DJ Times January 2009, Vol 22 No 1 by DJ Times Magazine

America’s First Magazine For Professional DJs Established 1988 January 2009

$6.95 CANADA $4.95 US

QBert

heads Back to the Old School

How Mobiles Can Weather the Financial Storm

Super Studio Monitors

Holland Daze: Amsterdam Report $4.95 US

$6.95 CANADA

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Plus:

Int’l DJ Expo Dates Shortkut’s New Vision J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science Maintaining Your Mobile Crew

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T remayne, “and the in-house staff was outstanding—from those helping with the seminar rooms to the techs at the entertainment venues like T he Casbah and T he Ego L ounge. A ny nerves we had going into the event were quickly calmed by the staff ’s professionalism and attentiveness. When you put on a convention—and we’ve done over 20 Expos now—you don’t like surprises. Consistency and a certain lack of drama allow things to run smoothly, and the ’08 show was one of our smoothest.” Since its 1990 inception, the D J Expo has offered the market a winning combination of events: exhibits featuring the latest D J-related products, including many groundbreaking debuts; over 25 industr y-specific seminars and panels, tackling topics from gear to business; and three nights of sponsored events, like the annual Promo O nly/ Pioneer party—the ’08 bash at the House of B lues brought in a hitmaking slate of talent that included A kon, Cyndi L auper, Chris Willis

and recent Grammy A ward nominee L ady Gaga. Plus, the networking oppor tunities for D Js of all stripes—mobile, club, bedroom or music-maker—are nearly endless. Expect the ’09 event to bring some of the tried-and-true, plus some new twists and, as always, a few surprises. For the latest on the 2009 International D J Expo, please visit djtimes.com.

DJ TIMES

Digital Doings @ ADE

Amsterdam, Holland—Digitalism’s Jence (left) & Isi drop a big, squelchy, electro beat during an Amsterdam Dance Event party held at the Melkweg club. Held this past Oct. 22-25, ADE’s conference portion sold out its allotment of 1,900 badges, while its evening program presented DJs every genre—techno from Richie Hawtin, trance from Armin van Buuren, house from Erick Morillo, even mind-blowing video from Addictive TV. For more on the 2008 ADE, please see the wrap-up on Page 18.

JANUARY 2009

Marjolein Scheer

Atlantic City, N.J.—Mark your calendars, D Js. A fter the rousing success of the 2008 International D J Expo this past A ugust, organizers DJ Times and T esta Communications have announced that the show will return to the T rump T aj Mahal Hotel & Casino for its 2009 edition. T he dates for the Expo are set for A ugust 10-13. “With so much enthusiasm spilling over from the ’08 event, we felt it necessary to commit to the next show quickly and get the dates out as early as possible,” says V inny T esta, DJ Times publisher and D J Expo producer. “From a post-Expo survey we conducted, we found an overwhelming desire from attendees and exhibitors alike to return to the T rump T aj Mahal. O ur audience has spoken and we aim to please with an even bigger and better show in 2009.” In addition to the positive survey results, Expo organizers were pleased to return to a venue that quickly won them over. “T he T aj’s amenities were first-rate,” says DJ Times Editor Jim

Party Time: The Taj’s Ego Lounge hosts top acts like DJ Skribble.

Mikey McNulty

Take 2: International DJ Expo Set for Atlantic City Return

NEWS

Mikey McNulty

ind u st r y ev ent s…no t a bl es…mil est o nes

Roonie Tunes: Expect plenty of excitement on the Expo oor.

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Volume 22 Number 1

18 Holland Daze

The Amsterdam Dance Event Features Inclusive Club Gigs, Industry-Only Panels & Inspiration Aplenty. What’s Not to Like? By J im Tr emay ne, Lis a Loco & Neil Bowman

12 Back to the Old School

With a S trong Finish in America’s Best DJ Voting, S cratch-DJ Legend QBert R emains at the Top of His Game By J im Tr emay ne

20 Recovery Effort

Cover & Contents Photos By Peter Samuels

Although the R ecession Has Hit with Full Force, Mobile DJs Can Take These S teps to Weather the Financial S torm By J eff Stile s

