James F!@#$%^ Friedman has been a fixture in New York's underground dance music scene for a decade now. As a journalist, DJ, promoter, label head and music supervisor, he has championed emergent sounds and artists like few others in North America. A one time staffer at XLR8R, Vice, and The Fader, he's also worked at !K7 Records, managing releases for the likes of Swayzak, Trevor Jackson and Tiga. In 2003, he left !K7 to launch Trevor Jackson's Output Recordings in the US, which he ran successfully for two years. In that same period, his REFUSE! parties took off, garnering massive press support from the likes of I-D Magazine and playing host to visionary DJs like 2manydjs, Headman, Twitch, Erol Alkan and Michael Mayer. In fact, REFUSE! hosted the US debuts of Tiefschwarz, Ewan Pearson, Jackson and His Computer Band, Cut Copy, Annie's live band, David Gilmour Girls, and Greg Wilson.
His 2006 mix cd Go Commando (released via Defend Music) served to establish Friedman's tastemaking aesthetic internationally, garnering rave reviews (10/10 in Vice for instance) and a nomination for Mix Album of the Year from the PLUG Awards alongside such heavyweights as Richie Hawtin, Ewan Pearson, DJ Shadow and Dominick Eulberg.
Already touring across the US and Europe, Friedman used this momentum to expand his efforts, launching Throne of Blood Recordings with the members of the Rapture in late 2006. In 2007, Throne of Blood hit the road across the US and Canada alongside the Ed Banger Records crew to host and DJ at the infamous "Dafter Parties," after-show events following Daft Punk's groundbreaking ALIVE 2007 Tour. 2008 saw Friedman return to throwing parties in New York, launching the highly successful Prime Time series with partner-in-crime Eamon Harkin. Held at classic venues Love and Santos Party House, Prime Time hosted hosted Metro Area, Todd Terje, Sinden, Alexander Robotnik, Rub N Tug, Hercules and Love Affair, Ewan Pearson, Greg WIlson, and Stacey Pullen. By late 2008, Prime Time moved to a new venue and morphed into the now seminal Mister Saturday Night party, hosting the likes of Theo Parrish, Moodymann, Twitch, DJ Pierre, Larry Heard, Todd Terry, Four Tet, Justin Martin, the Phenomenal Handclap Band, Francis and the Lights, Kerri Chandler, Mark E, Omar S and many more. In 2009, Friedman co-founded the monthly Barbarians party with Tommy Moye (Rong Music/Blunted Funk) and Andrew "Wiz" Potter (Populette).
2008 also saw Friedman renew his focus on Throne of Blood, which began churning out a dizzying range of sounds from the thug house of Dances With White Girls to Zombi's neo italodisco and John Selway's gorgeous "Shake The Snow." Building off that momentum, Friedman delved deeper into his duties as A&R for the label, snapping up emerging powerhouses Populette, AKA JK, and Harkin & Raney as well as established figures like Mugwump for a series of releases that have found a place in some of dance music's most discriminating record crates.
Starting in 2010, Throne of Blood hit its stride releasing a string of acclaimed 12"s from Bicep, Harkin & Raney, Bicep, Ford Inc, Bibi Tanga & The Selenites and Populette. 2011 saw the label add veterans like Ulysses and Ford Inc's Mat Playford and Paul Woolford, as well as up-and-comers like Saarid, Remain & Mlle Caro, and Cosmic Kids into the mix. With nearly two dozen releases in stores, a new sublabel called Let's Play House Records, and a schedule jammed to bursting with amazing new music, Throne of Blood has cemented its place among the most exciting dance labels in New York.
