Severino

How do you go from working in a record shop to DJing for the likes of Louis Vuitton or alongside Junior Vasquez? Severino began his DJ career in Mantova, Northern Italy. He then moved to London at the age of 26 to become a buyer for Italian disco record label, Disco Inn.

It wasn’t long before Severino met Jim Stanton (DJ and co-promoter of Horse Meat Disco). For those who haven’t been,can you describe Horse Meat Disco for Bent? “It’s the weekly Sunday nights at The Eagle in Vauxhall London,” says Severino. “We started 6 years ago with the idea to play disco music, just like it used to be in New York City in the 1970s. We also play some early house music and nu-disco too. It’s open to everyone and is packed every week with the most amazing, polysexual crowd I’ve ever seen.”

It isn’t just disco that Severino plays. It’s obvious he loves all music and can deliver cutting edge house and electro sets, a point proven when other residencies started to flood in, including the now defunct Crash & AM in Vauxhall. He’s also best friends with Hifi Sean (who we talked to last month). “I really like the music he plays and apparently he likes mine. I like people who know about music and his knowledge is amazing! I also really rate Kris di Angelis, Nathan Wilkins and Nick Tcherniak as DJs.”

I ask Severino for his favourite ever DJ set. “That’s too difficult to choose”, he replies instantly. “Horse Meat Disco afterhours on Bank Holidays, or playing alongside LCD Soundsystem or Junior Casquex in in NYC… amazing!”

“Four years ago I also Djed for the Louis Vuitton after party in Paris with my favourite artist, Jonny Woo, who was performing as a drag queen. It was at Le Baron, a cute French disco and I had Charlotte Gainsbourg dancing to my music. It was too much temptation not to play he dad’s song, Je t’aime,” he laughs. Then when I played the Bafta Awards last year I had Steven Spielberg in my room. That was thrilling.”

“Oh, and so was playing before both Fatboy Slim and David Guetta at the last MTV music awards in Berlin. They must like me as I’ve also played for MTV for Munich 2007, Liverpool 2008 and again for them in November this year.”

What can we expect from you in 2010? “More music production under the name Hyena Stomp (with my friend Nico De Ceglia) and I already have many international DJ dates booked including Australia in March, NYC in May along with Glastonbury and Bestival. It’s going to be a very busy year!”

You can hear “Severino’s Deep Mix” by searching for it at www.soundcloud.com, search for ‘Severino Panzetta’ on Facebook or visit www.myspace.com/severinodj