DEPARTMENTS 6 Feedback

As Always, the Answers to All Your DJ-R elated Questions

24 Making Tracks

Mackie’s MR 8 Monitor

26 S ounding Off

S tanton’s UberS tand & Vestax’s PMC-580

28 Mobile Profil

Minnesota Mobile’s Next Act

30 Business Line

10 Ways to Keep Your DJs Happy

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

32 Gear

New Products from Chauvet, IK Multimedia & More

36 Grooves

38 DJ Times Marketplace

SAMPLINGS 8 S hortkut

41 Club Play Chart

10 In the S tudio With…

Phat Tracks from Trentemøller, Judy Torres & More

S hop Here for All Your DJ-R elated S upplies

The Hottest R ecords, As R eported by Our Top U.S . R ecord Pools

S cratch DJ Goes Video

J-Boogie

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fr o m t he ed it o r

editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com

Turntable Trickery & Holland Daze I’m not sure if DJ Times was the rst publication to tab D J QBert as “the Jimi Hendrix of the T urntables,” but I still believe that’s an apt description. O ver the years, the turntablist legend has developed enough tricks and innovations to wow legions of fellow D Js the world over. A s always, his technical level soars above everyone. (Want proof? Go to YouT ube, check out one of his scribble scratches and ask yourself if you’re capable of such a thing.) But, like Hendrix, it’s not just his instrument innovations that remain with you—it’s his performance, his ability to rock the moment, his taste, his sense of touch. A s he proved with his set at the A merica’s Best D J party in L as Vegas this past September, he can both bob heads and blow minds. A fter that set, it struck me that it’s time to again catch up with the former Invisibl Skratch Pikl to see how the old-school approach holds up in a digital world. A nd just like our two previous cover stories, QBert does not disappoint. T hanks to Q, to our friends at T hudR umble and to photographer Peter Samuels for making it happen. T his issue also marks the fourth annual wrap-up story we’ve done on the A msterdam D ance Event. If you can’t tell from the story and photos on Page 18, I’ll let you in on something: AD E has become one of our industry’s best conventions, and easily my favorite. Why? Partially because I don’t have to run it (like D J Expo) or maintain a booth (like NAMM)—yay! But mainly, because 1) it’s industry-only, 2) the conference part of the show is so focused and 3) the talent level of the evening events is so high. Plus, well, it’s A msterdam—what’s not to like? So, thanks again are in order to my D utch pals at AD E/Buma Cultuur for running such a tight show and to my A merican cohorts like New York Music Pool director Jackie McCloy, who arranged the “Focus on U SA ” seminar, and Wave Music founder François K, who so graciously asked me to pinch-hit on his “World A ccording to…” panel, which covered ideas on the necessity of copyright reform. D ank u! O n the mobile tip, Stacey Zemon offers 10 ideas on keeping your D Js in your entertainment company. A dditionally, Jeff Stiles speaks with many in the Mobile Nation and asks for methods to weather the current nancial storm. We also visit with the talented Bill Hermann, a Minnesota mobile who believes that storytelling makes the party most memorable. O n the gear side, Paul D ailey powers up Vestax’s versatile PMC-580 mixer, while Nate Sherwood props up Stanton’s stout U berStand and makes Mackie’s MR 8 studio monitors sing. A lso, this month we announce dates for the 2009 International D J Expo—A ugust 10-13 at the T rump T aj Mahal & Casino in A tlantic City, N.J. Make your plans—we’d love to see you there.

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

Cheers,

Jim T remayne, Editor, DJ Times

chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributor s Jody Amos Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant King Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Justin Hampton Josh Harris Robert LaFrance Lisa Loco Michelle Loeb Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Scott Rubin Rahav Segev Jennifer Shapiro Nate Sherwood Jeff Stiles Emily Tan Phil Turnipseed Curtis Zack

graphic designer/ar tist Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com promotions/web designer Phillip Taylor ptaylor@testa.com advertising manager John Grecco jgrecco@testa.com advertising & mark eting assistant Roman Kolomisky rkolomisky@testa.com Circulation circulation@testa.com Classified classifiedsales@testa.co operations manager Robin Hazan rhazan@testa.com Editorial and Sales O ffice D J T imes, 25 Willowdale A venue,

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D J T imes (ISSN 1045-9693) (U SPS 0004-153) is published monthly for $19.40 (U S), $39.99 (Canada), and $59.99 (all other countries), by D J Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale A ve., Port Washington, NY 110503779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, NY, and additional mailing offices PO STMA ST ER : Send address changes to D J T imes, PO BO X 1767, LO WELL MA 01853-1767 D esign and contents are copyright © 2009 by D J Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher. Websites: www. djtimes.com and www.testa.com January 2009

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feed ba ck Our PlaTinuM annivErsary

dance music rise again. Maybe not to the level it was in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s—but it will happen. Hang in there.

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Devour, Paul’s correct about the state of house music in the U.S.: The heads know where to go, especially in the major cit‑ ies; but the younger generation doesn’t

have as many easy outlets anymore. Yes, you have satellite radio—in fact, you can hear plenty of house and oth‑ er underground flavors on DJ Times’ Shortlist show on Sirius XM Radio’s Area Channel 38. You have some air‑ wave markets that still proudly fly the flag for dance music, but terrestrial radio certainly isn’t what it used to be. Regarding your question about global music trends, house music is huge all

over the world, much bigger than hiphop in many territories. Even though many of the house genre’s best DJ/pro‑ ducers hail from the States, most of them are more fully appreciated outside their own country. In electronica-lov‑ ing countries like Spain and England, for example, house vets like Roger Sanchez and Erick Morillo are highly revered and treated like pop stars. – Jim Tremayne, DJ Times

This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to in‑ dustry professionals. If you have any questions about DJing – marketing, mixing, equipment or insurance, any at all – drop us a letter at DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Ave, Port Washington, NY 11050, fax us at (516) 944‑8372 or e‑mail us at djtimes@testa.com. If we do use your question, you’ll receive a free DJ Times T‑shirt. And remember, the only dumb question is the question that is not asked. Dear DJ Times, Is house music a dying genre? Where I live, I know it’s pretty much a hip-hop town. But a lot of the promos I’m receiving have a lot of Top 40 re‑ mixes. Is this trend just in the U.S. or is it hap‑ pening all over the world? – DJ Devour, Wilmington, N.C.

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Devour, There are a lot of factors at play here, but it begins and ends with the fact that casual American listeners just don’t come into contact with dance music as often as they once did. Back in the ’80s and all through the ’90s, pop artists and dance artists were often one and the same. Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson, for ex‑ ample, were releasing tracks that were aimed at the clubs, but played on pop radio and television. This kept the younger generation clued into what was happening in mainstream clubs, and as soon as they turned 18 or 21, they wanted to go out dancing. When they did, they’d get turned onto the popular house music and under‑ ground sounds. These days, teenagers are just not ex‑ posed to house music as often and, as the older house heads hang up their dancing shoes, there is less young blood to take their place on the dance‑ floor. Fortunately, everything goes in cycles and I am sure, over time, we will see

