Tweet
303 Lovers Interview
Italian label 303 Lovers is run by Manuele Meini (Aka Manuel De La Mare/Sara Galli), Alessandro Bacci (Aka Alex Kenji) and Luigi Emanuele Rocca (Marshall). Based In Tuscany, the label is quietly going about becoming an established international tour de force in light of support from, and collaboration with, key players in the underground electronic movement. The label is regularly at the top of the Beatport chart and its sound and style can range from techno, tech house to electro, but always appeals to underground music lovers in this time of genre crossover madness.
Overall the label has sold more than 200, 000 MP3s sold and have hot upcoming releases from Umek, Wally Lopez, Paul Thomas and Richard Dinsdale. Their radio show also goes from strength to strength as it’s hosted on the main FM and net radios in the world: m2o, 105.net, Proton Radio, Live FM, AT&T, IbizaGlobal Radio, DanceParadise and more.
How did you guys come together?
AK Well, actually I know Manuel since 1995 cause I was a drummer and he was a guitarist (weird guitarist ever btw) and we met because a friend in common. Then on 2007 me and Manuel originally have created 303Lovers/Hotfingers music labels. On 2008 Marshall was added definitely aboard
LRM I had some releases as artist on 303Lovers, than I met Manuel during a gig in a Tuscany Club, we had dinner than we played together. Manuel was so impressed about my dj set and after few days he proposed me to became part of 303Lovers and Hotfingers music labels.
MDLM Yeah I’ve to say I was pretty lucky to meet him: Ale x always complain about me cause I take decisions too quickly, but at least about Luigi my first impression was good!
What inspired you to start the label?
LRM I think that nowadays having a own label is fundamental and give you the possibility to express yourself at 100%
MDLM Well at the beginning we were inspired by minimal/techno, mostly on the darkest and weirdest way (303Lovers) but also we asked ourself why don’t start an house music based so we created Hotfingers
What influence does the Italian scene have on you and on the label? What do you make of the scene?
MDLM Electronique music scene in Italy is not influencing us, we are not so much into it, maybe we are more influenced by other aspects of italian life style and arts. If we live here is not exactly for the night life.
AK There was a good italian house music scene until 2003: an amazing scene here in Tuscany then all the thing turned out on minimal and all the clubs disappeared
What sort of music do you aim to release? How must it make you feel before it’s released?
AK Simply solid track, maybe nice melody on it and most important it must be 100% groovy
LRM We are a very eclectic group, personally I can I can do techno or tech house instead progressive house with my friend Libex, the only thing I really must feel is the impact on the dancefloor!
You’ve had in excess of 100, 000 sales – how much work do you guys put into getting your stuff out there or do you just let the music do the talking?
AK I personally think that selection of the track is the most important thing and we think that if you don’t have any bomb track from artist are releasing in your label you simply have to create yourself!
MDLM We put a lot of work on music itself, we all spend all the time in the studio when we are not travelling for gigs.
What are the difficulties you face running the label? What are the main challenges?
LRM Off course the main challenge is to grow up the labels , up and up again
AK Then running a label itself is not so difficoult the real problem is : running labels, foreign djing, producing, remixing and doing dog sitter at the same time !!
MDLM Maybe the problem is that we are simply musicians, sometimes we have to make things a little bit boring like being business men, there are not exactly difficulties, just few boring part of the job.
How much say do you have in a record before it’s released on your label or do you leave it up to the individual producers and let them do as they see fit?
LRM We don’t use to say too much about a record, if it fits is ok, if not, will be for the next!
Ever think you’ll do label parties as a collective of 303 artists?
AK Actually we already did first official party at Universo Paralello NY eve in Bahia, Brazil and it was a very good night . We are going to make more 303lovers parties this summer in Ibiza (a collaboration with Fabrik Madrid In Session), in Italy and some plans for autumn in Vancouver Canada.
How do you keep the 3030 sound but make sure you don’t get left behind/become stale? How do you keep moving forward?
MDLM From my point of view we’ve the opposite problem! We change very quickly, is the only way we do not get bored!
What’s your proudest release so far?
LRM So many… We have many hits and everything with a different sound,
What else is in store for 2010?
AK We are full of good stuff, among the others a track form Umek, one from Wally Lopez, then one from Paul Thomas Sonny Wharton and Ant Brooks, and a big album form Hauswerks. We have a couple of remix coming from Spartaque, a great ukranian producer, one of my favourite at this moment.
Website: http://www.303lovers.com/
Email : booking@303Lovers.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/303lovers
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35202454499
Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/303lovers
Twitter: www.twitter.com/303lovers
