Artist in Residence – Noel Watson

Whether that’s sharing stages with The Beastie Boys, DJing with Frankie Knuckles or walking Commes Des Garcon with Jean Michel Basquiet, Noel has routinely been at the cutting edge of culture.

During the mid-eighties, the brothers quickly became involved in London’s early warehouse scene throwing parties during Soho’s DEMOB years whilst also holding down residencies at The DELIRIUM! Club and HEAVEN Nightclub. As a result, they were key players in the development of underground dance music culture.

Elsewhere, Noel curated films and Vitrines for the ICA Gallery’s OFF-SITE Exhibition @ Selfridges Old Hotel London, where he was included alongside 60 of London’s most celebrated creative luminaries from the last 3 decades

The Watson brothers mixed the iconic Electro Compilation series for Streetsounds, they hosted and played alongside the biggest names in Hip Hop and Electro/House music, including Run DMC, L.L Cool J, The Beastie Boys, Schoolly D, DJ Cheese, Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers, Joyce Sims, Frankie Knuckles, Derek May, Marshall Jefferson, Virgo, Fingers Inc, Kym Mazell and Divine to name a few.

This led to the Watson brothers being credited as pioneers of the Electro/House/Warehouse Music scene  (Noel features in the film “This Is Acid” and BBC 4’s recent ‘Can You Feel It, How Dance Music Conquered The World’ Documentary). He has mixed the music soundtracks for iconic fashion designers Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan and Ally Capellino, soundtracked underground art house film ‘Starvecrow’ and worked on contemporary modern dance soundscapes alongside Jazzy B for Bunty Matthia’s Harlemation Dance Company at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Serpentine Gallery and Riverside studios.

Over the last 3 decades and to the present day, Noel has spread the word for Club Music and subculture Worldwide.

Having graced the wheels of steel at Clubs everywhere from Back To Basics, Cream, The Hacienda, Schoom, Pikes Ibiza, MK and The Limelight NYC, and Club Nights all over the World, he became a festival regular with slot’s alongside Todd Terry and DJ Sneak at Glastonbury for Bez’s Acid House, Wilderness Festival, Vintage Festival, Secret Garden Party and Ireland’s Electric Picnic.

His sets move from the classic House, Funk, Disco and Electro Sounds from the 80’s and 90’s, to contemporary Cosmic Disco and Re-Edits from today. He has Mixed and Produced Sets for Labels and Websites from the legendary Test Pressing to London’s Multi-Faceted NTS Radio and the highly respected Far-Out Recordings.

His musical production credits include working with spoken word artists Sonja Sohn and Saul Williams, as Fini Dolo, signed to Warner Brothers Arthrob record label, as well as a slew of bands and artists during the early noughties to today.

Currently his role as creative programmer at Belfast’s Black Box sees him providing an outlet for up and coming DJ’s/Artists/Bands in the city, whilst still performing at clubs as a legendary guest DJ.

His remix of a new MC G.L.O.B.E release from New York’s Soul Sonic Force is due for release soon on new Dublin imprint RESUME RECORDS, which also features mixes from the Egyptian Lover and forthcoming releases from 80’s NYC legends MC Sha-Rock and The World Famous Supreme Team.