Claude VonStroke

Claude VonStroke

Claude VonStroke is the production alias of Barclay Crenshaw, a house and tech-house artist from Cleveland, United States, who is based in San Francisco, California. He is associated with the DIRTYBIRD and Mothership labels, and his work is also linked with deep house, house, tech house, minimal techno, minimal, electronic and electro.

Dirtybird and Barclay Crenshaw

Crenshaw is the owner of San Francisco label Dirtybird, which he starts with Justin Martin. The label grows out of a project called Intellect, a five-hour DVD about electronic music that Crenshaw begins in 2003 and spends almost two years making. Martin is hired to help create house music for the DVD, and Crenshaw later takes on a management role for him, securing early deals with Buzzin'fly, Classic and Utensil Recordings.

Releases and collaborators

Dirtybird releases a series of singles in 2005 that are played by DJs including Richie Hawtin and Damian Lazarus, and which receive strong reviews from DJ magazines. The label roster includes Justin Martin, along with remixers and collaborators such as John Tejada, Sammy D, Jesse Rose and Frankie. Crenshaw releases the LP Beware of the Bird on Dirtybird, and another album, Bird Brain, is also associated with the project.

DJ approach

Alongside production and label work, VonStroke is known for preparing his DJ sets carefully and for selecting tracks with a strong focus on variety and detail. His sets avoid repetition and feature sound effects, bass-heavy elements, melodies and original material.