Gemma Furbank is a hot Techno & House music rising star! As a DJ, she is well-known for bringing truly sublime tracks together with flawless precision...
Gemma owned her first decks in 2003 - her beloved Technics 1210's. It wasn't until after loosing her father in 2007, she finally decided to mastered the decks, and learnt the art of DJing. In October 2008 she invested in her Pioneer CDJ1000 mk3's.
She was an early starter on the clubbing scene, starting her clubbing in 1993 and discovering Cream in 1996. It was there that she first encountered Paul Oakenfold, resident DJ at that time! " Oakey blew my mind on a regular basis, and I was mesmorised by the whole atmosphere and swiftly became hooked on the whole scene!"
Gemma takes a lot of Inspiration from her favourite DJ's and styles, and is always inspired by DJ James Zabiela and his crazy skills! She is always trying to up her game and learn new skills, to keep her mixes and sets exciting!
Gemma then entered the world of promoting and organised charity House night "Aural Pleasure" in February 09. All proceeds went to Breast Cancer Care. The night gained support from local and International DJs such as David Dunne (Galaxy Radio/Hed Kandi) who played at the event, and DJs like K-Klass and Jon Fitz who offered promo support and prizes!
In August 2009,Gemma organised the dance tent at "Mozfest" in Mossley Lancs. The event attracted over 8000 people of the course of the weekend. Gemma's headline set, had the tent crammed to the rafters, with revelers climbing on top of each other and dancing on what ever they could stand on! This was to date, the best gig Gemma had experienced from the other side of the decks, and one she hopes to replicate each time she plays.
A very special guest VJ also jumped onboard. Fresh from Global Gathering, providing the back drop fro none other than Gemma's idol, Mr James Zabiela , and Carl Cox..and then again for Sander Kleinenberg on the 9th of August - Mark Vity, of Ghost Visuals flew in from Ireland, just to provide some amazing visuals for the evenings set's!
More recently, Gemma has gained the ESSTIGE DJ OF THE MONTH crown for Aug 09. Having noticed all the hard work, determination and passion she displays!
Gemma is already receiving a lot of interest from promoters abroad for International gigs,with provisional bookings in Bahrain, India and Lebanon !
"I play a very eclectic mix, and basically think genres can be very stifling! If it sounds shit hot..it sounds shit hot! I play it! haha Genres create rules, and i love to break rules!"
She adores Prog house/Prog Breaks/House/Tech-House/Minimal Tech/Techno/Electro - she likes to call it 'Eclectronic music'!
A quote by Chris Massey, one half of the amazing Uberchic ;
Chris Massey wrote at 12:01 on 04 June 2009 "Top girl, top dj and all round nice gal!
A real original sound in your sets of which i have heard 3 now and been mightly impressed each & everytime, big things ahead i dare say!!! ;-)"
International DJ/Producer Petrae Foy, championed by none other than Carl Cox, recently paid Gemma a visit. He had taken the time to go over one of her mixes with a fine tooth comb
He was impressed with how far she had come, within such a short time behind the decks, and could see she had potential. He was kind enough to give her a one on one session, to show her a few skills that will help her take it up another notch.
November promised to be an exciting month. With some amazing bookings, sharing the bill with Dave Spoon and Funkagenda, at the world famous Sankeys, playing her first ever B2B set.
Gemma has also teamed up with another hot rising star, Steff Smith! Together they will be going under the name of AUDIO DOLLS!! They hit the studio recently, to create their first of many tracks together - a grooving Tech House number "BIONIC GROOVE", and a full on driving Techno bomb "SUB-SONIC"!
Within 24 hours, there very first Techno track "SUB SONIC" , was signed to the MAD HATTER RECORDINGS label! Owned by Nick Hussey, and Carl Anians, and including some fantastic artsist like Petrae Foy, Gabriel Ben, Mindform ect.
Within one week "SUB-SONIC" Stormed to the top slot, No.1 in the Top 100 Tech/Min chart, on trackitdown.net!!!