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sa mpl ings

but I’ve felt most comfortable with Serato’s current video plug-in. T he software has allowed me to express what I do on the tables visually, so now people can look forward to a new show with rare and classic music videos along with some original, produced clips all mixed and cut up live. DJ Times: With or without Serato, what is your ideal D J setup? Shortkut: T wo T echnics 1200s, a R ane TTM-57, Shure M-447 cartridges and a Pioneer EFX-500, and I’m good to go. DJ Times: In all your years of D Jing, what would you say was your biggest strength? Shortkut: T o always have an open mind, while trying to be well-rounded and adaptable. Having a mobile D J background taught me how to be prepared to play in front of whatever crowd was in front of me. Whether it be a pure “we-wanna-hear-you-cut-it-up” crowd to a regular club setting or even a wedding, I’ve learned how to play to them. DJ Times: Your biggest innovation? Shortkut: I’ve always taken pride into contributing to the development and design of the Vestax 05 Pro mixer. I originally had the specs written on a napkin and it became the No.1-selling mixer in the world. DJ Times: Where is scratch D Jing hot now? Shortkut: Europe—I guess that’s why they produced the past few DMC world champions. But then again, there are always a bunch of bedroom D Js in the world who never battle or gig out, who are just as good as any battle-D J nalist. DJ Times: For a D J who wants to win competitions, what would be your advice? Shortkut: Come with selection. I admire the techniques and intricate routines of today, but one thing I miss—and what attracted me to the battle scene in the rst place—is listening to someone manually remixing two copies of a song I know and being excited to hear how that D J would freak that record. A lso, keep it simple. When I judge battles, the one who gets my head nodding to their routine the most wins in my book. If I have to pause and overanalyze your set, you might be doing too much. DJ Times: What’s the most important skill for a D J to learn? FK5: (from left) Jon Horvath, Sid Barcelona, Rob Myers & Steve Raskin. It’s a tossup between selection Shortkut: and mixing. If you’re playing a live set, both go hand in hand. I’ve seen lots of D Js who have one, but not the other—and the result shows with your audience. A gain, read your crowd. DJ Times: How would you describe the For more than a decade, Shortkut has been one of A merica’s best-known and most-taldevelopment of the scratch culture over the ented scratch jocks. A s a member of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, the Beat Junkies and T riple T hreat, the Cali-based years? Shortkut: A s far as the skill level, it got Shortkut has contributed to three major turntablist collectives, but his work hasn’t remained entirely in the old school. No, Shortkut’s new sets have been incorporating video—the D J’s technically advanced thanks to Internet and next frontier. With this in mind, we recently caught up with Shortkut (aka 33-year-old Jona- how-to videos, so no one nowadays is left behind or out of touch. But, overall, the turnthan Cruz) to catch his perspectives on the state of scratch D Jing and its immediate future. tablist culture gave D Js major opportunities DJ Times: So I hear you’re taking your talents into the studio. Shortkut: For the past year, I’ve been working a lot on my own beats. I’ve been inspired to be seen as an equal to their vocalist/MC/ rapper counterparts by sharing equal billing by crew mates like D J Babu and D J R hettmatic to focus more on producing. I plan on workas headlining artists in their own right. We all ing with artists, providing them with tracks in the near future. predicted this in the ’90s, and it’s good to see DJ Times: What about the live side? Shortkut: I’ve been working with Serato Scratch L ive video lately. I’ve always wanted to how it progressed in the mainstream now. – Jim Tremayne add another element to my sets. I’ve seen other D Js do it with other means of video mixing,

Sho r t ku t ’s New Fr o nt ier

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

Recently, Shortkut’s set began to incorporate Serato’s video capabilities.

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JBL.EON.

in t he st u d io wit h…

Justin Boland is one of the finest D Js in San Francisco. With an old-school approach to a finely focused musical style, the D J/producer known as J-B oogie has banged his funky beats on the radio, in clubs and in the studio. O n the radio, his contributions to the “B eatsauce” show on KU SF help keep it a B ay A rea fave among underground hip-hop heads. In the D J booth, he effortlessly unites house, dub and hiphop during Serato-powered sets. In the studio, this approach is transformed into J-Boogie’s D ubtronic Science project. A nd while D ubtronic Science sounds like the guy might be some high-tech studio rat, in reality, the “dubtronic sound” is nothing more than one man’s love of

R adio Shack reverbs, cheap guitar pedals, analog delays, and effects on the turntables and keys. “T he roots, trunk, and branches” of his sound, as he calls it, is represented by the decidedly un-futuristic trio of A kai’s MPC, D igidesign’s Pro T ools, and B oss R E-20 Space Echo delay. Even then, he describes his Pro T ools version as “old-school Pro T ools TDM.” For J-Boogie, the production process begins with oldfashioned vinyl-crate digging, as he searches for fresh drum breaks to sample. Whether he’s working in his Fun Machine studio or dropping beats from the D J booth, he has established certain criteria that help de ne his musical choices. “Good beats and basslines are first—from electro to

dub, hip hop, and house,” he says. “[It’s] gotta have some bump. T hen check the vibe of the track. How does it make you feel? Will it get you on the dance oor?” O f course, the strength of all good tracks created from dusty old records is rooted in the quality of the original source material. From his years of working as a club and radio D J, J-Boogie has developed adventurous tastes and he uses them to carve out the juiciest elements from classic ’70s and ’80s dub sounds, old boogie breaks, and his current weakness—’80s synth funk. “T hink leopard prints and shoulder pads on ‘Soul T rain’ episodes,” he jokes. O nce he has his samples lined up, he works with his MPC and a plethora of live

percussion to add the necessary dancefloor bump. He then layers in his “dubtronic sound,” comprised mainly of budget electronics and another J-Boogie signature—vintage keys like the R hodes, Wurly (Wurlitzer), or Sequential Circuits Pro-O ne—to give the nishing touches. It’s been an effective approach for J-Boogie, who has produced two full-length albums and a mixCD for hometown label OM R ecords. But just like a bluesman in search of a good band, J-Boogie says that one of the most crucial tools at his disposal is a “phonebook full of quality musicians.” In playing and recording with a six-piece band, J-Boogie says the experience of working with so many different players also helps expand his production

skills and, crucially, his musical knowledge. When all of the elements from J-B oogie’s “tree” are nally brought together—for instance, on “Inferno” from his latest album Soul Vibration (O m)—the results are far from a retreaded mishmosh of instrumentation, turntables, and lo-tech electronics. T he track is based on a swinging kick drum and bumpin’ bassline that pay homage to the vibrant and deep disco roots of San Francisco. A nd over that funky foundation, O akland rappers L unar Heights drop some proper ow. T he irresistible “Inferno” exempli es J-Boogie’s “dubtronic” approach—simple maybe, but with a crafty D J at the helm, always effective. – Sean-Michael Yoder

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

J-Bo o gie’s D u bt r o nic Science

J-Boogie calls his studio tools “roots, trunk and branches.”

