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Our new interview series, 'The Spin', digs deep in the memory banks and record bags of some of our favourite creatives.

This week The Spin sits down with the creators of House music label NicetraxUK and British veterans of the San Francisco party scene, Patrick Foley and Stuart Partridge.

NICETRAXUK AUTUMN SOUNDS 2018

How did you guys both end up in San Francisco - did you meet over there? 

Stu: I went over there with Darren Davis who owned Tweekin records as we had known each other from our indie days in Birmingham. I went to work in storage and DJ. Myself and Pat had mutual friends, but actually met there.

Stu, what were the most sought after tunes people were coming in to buy at Tweekin?

Tweekin was, in its hay day, the biggest store on the west coast and was close behind Dance Trax NY for being influencial in the US scene. We got our hands on lots of rare and limited pressings of some of the best house music from around 96-04 so people were coming in for that.

Stu: I played at Sunset boat parties and Bulletproof boat parties sailing around the bay passing Alcatraz and under the Golden gate bridge, I played in LA and up north at parties in the red wood forests, but playing a small bar called The Top is my favourite memory. It was a legendary venue plus my house mate Mad Marge from Tweekin records worked the bar and tried cocktails out on me.

Pat: I was a resident DJ for the Oblivion boat parties; going under the Bay bridge while spinning on the outside deck was something i’ll always remember.

How long have you both been making House music for?

Stu: I only made my own stuff for a few years, it's not my thing. I'm more a rolling around the floor listening and enjoying, even more so than wanting to DJ, that just came with the day job. I prefer the dance floor than the decks or mixing desk.

Pat: I was making House music in San Francisco as a hobby. I had an ASR-10 sampling keyboard, drum machine and other bits and pieces. After returning to England I took a years production course and finally got my head around Logic. I have released a few tracks - one on our own Nicetraxuk label , and a couple on Blackpoint Label. 

What other musical genres are you influenced by?

Pat: I am hugely influenced by the sounds of Jazz, Funk and Rare groove - JB’s, Lynn Collins, Johnny Hammond, Gil Scott Heron, Donald Byrd...I first heard this music during the Rare groove revival of the mid 80’s. I was a young teenager entering clubs like the Wag and the African Centre as well as nights from the Special Branch like Doo at Zoo. Also Giles Peterson's Sunday night in a pub in Richmond called the Belvedere..this is where i first heard Jazz, Funk, Rare groove and that's when I started to collect vinyl. This was all before Acid House changed my life. 

You guys put on events in London, inviting Ibiza and Chicago House music legends to DJ. How did they go and have you got any parties planned for the future?

Pat: Yes I still really enjoy mixing vinyl - that will never stop - and I continue to purchase every few month. I also buy digital all the time for radio show guest mixes and the odd DJing gig.

How big are your vinyl collections?