Felix da Housecat

Felix da Housecat
Felix da Housecat performing in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Felix Stallings, Jr.
Also known as	Aphrohead Thee Maddkatt Courtship Thee Maddkatt Chronicles Sharkimaxx Virgo Blaktro
Born	May 07, 1972 in Chicago, IL, U.S.
Genre(s)	Electronica House Electroclash
Occupation(s)	Disc Jockey Music producer
Label(s)	Emperor Norton Rykodisc
Website	http://www.felixdahousecat.com/

Felix da Housecat (born Felix Stallings Jr. on May 07, 1972 in Chicago, Illinois) is a House music DJ and record producer. Felix is regarded as a member of the second wave of Chicago house. He entered the dance music elite not only via his recordings (under a number of aliases, including Thee Maddkatt Courtship, Aphrohead and Sharkimaxx), but also for his ownership of Radikal Fear Records, one of the premiere Chicago labels of the 1990s.

Life

Beginnings

Living in Chicago as an up and coming graffiti artist, the young Stallings was perfectly located to develop a keen interest in the emergent House music scene, which found its hub in Chicago. While a student at Rich East High School in Park Forest, Illinois in the mid-1980s, a chance introduction to Acid House pioneer DJ Pierre gave 15-year-old Stallings his break, and under the patronage and guidance of Pierre, he released his first single, "Phantasy Girl," in 1987.

1990s

However, Stallings' quite religious parents disapproved of his growing interest in the club scene, and discouraged the development of his talent. After graduating from high school, he left Chicago and music entirely to attend Alabama State College. After losing interest in House for a few years, Felix decided to rejoin the business. With the help of DJ Pierre, he began producing and mixing again. By 1992, he had a hit with the single "Thee Dawn" on Guerilla Records. He became particularly popular in Europe, and the following year's "By Dawn's Early Light" and "Thee Industry Made Me Do It" cemented his reputation. One of the defining moments of the 90's for Felix was his single, "In The Dark We Live (Thee Lite)" under his pseudonym, Aphrohead. Originally released on the UK label, Bush, "In The Dark We Live" was licensed by New York-based label, Emotive Records and released in the U.S. The Dave Clarke remix of "In The Dark We Live" was championed by NY legend Junior Vasquez at the infamous after-hours nightclub, Sound Factory. Emotive Records commissiond Vasquez to remix it for its U.S. release. Shortly afterwards Stallings formed Radikal Fear Records, and it was not long before the label became one of the foremost House labels in the world, releasing cuts from Mike Dunn, DJ Sneak, and Armando as well as Felix himself and many others. During 1995, he released his debut full-length Alone in the Dark (as Thee Maddkatt Courtship) on Deep Distraxion, followed by Radikal Fear compilation, The Chicago All Stars and a mix album entitled Clashbackk Compilation Mix. Another LP, Metropolis Present Day? Thee Album, followed in 1998.

2000s

Stallings continued releasing records at a prolific rate; the next year brought his first album as Aphrohead and a second as Maddkatt Courtship, the highly praised I Know Elektrikboy. 2001 saw the release of Kittenz and Thee Glitz, a critically-acclaimed LP that gained Felix mainstream exposure and worldwide coverage in dance music and fashion circles, and has often been mentioned as one of the pioneering releases of the electroclash movement. The ensuing fame brought Felix widespread popularity and remix work for superstars like Madonna and Kylie Minogue. The proper follow-up, Devin Dazzle & the Neon Fever, didn't arrive until 2004, but Stallings released a pair of mix albums, 2002's Excursions and 2003's A Bugged Out Mix, in between. Felix also collaborated with Radiohead's Thom Yorke (a fan of Felix's Kittenz album) and has also been hired as Sean Combs's exclusive producer for his upcoming dance album. Felix replaced Timo Maas as chief producer for the yet-unnamed album. In May of 2005, the first collaboration between Felix and his idol Peds was released, entitled "Bring Me Da Funk" and became an instant hit around the clubs on their label "shy-fxl-records". His song "Rocket Ride" was featured in the game Need for Speed: Underground 2. Various remixes of "Silver Screen Shower Scene" were used in video games such as Midnight Club 2, and SSX 3, and numerous movies including Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. "Everyone Is Someone in LA" was featured in Tony Hawk's American Wasteland. Felix's third album, Virgo Blaktro and the Movie Disco, has an expected release of October 2, 2007. The album has 16 tracks and will be released on Nettwerk Records. "Future Calls The Dawn" was released on July 9, 2007 on Wall of Sound/PIAS with "Sweet Frosti" featured as the B-side. "Sweetfrosti" contains a sample of Devo's "Snowball", originally released in 1981. "Like Something for Porno" is released as the album's lead single on Sep.24th with remixes from Kris Menace, Teenage Bad Girl and Armand Van Helden. The music video is currently viewable on Felix da Housecat's MySpace page.

Discography

Albums

• Metropolis Present Day? Thee Album! (1995)
• Clashbackk Compilation Mix (1997)
• Transmissions, Vol. 2 (1997)
• Kittenz and Thee Glitz (2001)
• Excursions (2002)
• Rocketmann! (2002)
• A Bugged Out Mix (2003)
• Devin Dazzle & the Neon Fever (2004)
• (2005)
• Virgo Blaktro and the Movie Disco (2007)

Singles and EPs

• "Footsteps of Rage" (1995)
• "Smak Dat Ass" (1996)
• "Dirty Mother" (1997)
• "Silver Screen" (2002)
• "Madame Hollywood" (2002)
• "Madame Hollywood Remixes" (2002)
• "Silver Screen Shower Scene" (Written by Tommie Sunshine)(2003)
• "Cyberwhore" (2003)
• "Rocket Ride" (Written by Tommie Sunshine)(2004) (Appeared in Need For Speed: Underground 2 as an EA Games' "EA Trax" song
• "Ready 2 Wear" (2004)
• "Watching Cars Go By" (2004)
• "Jack U" (2006)
• "Tweak" (2006)
• "Future Calls the Dawn/Sweetfrosti" (2007)
• "Something 4 Porno" (2007)

Remixes

• Buy Now - "For Sale (Felix Da Housecat Remix)" (2007)
• Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For? (The Rude Ho Mix by Felix Da Housecat)" (2005)
• Britney Spears- "Toxic (Felix Da Housecat's Club Mix)" (2004)
• The Chemical Brothers - "Get Yourself High (Felix Da Housecat's Chemical Meltdown Mix)" (2003)
• Holly Valance - "State of Mind (Felix Da Housecat's Dub)" (2003)
• Nina Simone - "Sinnerman (Felix Da Housecat's Heavenly House Mix)" (2003)
• Madonna - "American Life (Felix Da Housecat's Devin Dazzle Club Mix)" (2003)
• Madonna - "Die Another Day (Thee RetroLectro Mix)" (2003)
• Mylène Farmer - "Je T'Aime Mélancolie (Felix Da Housecat Remix)" (2003)
• Pet Shop Boys - "London (Three Radikal Blaklight Edit)" (2003)
• New Order - "Here To Stay (Felix Da Housecat Extended Glitz mix)" (2002)
• Garbage - "Androgyny (Thee Glitz mix)" & "Androgyny (Thee Drum Drum mix)" (2001)

External links

• Official web site
• Official Myspace Page
• Felix da Housecat at Discogs