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Back to the

Old

With a Strong Finish in America’s Best DJ Voting,

School Scratch-DJ Legend QBert Remains at the Top of His Game By Jim Tremayne

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

Photos By Peter Samuels

Las Vegas—In the midst of a mini-routine that saw D J QBert perform a forearm-tensing scribble scratch like he was dropping a muscle car into a lower gear—Zzzz-whir-rr-rr-rr!—the other D Js in the room began to make eye contact with each other, as if to simply say, “Whoa.” In a blink, QBert dipped into even slower, more lyrical transformer scratches, then some wildly dexterous crab scratches and a couple of jaw-dropping clover tears. His “R ock the Bells” routine gave way to a “R apper’s D elight” bit, for which he produced the MC’s part of the hip-hop classic on vinyl. T he D Js, stationed just behind QBert’s right shoulder, began to shake their heads. But these D Js weren’t your run-of-the-mill club trainspotters. No, they were at R ouge in the MGM Grand that September night because they were nalists for America’s Best DJ, the online vote maintained by DJ Times and supported by a 40-city U .S. tour (sponsored by Pioneer Pro D J). In a matter of minutes, the room’s dignitaries, which included trance king Christopher L awrence (#1 vote getter), rock/rap/house spinner D J Skribble (#3) and mash-up maven D J Scotty Boy (#5), were blown away. QBert’s routine was part-classic, part-new, but anyone who was there couldn’t help but be knocked out by it. A s usual, the tricks were the crowd-pleasers, but the D Js knew something else, mostly related to QBert’s innate sense of rhythm. It’s intricate, impeccable, almost other-worldly. You either have it or you don’t, and QBert remains one of the very blessed in that category. T o a degree, QBert’s #2 nish in America’s Best DJ voting may be surprising. But it should also be noted that QBert never went away from us. While the rest of the D J world dove deeply into a sea of tricked-out CD players and vinylemulation systems, QBert kept cutting it up with his Vestax 05 Pro mixer and T echnics turntables—old-school style and proud of it. Now, after years of winning battles, developing mind-blowing scratch techniques and dazzling the D J world as a member of the legendary Invisbl Skratch Piklz crew, QBert has taken his skills beyond our national boundaries. He plays much more outside the U .S. than ever before and his reputation certainly precedes him whether he’s playing in South A frica or Japan. But, thanks to a steady stream of YouT ube appearances and DVD releases through his T hudR umble company (like QBert’s Scratchlopedia Breaktannica: 100 Secret Scratches), his in uence hasn’t waned in his homeland. T he proof was in the response from America’s Best DJ voters. So as D J QBert (aka 39-year-old R ichard Quitevis) prepared for a slew of interesting projects in 2009, we caught up with the turntable wizard for his third career DJ Times cover story. DJ Times: It was great to see you in Vegas and the D Js there were thrilled to see your “R apper’s D elight” routine. For those who weren’t there, could you describe exactly what you were doing? QBert: T hanks, well, in that particular piece, I was just being an MC on vinyl with scratching. I was mimicking the lyrics to “R apper’s D elight” with scratching techniques. I don’t really have the whole rap memorized. I’m just going by feeling like a jazz musician would do, improvising by playing another song, but in his interpretation with his instrument. Music is a universal language, so I was

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JANUARY 2009

DJ TIMES 13 048JA09_p001-044.indd 13

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Inspiration: 3 DJs Who Taught QBert 1. Cash Money. He taught me a million-and-one ways of manipulating scratching and juggling. Check the old New Music Seminar battle with him vs. Joe Cooley. 2. Jazzy Jeff. He taught me how to swing the scratch and make it funky. Look for a track called “Magnificent Jazzy Jeff.”

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

3. Mix Master Mike. He taught me to be original and make up your own rules. Listen to “3 MCs and One DJ” or any of Mike’s old crazy mixtapes or albums. This guy is ridiculous.

speaking the rap with my hands, scratching. DJ Times: You nished second in the America’s Best DJ voting. What did that mean to you? Were you surprised? QBert: I couldn’t believe I even placed that high, since I’m still using records. A s far as vinyl is concerned, I think I’m “T he L ast Samurai”! DJ Times: Why? QBert: I enjoy vinyl so much and so does my audience. When I like a track, I do my best to get it pressed on wax or try and emulate that beat at home, then press that up. D Jing with records is an experience and I’ll always love the feel and precision of vinyl. D on’t get me wrong—I experiment at home with a digital setup, too. But when it comes down to the nitty-gritty and scratching, nothing compares to real vinyl. DJ Times: T he audience has different expectations. QBert: If I was in the audience watching a D J, I would much rather see him spinning real records. It looks great seeing the sound coming from the source, the ipping of the records, and the skills involved in all aspects of using vinyl. A ll the nuances can be heard as they are meant to be heard and not a digital translation. I don’t mind if it’s a D J using digital if they are just playing music, but when I want to see some real scratching, then I need to hear it on vinyl. U sually a D J plays with Serato or T raktor, and when they start really scratching, they pull out some vinyl and switch it back to analog—that’s cool, too. DJ Times: T here’s an audible difference.

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Winning DJ Battles: QBert’s 10 Commandments 1. Practice, practice and practice again. 2. Be patient and you will be rewarded. 3. Keep working and the universe will guide you. 4. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, but that you hone your skills. 5. Don’t forget that you are an entertainer as well, so make it fun for everyone and you can’t go wrong. 6. If it’s nervousness, then you need to practice to gain confidence. So when you are onstage, it just becomes like you are playing around and having a good time. 7. Make sure you record yourself, so you know the truth—then adjust from there and record again. The more you do anything, the better you become—so keep doing it, and remember that rest is important, too. 8. Massage your arms, and be gentle. Practice something slow, so when you do it fast, it will be clean—just like tai-chi. 9. Learn your history, study your opponents and think several steps ahead of them. This is one key to creativity. By thinking ahead of them, you are off-shooting your mind into a different realm of creativity. 10. Invent a new style in your head that you can imagine is from a different world and think several steps ahead of that!

