News from Underground Soundz

Hi All,

Yes, yes,  I know...I haven't been the best of bloggers this year! Yet, despite my silence this blog is still getting much attention, primarily for the posts relating to SEX, in particular, CHEM FUN!! Do a search online for chem fun and you get this blog!

Google chem fun and see who you get!

The visitor stats for my posts about chem fun far outnumber anything else. So, I guess that even though I like to write about music, you guys really appreciate my views on sex and drugs...

OK, if something comes up on that front I will surely write more. But today, will you indulge me if I write about music?

Firstly, I'd like to thank my friend Jiet Wong for the wonderful logo he designed for me. 

Oran Bilsen's new logo - cool or what?

Jiet is a very talented artist and designer and if you're interested to know him better you can check out the link at the bottom of this post.

Secondly, we put our club-night Cruise at Bakita on hold. We had a great run there but to be honest with you, hosting a weekly party rather took the joy out of things. Too much hosting and stress make Bilsen a dull boy!  Now we're looking for a venue to host Cruise as a monthly event. Seems like we may have found one! But until it's in the bag I won't tell you where...

In the meantime, an overseas gig in Shanghai and many gigs locally have kept me very busy. 

Spinning at the Rainbow Weekend Pool Party

I suppose you want a shot of all the hunks in the pool?

Alright!!!

And here are some mixes for you. 

Oran Bilsen Live at Lust

A glorious warm up set that goes from min to max in 70 minutes...if you're in a mellow mood and want to cheer up, this is the mix for you! To download, click on the little vertical arrow on top of the wave form.

Oran Bilsen Live at Bedroom

An intense live set that starts off slow with some deep house, building to tech house and finally techno.  Sadly Soundcloud prevented me from uploading this one so you can only stream it, here at mixcloud. 

Want to know more about Jiet Wong? He's an artist and a graphic designer and one of the Underground Soundz team.

You can know him better here.

JIET WONG

THE SEVEN DEADLY FACEBOOK SINNERS –WHICH TYPE ARE YOU?

Today, another friend ‘added’ me on Facebook. In a couple of weeks, maybe he’ll be just another I have to ‘unsubscribe’. The more you know, the fewer you want to. 

I’m overloaded by Facebook friends, banging on about what’s important to them and so darn irritating to everyone else.

So I’ve been watching your posts. Sifting. Analysing. And I’ve boiled everything down into seven types, the Seven Deadly Facebook Posts. Read below and decide: which one is you…

The Seven Deadly Facebook Posts

THE RADAR BLIP

At Starbucks for coffee… CHECK-IN!

At the Gym… CHECK-IN!

Having dinner at a Mamak Stall in Chow Kit… CHECK-IN!

In a taxi.. CHECK-IN!

Need to pee… CHECK-IN! CHECK-IN! CHECK-IN!

Let me just “CHECK-IN” here, so my friends they can follow me and admire me and know exactly where I am in my fast-paced, activity-filled life.

Attention! Attention! Stalkers wanted! Apply within…. CHECK-IN!

RB checked into Kelang Starbucks and 89 other locations...

THE FOODIE

Don’t touch that burger! Stop eating it!

Wait, let me setup the shot, your hand is in the way!

*smacks hand*

Can you all move closer?

OMG I have to post a picture of my breakfast cereal online!

You, you’re in my Food Shot. One sec, I need a picture of your salad, orange juice, kung-pao pizza, sugar sachets, cutlery and the table number too!

Instagram it! Pin it!  Food is my religion and the adoration and worship will begin…as soon as I upload it to Facebook!

Fact: 80 quadrillion gigaquads of server space were used up in the last 30 seconds by Malaysians uploading photographs of food.

VANITY PLAYA

Oh! New photo of ME *uploaded to Mobile Uploads album*

That picture of me with my biceps showing will be AWESOME!

Almost as awesome as my shirtless self-pic at the gym and the one of me shirtless in the mirror and the one of me shirtless in the other mirror!

Gosh, the public toilets here are AWESOME! The angle is perfect! I can crop the tissue dispenser out of the picture later.

Me, in the toilet, in my tight tank top – UPLOADING!

35 “likes”? AWESOME!

