A son who has learned how to smile from his father.
Heritage is a collaborative project bringing together two generations and more than a lifetime of musical discoveries. The father and son duo is a quintessentially Ibiza story, tracking the evolution of the sound and spirit of the island. ‘El padre’ Alfredo, purveyor of what has come to be known as the Balearic sound, and ‘el hijo’ Jaime Fiorito who through the addition of his knowledge and passion has delivered an ever changing style and vision over the years. Alfie’s prestige needs no introduction and is something of a high-priest when it comes to dance music globally.
Alfredo has been moved around like a precious chess piece between Space’s 6 rooms in recent years at We Love. He’s finally found a home where he can stretch his balearic muscles on the Premier Etage, the sun-kissed roof terrace. It’s been something of a revelation seeing a master at work, leaving no one in doubt that DJing as a true craft, selection, reading a crowd – can not be learned over-night. Jaime is no slouch either and a true multilingual child of the island. An accomplished DJ in his own right, he acts as something of a filter for his father who is all too aware there is too much music around these days! Together they bring an archetypal summer vibe to the roof, which is unique for We Love, in Space and on Ibiza as a whole.
There’s always a question of context in appreciating someone’s art. Music perhaps is easier than most forms to admire without a need for a back story, but with this mix you can’t help remember the significance it contains. Alfredo arguably kick-started the modern culture of dance music in Ibiza, and it’s good to see it quite literally moving through generations. As one veteran Ibiza promoter happily exclaimed to a questioning young resident as Alfredo made a contentious beat match, “if it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t all have jobs!” Amen. Listen below and download here.
Endings can be bitter-sweet but it’s a blockbuster day of the highest order for the closing party on September 25th. It’s down to heavy hitters Fatboy Slim and 2manydjs on La Terraza along with favourites Joris Voorn, Jem Haynes, Jason Bye and Ian C. There’s a triumphant return for Aphex Twin to the Discoteca after a performance last year already firmly in the annals of Ibiza folklore. Closing out his 10th season in Ibiza will be James Zabiela joined by Technasia, jozif and DJ Rephlex.
Expect big carefree vibes with Rock Nights on the Sunset Terrace with Rob Da Bank, Colin Peters and Andy Carroll. Once the sun goes down it’s After Dark with a special audio-visual showcase featuring DJ Cheeba, Soundcrash DJs and Mr Doris. Tirk Records are back for a final soiree in El Salon with Homoelectric’s Jamie Bull, Ben Terry and Matty J. As is becoming tradition, Clive Henry is on board in the Red Box for the closing along with Alex Arnout, Coley, Ryan O’Gorman and Scott Martin. Taking things to the break of dawn (and probably beyond) on the Green Valley Terrace is Alfredo, Ian Blevins, Jamie ‘Fatneck’ and Jon Howell.
Estamos complacidos en anunciarles el lineup de nuestra fiesta de apertura de We Love…space, el domingo 12 de junio de 2011. We Love es única en Ibiza, con seis pistas de desenfranada exploración musical. Sigue los links de los artistas para videos, mixes y mucho más.
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La fiesta de apertura de este año se plantea como la que definirá la temporada de Ibiza, ya que We Love… Space celebra los 20 años de Planet E. Pocos sellos discográficos han logrado superar la prueba del tiempo, y de haberlo hecho, no han sido muchos los que han podido proclamarse tan reelevantes e influyentes como lo fueron ellos,hace veinte anos ya. Planet E, no solo ha sobrevivido los ultimos 20 anos,sino que sin dudas se ha deleitado a lo grande durante los mismos. Al cerebro del techno de Detroit Carl Craig se le sumara Derrick May y Paul Woolford, quienes recientemente han realizado lanzamientos explosivos en el sello. Estos cerebros tambien estarán acompañados por el residente semanal de We Love Jem Haynes, quien tomará el control de la Discoteca y hara una inusual y prestigiosa sesión solo de vinilo, para celebrar este acontecimiento de la discografica.
Mientras tanto, la mundialmente famosa Terraza de Space tendrá de invitado a James Zabiela exibiendo su sonido house para el 2011. Los DJs de Hot Chip, Felix Martin y Al Doyle regresan para la primera de sus tres exclusivas fechas como residentes y Heidi, la favorita de “In New DJs We Trust” de Radio 1, traerá el sonido ‘jackin’ con el apoyo de Made to Play’s Jesse Rose. A continuación tendremos a la apuesta de We Love Mat Playford, haciendo un show en vivo de tres horas, utilizando un sistema análogo personalizado.
El 2011 trae nuevas caras para compartir esta serie de eventos de verano. El sello discografico Moda de Jaymo & Andy George estará auspiciandola Sunset Terrace antes de que el proyecto “Afterdark” de Mr Doris tome el control, luego de la media noche. Ryan O’ Gorman regresa con el Burlington Project para auspiciar doce citas íntimas en la Redbox, la pista que disfrutan entendidos locales y turistas por igual.
