2ManyDJs in Moscow!

It is said that it is foolish to reinvent the wheel. It is said that in the realm of mixing records, nothing new can be invented. However, the Duval brothers managed to achieve the impossible. Two years ago, by clashing together 46 diverse tracks in their debut album As Heard On Radio Soulwax part 2, 2ManyDJs sparked a true revolution in the DJ world, making the planet dance to completely "non-disco" hits by The Clash, Velvet Underground, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It all started in 1999 when Stéphane and David Duval, musicians of the popular Belgian band Soulwax, were offered to host their own radio show Hand The DJ on the national radio. Making a standard radio show bored the brothers. Digging through their extensive collection of vinyl, they brought to light the best recordings of the last thirty years, chopped them into fragments one and a half to two minutes long and presented them to the listeners in this form. This was real audio equilibristics, "bootleg" mixes freely mixing pop hits by Jennifer Lopez with early punk classics by The Stooges or root funk by Sly & The Family Stone. Later, critics would call this mash-up - audio puree without rules and stereotypes. Soon the show moved from Belgium to the UK, to the independent radio Xfm. After the very first broadcast, a flood of calls from London promoters inviting Stéphane and David to perform at their clubs hit the studio. The offers were quite lucrative, and the Duval brothers easily exchanged guitars for turntables. Thus, 2ManyDJs were born. 2ManyDJs shattered the prevailing stereotype that a truly popular DJ could only emerge by playing house or trance tracks. The innovative approach of the 2ManyDJs duo to DJing was enthusiastically met not only by music critics longing for a "new sound" but also by the broader audience. In an unprecedented readership poll by DJ Magazine, the Duval brothers, who only took to the turntables three years previously, entered the Top 50 DJs of the planet. However, when it came to releasing an album, 2ManyDJs faced serious difficulties. Clearing rights for severely distorted compositions by major stars proved to be quite challenging. The brothers had to send 865 emails, 160 faxes, and make hundreds of phone calls before As Heard On Radio Soulwax part 2 saw the light. Fortunately, during lengthy negotiations with record labels, Stéphane and David gained many influential fans and allies. For instance, Mick Jones of The Clash liked the mix of his song Magnificent Seven and Basement Jaxx's Romeo so much that he easily signed all the paperwork allowing 2ManyDJs to use The Clash's works in the future. Today, in terms of popularity, 2ManyDJs outpace many esteemed veteran DJs. The Duval brothers are essential guests at all major festivals and open-air events, from the rock-audience oriented Glastonbury to the dance-centric Creamfields. Numerous bootleg mixes of their radio show Hand The DJ circulate online. Working alongside Stéphane and David is considered an honor by Felix Da Housecat and Jarvis Cocker of Pulp. The new album from the Duval brothers' group Soulwax is fully ready for release. However, regarding the official continuation of the sensational As Heard On Radio Soulwax, Stéphane and David refuse to comment, neither confirming nor denying numerous rumors about the recording of a new mash-up hit. Their answer remains unchanged: "Never say never." To be continued? December 10 22.00-6.00 Club XIII