67 “likes” and 112 comments! AWESOME!

You know I’m cute, you know I’m buffed up, you know you want me because I’m AWESOME!

Resting, after work out...awesome

THE PREACHER

Equal rights for straight Norwegian Dolphins in fish-nets! This issue is very important.

Change your picture to a picture of any grape to say NO to the merciless crushing of grapes to make wine! This issue is very important. Share this post.

Click “Like” to support the fight for the Health of Innuit Sauna Working Girls! The high latent temperatures in saunas are slowly causing debilitating nakedness! This issue is VERY IMPORTANT! Share this post.

I’ve added you to my group. Read the group code of ethics and abide by it. Do your part! Share with your friends and Save to World!

Act now to save these grapes!

DIRTY DOBI

Status Update: Y u do dat 2 me?  :(

Status Update: U let me down so bad.  **cries** U no who u r!

Relationship Status Update: I’m single.

Status Update: I have the bestest BFF ever! EVER!! 

PS I hate u ! U no y!

Relationship Status Update: In a relationship.

Status Update: I will never EVER 4give U! U r d WORST! Y u do dat 2 me?

Status Update: OMG! I love you D!!! I knew it wasn’t true all along!! D and Me forevah!

Relationship Status Update: In a relationship.

Relationship Status Update: It’s complicated.

Relationship Status Update: I’m single

In Malaysia Dobi means laundry...

TOTALLY VACUOUS

6.00pm **status update** Today I did  chest: 3X15 rep barbell bench press (max@185lb) heaviest ever since last time!

6:15pm: **status update** I’m at the bus stop.

6:47pm: **status update** I’m in Cheras. Is any one else in Cheras?

6:48pm: **photo upload**  Street

7:42pm: **status update** Jam on the way home. Hate jam

7:43pm **photo upload** Jam

8:57pm: **status update** Eating dinner. Maggi Mee again.

9:58pm **photo upload** Maggi Mee.

9:00pm: **status update** GLEE on TV!!

10:03pm: **status update**  Going to bed now. Good night all my Facebook friends.

10:16pm: **status update** Can’t sleep!

06:00:am **status update** Good morning all my Facebook friends!

Jam

ENDLESS PROMOTER

“Like” my page!! Get updates on our latest, trendiest, eye-catching, wallet-saving product!

There’s an event coming up! Get free passes to our Hippy Hipster Partay!

 “Like” our page now!

I’ve tagged you in a photo! But it’s not actually a photo of you at all! It’s my product! Hahahaha! “Like” me! Share me!

Just click “Like” on our page! Share it with your friends! We want everyone and their dog to “Like” us! 

You will have SO MUCH FUN!! Just please, please, PLEASE “Like” me.

PREACHY ENDLESSLY PROMOTING DJ COMBO

Which type are you?

Are you a VP? A DD? A Foodie RB Combo?

Which type am I?

Oh dear, oh dear. i'm an EP. An Endless Promoter. And a Preacher. Gosh, I’m a Preaching-EP Combo!..I  realise it now. I always forget to photograph my food but I never forget to tell you where I’m spinning. 

Please forgive me, Facebook friends! I’m no better than the rest of you. I promise to preach less. And promote less. After the following announcement.

Did I tell you I’m helping to run a new Boyz night called Cruise, @ Bakita in Changkat Bukit Bintang every Sunday night? 

That it's the best new club in town?

And that this week you can win RM500 in cash if you add the Cruise logo to your Facebook page?

You can find out more on the Facebook page. 

 WIN RM500 CASH AT CRUISE

Bloody promoters, always banging on!

‘Like’ this post! ‘Like’ me! ‘Share me!’

:)

CRUISE

Here’s Jeffrey, the face that launched a thousand ships. We got our gorgeous boy to pose for some photos and slapped his beautiful eyes on the PR  for our new clubnight. 

 The artwork and design are an interesting story in themselves (does anyone get the visual reference?).  Matt’s going to write about his Cruise visual concept in another post. But today I want to write about Cruise itself.

Cruise is our latest clubnight. It runs every Sunday in KL at Bakita, a bar in Changkat Bukit Bintang, just behind the more famous Werners Bar. 

