Vinyl Discovery Sparks Fundraiser and Remix Comp in Memory of Phil K

From the US to Australia, friends of the late great breaks pioneer Phil K are keeping his memory alive through the Forever Peaking from Above Fundraiser. The fundraiser – in aid of a music charity that was close to Phil’s heart – involves a series of special releases and a fantastic remix competition. The discovery of vinyl treasure – a stash of unplayed, original vinyl copies of The Operators’ Furball  – ignited the idea for the fundraiser, which also commemorates the first anniversary of Phil’s passing.

Melbourne DJ and producer Phil K sadly passed away from cancer last November. He was revered around the world as a technical genius. An absolute master of his craft, Phil manipulated DJ kit like no other, discovering tricks even the manufacturers didn’t know their machines were capable of. His passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from all corners of the global electronic music scene.

Groundbreaking

Phil was one third of The Operators with Damon Fonooni (aka Habersham) and Dave Preston. In 2004 The Operators unleashed the groundbreaking Furball on their Lobotomy Records label. With its super weird glitchy breakdowns, Furball melted brains and carved up dancefloors. Red Bull listed the track as an all-time progressive breaks classic.

Now US DJ Jon Keating is resurrecting Lobotomy Records with this special fundraising project. The label will re-issue Furball digitally and through a limited batch of the original vinyl.

The Remix Comp

The digital release will include the Original and Marscruiser mixes, plus a brand new 2021 remix from Blake Potter. What’s more, experienced and aspiring producers can purchase the digital release complete with track stems. An exciting remix competition – starting 1 November when Lobotomy’s Bandcamp page goes live – invites producers to reimagine the track for today’s dancefloors. Producers have until 31 December to submit their new interpretation of Furball. Early in the New Year, Keating, Fonooni and Preston will pick three winning remixes. The winning tracks will be released digitally and on vinyl next Spring.

Collectable

Now back to the aforementioned vinyl treasure. A highly-collectable, very limited number of vinyl records from the original Furball pressing will go on sale too. Each slice of black gold is lovingly enveloped in a new, hand-numbered, special edition sleeve created by Florida-based graphic design artist Jay Marley.

Furthermore, Keating is compiling two very special tribute DJ mixes – one house, one breaks – consisting entirely of tracks Phil K produced, remixed, used in his mixes or released on his co-owned Zero Tolerance label.

Keep your eyes peeled for the pre-sale, which goes live via the label’s Bandcamp page on 1 November. The full release follows on 1 December. All profit from the project will go to the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio (MESS Ltd). The organisation supports the creation of all forms of electronic music. Keating’s goal is to raise US$10,000 for MESS.

Emotional Experience

Organising the fundraiser has been an emotional experience for Keating, who enjoyed more than 20 years of friendship with Phil K. Their friendship became even stronger during a time they both lived in Atlanta. “He was a big brother to me and my DJ mentor,” says Keating. “The first time I met Phil was the first time I played on a Pioneer CDJ-1000. Watching him literally use it as an instrument really inspired me. His creativity as a DJ expanded what I thought was possible. He would teach me a bunch of things about Pioneer’s CDJs and EFX units and then say, ‘After you master that I’ll teach you the next level’.”

Keating also credits Phil K for introducing him to key players in Australia’s electronic music scene. “I’ve never been to Australia – one of my biggest regrets so far – but I have so much family down there and it’s all because of him.

“Reaching out to various individuals for this fundraising project in Phil’s memory has made me think about him a lot. It’s been pretty emotional. Phil would hate the fuss but he would love the remix competition as he always championed new talent and encouraged producers to think outside the box.”

Also read: Friends Remember Phil K with Stunning Tribute Tune and Mixes