Q&A: Get Up Close and Personal with BIMBO JONES
UK-based dance music trio and pop party clubstars Bimbo Jones (aka Lee Dagger, Marc JB and Katherine Ellis) are known best for the upbeat party anthems – with stellar remixes from Pink, Janet, Gaga, Adam Lambert, Kelly Clarkson (and a ton more) and a slew Billboard club no. 1s, these guys are showing no sign of slowing down.
My boy Mikey got up close and personal with BJ’s resdent mixmaster Lee Dagger who talks their upcoming projects, including Broadway-bound work with Cyndi Lauper.
*****Check out Bimbo Jones with Freemasons this weekend at Amnesia in NYC*****
Lee, thanks for taking the time to speak with me, it’s a thrill! Tell me how Bimbo Jones came about?
My love of house music began in the late 80′s and by 1991 after loving the uplifting piano house sets of DJ Sasha & I was hooked! I started DJ’ing professionally in 1991, and by 2000, I felt an urge to convey all of my poetry and ideas into production. Within a year, I found my manager, then a few months later a co producer, Marc JB. The rest is history.
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Not since the days of Hex Hector has a remixer came onto the scene with such as splash! Your mix of Pink’s “U + Ur Hand” still packs dance floors years after it’s release. How do you choose the artists/tracks you’re going to remix?
Usually these days, the artist or label comes head hunting us. But sometimes, being the only house DJ in Bimbo Jones, I have a good ear for a future anthem’s and end up badgering a label to let us remix a track before it’s even been released. For example Solu Music – Fade and Tim Berg – “Bromance”.
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It almost seems like a week doesn’t go by without “Bimbo Jones” being listed at the top of the Billboard chart. How would you describe the “Bimbo Jones sound?”
Its energy, feel-good factor house with a pulse. Just like my DJ sets!
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You’re bringing the talents of Bimbo Jones to New York City for the first time for the Saint At Large May Day party! Are you ready for the boys of New York City? What should they expect from you?
Yes I can’t wait! I hope everyone is gonna be as mad up for it as the crowd I headlined for at Mardi Gras in Sydney with David Guetta, Kelly Rowland, Carl Cox, Adam Lambert, and George Michael last year. Expect 4 deck live mixing, acapella’s, wild live bootlegs, new material, and no “emailing DJ” nonsense off a laptop. I always DJ to the people, I thrive off it!
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You’ve remixed everyone from Britney Spears to Janet Jackson to of course, Pink! Who is left that you want to work with?
Madonna, Missy Elliot (we love her vocal), and Jay Z; we could make sound wicked! But people please, don’t forget we not only remix, but also produce and songwrite too! I love doing top line, too.
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I hear you have some interesting collaborators on your next album, including “American Idol” alumni Blake Lewis! Any hints you can give me on the new album/collaborators?
Yes the new album is sounding fab! We have been writing with Cyndi Lauper, Sergio Mendes, Katherine Ellis, Angie Brown, Cyko Logic, and Gramma Funk just to name just a few! Plus look out for new Lee Dagger tracks with the likes of Shannon, Barbara Tucker, Kristine W, Kosheens’ Sian, Kelsey B and more. Great times ahead!!!
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Every remixer has those mixes that just have not gotten to see the light of day aka the “unreleased” gems. Any hidden treasures that the public may eventually get to see?
Yes of course heaps! Two Pink mixes that never saw the light of day, Empire of the Sun, Mary J Blige, P Diddy -there are heaps, and when I play them worldwide in the clubs, they go off! Which is great & an added bonus; in one way, that they weren’t chosen, so it keeps them more personal for me in my Lee Dagger and Bimbo Jones DJ sets.
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What is this I hear about a possible Cyndi Lauper collaboration?
Yes she is fab! Look out for a hot new house track and maybe more, plus a Broadway show we’re working together on! Also we did a fab track with Charo, she is lovely!
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What’s next for Bimbo Jones?
Well I have been lucky enough to DJ everywhere from Siberia, Australia, Hong Kong to Ibiza, Miami and beyond, but never South America so let’s wait and see.
Hopefully if my wishes come true, we may end up writing new tracks with some of my vocal idols like Stevie Wonder, Pink, Lady Gaga, Missy Elliot, Beastie Boys, Kylie, and more. I also LOVE 60′s music and would love to do a updated track with Beach Boys, Cream, the Doors or someone like that. Look out for our next album and thanks to all for your continued support!
Click here to visit Bimbo Jones’ official site.