On the ground floor, Bakita is a comfortable and well appointed bar restaurant. Upstairs, they got dance floor! If the Cruise artwork and name haven’t given you a clue, let me spell it out. It’s a new night for men! 

The club starts early and finishes early every Sunday from 9pm till 1am. These hours may strike you as strange for a club night but we have put a lot of thought into this. 

Monday is a working day and most of us have to work. So people don’t want a late night on Sunday. But around 9pm on Sunday lots of us are not quite done with our weekend!

Cruise is there to provide a low-cost way to end the weekend. It's only RM20 to get in, with one drink included. You can pop in, have a drink, a dance and a cruise and still be home in time for a good night’s sleep. For those who want to party longer, there are plenty of other clubs that only start to get going at 1am. Cruise is the perfect pre-party.

As the name suggests Cruise is for cruising! We want you to meet your friends there and we want you to meet new people there too. To assist you, we have cute and  friendly door staff, cute and friendly bar staff and the best music you will find in a gay venue outside of a European capital.

That’s because three of our four DJs are European, bringing a decidedly international feel to the music. One’s French, one’s Swedish and one’s British (moi). The fourth is Ano ToMY. He’s not from overseas, he’s just a genre-bending genius, so no complaints there!

The launch party was on March 18^th. We decided to showcase all four DJs, giving them one hour each to spin, from 9pm till 1am. What a great night that was!

Ano ToMY warmed up the crowd with some dangerously sexy Tech House. 

Ano ToMY

A launch party is a joyous occasion, so I continued with some upbeat African influenced Techno, getting wilder and then poppier as I followed the emotions of the crowd. 

Oran Bilsen

 Swedish Ice maiden Stella Nutella took it harder and nastier with a fantastic and kicking electro-set.

Stella Nutella

Finally JP gave us his French ‘Je ne sais quoi’ with a masterful crowd-pleasing set.

JP

Some links:

If you'd like to see more images or listen to some of the music from the night, you can!

Here's a link to my warm up set, taking the crowd from upbeat African to nasty techno to epic electro.

SEXY UNDERGROUND SOUNDZ WITH ORAN BILSEN 

And here’s a link to JP’s set, a storming hour of club classics that wowed the crowd. JP, I loved it!

 AN AWESOME HOUR WITH JP

What a shame we didn’t record Stella and Ano!

If you like what you hear and see here, please  'like'  our Cruise page  below:

CRUISE ON SUNDAYS FOR MEN 

Cruise is at Bakita, every  Sunday from 9pm till 1am. 

Entrance is RM10 without drink or RM20 with.

Thanks to everyone who came to the launch and thanks to everyone who reads the words and listens to the music on this blog - over 10,000 page views in a year!

Plenty more treats and surprises coming in the next few months! Watch out for Stella Nutella and her boy stripper next Sunday!

NAKED ASIAN BEDROOM DJ

NAKED ASIAN BEDROOM DJ

Great music. Great video. Great bod.

Need I say more? Enjoy!!

NAKED ASIAN BEDROOM DJ

GBOMB AFTERMATH

It was with amazement last Sunday that I saw a friend request on Facebook from DJ Bone (see last post). I've never been more honoured to have a friend request there! Here's what he said about our blog:

'Thank you so much Oran. What a huge compliment for me. This is my goal, to reach people with a vibe that they can feel while making them move. I had a great night and look forward to coming back!

Much respect to you and your blog. I will keep reading and I will stay in touch... Now we know the Underground is alive here as well. It will be an honor for me to help it grow.'

A 19 year old handbag fanatic with a friend request from Lady Gaga would not be more chuffed than I was to receive that! 


Anyway, here's a mix for you, the last half of my set at Freedom Year of The Dragon. The first half had been quite banging and watching the dance floor thinning a bit it seemed time to drop the pace. 

This half starts with  Cliché, a short song by the Shoes. Actually, it's so short and we all liked it so much that when I got to the end I mixed it in a second time from the beginning...

Year of the Dragon Part 2

The first half was quite banging!

GBOMB AT VERTIGO WITH DJ BONE

Detroit legend DJ Bone spins at Vertigo

"I know I can make people dance...but believe it or not, that's NEVER been my goal. My mission has always been to make people FEEL." DJ Bone

It was this quote from  DJ Bone that really caught my attention. Here is a man who feels that dance music is one thing but Techno is something else entirely. Dance music makes your feet tap. Techno makes you feel alive! 

