Passarella Death Squad Talk PLus exclUsIvE live version of ‘blue lips’

Passarella Death Squad are both a fashion and music duo who’s great new EP ‘Giant’ is making waves across a broad spectrum of dance music’s ecosysytem. We caught up with one half of the crew, Danny Broddle, to talk everything from live set ups to arcade games in Whitley Bay…. 

Hello! For our readers foolish enough to be unfamiliar with PDS please tell us who you are and what you do….

Hello there. Passarella Death Squad is Danny Broddle and Emilie Albisser. Weve released several records over the past few years, Passarella also exists as a clothing label. 

What came first, the clothing design or the music?

The music, just a few months later the first t-shirt design arrived but the clothing took off a lot quicker than the music did.

You work with Death in Vegass Tim Holmes, who I believe engineers your music. How did that come about?

Tim engineered the debut album and the latest Giant EP, I met him via Richard Clouston who runs Londons infamous Cosey night, Richard was the first person to hear any Passarella demos and he thought Tim would like them, this was around 2005. Richard also sent them to Mike Silver (Mickey Moonlight) who from there introduced us to George Issakidis who runs our first label The Republic Of Desire.

Youve kindly given R$N an exclusive live version of Blue Lips. What constitutes Live for Passarella Death Squad?

The live set up is myself with Emilie singing, my set up is a computer with various midi controllers, drum pads etc, over time this will expand to bring in more people and other musical and visual elements.

Are you planning on taking the show on the road in the future and doing a Live tour?

Yes, we certainly hope so!

Theres a woozy hedonism to alot of your material which, to me, is reminiscent of an electronica-varnished Velvet Underground. The fashion world is famously hedonistic, is your music a reflection of this world in some way?

Any hedonistic elements of Passarella music or clothing come from life itself. For me the fashion industry does portray an image of hedonistic glamour but in reality after the excitement of the physical product its just business.

Ill imagine in the 60s, 70s and the 80s it was a lot more exciting, or at least I hope it was.

Theres an exhibition on at the V&A at the moment that focuses on the fashions and styles of 80s nightlife. How important an influence is this era in both your music and your designs?

Hugely so but saying that Id be very surprised if there was anyone who hadnt been affected in a positive way by that decade, so many original and exciting things happened, visually, musically, politically, its such an incredible period of time in every way.

Your current EP Giant is out on Days Of Being Wild, a label that we keep an eye on at R$N. Is the plan to put out further releases in the future with DOBW?

We have another release to finish very soon.

The cover artwork of Giant is brilliant and I see its also available as a print. Where did you find that fantastic motorbike?

Thank you! I managed to find an owner of one of the bikes living in the States, it took me a long time.The bike itself was used on an 80s arcade game called Hang On which I remember from growing up down the arcades in Whitley Bay.  The image is one in a series Im creating called Fantasy Scenes each using a different arcade machine shot in and around my home town.The prints are available as a much larger limited edition format, Im really hoping I can take this out there as a small touring exhibition next year.

What next for Passarella Death Squad?

Were planning 2 more EPs for release this year, the next of should be finished very soon and then to follow the EPs we have an album, elsewhere we have a few music collab projects, one of which is with the People Get Real duo, theres a few remixes weve done which are set to come out, all this plus the live stuff were hoping for, 2013 could be quite busy for us.

Elsewhere theres a new t-shirt collection coming out that is a collab with the London music venue KOKO, this is being sold in Urban Outfitters then there is the second Passarella x Boxfresh collection to be launched very soon, plus hopefully one or two other things coming up as well. 

Thanks, much appreciated. 

Thank you very much!

Passarella Death Squad’s Giant EP is out now. Buy it here.

For more info on Passarella Death Squad mosey on over to their website.