LUCKY 7: FELIX DA HOUSECAT

House legend Felix Da Housecat has found his way again, not that we ever thought he’d veered from the path of genius. After experiencing something close to a divine intervention, convinced that he had the devil on one shoulder and his family on the other, Felix has given up tequila. And his creative juices are in full flow again, with his latest release, the ‘Sinner Winner’ EP, sparking mayhem on the dancefloors, an exciting collaboration with dub hero Lee Scratch Perry in the bag and a new album due for release this year.

Now living in London, Felix cites the UK as the place that he got his start. 
“I’ve lived here back and forth, sometimes I would stay for a year. But when I first came, England accepted me. And the vibe here back then, it’s still that vibe here now, it's not cheesy here at all.”

Living and breathing music, Felix is the perfect candidate to reflect on his Lucky 7, although there was one question that he drew a blank on... 

What is the track that really sums up your childhood?

“When I was growing up with my parents, they had this photo album. Every time I look at this photo, it was me, I think I was like four or five and I had these glasses on, imitating Stevie Wonder. Dad said it was to ‘Master Blaster’ but I wouldn’t have been five when that came out. I don’t know if that was the song that was playing when I had the glasses on doing Stevie Wonder. My dad would play the hell out of that.”

What’s the first record that you ever bought?

“Rod Stewart ‘Young Turks’. My parents had such a great record collection I didn’t have to buy anything, but the difference was when MTV came out, I think it was in '83, me and my brother were fascinated by the whole new wave scene and England. They would be playing his video and we’d be watching The Eurythmics and stuff like that. And I felt good walking into this record shop which was round the corner, and I bought it and the only way to get it was to buy the whole album, which is called ‘Tonight I’m Yours’.”

What’s the most embarrassing record in your collection?

“That’s weird because I have very exquisite taste in music, so I’m going to have to just say ‘negative’ on that one. We gotta go on to the next one! (laughs).”

What’s the track that’s guaranteed to make you cry?

“Something that makes me emotional, so that I’ve got to put on my shades? I would have to say ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ by Sam Cooke. That right there I cannot handle, that right there, I can only listen to that maybe once a year or twice.

The lyrics are like, he’s afraid to die, he’s not afraid to die, he doesn’t know what’s behind the skies but he knows a change is gonna come, it’s very sad and mostly when people pass that song is played. And I know that in the movie Malcolm X that Spike Lee did, he put that on and I’m like, ‘Oh no, Spike, don’t do this to me!’, it’s just one of them things, you need to sit down with some red wine and listen to it and you’ll be bawling out with tears.”

What’s an album that you’re currently into?

“I’ve been playing a lot of Marvin Gaye lately, I haven’t really bought anything new that’s really moved me. I’m more into my '70s and '80s. You know, when you ask me these questions, when I’m constantly living and breathing music, it’s like remembering your last second in life, you wouldn’t remember it, would you?

I just made a CD for my car to listen to when I’m riding, I put Lenny Kravitz ‘I Build This Garden For Us’ on there, I put ‘I Was Made To Love Her’ by Stevie Wonder, I put Quincy Jones ‘The Dude’, that’s a cut, that’ll get you moving! I make these playlists for when I’m making a trip somewhere. I put Aretha Franklin ‘Sparkle’, that’s a cut right there, you might wanna play that right now!”

What’s the most valuable record in your collection?

“Shit girl! (laughs). All of my records are in my ex-wife’s basement of my old home, I just haven’t gotten around to getting them. I would have to say the ‘Black Album’ by Prince would be my most valuable. But it’s very hard to say because we’re dealing with the digital revolution now.”

What’s your all-time favourite track of all-time?

“Are you going to ask me for my favourite dancefloor classic that no-one knows? Are you going to ask me for my favourite slow song? Are going to ask me my best song to celebrate my best friend's bachelor party? Or are you going to ask me my favourite song before the twentieth century? Ok, I got it. Oh wait, or are you going to ask me the cover that Susan Boyle should have recorded? Ok, favourite song for the twentieth century — ‘Little Wing’ by Jimi Hendrix, my favourite song of all-time, that’s just because he's playing an acoustic guitar, pouring his heart out.”