A toilet factory is not the place you’d expect to find a band with the musical success of Shit Disco – but this band is not your average indie outfit. Rising from the tempestuous Glasgow squat party scene, Shitdisco have recently added another string to their eclectic musical bow. Whilst taking time to record their hotly anticipated second album the northern 4-piece have embarked on numerous DJ sessions, accumulating in an impending US tour. It is in this frame of mind that I meet Darren Cullen, drummer and now a successful DJ in his own right.
Over a relaxing pint in a sheltered corner of Elephant and Castle (Shitdisco’s new squat party region of choice - and home to the aforementioned toilet factory of which Darren is currently a resident) Darren is the first to admit the group were not always so skilled in the art of the decks: "It was kinda like really rudimentary iTunes – like picking track after track – and that’s about it."
As students at Glasgow Art School, Shitdisco formed gradually during the (now legendary) house parties held at Darren’s house. "They had such a good atmosphere, it was just like anything goes, and my house was half- dilapidated so I wasn’t too fussed about people trashing the place." Born out of this vibe the band spread their mayhem to London and have since evolved their musical ambitions, regardless of their initial lack of expertise.
"We’ve learnt that people don’t really care if you fade in a song right – some of the best DJ gigs we've done are ones were we don’t concentrate on the technical side and just get a strobe out and wave it in the air – or when we dance in the crowd or give audience members all our alcohol." This sense of freedom has passed from their recordings as a band onto the live DJ gigs resulting in an experience Darren describes as "hard electro bass with a custard of daft punk and indie remixes."
Whilst admitting there are differences between their music and their DJ sets ("all the pop shit goes out the window") Darren assures the Shitdisco mantra is still upheld: "We’re always trying to get back to the party thing, make it different from any other club night or live gig – like your in someone’s living room – like we're not supposed to be doing it."
Having travelled all over the world, from Thailand and Japan to France and Italy, Shitdisco are at the cusp of recording their second album but that doesn’t mean their DJ career will stop. "At first it was a way of being able to keep playing to the crowds when we were writing," Darren confesses, "[but] now you can see the effect it has had on our music – the new stuff is definitely more dance orientated and electro.”
Furthering their DJ expertise, Shitdisco have recently embarked on a different breed of touring. Fans of the band need only request their presence at a house party on their MySpace to be in with a chance to host an intimate party with the guys. "We turn up with a twin pronged green laser, strobe and smoke machine and set it up in someone’s living room and it turns into Ibiza or something - you see people stagger in ‘like what the hell?’- its insane!"
When asked to describe the last few years of his life Darren has only two words: "completely ridiculous!" And with the new album and the start of a blazing DJ career just around the corner it looks like things aren’t going to be calming down anytime soon.