chicago

Born and raised in the western suburbs, Derrick was into music from a young age, but during his teens Chicago´s house scene sucked him in for good. Before long Derrick became a strong presence in Chicago´s underground dance scene. "When I got my driver´s license at 16 my sneak ability was validated," he laughs. "I was a fierce bedroom jock for a long time. After you mix for the love of it for six or seven years, you get it pretty tight and you can take it on the road." Derrick got by working at dance–music specialty stores like Gramaphone and gigging at parties.

There are at least five artists called Brutus: - 1, a hardcore band from Asturias, Spain. Formed in June 2008, Brutus gave their first show one month later. From then onwards Brutus has released a self-titled EP in July 2009, recorded at KTC Domestic Productions which was presented in numerous places, mainly in the north of Spain, sharing stage with bands like For the Glory or Avenues and Silhouettes. Brutus has announced that they will release a new work in February 2012. We don't know the title yet, but it is taken for granted that this new album will please all their fans.

Company of Thieves is an indie rock band which formed in Chicago, Illinois in 2007. They consist of Genevieve Schatz (vocals, keyboards), Marc Walloch (guitar) and Mike Ortiz (drums). Bassist Dorian Duffy has since left the band. The members of Company of Thieves are collectively grounded, and well-versed in the challenges the world faces today. "This is a scary time for a lot of people, government-wise, art-wise, and especially business-wise," says singer Genevieve Schatz. "People seem to be very held back in what they're willing to invest in – personally, emotionally, and financially.

For an international audience reawakening to the influence of Chicago house during the 1990s, Curtis A. Jones acted as quite a renaissance leader. Besides donning his straightahead house guise Cajmere and a flamboyant, neon-haired acid-house alter-ego named Green Velvet for several of the most memorable underground house tracks of the decade (including "Preacher Man," "Answering Machine" "Brighter Days" and "Flash"), Jones helmed the two most respected labels in the new school of Chicago house, Cajual and Relief.