IT was 20 years ago when DJ and producer Demi first heard Danny Tenaglia spin at the former Home venue in London’s Leicester Square.
This led to Demi handing the legendary DJ a mix tape and receiving a rare invitation to come over to New York City to perform alongside him at his Be Yourself night on his home turf. This proved to be a pivotal moment for Demi as his profile then gained serious traction holding a busy touring schedule for the next 15 years which included three acclaimed compilation albums and a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix.
Danny Tenaglia with Demi outside Ministry Of Sound. Picture: Demi’s own.
The friendship and brotherhood forged back then has endured. So much so that Danny proposed to Demi a tour management position for all his European shows and prior to lockdown, the previous three years meant the two were able to spend more concentrated time together on the road plus working on music projects.
Danny Tenaglia celebrated his 60th birthday over the weekend of March 6th and 7th and held an epic online birthday party to mark the occasion raising money for Unicef. Danny invited Demi to stream a live set alongside a bunch of his other good friends including Carl Cox, David Guetta, Dubfire, Chris Liebing, Guy Gerber, Hernan Cattaneo, Steve Lawler, Seth Troxler, Sharam, Nicole Moudaber and many more. Demi said of his set this Sunday: “It will pay homage to an extraordinary artist, mentor and dear friend who has taught me so much about life and music.”
You can check out his set on his facebook page HERE.
We caught up with Demi ahead of his special set for Danny on Sunday March 7th and asked him to compile and talk us through a list of music that has helped him through lockdown. He told us:
“The playlist has been part of a bigger lockdown music project I’m looking forward to sharing very soon. Being able to have the time and headspace to finally organize my 3000 odd record collection proved a very therapeutic time late last year. I was able to revisit so much I had overlooked or had forgotten about as life prior to lockdown was at 6th gear pace which I’m sure applied to pretty much everyone.
But being forced to slow down and in a way recalibrate the mind is something I’m also grateful for. The songs plucked for this have been a healing tool for my own soul and sanity during this most testing and challenging time and it is my hope that it will serve the same for you too. Ride like the wind people!”
Look out for two artist albums under Demi’s two aliases Wood Drift and ASOY, due for release end of this year and enjoy his playlist below. For more information on Demi and to keep up to date with future gigs and releases head HERE or follow him on Instagram or Facebook.
Demon – My City
“The floating vibes I want to hear at an afterparty whilst dancing with a beautiful stranger. The psychedelic funk that talks to me any hour of the day.”
Alec Mansion – Trop Triste
“I love compilation albums and don’t get precious about rarities or re-issues. They’ve always been a great source of discovery for me.
This was on a French compilation from a few years ago. Alec is Belgian who was inspired massively by the boogie funk sound pioneered by the greats such as Parliament, George Benson, and The Whispers among others. His album under the same name is well worth checking out for that sound which features some irresistibly seductive French Lyrics. Turns out the lyrics behind ‘Trop Triste’ mirrored my own personal experiences from my time in Paris a few years ago. Cosmically melancholic.”
Grace Jones – Inspiration
“There aren’t enough superlatives to describe Grace Jones. I’m just glad I was able to catch one of the great queens of the dancefloor performing live at the Roundhouse some years ago. Hula-hooping her way through her incredible catalogue of music. Another timeless piece of music that I come back to often during those darker days.”
Roberta Flack – Trying Times
“Lyrics that get right to the gut and belly of your soul. Written in 1969 but could have been written for today’s world we live in that’s how powerful they are. That was Roberta Flack. Pure class.”
Blue Gas – Shadows from Nowhere
“There are tracks you forever remember when you first heard them. Lifelong friendships that are forged through a common interest in music tastes and sounds are truly treasured bonds. I include this number as an ode to my crew. And I get goosebumps every time I hear this.”
Earth Wind & Fire – Departure (The Traveler)
“I thought I had lost my vinyl copy of this. I guess I can be a little thankful for lockdown for affording me the time and headspace to dive deeper into music and finally put some order into my own record collection. Maurice White, one of the true funk originals sadly who recently departed from this world. A tribute to one of his dear friends who effortlessly exhibits here a cosmic masterpiece. Balearic, romantic, medicinal vibrations for the soul.”
Tenderlonious and The 22a Arkestra – The Shakedown
“This guy is a serious talent. Drawing on the spirit of Sun Ra, this is how I love to quite literally lose myself in music. A shining example of how buoyant the London Jazz Scene is right now. I would love to hear this live someday.”
Steve Miller Band – High On You Mama
“The sound of when I fall in love. Medicinal Californian sounds on the summer days to come round that we are all patiently impatient for.”
Sia – Drink to Get Drunk
“Lockdown anthem alert!!! The club mix of this was an anthem for the dance floors two decades ago. Have the fondest of memories dancing off my tits to this with my mates clubbing. It was one of those club tracks that merged groove and brilliantly sung lyrics. So in re-discovering my record collection, I stumbled upon this record again and hadn’t even listened to the original mix before. Come summertime, I am drinking to get drunk to this!”
Christopher Cross – Ride Like the Wind
“The wings will get clipped along the way. But keep going, keep running. An unashamed soaring classic to wrap up this lockdown playlist. One of those tracks that need to be blasted whilst driving along one of the main US interstate highways in a soft top Mercedes 280SL. In red of course!”
For more information on Demi and to keep up to date with future gigs and releases head HERE or follow him on Instagram or Facebook.
