b. Felix Stallings, 12 July 1972, Chicago, Illinois, USA. The childhood friend of house legend DJ Pierre, Stallings' youth was spent experimenting with electronic musical equipment. He taught himself keyboards by the age of 14, and a year later stepped into a studio for the first time. An early tape had been passed on to the elder Pierre by a mutual playground acquaintance. Intrigued, he decided to record it properly, and from those sessions the 1987 single "Phantasy Girl' emerged. Based on the original keyboard motif from the demo tape, it became one of house music's biggest early cult smashes. Felix went on to release a steady stream of dance vinyl, establishing his name alongside that of Pierre, who remained his mentor. Unfortunately, as school ended so did his parents" tolerance of his extra-curricular pursuits, and he was ordered to attend college in Alabama. Three years later he returned to Chicago, taking up the house mantle once again. Numerous releases followed on all the major imprints: Strictly Rhythm Records, Guerilla Records (the hit single "Thee Dawn"), Nervous Records, D-Jax Up, Chicago Underground and Freetown. He also set up his own Radikal Fear Records imprint, which released classic tracks by the likes of DJ Sneak, Armando, and Mike Dunn, and provided remixes for mainstream artists such as Diana Ross and Kylie Minogue. Under the title Thee Madkatt Courtship he also provided a long player for Deep Distraxion, while as Aphrohead he proffered "In The Dark We Live (Thee Lite)", a classic cut, much revered by DJ's such as Darren Emerson.
After a lengthy break from the dance scene, Stallings returned in 1999 under his Thee Maddkatt Courtship (an extra "d" having been added) moniker with I Know Electrikboy. The dazzling Kittenz And Thee Glitz (2001) tapped into the fashionable nostalgia for 80s synth-pop, but easily surpassed anything released by the movers and shakers on the glaringly shallow "electro-clash" scene. As a result Stallings was courted for remix work by mainstream pop and rock stars including Madonna and Thom Yorke. His own mix albums were highly rated, notably Excursions (2002), and the full-length concept album Devin Dazzle And The Neon Fever carried on from where its predecessor left off, albeit with a greater emphasis on rock instruments. The 2007 release Virgo, Blaktro & The MovieDisco was inspired by black disco and funk records of the late 70s.
DISCOGRAPHY: as Thee Madkatt Courtship Alone In The Dark (Deep Distraxion 1995)***, Metropolis Present Day? Thee Album (Radikal Fear 1995)****, as Aphrohead Aphrohead (Bottom Line 1999)***, Thee Maddkatt Courtship III I Know Electrikboy (ffrr 1999)****, Kittenz And Thee Glitz (Emperor Norton 2001)****, Rocketmann! 1995 recording (PIAS 2002)***, Devin Dazzle And The Neon Fever (Emperor Norton/Rykodisc 2004)****, Playboy: The Mansion soundtrack (Playboy Music/Kock 2005)***, Virgo, Blaktro & The MovieDisco (Rude Photo/Nettwerk 2007)***.
COMPILATIONS: Felix Da Housecat's Clashbackk Compilation Mix (Cold Front 1997)****, shared with Justin Robertson Bugged Out! (Virgin 2000)***, Excursions (Obsessive 2002)****, as Aphrohead Thee Underground Made Me Do It (Clashbackk 2003)***, A Bugged Out Mix By Felix Da Housecat (Emperor Norton 2003)***.
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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