Frequency"Erol Alkan's Mild Pitch Remix
Margot"Waldorf"Erol Alkan Rework
2015 Emil Nikolaisen, Hans-Peter Lindstrøm, and Todd Rundgren "Runddans"Erol Alkan Rework
New Order "Singularity"Erol Alkan Rework
2016 Beyond The Wizards Sleeve "White Crow"Erol Alkan Rework [21]
2017 Todd Terje & Det Glyne Triangel "Maskindanse"Erol Alkan Rework [22]
Depeche Mode "Cover Me"Erol Alkan White Light Rework
Depeche Mode "Cover Me"Erol Alkan Black Out Rework
2018Tuff City Kids ft Joe Goddard "Reach Out"Erol Alkan Rework

Remixes as Beyond the Wizards Sleeve

YearArtistTitle
2006 Peter Bjorn and John "Young Folks"
Dust Galaxy"Come Hear the Trumpets"
Midlake "Roscoe"
2007 Findlay Brown "Losing the Will to Survive"
Tracey Thorn "Raise the Roof"
Badly Drawn Boy "Promises"
The Chemical Brothers "Battle Scars"
2008The Real Ones"Outlaw"
Late of the Pier "The Bears Are Coming"
Goldfrapp "Happiness"
Simian Mobile Disco "Love"
2009 Franz Ferdinand "Ulysses"
2010De De Mouse"Station to Stars"
2014 Temples "Sun Structures"
Daniel Avery"New Energy"
2015 Noel Gallagher "Ballad Of The Mighty I"
Noel Gallagher "Riverman"
2016Shock Machine"The Shock Machine"
M Craft"Chemical Trails"
Doom Squad"Pyramids"

Producer / mixer

YearArtistTitle
2006 The Long Blondes "Weekend Without Makeup" (B-sides)
Mystery Jets "Diamonds in the Dark" EP
The Long Blondes "Once and Never Again" (B-sides)
Mystery Jets "Half in Love with the Radio" b/w "Umbrellahead"
2007 The Long Blondes "Giddy Stratospheres" (B-sides)
Klaxons "Electrickery"
Mystery Jets "Zootime" (American LP)
Franz Ferdinand "All My Friends" (LCD Soundsystem cover)
Klaxons "The Night"
Late of the Pier "Bathroom Gurgle"
2008 Late of the Pier "The Bears Are Coming"
Mystery Jets "Twenty One" [8]
The Long Blondes "Century"
The Long Blondes "Couples"
Late of the Pier "Space and the Woods" b/w "Focker"
Mystery Jets "Two Doors Down"
Late of the Pier "Heartbeat"
Late of the Pier "Fantasy Black Channel"
Whitey "Do the Nothing"
2009 Late of the Pier "Blueberry"
2010 Late of the Pier "Best in the Class"
Late of the Pier "Best in the Class" (Remixes EP)
2011 Kindness "Cyan"
2012 Daniel Avery "Need Electric" EP
Daniel Avery "Water Jump" EP
2013 Daniel Avery "Drone Logic"
2014 Ghost Culture "Ghost Culture"
2016 Beyond The Wizards Sleeve "The Soft Bounce"
2017 Ride "Weather Diaries"
2017 The Killers "The Man"
2018 Teeth Of The Sea "I'd Rather, Jack"
2018 Daniel Avery "Song For Alpha"
2018 Gabe Gurnsey "Physical"
2019 Ride "This Is Not a Safe Place"
2021 Duran Duran "Future Past"

Personal life

Alkan is married, lives in London, [23] and has been teetotal since 2012. [24]

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References

  1. Murray, Robin (6 September 2012). "Erol Alkan Tackles 'Forever Dolphin Love'". Clash . Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 Cooper, Leonie (6 January 2007). "Trash regular Leonie Cooper looks back on the decade's hippest rave up". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  3. "T in the Park: Erol Alkan". BBC . Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  4. "Diary at the Centre of the Earth » erol alkan" . Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  5. "Erol Alkan Delivers Phantasy's 100th Release, "Automatic"". Selector. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Erol Alkan Contact Info | Booking Agent, Manager, Publicist". Booking Agent Info. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  7. Hutchinson, Kate (17 January 2017). ""Remembering Trash: the London club night that defined the rock'n'rave era."". The Guardian . Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Erol Alkan: "Running a club or a label was never a dream of mine"". Mixmag. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  9. "Kylie mashes up Can't Get You Out of My Head with Blue Monday at the Brits". the Guardian. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  10. "Erol Alkan - Samples, Covers and Remixes". WhoSampled. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  11. "Mustapha 3000". Discogs. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  12. "Beyond The Wizards Sleeve Unveil 'Diagram Girl'". Data Transmission. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  13. "Rough Trade announce their top 100 best albums of 2016". NME. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  14. "Erol Alkan – the man who changed the face of indie clubbing – still refuses to welcome celebrity over his compulsion to create". Loud And Quiet. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  15. Christian (13 August 2019). ""Erol Alkan talks three decades of London club culture"". Fabric London . Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  16. "The Killers: The Man". Genius.com. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  17. "Boys Noize Gives Away 'Lemonade' Edit". Data Transmission. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  18. "Mixcloud". Mixcloud. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Keeping Kids Dancing: 10 of the best Erol Alkan reworks". Mixmag. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  20. "Klaxons : Music". Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  21. "Beyond The Wizards Sleeve release 'Black Crow'". Data Transmission. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  22. "Todd Terje shares new single 'Maskindans', teasing second album". Data Transmission. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  23. Corner, Lena (8 March 2009). "How We Met: Richard Norris & Erol Alkan". The Independent. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  24. @erolalkan (5 July 2022). "10 years no booze… not a single drop… love and strength to those who are on the same path.. stay on in… I can assure you it leads to somewhere better. E x" (Tweet) via Twitter.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Mixmag Number 1 DJ
2006
Succeeded by