Spinning “The Rock and Roll of the World”, Scratchy - tour DJ for Gogol Bordello and The Clash as well as being resident DJ at Gypsy Hotel - will be DJing in the main stage room at White Mischief on Saturday June 7.

Scratchy was the tour DJ with the Clash from 1978-80. Prior to that, he’d been resident DJ at the famed Dingwalls Dancehall in Camden Town, London. During those heady days, he spun at all the major concert venues in the city, including the Roundhouse, the Rainbow, the Electric Ballroom, Hammersmith Odeon and the Lyceum, alongside the likes of the Ramones, the Cramps, Blondie, Black Uhuru and Iggy Pop, as well as touring the UK twice with Dr. Feelgood.

After his stint with the Clash, he hosted his own radio show ‘Scratchy Sounds’ before taking time-out to concentrate on his alternative passion as a musician. Having previously lined-up in the notorious Snivelling Shits he went on to play in bands like Khmer Rouge and Trash County Dominators. In the 1990s he emerged as a photographer and has had work published in Mojo and Q Magazine.

Scratchy hooked up with Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros in 2002 and has since gigged alongside Jah Wobble, Joe Ely and Jesse Malin, the Iraqi-French group Aiwa, Jon Spencer’s Blues Explosion and Tony Joe White, Ska Cubano and the Urban Voodoo Machine. He toured with the Pogues on their 2004, 2005 & 2006 Xmas tours of the UK and has also worked with Geneva’s the Dead Brothers, New York’s rock’n'roll Globalistas, Mad Juana and the Mexican Mestizo outfit, Los de Abajo.

(Photo credit: Claudia Janke)

Festival & International dates include Sziget, Budapest, the late lamented Rock’n'Roll Station, Helsinki and Reggae Sun Ska, as well as Beautiful Days, Bestival and Lovebox in the UK. He has performed on various stages at all the Glastonburys since 2003 including the West Coast Dance Tent, the Lost Vagueness Ballroom and Strummercamp. Scratchy showcased at Womex ‘05. Throughout 2006 & 2007 Scratchy toured extensively with notorious ‘gypsy punks’ Gogol Bordello and also began 2007 supporting Groundation. Scratchy is the resident dj of hot London club night Gypsy Hotel.

“Scratchy Sounds: Ska, Dub, Roots & Reggae Nuggets”,
a CD selection from his ska and reggae favourites was released in October of 2004 and is available worldwide through Trojan Records.

http://www.scratchysounds.co.uk

Radio show live every Wednesday afternoon, 4-6pm UK time
http://www.wirelessfm.net
archived for one week only in ‘Scratchy Sounds Playback’
http://wirelessfm.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=8