QBert: With real L Ps, I love the pops, hiss and the stereo analog sound it has on me for some reason. I noticed that the left speaker will have a different static from the right speaker and it sounds out of this world without you knowing it! It’s just my roots. I love that B-Boy funk from the ’60s and ’70s, and I can never get tired of that raw sound from back then. A lso, I like to be different. If everyone is going one way, then I’m gonna be that fish that swims the opposite direction. You ever go to the aquarium and look at the sardine tank? T here’s always that one sardine, out of the hundreds, going against the ow. I always think, “What the hell is going on in that sh’s mind?” Maybe I’m just crazy, but I like it. DJ Times: So the digital option doesn’t offend you? QBert: I think it’s great, but my rst love is vinyl. Just like a classical pianist will use a grand piano, or an acoustic guitarist will use a wooden guitar. Even what I said earlier about the art of the Samurai, there’s really little use for it in war. But out of passion for the art, there are still tons of people studying sword ghting. DJ Times: D oes digital gear somehow dilute the purity of what you’re doing?

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DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

QBert: Well, for me, yes. Mainly, it’s the feel. I haven’t found a digital system that emulates vinyl 100-percent. A nd you can ask any real scratch D J, not the ones that do it just to do it, but the hardcore scratchers, if this is true—and they will say the same. T hey say you can hear with your ngertips, and this is absolutely true. When you touch vinyl, you can feel and hear the vibrations on the record and you will know where all the sounds are located, as if you were a magician. A ll you old-school D Js know what I’m talking about. I love taking a record out of its sleeve and looking at the cover, the art, the credits, the concept of the album. R ecords are a beautiful experience and I know what that is like. DJ Times: What’s the D J QBert Scratch U niversity? QBert: It’s an online site where people from all over the world can interact with me by uploading videos back and forth with me and we can learn from each other. It should be up at the beginning of 2009. DJ Times: T ell me about T urntable TV. QBert: It’s a scratcher’s video magazine we started in 1997. It was just us at home practicing and stuff. We always thought, “What if our heroes like Joe Cooley had a video of him practicing at home all day? I would love to see that!” A nyway, while recording our vid, things would happen, like someone would ring the doorbell and come in looking for food, or my parents would come in and say stuff like, “Get a job,” and other random stuff that really happened as we were

trying to lm. Kinda like a reality TV show, but with D Jing, and it turned into an underground cult phenomenon. R ecently, I saw some V HS tapes on eBay for $200! DJ Times: What was the idea behind your new DVD ? QBert: Yes, Yogafrog and I just came out with Turntable TV DX. It’s jam-packed with all kinds of crazy scratching from top D Js all over the world, as well as behind-the-scenes raw sessions and goo ness us scratch D Js do for fun. T here are even classic old-scenes from the old V HS series. Plus, you’ll get a bonus: “T he O rigin of Scratchy Seal,” T hud R umble’s mascot. DJ Times: In your mind, what is the state of scratch D Jing and turntablism now? QBert: Now that YouT ube is here, you’ll be amazed at all the crazy scratch music concoctions people do onstage and in their bedroom nowadays. It’s always been underground and it still is underground. But as with any art, it’s always progressing and moving forward in an in nite amount of ways. I now see all ages coming to me and learning about scratching—even guys in their fties! I always tell them to grab our DVD , Do It Yourself Scratching, if they are just starting. But now with this online school we are designing, it will be a lot easier for them to get closer to me. DJ Times: A re you still coming in contact with young D Js interested in learning the kinds of tricks that you’ve always done? QBert: A lways, and I’m a student as well. “Every man will know something more than the next.” I just came from a B-Boy battle, “Mighty 4,” and there were a ton of kids cutting it up, battling and jamming together and freestyling. L ooks like the art is just growing. DJ Times: A t this point in your D J career, what gives you the biggest thrill? What keeps you going? QBert: T he process of creation and making people happy with what I do. I’ve still got that saying stuck in my head: “T he ultimate happiness is in giving, and the ultimate evil is sel shness.” Whenever I give, that loving energy just comes right back to me! T he more people I make happy, then the more happiness comes to me. I’m constantly on the lookout for inspiration from all sources, even when I don’t want to go do something. L et’s say someone invites me to go some place I don’t want to go, something in the back of my head says, “You will learn something there,” and I always do. Sometimes I learn to just stay home and practice and not go out with them again. DJ Times: What is your ideal D J setup when you play out? QBert: Simple and plain: two T echnics turntables; a Vestax 05 Pro mixer QBert version; O rtofon QBert needles; and Butter R ug slipmats. I like my setup traditional and easy to use. O f course, sometimes I bring out the QFO —it’s a turntable and mixer, all in one piece. A lso, for the setup I require a sturdy table so the needles don’t skip, and a table that’s perfect for my height. I’ve learned that the best height is when you make your arms out at a 45-degree angle, forearms parallel to the ground, then drop your hands, and where your ngers land is where the turntable top should be, just like how a piano player would have it. DJ Times: Where do you play now? What are the hotbeds of turntablism/scratch D Jing? QBert: I play all over the world, really—North A merica, A sia, A ustralia, Europe, South A merica, the Middle East, and even A frica. For some reason, scratching is all over the world and you’ll nd D Js everywhere. Music is just too universal to be ignored, especially since they will always need someone to play it for them. DJ Times: Has all the good scratch-D J gear already been invented? If not, what else would you like to see made? QBert: T here is an in nite variety of ideas yet to come into reality. For example, wouldn’t it be nice to D J with a complete system in your pocket? A nd if you wanna get more crazy, what about a device that extracts the sounds you hear in your head? So with that said, we are still in the primitive age of music, but it’s still fun with what we have. I would also like to see more portable mixer/turntable hybrids like the QFO , but from different companies and even smaller, so while we are, let’s say, in a car traveling, or on a plane, we can easily get our cuts on. DJ Times: What’s the most important skill for a D J to learn? QBert: How to entertain the crowd. T hat includes reading the crowd, staying on beat, cleanliness, originality, professionalism, nesse, and music selection. It’s a broad spectrum of categories. But since I am a scratcher, I look to see the musicianship in a turntablist. I wanna hear phrasing, tone, syncopation, variety of rhythms, control of space and silence, all kinds of scratch techniques, and the message they are trying to convey with their scratching. DJ Times: Which D Js impress you? (continued on page 42)

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Holland Daze The Amsterdam dance event features inclusive club gigs, industry-only panels & inspiration aplenty. what’s not to like?

