About felixdahousecat
Felix da Housecat's 2001 album, Kittenz and thee Glitz, turned the dance music world on its side as his collaborations with the now infamous Miss Kittin on "Silver Screen" and "Madame Hollywood" and Melistar on "Harlot" and "What Does it Feel Like" spawned a synth club revival. Along the way, Felix gained mainstream press acceptance and was heralded by Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone and Spin as one of the most creative artists in music today.

With DEVIN DAZZLE AND THE NEON FEVER (2004, Emperor Norton), Felix once again has sewn together an album a la hip-hop's Dan The Automator and Prince Paul which taps the talents of varied producers and vocalists and creates a thoroughly enjoyable ride. Boasting guest vocals from James Murphy of DFA/LCD Soundsystem ("What She Wants") ? "He's a cool white boy with lots of funk,' states Felix, Tyrone "Visionary" Palmer ("Ready to Wear," "Neon Human"), Kate Wax, and an all-girl group known as The Neon Fever ("Rocket Ride," "Short Skirts," "Everyone is Someone in LA," "Hunting Season") Devin Dazzle and the Neon Fever transcends simple dance, rock or pop music.

While Kittenz had it's framework squarely built upon DJ and club culture, Devin Dazzle and the Neon Fever is an album built upon punk/post new-wave culture and is deliberately more song oriented. To accomplish this Felix took a new approach. "I decided I wanted to use live musicians for this album," Felix explains. "I got so tired of the arpeggiated bass lines everyone's using, so I went out an got proper live musicians. I play keyboards because I really wanted to get a live feel for this record."

Talking about some of the cast of characters he enlisted for the album, Felix relates how each had an effect on the superego of the album. The tracks on Devin Dazzle fluctuate between an upbeat spiritual side versus the temptations of the excess of nightlife under neon lights - partying and sex.

The Neon Fever (formerly known as Glamarama) represents the latter. "The Neon Fever are five girls from around the world that represent five different types of women," states Felix, "I wanted to capture their individual personalities within the lyrics and make their voice a collective through each song. I wanted to capture the inside scoop of guys looking into a woman's world. I think the result is some lyrics that aren't what guys would typically write."

Felix's Kittenz cohort, Dave the Hustler, introduced Felix to Kate Wax. "I was real impressed with her because although she is a talented and impressive producer in her own right. She was willing to listen and work to improve with me. She's real pretty and ambitious and for her to go with the vibe it was amazing. 'Let Your Mind Be Your Bed' is just the tip of the iceberg given her talent."

"Tyrone 'Visionary' Palmer was the spiritual leader of the entire album and kept me writing about things that were meaningful. He brought a good balance to the record," relates Felix.

Over the course of 20 years his determination and willingness to re-invent himself have led him to a point that has now included a Grammy nomination, remix work for artists such as Madonna, Garbage, New Order and Giorgio Moroder; to DJ gigs at the world's most prestigious music festivals. Born in Detroit in 1971 and raised in Park Forrest, outside Chicago, Felix Stallings, Jr.'s earliest influence was his father, a saxophonist who turned him on to classic '70s funk and soul by artists like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire. His next major musical epiphany came about when Purple Rain dropped and he became the keyboardist for Shades of Blue, a band that covered Prince & the Revolution songs.

In Chicago during the early '80s, the House music revolution grabbed Felix's attention. For Felix, it centered around Chicago's 102.7 and the pioneering Hot Mix DJs. "I remember listening to Farley 'Jack Master' Funk, Mike 'Hitman' Wilson, Micky 'Mixin'' Oliver, and Kenny 'Jamming' Jason,"

