Founded in 2007 by DJs A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs, Fool’s Gold is an independent New York label that’s known in the headlines for featuring hip-hop artists such as the eccentric Danny Brown & Kid Cudi. But it also has a reputable and taste-making place in the world of electronic music. This Saturday at Good Life, the downtown venue hosts its latest Label Takeover series, taking two of Fool’s Golds finest DJs in Sammy Bananas and Party Supplies (with an opening set from homegrown Mmmmaven product General Motor) and showing off a pair of their latest — and more innovative — artists.
With the party on the horizon and Sammy Bananas feeling super fresh at the start of his Money Time tour, we figured the time was right to catch up with the Brooklyn producer and chat about his recent search history, how he first linked with the label, & what to expect from his show.
Press “play” on some tunes and read our interview after the ‘Cloud jump.
Georgette Bibber: Let’s hit the ground running — if I checked your latest Google history, what would it consist of?
Sammy Bananas: There’s a search in here about Spirit Airlines, which is a super budget airline I might fly on next week. I think I was trying to find out how much they charge you to bring a carry on bag. Very Ryan Air it seems.
Then there’s a search for Junglepussy “Nah,” which is this track from an amazing NYC femcee who sounds like Cam’ron. It also seems I was looking to see if the Jessie Ware song “Champagne Kisses” has leaked yet, because I’m kind of obsessed with it.
Boston is the first stop on your Money Time tour — is this your first time out here?
Far from it, I grew up in Cambridge! I actually cut my teeth as a DJ playing at the Enormous Room (RIP) on Mass. Ave. in the mid-’00s. I haven’t played Boston in a while, so I’m really pumped to do so.
When did you first link with Fool’s Gold Records?
My friendship with Nick Catchdubs an A-Trak (the guys who run the label) goes back to before they started the label. I met A-Trak when I was at the Red Bull Music Academy in South Africa, and I knew Nick from the Northeast DJ scene. I played Nick some tracks when they had just decided to start the label, and that’s what became the High Top Fades EP, one of the first releases on the label.
What projects have you been focusing on lately?
In the past few weeks It’s all been “Money Time”, my new release on Fool’s Gold. The track features the London duo Antony & Cleopatra on vocals and has a taste of the early-’90s (like most of my music) with an approach of contemporary House.
There are three awesome remixes of the song with the release as well, including one from Boston DJ/producer Durkin!
Otherwise, I’ve been doing lots of production work for other artists recently. Amy Douglas (another Bostonian) and I have some things in progress, and I’m excited about the work I’ve been doing with LA-based Australian singer Chela as well. I’m also working on some more tracks for Antony & Cleopatra as they start creating their own music. So that’s all stuff on the horizon.
How do you approach a set?
As far as DJ sets, I usually approach them with a certain arc in mind, but am always ready to adjust based on feedback from the crowd. I’m not trying to force feed people, but I do believe in confidently displaying my musical backbone through my sets and delivering a message that is my own. I don’t really do “live” sets, but have been bringing my Midi-Sax on the road. In order to understand what that means you’ll just have to come to the show…
FOOL’S GOLD LABEL TAKEOVER WITH SAMMY BANANAS + PARTY SUPPLIES + GENERAL MOTOR :: Saturday, October 11 @ Good Life, 28 Kingston St., Boston, MA :: 9:30 p.m., 21-plus, $10 :: Facebook event page
