Think of the big names of House Music from the past couple of years and one that would have to make your list is X-Press 2. Their single Smoke Machine was a club anthem which has spawned a run of successful remixes whilst their collaboration, with David Byrne, Lazy, crossed over to radio airwaves to earn them a wider audience and chart success. X-Press 2 are Ashley Beedle, Rocky and Diesel who first started working together in the early 90’s.

It’s 7pm West Oz time and I’m sitting at home in shorts and t-shirt with the windows open trying to stay cool. At the other end of the phone line is Beedle, who is at home in North London where it is freezing cold and snowing. With initial greetings and wishings of “Happy New Year” out of the way, the first thing Beedle enquires about is the weather across the country. After giving him an update there is a “WOW!” at the other end of the line, seemingly both in disbelief and fondness.

Establishing that he’d had a quiet New Years with the family and that whilst he’s busy doing interviews his two partners in crime are on well deserved vacations talk gets on to what’s happening at the moment with X-Press 2. We’re actually working on the new album at the moment. We’re gonna be coming out to do the Vibes tour and then when we get back it’s gonna be all systems go and all the hard work starts.”

For a group that produced their first release in 1992 and only released their debut album last year it may come as a bit of a shock to some that work has begun so quickly on album number two. With all three guys having known each other for so long and been involved in so many different projects it seems that whilst times and priorities may change it would take a hell of a lot to rock the firmly established friendship that exists between them, X-Press 2 or no X-Press 2. When we first started Xpress 2 it was all about the singles then, dance albums never really came into the framework. Now there is a lot more at stake. You get older and you realise this is what you do, you’re an artist, and you owe it to yourself to keep writing music and putting it out there. We made a pact that if we’re gonna do Xpress 2 again then at least lets get two albums out of us. Then maybe go and do some of our own projects and then get back together again. But I think what’s happened is that Myself, Rocky and Diese have all known each other for so long and always worked together in one shape or form, so I don’t think that relationship is ever going to die really.

So often being categorised as a House Act I am curious as to whether Ashley sees the group as a House Act or with broader strokes as a “Dance Act”. Definitely a Dance Act cause we have to have adaptability to survive and change. The next thing on my mind being as to whether there still exists a House Scene as such in his home town. I wouldn’t even call it a house music scene. There’s still some great house clubs, however, there’s lots of great small clubs that have sprung up that are playing all sorts of stuff. I think it’s gone back to that free spirited vibe that was around ten years ago.

With this being my first chance to ask someone at the heart of the scene, I can’t help but enquire about the reported “Death of Dance Music” from the English media. As it turns out Beedle is just another caring parent who hopes his kids will like all kinds of music. I think people ignore it to tell you the truth. It’s not dance music dying, there’s just a certain level, the super clubs. You cannot maintain that level year in year out. It’s gonna go eventually. There’s a whole generation of kids now who don’t listen to dance music. They’re into the Strokes and the White Stripes and stuff like that, and that’s healthy. I’d hate it if my kids, I’ve go two boys, if they didn’t rock out now and then.

The conversation turns back to the tour and memories of when they were last here, Vibes 2000. Of course I have to ask if he remembers Perth. Yeah that was one of the best gigs, that was an incredible gig, in the amphitheatre and I met the, oh god, The Ku-Ling Brothers – Steve Mallinder. That was a freak out for me. I went all the way to Australia in 2000 and all of a sudden I got introduced to this guy and he said “Hi I’m Steve”. And I kept thinking “I know that face”. Then all of a sudden it’s “god it’s Caberet Voltaire” who’s a huge influence on the British House Scene. In the end I bugged him so much about Caberet Voltaire and he’s going “Christ how do you know that record?”. One of them things, wow!

So what can we expect from X-Press 2 this time around? A description in their bio sounds absolutely amazing. Think of three guys, six decks, CD’s, samplers and a microphone. With each taking it in turn to play two tracks whilst the other two mix and cut in beats and effects over the top. Reading this back to him and ensuring we will be getting the full deal on Tour de Oz of all three in action his reply is simple. It wouldn’t be Xpress 2 without all 3 of us. We’re gonna have a party mate!. He also assures me that they will be previewing demo’s of some of their new work.

Speaking of this new work, what can we expect? A different ball game, a lot more musicality, a lot more songs. More collaborations you may ask? It seems he’s not willing to let on too much. Yeah but I can’t give any away yet so don’t ask!! We’ve tried to raise our game a bit for ourselves, we’re getting a little bit older and a little bit wiser. We’ve always been veracious music lovers if you know what I mean and I think that’s beginning to shine through a bit more. Where the first album was “here’s the dancefloor…go to it”. This is less restricted.

You can check out X-Press 2 on the Vibes on a Summers Day tour across Austalia and New Zealand throughout January. Check below for dates in a city near you. Also keep an eye out later this year for more new music from Ashley, Rocky and Diesel.

Vibes on a Summers Day Tour Dates

19TH JANUARY – PERTH -BELVOIR STREET AMPHITHEATRE
26TH JANUARY – BRISBANE – RIVER STAGE
27TH JANUARY – SYDNEY -MAROUBRA BEACH
2ND FEBRUARY – MELBOURNE – SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL
6TH FEBRUARY – NEW ZEALAND – WESTERN SPRINGS

For more information and buying tickets online through inthemix click here.