Bicycle Corporation presents Roots episode 104 with guest DJ Bert Bevans on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an Asian electronic music radio station, DJ agency, promoter and music-news platform connecting audiences across Asia and internationally.
Bicycle Corporation is the Italian collaboration between DJ and producer Marco MEI and Stefano Ugliano, also known as 6884. Formed in 2009, the project brings together Marco's DJ background and Stefano's experience as a multi-instrumentalist.
Marco began his musical path as a DJ and producer in the early 1990s, working with the Urban People collective across Italy. That work brought wider recognition, a residency at Pacha and bookings beyond Italy.
Raised in Torino, Stefano showed an early aptitude for music and studied classical piano, percussion and drums with commitment. He was drawn to Chopin and West African djembes, while the sight of DJs performing on stage increasingly held his attention.
Electronic beats were difficult to hear on Italian radio during the 1990s, yet they pointed Stefano towards a new direction and the eventual formation of Bicycle Corporation. The duo have released a Hard Techno remix of Virus D.D.Ds' Origination, which was featured in Beatport staff picks.
Marco is based in Taipei and works across a wider South East Asian network, while broadcasting weekly through Scientific Sound Asia. Bicycle Corporation's Roots format provides a space for broad electronic music selections and guest DJs.
This edition brings Bert Bevans into the Roots programme alongside Bicycle Corporation. The tracklist moves through vocal-led house material, disco-informed edits and Afro House selections.
Guest DJ Bert Bevans.
This weeks guest is Bert Bevans, Bert Bevans is a British Honduras born DJ who started out playing "Block Parties" in Hollis, New York followed by other legendary NYC clubs such as Studio 54, Paradise Garage, Xenon, Electric Circus, Bonds and the Playboy Club.
His family immigrated to New York on July 27th, 1969 and settled down in Jamaica, Queens and later moved to Hollis, Queens, where he lived during his teens. After school, he studied aviation, but he never finished the education, as he tells me himself: "If I had graduated, I would have had to go to Vietnam, so I left. I still love flying" In his explanation becoming a DJ was kind of a natural progression.
He started out doing block parties in Hollis and then things more or less just happened. He never planned to be a DJ, but when he worked in Melody's Record Shop, most of New Yorks' DJ's came there to get the latest releases. They liked him and would invite him to their clubs, and the rest is history!
In April of 1977 the most famous club of all time opened up its doors in New York, the club was of course Studio 54. It didn't take long before Bert played his first private party in the club and it was not his last one in '54'.
The Studio 54 DJ Richie Kaczor was sent down to St.Thomas in the Virgin Islands to open up a '54' there. After a few months he was hired to open up another '54' in Barcelona, Spain and when leaving St.Thomas Richie turned the residency of Studio 54 in the Virgin Islands over to him.
After 2 years in the Virgin Islands, he was back in New York and soon he was given an offer by Steven Hatter of a residency at his club 'The Embassy' in London, UK. This led to another residency at the new London hot spot Xenon. He transgressed into the London club scene easily, playing in Camden Palace, a club owned by Rusty Egan and Steve Strange [of Visage], where he DJ'ed along with Colin Favor and "Evil" Eddie Richards.
Bevans was travelling back and forth between London, New York and other cities all over the world for several years. Then, in 1991 he met his old friend Justin Berkmann who was building a new "Paradise Garage type sound system" in a new nightspot in London, which was to open up in September, the club was no other than the Ministry of Sound.
He still travels extensively around the globe performing at various venues and nightspots. For the past few years, he has helped Santeri build “Seduction” in Phuket (Which by the way had the MOS/Hed Kandi tours) and just completed a deal with Café del Mar Ibiza, Recently, he has also just helped open Ice and Spice Bar Ho Chi Minh City.
DJ Bert Bevans opens Roots Episode 104 with Q Narongwate featuring Aleysha Lei before Emmaculate’s “Higher Vibrations” moves firmly into Afro House through the Mac’s Afro Sax Mix. David Morales follows with “The Feels,” another Afro house release featuring DJ Rae, Mr. V and Scott Paynter.
Kenny Bobien and Wheeler Del Torro shift the programme towards Soulful House with DJ Spen and Gary Hudgins’ remix of “The Sun Will Shine Again.” Todd Terry then precedes DJ Rae and David Morales’ “Something I'm Going Through,” whose extended mix also belongs firmly to soulful house.
G. Roy’s “Day By Day” receives another DJ Spen treatment before DJ Meme leads into Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).” Michael Gray’s remix of the Sylvester classic introduces a clear Disco element, drawing the episode back towards the music that helped shape later house traditions.
T-Bor and Jessica Rhodes return to soulful house through David Morales’ Classic Mix of “Rescue Me,” followed by Myomi and Carl Bean. Timmy Regisford’s “Smile” then receives another David Morales Classic Remix, officially classified as soulful house and directly connected to the classic Def Mix approach.
Kevin Hedge featuring Rick Galactik continue the soulful emphasis through Eric Kupper and DJ Spen’s remix of “Reach For The Stars,” followed by Mark Wilkinson and Kenny Thomas’ “Sweet Sweet Music.” Cornell C.C. Carter and DJ G extend the same House Music tradition through DJ Spen and Gary Hudgins, with vocal arrangements and instrumental playing central to the latter portion of the set.
Trinidadian Deep closes Roots Episode 104 with Timmy Regisford’s edit of “Move Yah Ting,” returning the programme to Afro house for its final selection. Bert Bevans’ set is therefore dominated by soulful house, with Afro house, classic house and disco providing the strongest supporting styles.
Bicycle Corporation Roots 104 with Bert Bevans
Q Narongwate Feat. Aleysha Lei - The Feeling (Original Mix)
Emmaculate - Higher Vibrations (Mac's Afro Sax Mix)
David Morales - The Feels Feat. DJ Rae, Mr. V, Scott Paynter
Kenny Bobien, Wheeler del Torro - The Sun Will Shine Again (DJ Spen & Gary Hudgins Remix)
Todd Terry & Antwanette Roberson - Love Of My Life (Tee's Mix)
DJ Rae & David Morales - Something I'm Going Through (Extended Mix)
G. Roy - Day By Day (DJ Spen Direct Drive Rework)
DJ Meme - I Can't Get You (Out Of My Mind - The Loop)
Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) (Michael Gray Remix)
T-Bor, Jessica Rhodes - Rescue Me (David Morales Classic Mix) [Let There Be House Records]
Myomi - Burn Burn (Sand 'n Stars Remix)
Carl Bean - I Was Born This Way (Moplen Dub 1)
Timmy Regisford - Smile (David Morales Classic Remix)
Kevin Hedge Feat. Rick Galactik - Reach For The Stars (The Eric Kupper And DJ Spen Remix)
Mark Wilkinson & Kenny Thomas - Sweet Sweet Music (2021 Extended Mix)
Cornell C.C. Carter - Not Possible (DJ Spen & Gary Hudgins Remix)
DJ G - Eternal Joy (DJ Spen's Tribute To Eric Marner Mix)
Trinidadian Deep - Move Yah Ting (Timmy Regisford Edit)
Listen on Mixcloud here.