Kissy Sell Out

Kissy Sell Out

Kissy live in Jersey
Background information
Birth name Thomas Bisdee[1]
Born (1984-06-18) 18 June 1984
Origin Colchester, Essex, England
Genres Electronica, breakbeat, speed garage
Occupation(s) DJ, producer, graphic designer
Labels San City High
Carrillo Music
Cheap Thrills Records
Lavolta Records
Asylum Records
Ministry of Sound Australia
Website myspace.com/kissysellout

Kissy Sell Out, born Thomas Bisdee on 18 June 1984 in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England, is a British/Canadian DJ,[2] producer, graphic designer, label manager of San City High Records, part-time astrophysicist[3] and science columnist for Sick Chirpse.[4] Kissy Sell Out gained notability in 2006 for his eccentric electro productions and energetic DJ style.[5] In 2009 Mixmag described him as "one of the most exciting, charismatic and entertaining DJs of the decade".[6]

In addition to his DJ work[7] and he has released five albums – Youth, the critically acclaimed follow-up Wild Romance,[8][9][10][11] Introducing Kissy Sell Out,[12] San City High All Stars Vol. 1 & 2[13] – and composed official music for the 2012 Olympics ceremonies held in London.[14][15][16]

Background

From 2007–2012 he hosted a very successful BBC Radio 1 show called the Kissy Klub. The show blended classical music, and computer-voiced fictional characters with an exclusive selection of remixes created specifically for the show called "Kissy Klub Versions".

With this radio show Kissy became an influential force in the developing electro scene not just as a producer but as a taste-maker too. Notable artists such as Diplo, Felix Da Housecat, Hervé, Uffie & Erol Alkan made regular appearances alongside exclusive tracks Kissy supported which kick-started careers for a long list of breakthrough producers and DJs[17][18][19] across the globe.[20]

As Kissy grew more experienced, his live DJ shows began to focus on his ability to mix records of all genres together on four Pioneer CD decks.[21] A signature trick he developed on his radio show and live tours was to put electro beats over classical pieces of music. This is something which began to attract media attention when was invited to speak at a formal debate at the Cambridge Union against Stephen Fry about the relevance of classical music to the youth of today in May 2011.[22]

When not working on his own music, much of his time as a music producer is spent mentoring fresh names in dance music through his label San City High and also by judging DJ competitions such as the Red Bull Thre3style UK tour.[23]

Kissy has often been described by the press as being a staple of the east London electro scene,[24] and most of his records are produced at San City High Studios in the Shoreditch/Brick Lane area.

Kissy spent his teenage years growing up in Colchester, Essex. It was during his adolescent years growing up there that he became obsessed with records by Nirvana, Aphrodite, Swans, Felix Da Housecat and John Martyn,[25] while dividing the rest of his time between school, DJing at teenage house parties and meeting girls at the local roller-skating rink.[26] His particular interest is in melodically complex post-modern dance tracks around 128 BPM in tempo.[27]

Until 2009 the majority of his musical output as a producer was in remixes for other artists such as Mark Ronson, Calvin Harris, The Human League, Sugababes, Groove Armada and All Saints. It was this early production work that caught the attention of executives at BBC Radio 1.

In July 2007 Kissy Sell Out was signed by BBC Radio 1 to present a monthly instalment of a specialist dance music show called In New DJs We Trust.[28] In October 2008 he permanently took over Eddie Halliwell's Thursday night slot[29] to host his own weekly show called the Kissy Klub.[30] His radio show covered a selection of musical styles and genres with the tracks often seamlessly mixed together. A feature of his radio shows was the Kissy Klub Versions, which were unofficial remixes created for the show. His last Radio 1 show was in 2012.

Inspired by early recordings of underground drum'n'bass events in the UK, Kissy used to use an air horn during his DJ sets and in June 2007 was pictured on the front cover of DJ Magazine blasting one into the air.

During his final year studying Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins College of Art And Design in London, Kissy worked full-time as a design assistant at a high-fashion magazine called POP Magazine.

Kissy Klub Versions

Kissy Klub Versions were unofficial remixes of songs by artists which are played exclusively on Kissy Sell Out's BBC Radio 1 Show.[31] The idea to remix songs for a radio show is down to the BBC's rules on conflict of interest which restrict the amount of air time producers such as Kissy can fill with their own material. Since Kissy's own re-edits of tracks have been a widely talked about feature of his DJ sets since 2006,[32] Kissy felt it was important to continue this feature in his radio show and thus the Kissy Klub Version concept was started.

