01Profile
A Howie B Photo
Howie B
Producer — Glasgow
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Howie B, Glasgow.
Describe your style in three words?
Patterned, cut, green.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Siouxsie and The Banshees 1978.
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Santana and The Undisputed Truth. Latin Rock and Psychedelic Soul but both with a heavy melodic groove that would get a crowd going. I can’t make music like them, so I take what I can from the groove side of things and I channel that into Electronic music - the soul and feeling.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Style-wise, the London Skating scene has heavily influenced me. The comradery, community and the DIY attitude is major. I also met a lot of great people on that scene who I went on to make music with. The energy of punk and the outsider thinking of Trip-Hop.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
RD Laing. I have so many questions to ask him about his books, poetry and his attitude toward relationships and philosophy. His book Knots is very musical to me, the rhythm is gorgeous.
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
Fabric. The attention to detail and the respect they give to artists, the sound, the audience and the management are second to none.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Laura Nyro. Her song-writing is raw and emotional but very refined at the same time. She walked that line where often other young artists fall.
Howie B is a musician, producer and founder of the renowned independent label Pussyfoot Records. Pussyfoot Records have announced it will re-launch in September 2018 with a new site and sampler EP titled 'The Shape of Cats To Come'.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
‘Funky Drummer’ by James Brown.
A song that defines the teenage you?
‘Oye Como Va’ by Santana.
One record you would keep forever?
‘17 Seconds’ by The Cure.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"I'm a man with a clear destination,
I'm a man with a broad imagination,
You fog the mind, you stir the soul,
I can't find, no control."
‘Somewhere Down The Crazy River’ by Robbie Robertson. I’ve been friends with Robbie for many years and everything he writes is soul speaking and beautiful, it’s hard to pick out one lyric.
A song you wished you had written?
‘God Save The Queen’ by Sex Pistols.
Best song to turn up loud?
‘Killing In The Name’ by Rage Against The Machine. The childish part of me loves when people shout curse words in songs - when they sing “F*ck you, I won’t do what you tell me!” it fills me with energetic joy.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
All of the songs I’ve said so far probably, the music I listen to doesn’t really mirror the music I make. If I had to nominate another it would be ‘Candle In The Wind’ by Elton John.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
Anything by Hamilton Bohannon. His track ‘South African Man’ is a foot tapper and a booty shaker.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
‘Blue Monday 88’ by New Order, the Quincy Jones remix.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Ofeliadorme, an Italian indie-shoegaze band who are on my label Pussyfoot Records. I’m also listening to Khruangbin, Lady Leshurr and Ibrahim Maalouf.
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Howie B, Glasgow.
Describe your style in three words?
Patterned, cut, green.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Siouxsie and The Banshees 1978.
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Santana and The Undisputed Truth. Latin Rock and Psychedelic Soul but both with a heavy melodic groove that would get a crowd going. I can’t make music like them, so I take what I can from the groove side of things and I channel that into Electronic music - the soul and feeling.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Style-wise, the London Skating scene has heavily influenced me. The comradery, community and the DIY attitude is major. I also met a lot of great people on that scene who I went on to make music with. The energy of punk and the outsider thinking of Trip-Hop.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
RD Laing. I have so many questions to ask him about his books, poetry and his attitude toward relationships and philosophy. His book Knots is very musical to me, the rhythm is gorgeous.
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
Fabric. The attention to detail and the respect they give to artists, the sound, the audience and the management are second to none.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Laura Nyro. Her song-writing is raw and emotional but very refined at the same time. She walked that line where often other young artists fall.
Howie B is a musician, producer and founder of the renowned independent label Pussyfoot Records. Pussyfoot Records have announced it will re-launch in September 2018 with a new site and sampler EP titled 'The Shape of Cats To Come'.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
‘Funky Drummer’ by James Brown.
A song that defines the teenage you?
‘Oye Como Va’ by Santana.
One record you would keep forever?
‘17 Seconds’ by The Cure.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"I'm a man with a clear destination,
I'm a man with a broad imagination,
You fog the mind, you stir the soul,
I can't find, no control."
‘Somewhere Down The Crazy River’ by Robbie Robertson. I’ve been friends with Robbie for many years and everything he writes is soul speaking and beautiful, it’s hard to pick out one lyric.
A song you wished you had written?
‘God Save The Queen’ by Sex Pistols.
Best song to turn up loud?
‘Killing In The Name’ by Rage Against The Machine. The childish part of me loves when people shout curse words in songs - when they sing “F*ck you, I won’t do what you tell me!” it fills me with energetic joy.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
All of the songs I’ve said so far probably, the music I listen to doesn’t really mirror the music I make. If I had to nominate another it would be ‘Candle In The Wind’ by Elton John.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
Anything by Hamilton Bohannon. His track ‘South African Man’ is a foot tapper and a booty shaker.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
‘Blue Monday 88’ by New Order, the Quincy Jones remix.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Ofeliadorme, an Italian indie-shoegaze band who are on my label Pussyfoot Records. I’m also listening to Khruangbin, Lady Leshurr and Ibrahim Maalouf.