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Neon Nights

26 Mar 2016

Show 038 / Billie Ray Martin Interviewed by John von Ahlen

Interview, Music, Neon Nights, Podcast

Show 038 / Billie Ray Martin Interviewed by John von Ahlen

Billie Ray Martin Interviewed by John von Ahlen

Neon Nights Show #038 “Billie Ray Martin Interview”

“Inside your arms I’m burning…”

Legendary Soul/Electro Diva “Billie Ray Martin” chats with John von Ahlen about her new album “The Soul Tapes”, as well as being in influential bands S’Express, Electribe 101, how she got started in the music biz & much more.

Dubbed the “queen of electronic soul”, Billie first came to prominence as a guest with S-Express before leading the acclaimed deep house act Electribe 101, her unique voice hitting both the house scene and charts with a strong infusion of soul. Electribe 101 scored a brace of hits including the classic Talking With Myself and the album Electribal Memories, gaining rave reviews worldwide, before Billie departed to continue exploring fusions of electronic music, pop and soul.After releasing the thoroughly scary Persuasion with Spooky and the monumentally beautiful Four Ambient Tales with The Grid, Billie found herself with a worldwide number 1 in Your Loving Arms on East West Records; now considered one of the all-time classics of dance music. Four more top 30 hits and the album Deadline for My Memories followed. The album explored her vision to create music that draws equally on Kraftwerk and Phil Spector as influences, and allowed Billie to tour extensively. S'Express - Hey Music Lover 2

She realised a dream by travelling to Memphis to work with Ann Peebles, Carla Thomas and members of Aretha Franklin’s band on her next album 18 Carat Garbage. Having attempted to capture the original Hi Records sound, Billie returned to Europe to add breaks and electronics to the final mix. She followed this with hit collaborations with DJ Hell and Slam and solo releases such as 2008’s Moroder-fest Undisco Me which hit the top spots in the UK and US dance charts.

The Crackdown Project, released in 2010, featuring Billie’s takes on Cabaret Voltaire‘s landmark Crackdown album, reinforced her unique position as an artist who appeals to both the uber-cool mags like Flux and The Wire as well as the pop mainstream, achieving ‘Song of the Day’ status at Popjustice. 20,000 downloads in a matter of days, plus overwhelming press and DJ support made this an unexpected success.

2011 began with the solo single Sweet Suburban Disco, Billie’s take on Italo disco, followed by a collaboration with Hard Ton on the Sold Life E.P., taking her back to her house beginnings and Electribe 101 roots.

2011 also saw the arrival of The Opiates – a project with Norwegian musician Robert Solheim. Their unique brand of electronic music combinesa rare match of songwriting with cutting-edge beats and bleeps, the press dubbing them ‚The Carpenters of Techno’. The Rainy Days & Remixes E.P., served as a prelude to their eagerly awaited full-length album Hollywood Under The Knife, a celebrated gig at Rough Trade East causing much furore. Each song on the album is about another tortured diva, Hollywood actress, failed star… in search of identity, gender and a life beyond isolation. Turner-prize winner Wolfgang Tillmans, who had twice photographed Billie and selected her as ‘most influential woman’ in i-D Magazine, supplied nine previously unseen images for the cover art and booklet.

The album met with support from DJs, press and blogs alike including a four star review in Metro and many ‘album of the year’ entries in major publications. Eight music videos and a UK tour, including a gig at HMV Oxford Street, played their part in gaining The Opiates a growing fan community. A deluxe double CD remix collection entitled Hollywood Cuts was released in March 2012, with one of the mixes being chosen to soundtrack HMV’s Summer TV campaign.

Billie Ray Martin’s new album “The Soul Tapes” will be out on May 13th, and there’s a Pledgemusic campaign for it.

Check out http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/billieraymartin and grab a copy of the new album.

