DJ Joolz Collins PRESENTS...
WOODY
The 20th Episode in our Podcast Series.
THAT'S FANTASTIK
Woody’s early DJing career was forged in Barrow-in-Furness, North West of England back in 1987 as part of the groundbreaking, genre-defying Invasion crew and as a soloist at some of the areas more prominent clubs. The Invasion’s “Yummy” parties drew crowds from all over the North West and lured the likes of Doc Scott, John Kelly, A Guy Called Gerald & Graeme Park to the town to spin & perform. As the parties grew and the word got out, gigs at Quadrant Park in Liverpool, Precinct 13 & Thunderdome in Manchester and the infamous warehouse raves in Blackburn followed.
After relocating to London in 1991, Woody locked onto the underground circuit with pirate radio acting as the outlet for his
music. Shows on Hart FM, Face FM, and the world’s first live 24 hour internet station – Interface, acted as anchors for gigs all over London. Throughout the 90’s Woody could be found gigging and promoting nights at venues such as the Chunnel Club, Hannover Grand, The Gardening Club, Venom, the Complex, 333 Old St. and Happiness Stans at the Jazz Bistro, where his residency for Interface led him to play alongside the cream of London’s varied dance music underground, spinning everything from soul, funk, house, hip hop and drum & bass.
Woody has also played at Glastonbury as part of the Journeys by DJs team and Manchester’s Generation X as part of the Milk Boys crew. Taking up a residency for the Locked & Loaded parties also saw him take to the high seas (the Thames!!) for some unforgettable boat parties.
Production forays led to Woody forming the Breakneck guise with fellow Interface DJ, Vlad, who has since taken the act onto breaks label TCR. Again showing his versatility and love of all styles of music, The “Breakneck” parties took over The Gardening Club in London’s Covent Garden in the Summer of 1995 and drew in the cream of the breakbeat scene for 6 intense and raucous parties which Time Out hailed as “breakbeat heaven”.
Landing his dream job at renowned and fabled record store, City Sounds, allowed him to fully immerse himself in his music passion and opened doors that led to gigs in Zurich, New York, San Francisco and the Miami Winter Music Conference.
In 2002, with long time friends and collaborators Gripper & Craig
Nelson, the idea for their own label was formed and Upskirt Records
was born.
Releases under the guises of 'East Beach Project ' & 'Hugo Madrid '
gained lots of plays & praise from seasoned pros like Roger
Sanchez, Norman Jay, Tony Humphries, Tedd Patterson, Dimitri
From Paris & Todd Terry.
2003 saw Woody & Upskirt Records move to Ibiza where both went from strength to strength with parties at Mambo, Savannah, Eden,
Pacha & a weekly residency at Cafe Paradis. Further releases from
'Craig Nelson ' , 'Los Fantasticos' , 'Tripple Daddy ' & 'Rose Valley
Orchestra ' saw Upskirt Records become one of most respected
indie labels on the White Isle and their parties always packed out.
After 2 years in Ibiza a move back to the UK beckoned and while
continuing to DJ in and around London & Manchester, the label took a back seat to other work commitments and family life.
After a 10 year hiatus, the nagging itch to make more music just
wouldn't go away and so Upskirt Records was dusted down in 2016
and new music made. Not necessarily for commercial release but just because. If people liked it then great, but this was more of a
therapeutic process rather than means to an end.
Now, as part of the MiCasa SuCasa crew with fellow local DJ's Ben
Walker & Ali Bennett, the passion & desire to play and create music
is once again front & centre.
