Everybody get POINTLESS!

This time last week we sneakily posted a link to the first Tricky Disco-related re-edit, THUMBS ALOFT's rather ace (but silly) 'Stick Around'. At that time, it was fresh from the edit block, and had yet to be road tested by any DJs. Well, last weekend that changed… and the reaction couldn't have been better.

12.10am, Friday 23rd February 2007. Location: Empathy @ Timbuk2 Club, Bristol. Nervously, I cue up 'Stick Around'. John 'Tokes' Potoker's excellent 'Dance Mix' of Peter Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer' is playing, to a so-so response. As it begins to fade, the time comes. With a quick flick of the wrist (well, flex of the fingers) I slam in POINTLESS EDITS 01. The reaction at first is good; those on the dancefloor continue to strut their stuff, while a couple of people join the floor. With about a minute gone, more people appear out of the darkness and start dancing. Two minutes in, the vocal drops, and suddenly a whole wave of people get busy. A couple of punters stop on route to the bar and get on the dancefloor. By the time the climatic final minute rears its head, the dancefloor is more or less full. A woman comes up to me and starts enthusing. "I LOVE this record! I used to have it on 7"." I can't resist: "not this version you don't!" I turn to look at Dave, my DJ partner for the night. He just grins: "it sounds even better loud!"

I left Timbuk2 that night convinced we were on to something with 'Stick Around'. I played it again at Normalise on Sunday, and again the reaction was excellent. When I got back in work on Monday, reactions started trickling in from some of the DJs we'd sent it to. "Love the edit!" gushed Jim from Crazy P. "I played it on Saturday to great effect. Well done!" Then there was an email from Justin Unabomber, who asked for a CD (and complained Chris Duckenfield and Moonboots had been sent MP3s before him). Another DJ I barely know - a music PR in London by day - said it was "immense". All week reactions have been coming in like this. In fact, the only bad reaction has come from Bill Brewster, who called it "pointless". Yep, that's the idea.

Whatever happens next - and there's plenty of talk of radio plays and the like - I don't think any of it will match that feeling on Saturday night when it "went off" for the first time. That moment will always stay with me, however many edits, original tracks and remixes we end up doing.

If you fancy checking out 'Stick Around's "awesome dancefloor power" for yourselves, I'm DJing in Bristol on Friday night (March 2nd). Mutant Pop at Arc Bar. It's gonna be the last tune!