Electronically Yours,

John von Ahlen

Neon Nights - Hootsuite - 038 - Billie Ray Martin InterviewA

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Playlist for Show 038 – 26th of March 2016

Neon Nights on JOY949 Neon Nights Theme Australian Content LGBTIQ Content
01 01 Lana Del Rey - Brooklyn Baby (Konstantin Sibold Remix) Lana Del Rey Brooklyn Baby (Konstantin Sibold Remix)
02 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “The Soul Tapes” and Pledgemusic Campaign
03 03 Armand Van Helden - You Dont Know Me Armand Van Helden You Dont Know Me
04 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “What music did you listen to growing up?”
05 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “Did you always know you wanted to be a singer?” LGBTIQ Content
06 Neon Nights - Podcast Bonus Billie-Ray-Martin BONUS “Making music before moving to the UK” LGBTIQ Content
07 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “Moving to London”
08 08 Electribe 101 - Talking With Myself Electribe 101 Talking With Myself LGBTIQ Content
09 11 Electribe 101 - Tell Me When The Fever Ended Electribe 101 Tell Me When The Fever Ended LGBTIQ Content
10 12 Joe Smooth - Promised Land Joe Smooth Promised Land
11 13 S'Express - Theme From S'Express S’Express Theme From S’Express LGBTIQ Content
12 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “Joining S’Express”
13 16 S'Express - Hey Music Lover S’Express Hey Music Lover LGBTIQ Content
14 17 Kraftwerk - The Model Kraftwerk The Model
15 18 Richard X Vs. Kelis - Finest Dreams Richard X Vs. Kelis Finest Dreams LGBTIQ Content
16 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “Who are your musical heroes?”
17 20 The Human League - The Things That Dreams Are Made Of The Human League The Things That Dreams Are Made Of
18 21 New Order - Confusion New Order Confusion
19 22 Scritti Politti - Absolute Scritti Politti Absolute LGBTIQ Content
20 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “Working with The Grid on Your Lovin Arms”
21 Neon Nights - Podcast Bonus Billie-Ray-Martin BONUS “Famous Remixers”
22 Neon Nights - Podcast Bonus Billie-Ray-Martin BONUS “Chart Success”
23 Neon Nights - Podcast Bonus Billie-Ray-Martin BONUS “The Music Industry” LGBTIQ Content
24 Neon Nights - Podcast Bonus Billie-Ray-Martin BONUS “Thoughts on Music Streaming”
25 25 Billie Ray Martin - Your Loving Arms Billie Ray Martin Your Loving Arms
26 26 Yazoo - Goodbye '70's Yazoo Goodbye ’70’s
27 27 Robyn - With Every Heartbeat Robyn With Every Heartbeat LGBTIQ Content
28 28 Parralox - I Heart U Parralox I Heart U Australian Content LGBTIQ Content
29 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “Forming the Disco Activisto label”
30 Neon Nights - Podcast Bonus Billie-Ray-Martin BONUS “Hang the DJ!”
31 31 Billie Ray Martin - After All Billie Ray Martin After All
32 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “Working with The Opiates”
33 34 Billie Ray Martin - Just Fascination Billie Ray Martin Just Fascination
34 35 Cabaret Voltaire - Sensoria Cabaret Voltaire Sensoria
35 36 Strawberry Switchblade - Who Knows What Love Is Strawberry Switchblade Who Knows What Love Is
36 37 Al Green - Let's Stay Together Al Green Let’s Stay Together
37 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “Working in Memphis”
38 40 Billie Ray Martin - I've Never Been to Memphis Billie Ray Martin I’ve Never Been to Memphis
39 Neon Nights - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview Billie-Ray-Martin Interview “The Future of Billie Ray Martin”
40 43 Ann Peebles - I Can't Stand the Rain Ann Peebles I Can’t Stand the Rain

Legend
LGBTIQ Content LGBTIQ Content
Australian Artist Australian Content

Neon Nights - Hootsuite - 038 - Billie Ray Martin Interview

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