We are delighted to announce the lineup for our opening party, We Love… Space on Sunday June 12th 2011. We Love is unique in Ibiza with 6 rooms of unbridled musical excursions. Follow the linked names for videos, mixes and more.
This years opening party is set to define the Ibiza season as We Love… Space celebrate the seminal 20 Years of Planet E. Few labels have managed to stand the test of time and if they have, few can claim to be as relevant and influential as they were twenty years back. Planet E hasn’t just survived the last twenty years but positively revelled in it. Detroit techno mastermind Carl Craig will be joined by Derrick May and Paul Woolford, who have both recently presented the label with blistering releases. These masterminds will be joined by We Love weekly resident Jem Haynes to take control of the Discoteca for a rare and prestigious vinyl-only session in celebration of the label.
Meanwhile, the world famous Space Terraza plays host to James Zabiela showcasing his house sound for 2011. The Hot Chip DJs, Felix Martin and Al Doyle return for the first of their three date exclusive residency and Radio 1 current “In New DJs We Trust” favourite Heidi bringing the jackin’ sound’ o’ Chi’ Town with support from Made To Play’s Jesse Rose. Kicking off proceedings is We Love’s own Mat Playford playing a three hour live show using a customised analogue setup.
2011 brings new faces to share this summer’s series of events. Jaymo & Andy George’s label Moda host the Sunset Terrace before Mr Doris’ “Afterdark” project takes over after midnight. Ryan O’Gorman returns with The Burlington Project to host twelve intimate dates in the Redbox, the room for clued up locals and holiday-makers alike.
We’re off to Trilogy in Dubai on Thursday 17th March, a club which is quickly gaining a reputation for quality bookings in what can be a tough part of the world to crack. James Zabiela will bring his blended brand of bleepy, groovy, deep electronica to the UAE alongside fellow We Lover Thomas Gandey (Cagedbaby). Now a mainstay of Discoteca and Terraza alike, James is sure to electrify the Trilogy terrace just as he does to dancefloors worldwide. The balearic spirit will be brought to the table by godfather of the beat, Alfredo and his We Love percussion compadre Ian C. They will surely transport the sound of our hallowed Sunset Terrace to the balmy Arabian night. Up’n'comers Bicep will be rounding this diverse lineup set to bring a taste of We Love to Dubai for the first time.
The end is nigh! There’s still time to book flights from wherever you may be for this party of epic proportion. The line-up speaks for itself, including an Ibiza debut from Aphex Twin in the Discoteca and a return to the venerated Terraza with Basement Jaxx. Big up to David Tazzyman. See you there! x
Our resident percussionist who performs weekly with Alfredo on the Sunset Terrace has been in high demand through the winter playing in clubs, at events and in studios throughout the world. Alfredo sums him up as an artist pretty well, “I never practice with Ian, never. I listened to him play in El Salon. He is the first percussionst to not get over the track and disturb the record. When he has to be silent he is silent. The way he keeps the beat is like a machine and melody with percussion is something I have not heard before. He is a humble guy to work with, I am pleased to know him and work with him.” Mark Broadbent belies his promotors hat like so, “I generally dislike drummers more than DJs but Ian is great.” Here are some tales and photos from his travels…
Ian C'enic
Six months since I played with Alfredo on the Sunset Terraza at Space and it’s hard to believe that Ibiza beckons already. I can remember that last gig like it was yesterday but I’ve crammed so much in since then – what a lucky sod!
Ian Frozen C
50 odd gigs since then (and some were odd) have led me around some parts of the world that I’ve never been to before… Denmark was amazing, mid-January, the sea was frozen (as was I) and I performed and partied in an old cinema with 800 or so people. In Sweden, amid their worst snow storm in 30 years we bounced around in an old church with only good music and strong alcohol for sustenance (by the if you are ever there and get offered a shot of liquid brown tar whose name escapes me, say no and run for the hills). In Austria, at a friends birthday party, I performed in a nightclub that is a coffee and pastry shop by day. Nice and randomly, as my life sometimes tends to be, I ended up staying with We Love’s Mr. Doris and his girlfriend Roxanne in Bahrain after finding out I had been booked to play at his winter residency (neither of us knew the other was there until it was all booked) – small world indeed.
Ian C of people
I’ve also been lucky enough to break some personal career records this winter and perform to 5,000 at Amsterdam Indoor Arena and a monster of a gig to 7,000 at the Dubai World Trade Center. This was rounded off rather bizarrely at an after party, with me drinking drinks I couldn’t possibly afford in the presidential penthouse suite of a well know Dubai hotel with some very nice folk indeed – in other circumstances I would have been mistaken for ‘the help’ and told to get my hair cut!
Ian C'eiling
The over-riding factor at all of the gigs (and many many previous events) in all the countries I have been lucky enough to visit over the years, is how universally, whatever our backgrounds, politics or colour, we all just want to have a bloody good time! So to the 30,000 + people that were at the gigs I’ve played at this winter, I salute you!
