Calvin Harris is ready to get you moving. He wants you to come to his house and make merry. He’s got love for you if you were born in the 1980’s. He’s pretty non–discriminatory about what kind of chicks he digs. At least according to the songs on his new record, “I Created Disco,” which drops here in the U.S. on September 11th.

In real life, he’s very polite and a bit reserved. He didn’t really mention girls when we chatted on the phone a few days ago while chilling in his hometown of Dumfries, Scotland – although he did say a bit about a famous pop diva with whom he recently worked. Read more to find out….

Just a few years ago, 23–year–old Calvin Harris was doing what normal kids do in the small Scottish town of Dumfries – hanging out, working at Marks and Spencer, playing around on MySpace, etc.

But unlike many Dumfries teens, Calvin was also holed up in his bedroom; opting to skip school so he could stay at home, twiddling knobs and using an old Amiga computer to make modern electro dance–rock music.

Maybe trading math lessons to make music wasn’t such a bad move. Cut to this summer: Calvin’s first proper album, I Created Disco , was released in the UK in June. His latest single, “The Girls” is a Top 5 hit across the pond. He’s played high–profile gigs at festivals such as Glastonbury, T in the Park, and the Oxegen festival.

“Oxegen was really good,” he recalls. “At the end of one of the songs, a piece in the ceiling fell flat – but only the front of it. So it was raining outside and a big massive stream of water came from the ceiling and people were dancing in it. So it was like a weird, apocalyptic rainfall thing.”

One listen to any of the 14 tracks on I Created Disco and it’s no wonder that festival–goers weren’t going let a little apocalyptic rain prevent them from getting’ their groove on. The album is a synthesized mash–up that blends bright, poppy melodies with big beats and magnetic bass–lines, weaves a ribbon of can’t–escape–your–head computerized hooks and samples around it, and tops off each tune with a few playful, light lyrics (see “The Girls”).

In short, I Created Disco is really palatable electroclash. All Calvin Harris wants to do is make people dance. “The best gigs for me to play are absolutely massive ones where everyone is going mental,” he says in his very polite Scottish accent. “And there’s not been that many of them. There’s only been about three, or ones that I considered amazing.”

Calvin Harris may come across as a crazily–clothed, good–time guy who likes all the ladies and will do anything to get people dancing; in real life, however, he’s a rather soft–spoken, humble dude who remains unaffected by his recent career surge or willing take that persona off–stage.

When asked what influences the neon, in–your–face t–shirts and huge fly–eyed glasses, he wears, he says, “nothing really. I just buy anything to wear onstage. It’s just like the most outrageous things I would never think of wearing any other time. The most ridiculous hoodies I can find.” When the subject of his quirky song lyrics and themes come up, his answer: “All the songs are fairly self–explanatory, you know? If it’s called something it’s about what it’s called. They’re just songs. I wrote them, but they’re not about me. They’re just there.” When I talk to him about all the hype currently surrounding the U.K music scene and ask if it’s really all it’s cracked up to be, he responds: “I dunno anyone [in the scene]. I’m just out there trying to get by and if I meet anyone I’ll try and be nice to them…I’m in the middle of nowhere and I’m making songs and I don’t really know anyone.”

While he may not be sharing a pint with Lily Allen, one thing he does share with her is an indebted attitude to MySpace. Like Allen, the good ole’ social–networking site helped his musical career tremendously. While whipping up tunes in his Dumfries bedroom, he and a friend decided to join and see who could get 1,000 friends first.

“I started adding loads of people,” he says. “I added a guy from EMI Publishing without knowing that he was from EMI Publishing. And he liked the songs and he ended up signing me. And that was that, I could quit [Marks and Spencer].”

So now that Calvin’s not stocking shelves and is done with the U.K. festivals, he’s headed to the States for a few gigs, the first one being at NYC’s Mercury Lounge on September 11th. He’s also been producing for other people, including a certain Aussie pop legend known around the world as Kylie Minogue. The two worked together on a few tracks for her upcoming album. What do they sound like?

“Um..it’s kind of like my tunes with her singing on it is the best way to describe it. I’m still waiting to find out whether they’re on the album or not.”

Whether or not they’re on Kylie’s disc, Calvin does hope to get some of his new stuff out there in the form of a second album. “I want to get the second album out really quick,” he explains. “The first one I did ages ago. I had it finished a long time ago so I want to do one quickly, too.”

What will Calvin’s second album be like? Will it address that typical sophomore–record theme of how finding fame and success changes one? Will there be a weary, jaded tone to it?

“That would be a mistake. I would do everything I can to not do that,” he says when this is brought up.

Whew. So it’ll still be dance–y?

“Yeah yeah. Very. Probably dancier.”

If that’s possible.

Related Links:
• Calvin Harris on MySpace
• Calvin Harris on Amazon.com
• Calvin Harris on