Keizersgracht Connection: The ADE crowd gathers near the Felix Meritis Centre. Photo by Mike Breeuwer

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Amsterdam, Holland—It’s been written in these pages and in others that the Amsterdam Dance Event is one of our industry’s greatest gatherings. And true to its promise, this year’s version—held this past October 22-25—hit its mark again. With only 1,900 attendees—no punters, please—business is easily accomplished among the genuine players. DJs, managers, promoters, and press all enjoy access to each other in a relaxed, but professional environment. Between the Felix Meritis Centre and the nearby Dylan Hotel, ADE seminars are spot-on and focused. This year’s schedule tackled vital topics like music-copyright reform (it’s time for one-stop license shopping) and label survival in the digital era (as always, have the tunes). Once again, the American contingent—including yours truly—was allowed to indulge and inform in our traditional public-cat ght forum (aka “Focus on USA” seminar). Then, as we do, we immediately made up over drinks. And the evening events, which hit more than 40 area venues with over 700 DJs and acts, are simply unparalleled. ADE wristbands, more often than not, assure instant access to the venues and the Amsterdam audiences are wild. Yes, it’s Holland, so there’s trance by the tonnage, including local heroes like Armin van Buuren. But there’s plenty more. If you like old-school house, there’s Stonebridge. If you’re more minimal, there’s Michel de Hey and Sven Väth. Have a jones for video? There’s Addictive TV. If you’re curious, you can hear many different sounds in a night, so it’s hard not to leave The Netherlands somewhat inspired by the experience. With so many people, parties, and bona de business opportunities, the week can become a blur. A couple years ago, DJ Times colleague Phil Moffa and I made a memorable trip to ADE. Stumbling along Amsterdam’s main trio of canals—the Prinsengracht, the Keizersgracht, and the Herengracht—we’d occasionally get lost and attempt to gain our bearings by asking the eternal question: “Which gracht are we on?” Over a short amount of time, we simply began to refer to Amsterdam as “The Gracht.” So, once again, we’ve assembled some images from the show and ask our own eternal question: Who rocked The Gracht this year? Answers provided by myself and U.K.-based correspondents Neil Bowman and Lisa Loco. – Jim Tremayne

By the Numbers: Over four days, nearly 90,000 fans attended ADE’s club parties. Photo by Tillate.com

Live at Loveland: Sweden’s techno maven Aril Brikha wows the Westerliefde club. Photo by Marjolein Scheer

Industry Stew: Delegates like Italy’s Spankox (wearing glasses) make connections in ADE’s Networking Lounge. Photo by Mike Breeuwer

12/9/2008 3:18:49 PM

Who Rocked The Gracht?

By the Numbers, Pt. 2: Nearly 700 DJs and live acts performed during ADE. Photo by Tillate.com

1) Steve Bug & D’Julz @ Nokia Trends Lab/Ovum label night at MTV Studios: Unfortunately, I didn’t catch Josh Wink, but there was a fantastically deep progression here with Steve Bug following D’Julz—and it’s not often that you get to throw shapes in a carpeted room! 2) Shinedoe & 2000 and One @ 100% Pure / Intacto / Remote Area label showcase at Flex Bar: Pure goodness sounded intoxicating through the Funktion One system, as local heroes Shinedoe & 2000 and One went back-to-back, conjuring up an almighty atmosphere. 3) Todd Terje & Prins Thomas @ A Space Disco Inferno at Westerliefde: A lot of spaced-out stuff by Chemistry and All Is One, but the back-to-back session from Todd Terje & Prins Thomas was perhaps most memorable—along with Isis and Egbert Jan Weeber in the other room. – Lisa Loco

Who Rocked The Gracht?

1) DJ Pierre, Phuture 303 @ Deejaybooking.com Afro-Acid Party at Vakzuid: A great night through history and lots of aci-i-id. Phuture 303 realized a lifelong wish to see them live and they didn’t disappoint. 2) Aux 88 @ Klinch: Dave Clarke Presents at Melkweg: More Detroit madness playing to probably only 30 people in a small room, but still managed to inspire and rock it. 3) Dave Clarke @ Klinch: Dave Clarke Presents at Melkweg: On point as usual, he’s got a great and loyal Amsterdam fanbase, which really gets into his deck trickery. Rocking set. – Neil Bowman

Picture Perfect: Photographer Krijn van Noordwijk (right) confabs with Armin van Buuren. Photo by Mike Breeuwer

By the Numbers, Pt. 3: Nearly 45 Amsterdam venues, like Supperclub, participated in ADE’s evening program. Photo by Tillate.com

Melkweg Mania: Tommy Sunshine rocks the Klinch: SuperRauw party. Photo by Marjolein Scheer

My Memories: Kevin Saunderson recalls his origins during the “20 Years of House” panel. Photo by Mike Breeuwer

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Who Rocked The Gracht?

1) Michel de Hey @ Agent Audio Showcase & Plastic Dreams at Studio 80: Minimal, but funky to the bone. Spare, but somehow rollicking at the right moments—less was certainly more that night. An exquisite and original techno set. 2) Tommie Sunshine & Digitalism @ Klinch: SuperRauw at Melkweg: Massive stuttering electro, ripping dance-rock and old-school jams—the Beasties’ “Sabotage” never sounded so good—played to a packed main oor that never quit. A little messy, but that’s alright. 3) Ben Watt/Justin Martin, Charles Webster & Nicolas Matar @ K-Space Sessions Presents Buzzin Fly, Free Range & Cielo at Supperclub. Went there by accident and was initially repelled by the somewhat bourgeois crowd, but stayed because the sleek-and-funky house vibe grabbed hold and wouldn’t let me leave. – Jim Tremayne

12/9/2008 3:18:57 PM

Recovery Effort Although the Recession Has Hit with Full Force, Mobile DJs Can Take These Steps to Weather the Financial Storm