Ian C for yourself
The summer is nearly here, I can’t wait to get back on that outdoor terrace every week with Alfie again, Ibiza ticket (one way) is booked and a lot of my friends and all the We Love family are poised cat like for action, well, poised anyway… how about you?
Check out a mix created by Ian C and Jem Haynes, here. It’s a dex / percussion / fx mix recorded live and off the cuff by the duo. The busy pair have also just completed a bootleg of a classic Gorillaz record, check it out below…
The ubiquitous smiley face. A stylized representation of a human smile. The first recorded depiction of the form was in the Ingmar Bergman film Hamnstad in 1936, although not technically a smiley since the suicidal factory girl protagonist in fact draws an unhappy face on the bathroom mirror with lipstick. Sunkist oranges used smileys in a 1930s ad campaign, but the crude black and white stick drawings bear little resemblance to the finished work of art we recognise today.
Photo by Frank Weyrauther - Phrank.net
The smiley face craze is the work of two brothers, Bernard and Murray Spain. They were in the business of creating fad items and in 1970 recalled the smiley which had by then been floating around for years in the advertising business. Looking for a peace-like symbol but with more general appeal, while surrounded by protests, war and hate – what they wanted was a symbol of happiness and love. The brothers say with admirable frankess, it was also to make a buck. In essence they did little more than add the phrase “Have a nice day” to the smiley, the fad lasted a year and a half and the number of smiley buttons produced by 1972 was estimated at 50 million.
But who invented the original smiley face? In December 1963, State Mutual Life Assurance initiated a merger campaign which had bad effects on company morale. They wanted a way to “promote friendship” and turned to Harvey Ball, a graphic artist in Massachusetts. Harvey, clearly not a man to waste ink initially drew only the smile but realised it could be turned upside down to become… a frown! He added two eyes, so that if it was now turned upside down it would mean… I’m standing on my head – a more ambiguous sociopolitical message. He made it yellow for a sunshiny look and State Mutual upon realising the buttons were a hit, began to hand them out by the thousands. Mr Ball’s take home pay: $45 art fee. State Mutual, clearly not quick on the uptake, didn’t make any money either.
Seig Howdy!
The feel-good symbol of freedom and experimentation hit the American masses at just the time of post-1960′s malaise: a traumatised American public turning to visual soma in order to forget the Vietnam war and presidential meltdown. The smiley represented such a blank childlike form of contentment it was ripe for subversion. In 1979, Bob Last and Bruce Slesinger put together a collage of Californian Governor Jerry Brown and a Nuremberg-style rally to illustrate the UK Fast Records release of the Dead Kennedys’ California Über Alles. Behind the podium were large red, white and black banners: in place of swastikas were large Smileys. In the comic Watchmen the smiley is used as a visual metaphor for megalomania. Then came the explosion. In February 1988, Bomb The Bass released a 12″ record using the blood-stained Watchmen smiley face as cover. A month earlier, Danny Rampling has used the smiley for his infamous club Shoom. The symbol took only a few months to catch on, but when it did, it swept the country as the logo of acid house.
Bomb Dis Bass
The initial media response to acid-house culture was positive. In the UK the smiley had been loosely associated with psychedelic scenes since the 70′s. The emerging movement of the second summer of love in the 80′s cemented it’s counter-cultural status by engraving the smiley logo on ecstasy tablets of the time. Like most youth cults, there was soon a media backlash – connecting the symbol to immorality and vice. The smiley began to be associated with “evil ecstasy” and drug barons. The negative associations continued into the 90′s with Nirvana using it in their iconic “corporate-rock-whores” t-shirt with crossed out eyes and a drooling mouth.
As you might expect, the Smiley has also been surrounded by copyright controversies ever since the early 1970s when a Frenchman, Franklin Loufrani registered the trademark as Smiley World in some European countries. He claims to not only have created “the smiley” but also own the concept as an international trademark. It can be factually proven that the symbol was conceived long before his trademark claim, so surely this is just profiteering on a cultural phenomenon of which he has no honest right to possession. In 2006 Wal-Mart tried to trademark the smiley, but lost in a court case with Loufrani.
Faces everywhere
In terms of Ibizan folk-lore. It is said that Alfredo popularised the smiley face with a collection of stickers he got from a friend working for an Italian children’s charity at the time. After his marathon daytime sets at Amnesia, people would beg him for copies of records he had played. The Balearic master would stick the smiley face stickers to the label of the 12″ before handing them out to revelers. Thanks to Mat Playford for that little piece of info.
It may seem weird that such a bland symbol should be used to convey emotion, in such a way that creates as much distance as real empathy. But then there is something powerfully archetypal about an image of a happy face that resembles the sun. Infantilisation or greater communication, joy or horror: the Smiley can encompass everything. It pretends to be our servant, but it will rule us all. – The Guardian
