London, UK (Fabrik 30) - Eric D and
Thomas met at a party in LA, through a mutual friend working at a clothing and disco unit called Sarcastic.
Random chance and coincidence soon found the two of them together on the other side of the continent, pumping beats into the heart of New York City's underground scene. Despite NYC commercialism staring them in the eyes and singing it sweet siren song, Eric and Thomas, with good mates and cheap drinks in hand, kept their feet firmly planted in the fertile underground and sauntered on with a laugh. A friend's acquisition of a Chinese Rub N Tug massage -palace -cum -loftspace sparked a series of raucous parties where rooms were torn down, both literally and figuratively, as 300-400 people shuffled to their wild disco mashups. It seems only natural that out of the seedy, risqué, hell-bent indulgence, Rub N Tug was born. Next up were their lock-ins on the rammed disco floors of Passerby, now notoriously and fondly recalled as Campfire, where house music poured out of sweaty speakers 'til the after-after-hours.
"We're into having a party. Music and having a drink and a good time. Our friends and family in New York all kind of gathered about us when we started to play jams. The first Rub N Tug night was a loft jam at the AsFour Siver Cage - a crazy night with 40 cases of champagne on the fire escape, fights broke out while we scratched records. At one point T played the keyboard with his bare ass. You know that kind of party. That's how it started; may it continue as it began." – Rub N Tug
Shortly after their first mix CD for aNYthing clothing company came a boisterous compilation from Eskimo called Campfire, a stylish capturing of their debauched nights/mornings at Passerby, and Rub N Tug found they'd quickly transformed from NYC scene-sters to globetrotting party starters. Remixes flowed out like tequila shots, sharp and burning, and they were soon queuing everyone from !!! to Coldplay to Beastie Boys to Roxy Music to Zero 7.
'I like the pop stuff but you've got to be into it. The reason that we took the Zero7 tune is because it was so bloody good.' – Thom, Rub N Tug
On Fabric 30, shuffling disco and roaring house beats prove that you've clearly never been to a real party until you've attended a Rub N Tug party. Brain-throttling basslines rub on velvety synths and tug on stretchy beats, coupled with irresistibly sing-along vocals and hypnotizing guitar lines. As genres are bent and fused, the merrymaking sounds of voices whooping, feet stomping, hands clapping and glasses breaking are practically audible in the background. The duo soars through the set flawlessly, closing the mix with smooth and addictive beats that guarantee a "happy ending" you don't get charged extra for.
'We just got into our record boxes and pulled out what we were playing at the moment, our favourite tunes from the current, what we're into now. So basically it's like a slice of a night a Fabric in a way.' – Eric, Rub N Tug
FABRIC 30: RUB N TUG - Tracklisting:
01 Intro
02 Claude VonStroke The 7 Deadly Strokes Neuton
03 Royksopp What Else Is There [The Emperor Machine Vocal Version] Wall Of Sound/PIAS
04 Jesse Rose Evening Standard Dubsided
05 Curtis McClaine And The House Lets Get Busy Trax
06 Gary Martin Turkish Tavern Teknotika
07 Sir Drew Shemale [Black Strobe Remix] Kingsize
08 Serge Santiago Atto D'Amor [Dub Version] Arcobaleno
09 Dondolo Dragon [Shit Robot Remix] Tiny Sticks
10 Slok Lonely Child [Satoshi Tomie 3D Remix Dub] Saw
11 Rufuss No Exit QM Records
12 Foolish and Sly Come A Little Closer Cynic
13 Nemesi L'asteroide [Original Impact Mix] Relish Records/Four
14 Force Of Nature Black Moon Libyus Music
15 Lifelike and Chris Menace Discopolis Defected
16 Ame Engoli Sonar Kollektiv
17 Mocky Catch A Moment In Time [Ewan Pearson's Memory Blissed Remix] Fine
Fabric 30 mixed by Rub N Tug is out in the U.S. on October 3rd, 2006.
