Filthy Dukes

Filthy Dukes’ front man, Tim Lawton was flying solo this week when he took to the decks alone for an exclusive set hosted by Russian Standard Vodka in Soho.
The evening for which entry was by invitation only, is one in a series of authentic music and film events which has included the likes of the Noisettes and is organised by the global premium vodka brand.
Select fans of Russian Standard Vodka, enjoyed red carpet VIP treatment as they were welcomed through the doors of Phonica Records in Poland Street and guided to the pop-up bar below where fellow musos and stars such as DJ Innocent and Mr Hudson enjoyed complimentary cocktails.
Music-News caught up with Filthy Dukes star and Fabric’s resident DJ Tim minutes before he was due on to talk about his set, vodka and the festivals he’s conquered this year.

Music-News: How did you get involved in tonight?

Tim: At the moment Russian Standard Vodka Originals are holding a series of free music and film events for which fans can win tickets via their website. It not only allows their fans to download free web content, but also attend exciting live music events such as this in London. It’s such a great way to reach out and get consumers interested in both music and the brand and sounded like great fun. I couldn’t wait to get involved.”

MN:Tell me more about your set tonight?

Tim: Tonight I will be playing a real mix to match the crowd. It won’t be super party, but there’ll be lots of the new disco sounds, like house Chicago style, but not banging heavy house. I’ll be aiming for tunes to keep the party going and keep the vodka flowing.

MN: Have you tried the cocktails tonight?

Tim: Yes I’ve tried an apple and cinnamon cocktail and it was amazing. Really strong, you can totally taste the vodka. Downed too fast and it can give you a bit of a brain freeze so be warned.

MN: Are you a vodka drinker yourself and what would be your perfect cocktail?

Tim: I have been known to drink vodka and I’m a huge fan of Russian Standard vodka. We actually used to have a bottle of vodka on the rider. The cocktails are nice, but I’m a straight vodka and tonic guy myself with loads of ice. You can never have too much ice.

MN: Filthy Dukes have collaborated with a number of bands and acts, who has been your favourite to date?

Tim: I feel really lucky to have worked with Sam from Late of the Pier, they were great to work with and we had a lot of fun. Also Orlando from the Maccabees, they’re so talented and we loved working with them especially him, he is such a nice guy. We also worked with Plastic Little, a group of rappers from New York and they were just crazy and would totally take over the recording studio, it was made working with them. I think you enjoy working with people for different reasons.

MN: Have you managed to get to many of the festivals this year?

Tim: Yes we did Glasto this year and also the Secret Garden Party. Unfortunately it’s not as many as we normally would. Last year we performed at 30 festivals, which was pretty hectic, so we’re taking it easier this year. We also have Bestival coming up which is the highlight of my year, I love it. We missed the very first Bestival but have attended everyone thereafter. We wouldn’t miss it!

MN: And what can we look forward to from the Filthy Dukes in the coming weeks/months?

Tim: We’ve just finished two new tracks which we’ll be releasing as a double a-side single. It’s a bit different to what people have heard from us so far. It’s less pop-electro more heavy banging Fabric style dance floor. It’s not something I’ll be playing tonight.
We’ve got Kill Em All in September at Fabric too, which is always good fun.

MN: Did you ever used to hang out at Phonica Records?

Tim: Yes I did, in fact I used to come down here all the time when I was into vinyl. Nowadays not so much as everything’s either in MP3 or CD format, it’s so much more compact. It’s a brilliant record shop and it’s great to be back here.

For your chance to win tickets to the next live music or film event hosted by Russian Standard Vodka Originals visit: www.rsvoriginals.co.uk

Photo: Dean Chalkley