‘dirtybird’ has been breaking new ground and dropping basslines since January 2005. This 5 year label birthday package is a celebration of one of America’s quirkiest imprints. It is a 3xcd package with over 50 tracks and we hope you enjoy it.

Disc One - The Past - Includes all the greatest hits and most loved dirtybird tracks including everthing from Claude VonStroke’s classic “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?” to the Martin Brothers hyphy-house anthem, “Stoopit.”

Disc Two - The Present - Justin Martin, the man behind DB001 and one of the original founders of the dirtybird party represents the full catalog with a superb DJ mix using bit, pieces, and parts from over 30 dirtybird classic and future tracks.

Disc Three - The Future - The man behind the label, Claude VonStroke spent almost a full year A&R-ing this cd filled with new classics and crazy cuts representing the future of the dirtybird sound, further expanding the label from SF to Europe, Canada and beyond.

‘dirtybird’ has always been synonymous with sweaty bass-lines, quirky ideas, and bumpin funk. It is only fitting that a label based on a philosophy of bringing smiles to the dance-floor was created by a party. In 2003, Christian Martin took a risk and bought a giant sound system on his credit card. The party was named after a drawing of a bird that Barclay Crenshaw (aka Claude VonStroke,) used to draw when he was a kid. The line-up was rounded out with Christian’s brother Justin Martin and his room-mate Worthy. All four DJs were tired of the same old San Francisco vocal house that they heard everywhere they went. The grand idea was to change the landscape of San Francisco house music by throwing an epic free party in the park based on this new sound. The result was only seven people showing up to this first “epic” event.

But even back then with the seven girlfriends and room-mates who came to that first party you could sense something special starting… a new era of die-hard dedicated DIY producers all with new productions based on heavy bass-lines, smiling faces and fun. There was nothing to lose and everything to gain. Soon after, Barclay decided that a label would come next. Barclay was from the suburbs of Detroit and he had already seen the likes of Juan Atkins and Ritchie Hawtin rise up from nothing and create their own musical landscapes, so this was a logical progression.

Barclay had saved enough money to start pressing records by shooting and editing corporate research videos. In 2004, his girlfriend (now wife) “Aundy” heard about the plan for the label and decided to give her man the greatest gift of all time. She said, “I’ll give you one year to make this record label work. I’ll pay the rent, food and bills. If you make $XX amount of dollars you can do it forever. If you don’t, you have to go back to work for corporate America the rest of your life.” How’s that for a killer ultimatum? So, in January 2005 the label was born with DB001 “the Southern Draw” by Justin Martin and Sammy D, a super freaky record that landed dirtybird a vinyl distribution deal in Germany. A few months later, DB003 was released. A track called “Deep Throat,” Barclay’s debut record that blazed through over 11,000 vinyls, 20 odd licenses and easily surpassed what seemed to be an impossible financial goal for a 1st year record label. It also introduced the world to the name Claude VonStroke.

Since 2005, the little party in Golden Gate park has grown up. The original crew is all the same with the newest addition of Jessica (J. Phlip) Phillipe. Now the crew is flying around the world, releasing records, and still throwing the best parties in San Francisco - but with a few more than seven people in attendance.

5 Years Dirtybird

http://www.dirtybirdrecords.com

Label Focus with dirtybird featuring music from the 5 years compilation will air Thursday August 5th at 18:00, with repeats Friday at 12:00, and Sunday at 11:00.