Discography
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Albums
Metropolis Present Day? Thee Album! (1995)
Clashbackk Compilation Mix (1997)
Transmissions, Vol. 2 (1997)
Kittenz and Thee Glitz (2001)
Excursions (2002)
Rocketmann! (2002)
A Bugged Out Mix (2003)
Devin Dazzle & the Neon Fever (2004)
Playboy: The Mansion Soundtrack (2005)
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Singles and EPs
"Footsteps of Rage" (1995)
"Smak Dat Ass" (1996)
"Dirty Mother" (1997)
"Silver Screen" (2002)
"Madame Hollywood" (2002)
"Madame Hollywood Remixes" (2002)
"Silver Screen Shower Scene" (Written by Tommie Sunshine)(2003)
"Cyberwhore" (2003)
"Rocket Ride" (Written by Tommie Sunshine)(2004)
"Ready 2 Wear" (2004)
"Watching Cars Go By" (2004)
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Remixes
Britney Spears- Toxic (Felix Da Housecat's Club Mix) (2004)
Holly Valance - State of Mind (Felix Da Housecat's dub) (2003)
Nina Simone - Sinnerman (Felix Da Housecat's Heavenly House Mix) (2003)
Madonna - American Life (Felix Da Housecat's Devin Dazzle Club Mix) (2003)

Beginnings
Living in Chicago, a young Stallings was perfectly located to develop a keen interest in the emergent House music scene, which found its hub in Chicago. A chance introduction to House pioneer DJ Pierre in the mid-80s gave 15-year-old Stallings his break, and under the patronage and guidance of Pierre, he released his first single, "Phantasy Girl," in 1987.

[edit]
1990s
However, Stallings' parents disapproved of his growing interest in the club scene, and discouraged the development of his talent. After graduating from high school, he left Chicago and music entirely to attend Alabama State College. After losing interest in House for a few years, Felix decided to rejoin the business. With the help of DJ Pierre, he began producing and mixing again. By 1992, he had a hit with the single "Thee Dawn" on Guerilla Records. He became particularly popular in Europe, and the following year's "By Dawn's Early Light" and "Thee Industry Made Me Do It" cemented his reputation.

One of the defining moments of the 90's for Felix was his single, "In The Dark We Live (Thee Lite)" under his psuedonym, Aphrohead. Originally released on the UK label, Bush, "In The Dark We Live" was licensed by New York-based label, Emotive Records and released in the U.S. The Dave Clarke remix of "In The Dark We Live" was championed by NY legend Junior Vasquez at the infamous after-hours nightclub, Sound Factory. Emotive Records commissiond Vasquez to remix it for its U.S. release.

Shortly afterwards Stallings formed Radikal Fear Records, and it was not long before the label became one of the foremost House labels in the world, releasing cuts from Mike Dunn, DJ Sneak, and Armando as well as Felix himself and many others. During 1995, he released his debut full-length Alone in the Dark (as Thee Maddkatt Courtship) on Deep Distraxion, followed by Radikal Fear compilation, The Chicago All Stars and a mix album entitled Clashbackk Compilation Mix. Another LP, Metropolis Present Day? Thee Album, followed in 1998.

[edit]
2000s
Stallings continued releasing records at a prolific rate; the next year brought his first album as Aphrohead and a second as Maddkatt Courtship, the highly praised I Know Elektrikboy. 2001 saw the release of Kittenz and Thee Glitz, a critically-acclaimed LP that gained Felix mainstream exposure and worldwide coverage in dance music and fashion circles, and has often been mentioned as one of the pioneering releases of the electroclash movement. The ensuing fame brought Felix widespread popularity and remix work for superstars like Madonna and Kylie Minogue. The proper follow-up, Devin Dazzle & the Neon Fever, didn't arrive until 2004, but Stallings released a pair of mix albums, 2002's Excursions and 2003's A Bugged Out Mix, in between.

Felix is currently working on his seventh solo studio effort, and is rumoured to be using big-name guest vocalists including Radiohead's Thom Yorke. He also been hired as Sean Combs's exclusive producer for his upcoming dance album. Felix replaces Timo Maas as chief producer for the yet-unnamed album. In May of 2005, the first collobration between Felix and his idol Peds was released, entitled "Bring Me Da Funk" and became an instant hit around the clubs on their lable "shy-fxl-records".

His song "Rocket Ride" was featured in the game Need For Speed Underground 2, and "Silver Screen Shower Scene" was used in both Midnight Club 2 and the snowboarding game SSX 3. "Everyone is Someone in LA" was featured in Tony Hawk's American Wasteland.