Bill Shakes Biog.
Like the legendary bard with whom he shares a name, Bill Shakes’ story is one of a man following an uncompromising passion for his art.
After experiencing the explosion of house music in the UK in the late eighties Bill started DJing professionally in 1992 whilst living in Paris. He started to play regularly at the legendary immense parties held at many of the best nightclubs in Paris: Elysees Marbeuf, Folies Pigalle, Elysee Monmartre, Cave de Clichy, Le Rex, Le Bataclan etc. He also embarked on a two-year weekly residency at the renowned Parisian Sunday session Jellybabies.
Returning to England in 1995 he began working for the original DJ mix compilation series Journeys by DJ for whom he continued to play at JDJ tour nights around the country. This culminated in a monthly DJ residency for Triptonite held at London’s legendary underground club The End, a breeding ground for many of the scene’s current hot talent.
In 1997 the Shakes took over label management at The End’s label End Recordings. He also ran the legendary Mr.C imprint Plink Plonk. He was responsible for the development of the critically acclaimed album “Low Life” by the now infamous Layo + Bushwacka! He was also an integral part of developing founder and club resident Mr.C’s debut artist album. He exposed us to the cognoscente’s tech-house talents such as The Producers, Fabric residents Deep C + Udoh (Tigerhook Corporation), Patrick Turner and the Echomen. This was coupled with his burgeoning presence at the label’s mother club The End, where Bill has played with the elite of the scene’s performers including Derrick Carter, DJ Sneak, Deep Dish, Dave Angel and the ubiquitous Mr C and Layo + Bushwacka! Bill hosted the End Recordings room at Subterrain where he was joined by Miguel Migs and DJ Rasoul (Naked Music), Drop Music, Hernan Cattaneo, Charles Webster to name a few.
He has also played at many international dance events over the years and has been a resident DJ on MTV European tours. Countries played in include: Italy, France, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Portugal, Croatia, Macedonia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Sweden, Russia and Spain including white isle of Ibiza 2001 where Bill played for Sonar at the 15,000 strong MTV event at Privilege as well a DJ set in between Gorrilaz and Morcheeba on the main stage at the 2002 Isle of MTV event in Lisbon and at the MTV European Music Awards after party in Barcelona.
In 2003 he created Shakes Records and released numerous well received 12’s and toured to promote the label before deciding to put life in music on hold for a while and rest his throbbing ears and take a sabbatical to travel the world. After returning in 2005 he decided to relocate to Barcelona where he now resides. He now runs and hosts ‘BeatRoot’ parties which operate regularly in Barcelona, London, and Ibiza. He has also guested at the weird, wild and wonderful anything goes Sociedad Cerrada parties and is often found playing at ‘Aura’ in Ibiza during the summer…
Musically his taste is eclectic – he has a passion for a wide spectrum of quality music therefore plays varied DJ sets encompassing house, techno, funk, electro, breaks, the deep, dirty, be it old or new.
June 2008
