Very sad news regarding Scott, I have all the early Hardkiss records and around the mid 90's they were well respected producers and the records were commanding fairly good 2nd prices, adding to their reputation.
Some of the stuff sounds very dated now but a large amount still sounds good and could be played out today and get a good response. I don't really remember any of the Hardkiss crew coming to the UK much, Scott & Robbie played at the legendary London party The Final Frontier at Club UK once, apart from that I cant remember many other visits, which is a shame as they had their own sound for sure. Sad to hear about his untimely passing as I sure he was still young. -----Original Message----- From: Fred Heutte [mailto:ph...@sunlightdata.com] Sent: 30 March 2013 01:59 To: 313@hyperreal.org; plann...@lists.fnf.org Subject: (313) Scott Hardkiss Peace, my brother... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIS9C1tA7Hc ----------- http://newsflash.bigshotmag.com/features/23958/ R.I.P. Scott Hardkiss Mar 25th, 2013 | By Darren Ressler | Category: Featured Post, Features DJ/producer Scott Hardkiss passed away unexpectedly earlier today. In the early '90s Scott Friedel was a member of pioneering San Francisco DJ/producer trio Hardkiss which was rounded out by musical partners Gavin and Robbie. The Hardkiss Brothers (who weren't biologically related) helped nourish and influence the era's fledgling West Coast sound - psychedelia mixed with Balearic, house and techno - via Bay Area warehouse parties as well as remixes and productions issued on Hardkiss Music. After relocating to New York City in the late '90s, Scott, who also recorded under the God Within moniker (listen to his classic "Raincry" below), went on to remix for the likes of Elton John, George Clinton and The Flaming Lips. In 2009 he released his well- received debut album, Technicolor Dreamer, and he also contributed music to various film, television and commercial projects led by Spike Lee, Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater. When I was running Mixer magazine, I worked closely with Scott on Mixer presents United DJs of America Vol. 17: Scott Hardkiss released in 2001. I got to know him well on a professional and social basis. Scott was a singular individual who marched to his own beat; he was an exceptionally talented individual who saw the world with a unique view. He was wildly intelligent and had an incredibly dry sense of humor that always brought a smile to my face. Whenever Scott was behind the decks, I'd marvel at the soundtrack he wove together with strains of house, breaks, trance and beyond that few could replicate. Have a listen to his Essential Mix and soak in the essence of Scott Hardkiss' beautiful musical soul. Rest in peace, my friend. Update, March 26 12:00pm: There has been an outpouring of love from people remembering Scott on social media. (See below.) Wade Hampton (a.k.a. WishFM), who knew Scott during their days on the San Francisco scene, told Big Shot: "Scott was a visionary. Although he was as elusive as any DJ could be at the dawn of our EDM movement, he helped build a loyal strong family unit with Hardkiss Family. That's all that mattered to us. As long as we knew he always reaching for perfection, the path we took really didn't matter...and this cool cat attained it all the time. I'll miss my homie dearly." ------------ http://www.vibe.com/article/dance-community-refelections-rip-scott-"hardkiss"-friedel Dance Community Refelections: RIP Scott "Hardkiss" Friedel Jorge Hernandez Posted March 26, 2013 Influential San Francisco DJ and producer Scott "Hardkiss" Friedel passed away Monday night at the age of 43. The cause of death has not been confirmed at this time but is believed to be an aneurysm. It has previously been noted that Hardkiss had keratoconus, a degenerative eye condition that required transplant surgery in 2011, and one of his last social posts a few days ago was about him not feeling well. A key player in growing the early '90s rave scene in San Francisco as one third of the Hardkiss Brothers (along with "spiritual kin" Gavin and Robbie Hardkiss), Scott also had a successful solo career as a DJ and producer. One of his best-remembered tracks is 1993's "Raincry" released under his God Within alias. In the late '90s, Scott moved to New York and assumed his full-time persona as Scott Hardkiss, purveyor of pop songs touched with Balearic breakbeats and transcendent funk. He went on to do remixes for artists as varied as Elton John, the Flaming Lips and George Clinton. His debut album Techinicolor Dreamer was released in 2009 and was accompanied by remixes from Christian Prommer, Bjorn Torske, Telepathe and Brennan Green. Scott is remembered as an adventurous collaborator by those that worked with him, including Lisa Shaw, Dean & Britta, and Q-Burn's Abstract Message just to name a few. In a blog post, Q-Burns (Michael Donaldson) recalls meeting Scott in the early '90s when he was shopping around some of his music. "I still remember this sort of hippie-ish thing he said to me then... 'This isn't a song ... it's a living being.' In a follow up email, Q-Burns tells Vibe, "'I bet I'd be a different type of producer and DJ if it weren't for Scott Hardkiss, or maybe not even a DJ as I was more of an indie- rock kid at the start. Scott showed that it was okay to be many things musically at once." Via email, Derrick Carter remembers Scott for his humanity, as well as for his talent. "Apart from his grand musical tastes, he was a great guy. During one of my early SF adventures, I'd been stiffed by a promoter who'd only bought an outbound ticket for me to play at his party. Scott let me crash on his couch for about a week as I sorted things out. He took me in and treated me like a brother. I'm going to miss having him in this world." Among the many DJs posting tributes on Twitter, were Tommie Sunshine, Kaskade, Sasha, and Frankie Bones. Tommie Sunshine lamented, "the 90's Raver in me ca not stop crying." Kaskade added, "Scott Hardkiss changed the way I listened." Frankie Bones noted, "The network of people surrounding Scott Hardkiss are probably the best group of people you could ever meet." While he was helming Mixer magazine, Big Shot editor Darren Ressler worked with Scott on 2001's Mixer presents United DJs of America Vol. 17: Scott Hardkiss. "DJ culture as we know it wouldn't be the same without his contributions or the provocative art he leaves behind." On a personal note, Ressler adds, "My ex actually introduced me to Scott. She knew all of the Hardkiss guys from SF and would tell me stories about their legendary parties. When I finally met him he was like the anti DJ - he didn't dress, act or behave like most of the DJs I've interviewed. Scott reminded me a bit like the comedian Steven Wright (he had a very dry sense of humor)." Whether you're still shaking off your Miami buzz, or have ever enjoyed EDM, you can thank Scott Hardkiss for helping to push rave culture into the mainstream, not just as trendy commodity, but as a way to look at the world and build a creative life. On his Soundcloud bio, Scott described himself best: "DJ, producer, remixer, composer, arranger, multi-media artist, designer, writer, inventor, label owner, radio host, mercenary shaman, agent provocateur, 21st-century renaissance cat & ill mothafucka." Looking over his credits and the outpouring of love online, it's impossible to argue. Rave in peace, technicolor dreamer.