During the show's life-span, very few other DJs ever obtained copies of the near 1000 long list of exclusive remixes. Efforts were made to release a BBC Kissy Klub Versions CD but failed due to the incredibley complex licensing paperwork it would have involved to clear permissions for a large amount of highly established artists who were unfamiliar with the unusual concept.

After the Kissy Klub radio show finished, Kissy himself announced that fans of the show should keep an eye on his Soundcloud page as it would be the new home for his studio DJ mixes and Kissy Klub Versions new and old.[33]

Youth

Kissy's debut album Youth took over a year to make and is inspired by his childhood memories of growing up in Essex, UK.[34] It contains 11 tracks, three of which are instrumental, as well as covering cheerfully remembered anecdotes of Kissy's "teenage relationships, drinking & social misbehaviour,"[35] the content of the songs on the album are said to also reflect the hard times Kissy and Danimal Kingdom experienced while writing the album. In a cover feature for iDJ magazine, Kissy talked about the post-adolescent alienation he felt during the recording process[36] and the relationship problems he and Danimal Kingdom encountered which resulted during the making of the album in a song called "Bethnal Green Café" being penned.[37]

Wild Romance

May 2011 saw the release of Kissy's sophomore LP "Wild Romance" on his label San City High. The 12-track album is influenced by the theatrical showmanship of his live four-deck DJ performances and weekly show on BBC Radio 1.[38]

Whilst including the post-modern motifs of Kissy's high energy arrangements (many of which are played on classical instruments such as cellos, oboes and plucked violas), all the tracks revolve around the more familiar dance music conventions of breakdowns and bassline drops which reference genres such as UK speed garage, electro and drum'n'bass. Online press tipped the twelve-track album as "...retain[ing] the extroverted sound he has become synonymous with, but is overall more confident."[39]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Compilations

Official Remixes[60]

Original Artist Song Remix Name Label Year
Run DMC Walk This Way Kissy Sell Out Remix[61] TBC 2015
Terri B! I'm Coming Back Kissy Sell Out Remix Carrillo Music 2015
Lisa Williams Junk Kissy Sell Out Remix Carrillo Music 2015
Nadia Gattas The Feeling Kissy Sell Out Remix Carrillo Music 2015
Super Square Erase Me Kissy Sell Out Remix Carrillo Music 2015
Eddie Amador Awake Kissy Sell Out Remix Carrillo Music 2015
Hybrid Theory feat. Trilla That's What It Is Kissy Sell Out Remix Four40 Records 2015
Binary Finary 1998 Kissy Sell Out's Trap Mix Armada 2013
Ali Love Love Harder Kissy Sell Out Remix Dim Mak 2013
Steve Aoki feat. Kid Cudi & Travis Barker Cudi The Kid Kissy Sell Outs Style From The Dark Side Ultra Records 2012
TAI At The Disco Kissy Sell Out's Skippin's School Dim Mak 2012
Spencer & Hill Dance Kissy Sell Out's 4x4 Moombahton Fix Dim Mak 2012
Zeds Dead Rude Boy Kissy Sell Out & MC Cobra's VIP Mix San City High 2011
Art Vs. Science Magic Fountain Kissy Sell Out's Dark Crystal Version Ministry Of Sound (Australia) 2010
Noisettes Wild Young Hearts Kissy Sell Out Remix Vertigo 2010
Frankmusik Better Off As Two Kissy Sell Out Says Relax Island 2009
The Human League The Things That Dreams Are Made Of Kissy Sell Out Mix Hooj Choons 2009
Shiny Toy Guns Ricochet! Kissy Sell Out Mix Ultra Records 2009
Calvin Harris Merrymaking At My Place Kissy Sell Out Remix Fly Eye 2007
Groove Armada Song 4 Mutya Kissy Sell Out Remix Columbia 2007
Sugababes About You Now Kissy Sell Out Remix Island 2007
Remi Nicole Fed Up Kissy Sell Out's Rules Of Attraction Island 2007
The Black Ghosts Face Kissy Sell Out Remix Southern Fried 2007
Chungking Love Is Here To Stay Kissy Sell Out's Own Private Idaho Institute 2007
Acoustic Ladyland Cuts & Lies Kissy Sell Out Mix V2 2007
Mark Ronson Stop Me Kissy Sell Out's True Romance Columbia 2007
Gwen Stefani Wind It Up Kissy Sell Out Remix Interscope 2006
All Saints Chick Fit Kissy Sell Out's Excellent Adventure / Bogus Journey Parlophone 2006
GoodBooks Leni Kissy Sell Out Mix Columbia 2006
Operator Please Just A Song About Ping Pong Kissy Sell Out's White Stallion Brille 2006
Neat People Baby I'm Bored Kissy Sell Out Remix Rekabet 2006

