A chat with Horse Meat Disco’s Severino ahead of WAR’s 1st bday + an exclusive mix!

WAR is the bi-monthly night created by London based DJ/Producer Kris Di Angelis. In one year it’s established itself as a relentlessly successful but very underground gay/mixed dance party, with an increasingly diverse crowd flocking to it. You’re not gonna see Riccardo Tisci sweating on the same dance floor as a load of porn stars and trannies too many times in your life right? But WAR has become known for it’s unique and enthusiastic atmosphere more than anything, and it looks like that’s got a lot bigger for the birthday.

Normally held in the sweaty basement that is East Bloc, for their 1st birthday they’ve joined up with summer smash festival Summer Rites and taken over the UBER cool photographic studio/warehouse venue WAPPING STUDIO SPACE in E1 and booked some storming DJs in both rooms. The main room is headlined by FRED FALKE, who is joined by SEVERINO (HMD), JOSHYOU ARE and KRIS DI ANGELIS all on an underground house tip. Whereas in room 2 they’ve gone and got K-GEE back in the game, with support from MUNROE BERGDORF, JOSH (Hard Cock Life) and SAM DMS for an old school Hip Hop rompathon.

Here we focus on the absolutely unstoppable SEVERINO, who went into the studio and recorded an exclusive podcast for us to celebrate his much-lauded residency at the night. Kris asked him some questions, to have a little dig into his past to see where he’s coming from.

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Ok Severino, I want to know what the first record you bought is and how old you were when you bought it?

SEVERINO: Omg i really can’t remember but it could be a Raffaella Carra record or Boney M or Bob Marley… Definitely when i was 8 or 9 years old.

How did you get into music, as a kid? Adult? Did you ever study it?

Well i grew up with my 10 years older sister with a various of music, from Giorgio Moroder to Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd via of course italian artists. So when i was 7 I was playing a bit of piano and after that my parents took me to Conservatory of Music where I played the oboe for 4 years, I didn’t finish though because I wanted to be a DJ.

Your natural flair for atmosphere has become the stuff of legend, both musically and the fact that physically you’re always having an amazing time. Do you ever get pissed off at gigs?

Well sometimes it can happen but generally I try to always have a good time and make it happen with who is around me… DJs and the crowd

Who was the most musically influential figure for you growing up?

Lots of them… Disco, then hip hop, house, a bit of grunge, jungle… I guess everything. Not sooooo much into hard rock 🙁

Jim Stanton. Discuss.

Well my best mate, the man that introduced me to Wayne Shires, who introduced me and made me play at Crash, the first proper gay club that i played. It’s a fantastic relationship that we have and of course the opportunity to be a HMD resident DJ.

Your dream gig line up would be?

Harvey, Basement Jaxx, Larry Levan, Seth Troxler… Too many.

EXCLUSIVE SEVERINO MIX FOR WAR

We’re incredibly lucky having you as a resident at WAR. Personally i feel you’re one of the few DJs i trust implicitly with my own dance floor, what was your favourite moment from the last year?

It’s always fun at WAR… Dancing with Jake Shears in the booth… Those dancers… The energy… Soo fresh and young! Important for me.

You’ve been making records with HiFi Sean as Up Yours. What’s coming out?

Its been great with him. We had a track on Southern Fried, soon something on a US label. I just respect a proper musician and DJ… He knows his stuff.

What’s the best bit of advice one DJ can give another DJ?

Try to not copy… I mean we have all our inspiration, but always be yourself.

Where would you like to be in ten years time?

Well maybe here or possibly in Ibiza. It would be nice still DJ around the world, I just love what i do, I feel so lucky! Of course thanks for support and dance!

++ Interview by Kris Di Angelis

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WAR: BLOW – THE 1ST BIRTHDAY

Saturday: 10:00pm until 7:00am

#takeittotheWARehouse

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/events/473445442704995/