RS: This new Miami compilation you have out, what's the sound of it?
Mark Brown: Basically it just reflects what we're about at CR2
really. The one disc is more house-oriented and disc two is slightly
more big room-sounding records. Disc three is like a classics disc of
all our old records.
RS: Where do you see CR2 going, are you looking to be like a
Defected where you throw parties everywhere?
Mark Brown: We just launched our DJ agency just before Christmas and
we are doing events at the moment and we hope that's going to grown.
My whole focus is really about the music and the event stuff will
follow that really. It’s just important for me to keep CR2 in the
marketplace and where we are at the moment and our position hopefully
at the top.
RS: Congratulations on the success of the “I Feel Love” cover.
Mark Brown: Yes, it’s out this week on Beatport, it’s MYNC and the
Rhythm Masters and it features a DJ PiPi remix as well. I think it’s
number eleven today on Beatport in the house chart after like three
days’ sales, which is really exciting. We think it’s going to be a
big smash for the summer.
RS: What kind of sound is it?
Mark Brown: It's just like a modern day house update of Donna
Summer’s records. We wrote a style bassline with very intense drops
and big hands in the air moments.
RS: Who did the vocals on it?
Mark Brown: So the re-vocal is done by an Atlantic recording artist
called Wynter Gordon. She sounds exactly the same as Donna Summer,
it’s amazing.
RS: How do you get your hands on vocalists like that who are
signed to majors?
Mark Brown: Well I just, I'm working with Atlantic records on the
re-launch of Big Beat Records. We're going to be running the label
outside of America through CR2...
RS: How will you integrate Big Beat with the CR2 philosophy?
Mark Brown: Well they want to work with us, they want to use my
infrastructure in what we do with the label and use our systems
really. Nothing will really change. Everything's going to be kept
very independent at ground level. We're going to be signing records
that we feel really passionate about and not just because we think
they're credible tracks or cool commercial, that's the A&R philosophy
and it will stay passionate to the music.
RS: So it’s going to be like how Defected does Strictly…
Mark Brown: Yes, kind of. We're working with Atlantic on Chuckie’s
albums so there's going to be some big hip-hop artists on his album.
It’s pretty exciting, really exciting times.
RS: So it sounds like the Dirty Dutch scene, Chuckie and Sidney
Sampson are really coming in to the UK. Is that crossing over or is
that still just a club thing?
Mark Brown: I think it will. It’s going to take a couple of years
but it’s definitely the sound of the moment and the kids seem to
really like it. It seems to have that kind of energy and that sort of
aggression that the young kids like. It’s kind of like when the
electro scene came back round again.
RS: What would you like to say to all the CR2 heads out there?
Mark Brown: Thank you for your continued support.
Interview conducted March 2010.