Charity work

In January 2008 Kissy released a four-track EP of bootleg tracks on limited edition CD and digital downloads so he could donate all proceeds to the British Association for Adoption and Fostering . The EP contains a blog-house track called "Get Busy Tropicana" as well as "You're on Fire" which was championed by Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1 .

Kissy also began supporting the Changing Faces charity in 2010 after meeting a severely facially disfigured young girl in a British airport whilst on his way to DJ in Ibiza. In an interview with Thomas H. Green published in Mixmag he talked of how the brief but poignant moment reduced him to tears and made him realise how lucky he was to be a successful DJ.[62]

Support for unsigned artists

Since Kissy himself claims to owe a lot of his early success to the support he received from DJs such as Simian Mobile Disco, Headman, DJ Touché, The Loose Cannons, Eddy Temple Morris and Tommie Sunshine, Kissy has insisted on championing unsigned artists and new independent producers as much as he can on his radio shows, festival appearances and press interviews.

Some of the fresh faces in music Kissy has shown support for include Ronnie Flex, Foamo, Jo Kira, Metal on Metal, Proxy, 16 Bit, Jack Beats, Last Japan, Norrit, AutoErotique, Cold Blank, Bear Cavalry, Kamikaze Cream Cake, Late of the Pier, MC Cobra, Linda's Nephew, Chew Fu and the Palms Out Sounds blog, Haydn Haydn, Cap'nHarry, Figure, Danny Westcott, Frankmusik, Thoko, Mr. Vega, Matt Sayers, Dynasty, Bro Safari, ETC!ETC!, Hoi!, Black Peter Group, Futuristic Retro Champions, and Andy George and Jaymo who were signed to BBC Radio 1 after Kissy picked them to support him on a BBC Introducing edition of Radio 1's Essential Mix.[63]

Kissy is curator of a music festival in the French Alps called Tignesfest.