Now that's exactly what I think about Techno (see previous post February 2011). Sometimes it can transport you to a mystical place. I had to go see. But I didn't want to go on my own....

 

 

THE GBOMB CONCEPT

As readers of this blog will know, gay dance culture in KL is not to my taste at all. The few clubs that exist are enslaved by commercial house and you will hear the same chart hits, remixed, week in, week out. Whitney's death has ensured the tone of our next few Saturday nights. I grew up in London where the gay clubs were totally at the cutting edge of the dance scene. Sadly, that is not the case in Asia.

But while straight clubs here may often play better music, there's little other excitement to be had for a gay man going on his own. That's why Underground Soundz came up with the Gbomb concept. Gbomb = GAYBOMB THE STRAIGHT VENUE! 

If we let our people in KL know  about significant musical events, that there is going to be a  gay presence there, more gays will be tempted to come and form a gay corner. The promoters and the club get a new and attitude-free crowd on their night and we get a great night out at a venue we don't normally go to. Everybody wins! Great music and hot flirty guys all around you. Now that's my idea of a good night out!!

Some of the Gbomb crew strike a pose...

 

VERTIGO

We got a fair amount of interest in our facebook endorsement of the Spicy Bass/Minimalaysia event and on the night there was a very healthy showing of some 15 music-loving queens strutting their stuff on the dance floor. In fact, it seemed like we were the core group on the dance floor, first on, last off - right in the middle of things with a lot of friendly and admiring smiles from others.

It was my first time to Vertigo and I liked it. It's nicely designed and the staff are friendly. That's so important. Drinks are reasonable. 

Most important of all, DJ Bone did not disappoint. Even before he came on there was a great  atmosphere, happy and expectant. When he finally did appear to cheers from the crowd, he was a big smiling giant of a man, with a pair of tiny spectacles perched on his nose, making him seem like a very amiable and cuddly uncle. He folded them away before he started his set!  

 

THE MUSIC

DJ Bone mixed with vinyl on three decks

As a DJ I believe that every set should tell a story. You unfold your song list and take people on a journey. Each chapter is different. Some sad, some funny, some exciting. Last night, DJ Bone told us an amazing story.

Mixing the old fashioned way (and the hardest, most skillful way) with not two but three vinyl decks he created a swirling soundscape that moved from soft to hard to funky to banging! He made effortless transitions from one song to another and back again, teasing us, winding us up, winding us down and giving us everything we wanted.

For me, as as an amateur DJ with a day job and a bit of a passion for music, this was a total inspiration. It's not just that he can beatmatch three vinyl decks at once. It's not just that he can cue songs perfectly so that when one stops another starts seamlessly. It's not even that he used the mixing desk like it was a musical instrument in  its own right. I saw a master at work and that mastery is something for me to aspire to.

Detroit is the home of techno and DJ Bone is one of Detroits legendary DJs. Last night we found out why! 

Spicy Bass, Minimalaysia: thank you for organising this event. More please!

 

 

 

Back in the Groove

Well hello again readers..


Apologies! Even with the best will in the world, events can sometimes take over. It becomes impossible to keep doing a thing you actually love. Been ever so busy lately! No time to think about posting...but now I'm back in the groove!


So here's the news....Freedom continues to be the most innovative gay party in KL.

We just had a wonderful Year of the Dragon party last month.

 With the help of facepainter Mellissa Ng an up-for-it crowd got punked up with dragon tattoos and facepaint.

If you 'd like to download a mix from the night, you can  click on the link below.

LIVE OFF THE MIXER!

TO DOWNLOAD, CLICK TH E VERTICAL BLUE ARROW ABOVE THE WAVEFORM






 And the Underground Soundz crew has gained a new member in the shape of French DJ JP, already no stranger to Freedom. With JP on the team we can look forward to even more creativity and imagination at our events.

FINALLY, we are starting a new weekly party in KL!!! Something different, something new....a weekly cruise bar at Bakita in Bukit Bintang.

More info about that in future posts.