Many years
ago, a six year old picked up a couple of records and played them -
over and over - on his brand new decks. The records were cut out of
old cardboard boxes and painted black. The decks - or turntables - were
a couple of ABC beer crates purloined from the old Clarendon Hotel car
park. This was a radio DJ in the making, spinning records and, as he
put it, he loved being 'in the chair, on the air, with stacks of wax
and solid gold tracks!"
Today, Brendan Clarke is a little bit older, his gear is somewhat more
high tech and he is better known as 'Bubbles' - a passionate house DJ
and producer who started playing records after a long term relationship
with the dance music scene.
His love
for a broad range of music genres had progressed his desire to get behind
the decks, 'read' the floor and get people dancing to his own flavour
and flow of music.
Bubbles'
base is Wellington New Zealand, and he has been playing consistently
since December 1999. His progression - which saw him move out of trance
and into the house - has been rapid. He is now widely acknowledged to
be one of New Zealand's finest House DJ's. His styles are difficult
to categorise, as Bubbles' skills include the ability to mix up multiple
genres in his sets. From tech and prog to mellow and funky, the flow
is impeccable, with - as one punter was heard to say 'mixes as smooth
as golden syrup.' He is one professional DJ that genuinely warrants
the term professional. He has earned it.
For Bubbles,
playing other peoples tunes was always only going to be a part of the
equation. Over the last two years he has been quietly honing his not
insignificant ability to produce his own, unique sounds: the House of
Bubbles! And it is this very sound that will add to the experience he
brings to the booth every weekend at some of New Zealand's premier venues.
This self-produced
music will soon find a wider audience when it is released under Bubbles'
own label which is currently being established.
Working at Firm Records with Dannyboy has also advanced Bubbles' career
and his already vast musical knowledge. He also plays on Radio Active,
Wellington's leading youth culture radio station. Bubbles - along with
DJ Schmoo - make up 'The Housing Project' which has built up an incredibly
loyal following and an ever-growing radio audience.