Awards

References

  1. ↑ Kissy Sell Out discography at Discogs
  2. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out - after waking my mum up to riffle through... - Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  3. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out (@kissysellout) - Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  4. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out". Sick Chirpse. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  5. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out Biography". BBC. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  6. ↑ "Login - Intelligent Media". intelligentmedia.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out – Upcoming Shows". Myspace.
  8. ↑ "Wild Romance's exuberance will raise a grin well beyond party environments".
  9. ↑ "Album Review: Kissy Sell Out / 'Wild Romance' (San City High Records)".
  10. ↑ "Wild Romance".
  11. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out – Wild Romance Album Review".
  12. ↑ "Introducing... Kissy Sell Out". iTunes. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "Lee Mortimer, Laidback Luke, Hijack, Jack Beats, High Rankin, Keith, His Majesty Andre, Eats Everything, Dillon Francis, Botnek, Frederick Mooij, Kissy Sell Out, Frederik Mooij, Kissy Sell Out, The Squatters, Taku Takahashi, Zeds Dead, Hatcha, Rob Sparx, Hot Pink Delorean, Tai, Herve, Ali Love, Tom Piper, StereoThieves, Urchins, New Ivory, Tinashe — San City High All Stars [San City High Records] :: Beatport". beatport.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  14. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out - Heartbeats Of London 2012 // Official "TEAM GB" Olympics \u0026 Paralympics Parade Theme by Kissy - Free Listening on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  15. ↑ "One Year To Go Olympic Party - Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  16. ↑ Owen Gibson. "London 2012: with just a year to go, city shows it's on the right track". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  17. ↑ "Zeds Dead featured on NOW Magazine - Live Coverage at The Kool Haus • Dim Mak". Dim Mak. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  18. ↑ "Kissy Sellout Favourites "The Squatters" Sign to 23rd Precinct Music!". facebook.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  19. ↑ "Foamo - Circle Talent Agency". Circle Talent Agency. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  20. ↑ "Judge Jules, Gilles Peterson among DJs leaving Radio 1". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  21. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out - DJsounds Show 2011". DJsounds. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  22. ↑ "Radio 1 DJ Kissy Sell Out: 'Classical music is irrelevant to today's youth'". The Independent. London. 12 May 2011.
  23. ↑ "This October and November, Kissy Sell Out and A-Trak will be bringing the largest DJ competition in the world to the UK with Red Bull Thre3style – the DJ battle that takes the art of spinning to a new level.".
  24. ↑ Hutchinson, Kate (4 June 2007). "East End's top DJs". Time Out London. Time Out Group Ltd. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  25. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out Artist Profile". Annie Mac Presents. Archived from the original on 22 October 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  26. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out Biography". X-Ray Touring DJ's. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  27. ↑ Lawrence, Eddy (11 July 2007). "Interview: Kissy Sell Out". Time Out London. Time Out Group Ltd. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  28. ↑ "Radio 1 refreshes in New DJs We Trust roster". Radio 1 Press Release. BBC. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  29. ↑ "Radio 1 welcomes new talent to revamped evening schedule". Radio 1 Press Release. BBC. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  30. ↑ BBC. "BBC - Radio 1 - Kissy Sell Out - Kissy Club". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  31. ↑ "BBC Radio 1 - Kissy Sell Out". BBC. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  32. ↑ http://www.i-dj.co.uk/technique/making-the-perfect-electro-track
  33. ↑ "Fingers on Blast - Inspiration From Everywhere - Blog - Kissy Sell Out Signs Off". squarespace.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  34. ↑ "Featured Content on Myspace". Myspace. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  35. 1 2 http://www.ish-media.com/artistdetail.php?artid=187
  36. ↑ http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/4/l_aa414631806d45cd8affd054faa52486.jpg
  37. ↑ http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/5/l_96dcde5fb499463b917b3ee666245381.jpg
  38. ↑ "likehotcakes.net". likehotcakes.net. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  39. ↑ http://www.nerdy-frames.org/2011/04/kissy-sell-out-wild-romance-lp-new.html
  40. ↑ "San City High All Stars". iTunes. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  41. ↑ "San City High All Stars, Vol. 2 (Mixed by Kissy Sell Out)". iTunes. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  42. ↑ "Caught Up - Single". Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  43. ↑ "Tell You - Single". Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  44. ↑ "Deeper In Love - Single". Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  45. 1 2 http://viciousbitchmusic.com/music/
  46. ↑ The Promise - Kissy Sell Out - (Official Promo Video). YouTube. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  47. ↑ "Toyboy & Robin, Daniel Brooks, Suck Fake, Disposition, J A S P E R, Indian Summer, Kissy Sell Out — Who Walks Alone (Remixes) [San City High Records] :: Beatport". beatport.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  48. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out — Ready for the World feat. Herve and Elliot Chapman(Dub Version) [San City High Records] :: Beatport Pro". beatport.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  49. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out - Ready For The World ft Elliot Chapman (Radio Edit)". SoundCloud. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  50. ↑ "Early Morning Crew (feat. Kissy Sell Out) - Single". iTunes. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  51. ↑ "Turn It On (Remixes)". iTunes. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  52. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Kissy-Sell-Out-Homesick/release/3021532
  53. ↑ "Fekky". disordermagazine.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  54. ↑ "Your Army - Welcome". your-army.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  55. ↑ Graham, Mhairi (3 August 2007). "Kissy Sell Out – 'Her'". Gigwise. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  56. ↑ "KISSY SELL OUT : Her". Phonica. Archived from the original on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  57. ↑ "Mixmag Presents Kissy Sell Out's Blowout". Sanity. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  58. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Kissy-Sell-Out-Kissy-Sell-Outs-Xmas-Blowout/release/2068918
  59. ↑ "Various: Ministry Of Sound / Mashed 4: 2CD (CD)". Sanity. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  60. ↑ "Kissy Sell Out". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  61. ↑ "Run DMC - Walk This Way [Kissy Sell Out Remix]". SoundCloud. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  62. ↑ Green, Thomas H. (April 2010), "The Mad Hatter's Free Party!", Mixmag
  63. ↑ BBC. "BBC - Radio 1 - Essential Mix - Tracklisting". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  64. ↑ "International DJ Magazine". i-dj.co.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
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