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Italoboyz - Jazzing Up The Clubs Of London

Author: Jonno Seidler
Monday, February 23, 2009

London-based, Italian-bred DJing duo Italoboyz talk to 3D’s Jonno Seidler about clubbing, jazz and the origins of their name.

Federico Marton, one half of the self-proclaimed “unfortunately titled” Italoboyz, is pondering the possibilities of having a dance party in Venice proper. “I grew up a few hours out of Venice, you know, we drive cars not boats,” he laughs. When suggested that he cement his reputation as an Italian by performing a DJ set on the canal route early in the morning, Marton’s response is not that he wouldn’t do it, simply that he doesn’t have a gondola license. “I’m sure I could do both at once,” he offers. “You are right that many gondoliers can row and talk on mobile phones at the same time!”

This ‘why-not-’ attitude is exactly what catapulted Federico and his co-pilot Marco into the London club scene nearly ten years ago. And they loved it so much, they never left.

“I work best at night, you know, I don’t really get to see much of the city during the daytime,” Federico explains. “We like to take the last set [in a club gig] at say three or four in the morning. That way, we start our days a different way.”

Billed ‘Italoboyz’ by a promoter who couldn’t spell their names, the duo have become a fixture in the London techno scene with their raw minimalist sound. “[We escaped] from Italy because everybody was obsessed with house music, with these big American DJs,” he says. Of the artists they befriended in England, many were jazz musicians, who came to be used in the recording of the boys’ upcoming album. “I am a big fan of John Coltrane and all the old school jazz,” Federico reveals. “We got the players in the studio and said can you do this and this and then we took the best parts and put it into the track.”

Italoboyz are coming to Australia for the first time, but for Federico, it already feels like home; “I have so many friends from Sydney and Melbourne who come to stay with us for a few months. They [showed] us all these pictures and we feel like we live there already!”

More importantly, the gang recently returned to their old stomping ground to play a club gig in Italy, and invited all of their parents and friends to attend. “My mother, she said ‘How long do we have to stay-’” giggles Marton. “And at five in the morning, she said ‘Why did you finish so early-’” It seems being night animals is in these boys’ blood.

“You know, being Italian people expect you to be addicted to coffee. Coffee is good but I really like Redbull and vodka,” concedes Federico. “You can never have enough.”

WHO: Italoboyz
WHAT: Play Kink at Nevermind
WHEN: Saturday 28 February
MORE: myspace.com/italoboyz

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