One of Gemma's Favourite Producer's , Daniel Portman, placed the track in his Jan Top 10 Chart!
3 artist's have seen their potential, and the girls have been asked to remix 3 amazing tracks in Jan!
Comments from 2 amazing DJ/Producer/Remixer's Phil Caine and Petrae Foy ;
•PHIL CAINE : "STEFF SMITH & GEMMA FURBANK ABSOLUTE GENIUS IN THE STUDIO !!! WATCH OUT FOR THESE 2 !!! "
•PETRAE FOY: "Gemma is one of mine to watch mate! "
They're causing a real stir, and the booking's are starting to flow nicely for them as a twosome. They saw the year out in style, smashing Spektrum, on Boxing Day - with none other than Roger Sanchez headlining! They return to play Spektrum, on Jan the 30th, with Chris Lake & Dirty Vegas headling!
The girls together - AUDIO DOLLS - will be making their GOODGREEF debut in Feb, at 53 Degrees, Preston. Both Gemma and Steff are extremely excited to be playing for GG, after spending many years on the dancefloor for one of their fav label's nights!
Gemma is just as likely to be seen in front of the deck's as behind them. She's still an avid clubber, and love's to get in the thick of it, when dancing to her favourite DJ's and Producers!
Gemma puts in plenty of hard work and believes that you can get anything if you want it bad enough! "Onwards and Upwards!!! 2009 was amazing, 2010 is gonna kick ass!"
Find her on Facebook
www.facebook.com/gemma.furbank
www.myspace.com/gemmafurbank
www.myspace.com/theaudiodolls
www.myspace.com/auralpleasuredjs
Thank you for stopping by xox
UPCOMING DATES;
13/06/09 BA55MENT,Stalybridge Head Linining!
27/06/09 BA55MENT , Residency!
04/07/09 Revival Summer Sound System,Blackburn with Adam Sheridan+Micky Slim Headlining
18/07/09 Ravonstonedale Festival,Cumbria
25/07/09 Full Moon Boat Party - Headlining! Loaf + Area51
01/08/09 Release, The Attic , Manchester
01/08/09 chixwivdex podcast latest Tech mix
01/08/09 ESSTIGE DJ OF THE MONTH AUG 09
08/08/09 Tech Me Jackin' Manchester TBC
15/08/09 Mozfest,Mossley Headlining with special guest VJ Mark Vity - Ghost Visuals!
16/08/09 Mozfest,Mossley
21/08/09 Plush@Sankeys With Funkagenda& Jonathan Ulysses,Mcr
29/08/09 Creamfields (No Bookings)
30/08/09 Djin@Pride Mcr, Creamfields
30/08/09 Sunday Social@Moho's Mcr
26/09/09 Guestmix on Me On The Dancefloor
03/10/09 Renaissance @Embargo, Nrthampton
03/10/09 Radio Interview and Guestmix Manchester Radio Online
06/11/09 Dance Therapy Pres.Female Domination,Long Eaton
15/11/09 Sunday Social@Sub Space,Mcr
21/11/09 STUDIO
28/11/09 Monkey Funk@Sankey's Mcr - FUNKAGENDA & DAVE SPOON
25/11/09 Lift@Electric Boogaloo TBA
12/12/09 Special Old Skool/Classic House DAVE HASLAM SWEET SENSATION
26/11/09 SPEKTRUM/SANKEYS - B2B STEFF SMITH - ROGER SANCHEZ
31/11/09 HEADLINING LE ROYALE RESIDENCY, PUNE , INDIA!!!!
04/01/10 "SUB-SONIC" RELEASED ON MAD HATTER RECORDINGS
22/01/10 HEADLINING SKREWBALL@CLUB V, MCR
30/01/10 SANKEYS/SPEKTRUM - AUDIO DOLLS - CHRIS LAKE & DIRTY VEGAS
06/02/10 GOODGREEF,53 DEGREES, PRESTON - B2B STEFF SMITH AKA AUDIO DOLLS