By Jeff Stiles St o ck ma r ket wea l t h fa l l s $8 t r il l io n in a ma t t er o f mo nt hs. Fo r t he in nea r l y a cent u r y, t he U .S. eco no my exper iences y ea r -l o ng shr inka ge. Ret ir ement o v er whel m so o n-t o -be-r et ir ees a s 401k’s l o se 30-per cent o f t heir va l u e. Co r po r a t io ns co nsid er empl o y ee l a yo ffs, a nd fa mil ies wo r r y ho w t heir mo r t ga ge wil l be pa id if t hey l o se t heir jo bs. No , it ’s no t a ho r r o r fil m—it ’s t he r ecent r o l l er -co a st er r id e t he ha s su ffer ed , a nd it ha s been impa ct ing ev er yt hing fr o m t he r ecent pr esid ent ia l el ect io n t o t he pu bl ic’s pl a ns fo r t he fu t u r e. And t ha t pl a ns fo r co u pl es a nd co r po r a t io ns, which impa ct s mo bil e D Js a cr o ss t he na t io n.

fir st t ime

wo r r ies

science-fict io n,

A mer ica n eco no my

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

ment

incl u d es ent er t a in-

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Jeff Greene of Party T ime D Js in D avie, Fla., says he warned at the International D J Expo two years ago that an economic downturn was on the horizon, and even suggested that mobile companies expand their services to offer more to customers in a single appointment. Still, at Party T ime D Js it’s been business as usual after the recent stock-market plunge. “It sucks,” says the South Florida jock, “but we knew it was going to be happening. “I wonder how many show attendees at that D J Expo took me seriously?” W i t h a n e c o n o m i c re c e s s i o n on the horizon, how have mobile D Js been faring—or preparing? We spoke with a number of jocks from around the country, and were actually surprised to nd most of them taking a very optimistic look at the future. Mark Haggerty of D enon & D oyle Entertainment in Pleasant Hill, Calif., says he’s been trying extra hard lately to pay off his high-interest credit cards, but that’s he’s simply been a bystander with all the bailout activities on the Congressional level. “T he year 2009 may be different,” says the Bay A rea D J, “but brides have not been cutting us back so far, although they may be cutting back on decor or things like that.

“I ha v e a wa it -a nd -see a t t it u d e,”

When it comes to the beating his 401k has been taking with the stock market roller-coaster, T owns says it doesn’t matter—he’s in it for the long haul.

DJ TIMES

Ba sica l l y, I’m r u nning my bu siness a s Tho u gh no t hing is wr o ng wit h t he eco no my.”

JANUARY 2009

he continues.“B y Januar y 1, we’ll know more about how the econo my a f f e c t e d o u r D e c e m b e r.” O ver in Middle A merica, Chuck Towns of R ock the Flock Productions in Neenah, Wis., says he has no detailed answer as to what the future holds for the economy, but for the time being he’s not changing a thing about how he runs his business. “Business has actually been steady for us with last year,” he reports. “I’ve spent more on new equipment this year than in years past, and I’ve also spent more on advertising.

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“Yes, I am taking a beating with my 401k, but I won’t need it for retirement for another 20 years, so

I’l l ju st r id e it o u t a nd wa it fo r t hings t o co me

he says. “It always does.” Back on the East coast, Paul Evans of Philadelphia’s Silver Sound D Js also has an optimistic outlook on the economy. “T his is the U nited States of A merica, the land of free enterprise, and things will work themselves out under the doctrine of survival-of-the- ttest,” says Evans. “When the dust settles on this crisis, some operators will be gone; but those who learned to differentiate themselves so they were not viewed as a commodity—the same as the next service—will have won over more business by not solely competing based on price. “If you fall into the commodity trap, this market will eat you alive, but on the high end, those who can be perceived as offering a unique experience will be seen as a value worth stretching for important events such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, proms and VIP corporate events. “Invest in your personal and equipment presentation and in your pre-event preparation, and then do something extra the client does not expect and referrals will ow and keep the revenues coming. U nder-promise and over-deliver—it’s more important now than ever.” In terms of spending, Evans suggests making some short-term cutbacks while delaying investments that are not absolutely necessary.

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“I’m considering holding off on some IT upgrades, server- and workstation-wise,” he says, “but I don’t think that this advice is nearly as important as how to gain more leads and how to close more of them at the right price.” “Pricing is critical. I learned that from D onald T rump’s The Apprentice, with two teams selling lemonade. T he team that was priced right made the most money and won, so I have increased my discounts for Fridays, Sundays and weddings with under 125 guests [a small-group discount], along with offering an off-month discount. We start high, but when our discounts kick in we become ultra-competitive.” A nother Philly-area D J owner, Scott Goldoor reports that he

ha sn’t ma d e a ny d r a st ic fina ncia l pl a ns in r espo nse t o wha t Co ngr ess ha s been d o ing

with the bailout. In fact, there have been no major cutbacks in either spending or for retirement options for this owner of Signature D Js. “T he only thing I’ve really been watching and also talking to some of my competition about—and only a little—is general pricing, and whether to hold or freeze pricing, or raise

or lower it, due to the recession,” says Goldoor. “I’ve spoken with three or four of my biggest competitors, and also allies/colleagues—friendly competition—at a couple D J shows, catering meetings, etc. A couple of my competitors are keeping their prices right where they are, as I have been doing for the last month or so, while one is actually lowering his prices by anywhere from 10-percent to 20-percent, depending on the month. His reasoning is to keep his D Js busy and working. “I guess his mentality is that it’s better to work and make a little money than none at all.” Goldoor says his own decade-long philosophy, on the other hand, has been to charge more and work less. “T hat’s not to say I want my sales to taper off considerably,” says Goldoor, who also noted that his sales were off 5- to 8-percent for 2008, compared to 2007. “But looking at my projections we should be just about where we were in last year. Considering our dire economy and everything else going on, that’s really not too bad.” O ut in L oveland, Col., Brian Howe of Pure Energy Events says he saw the recent economic downturn coming a year ago, and started planning at that stage. “First of all, I sold my expensive cars and paid cash for two used cars that run very well and require very little maintenance,” says the D enverarea D J. “T hen, I used as much extra income as I could to pay off all my credit cards and cancel them out completely—aside from one for online purchases and travel. I also started an emergency savings account in a mutual fund that earns around (continued on page 42)

12/4/2008 10:13:24 Pm

Respec

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ma k in g t r a c k s

St u d io …h a r d w a r e…so f t w a r e…

F or the past two decades the Mackie brand has become synonymous with quality sound. In early 2008, the W oodinville, W ash.-based company rolled out its new monitor line, the MR Series. Built upon the same architecture as its highly acclaimed HR 824 studio monitors, the MR Series comes at a fraction of the price—this MR speaker line offers two alternatives, the MR 5 (5-inch unit, $170 MA P) and the MR 8 (8-inch unit, $279 MA P). A t rst glance, these active monitors are curvy and sexy. T he matte black nish is basic and the contoured cabinet provides an elegant appearance. I was immediately impressed with the sturdy build quality. T he ef cient bi-ampli cation system pumps 150 watts in total—50 watts to the tweeters and 100 watts to the woofer. T hese Mackies boast a smooth frequency response range from 40H z to 20kH z. T he recessed molded baf e for the silk dome tweeter creates a wider dispersion of sound, thus providing a large sonic “sweet spot.” T he 8-inch woofer is encased in a steel frame for minimal distortion. A single, white LED indicates the speakers are getting power and acts as a visual cue if they begin clipping. T he rear panel sports three input options; XLR (balanced), ¼-inch (balanced), and RCA (unbalanced). T here is a rotary knob controlling the input level, as well as a power switch. O ne of the most intelligent features of the MR 8s is the high- and low-frequency lters. T hey allow the user to adjust the speakers to compensate for the different spatial characteristics any studio. T here is also a large bass re ex port which is designed to produce minimal port noise. T he speakers are magnetically shielded, which is important for anyone still using older CRT -type monitors.

By Nate Sherwood

Mackie Monitors: Clean, Powerful

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

Making music? Need solid, affordable studio monitors? Try Mackie's new entry--the MR8.

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Mackie’s MR8: Powerful, affordable studio monitors.

T o begin testing these speakers, I hooked them up directly to my computer to see how they would stand up in a true production environment. My initial reaction was that they are extremely powerful—they really knock. I was impressed with the ultra- at noise response and the neutral sound that was produced across a full frequency spectrum. I’ve found that many studio monitors in this price bracket seem to have a very colored sound—also, many 8inch speakers are overly bass-heavy to compensate for the small low-end transducers. F ortunately, the MR 8s put out raw, clean sound. I would easily use these monitors as my primary reference source and feel con dent that my mixes will translate well on club systems or normal home situations. A fter many hours of mixing, my ears were barely fatigued, which is a tremendous bene t to any studio junkie. O ne inherent problem that I run into is that my studio is an odd shape—it’s a long, rectangular room, which isn’t ideal for a sonically “true” environment. T he EQ adjustments really helped out. A t rst, my mixes

seemed to be a bit bright, but after switching the high-frequency lter to -2db, everything evened out. T his is a great feature that many other reference monitors seem to lack. I decided to test the volume limits of the MR 8s, and was almost blown away. A fter listening at deafening levels for a couple of minutes, I was finally able to get the speakers to distort and clip, but at this point I was pushing the volume beyond reasonable listening limits. T here is plenty of headroom in these enclosures and the bi-ampli ed sound remained even and consistent as the volume increased. T he lows were deep and full, while the highs sparkled with crystal clarity. I was also surprised with the large “sweet spot” produced by the MR 8s. W hether I was rolling side to side at my desk, or even walking over to the back of my studio, the music was very consistent and the volume didn’t dip very much. Listening to monitors while mixing a track can become monotonous and doesn’t always show the speakers’ full capacity, so I decided to plug them into my trusty Mackie d.4 mixer and use them as monitors, while I recorded a couple of mix-CD s. F irst off, Mackie products complement each other and the MR 8s made my mixer sound the best that I have ever heard it. I started out with some old-school jams, beginning with Melle Mel’s classic “W hite Lines.” T he rolling bassline rattled my booth, while the highs were pronounced and full. W hen pushing the volume to extreme limits, the vocals seemed to get a little lost in the music; however, no one in their right mind would mix music at those levels. Moving onto some classical pieces, I found each individual instrument to be de ned, while still keeping its place in the orchestra. W hen playing pumping techno, the kick was strong and punchy and the hi-hats sparkled. In the past, I’ve used a smaller S ony sound system when making mixes, but the sound is very inconsistent and extremely loud. My mixing sessions are often cut short by my neighbors banging on the door, sometimes fuming because their walls are (continued on page 42)

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10/29/2008 10:14:35 9:31:31PM AM 12/4/2008

so u n d in g o f f

mixer s…pr o a u d io …PLA YBACK

By Nate Sherwood & Paul Dailey

Laptop solution & Mackin’ mixer Two different directions here: Nate Sherwood handles Stanton’s UberStand, while Paul Dailey reviews Vestax’s PMC-580.

Stanton’s UberStand: From at to rack and back in seconds.

DJ TIMES DECEMBER JANUARY 2009 2008

Stanton UberStand

Ever since I’ve been D Jing with a laptop, I constantly run into the same problem: H ow can I t my computer into a cramped D J booth? A lmost every laptop stand on the market is either too bulky or just not designed to be portable. H ollywood, F la.-based S tanton (stantondj.com) has recognized this and developed an intuitive little solution that is essential for any jock that relies on their laptop during gigs. T he U berStand is a collapsible rack system designed to fold neatly to t into any record bag or box with ease. F rom the minute I received the U berStand, I was in awe of its compact size. It is 12-inches-by-12-inches, and less than an inch thick. It’s about the size of ve or six actual records. T he body is crafted from aircraftgrade aluminum, while a stainlesssteel rack system acts as the legs and arms. A ll of the aluminum has been milled so there are no sharp corners; the rubber feet and arms assure that your laptop will sit snug. T here is a removable, adjustable shelf unit which snaps into place under

the laptop. It is the perfect space for an external hard drive or the digital interface for mixing programs such as Serato or T raktor. In addition to its use as a laptop stand, it can also work as a rack for a MIDI controller or a small keyboard for D Js that travel with a lot of gear. Included accessories: a nylon bag for travel; a pair of plastic zip ties; and a strip of Velcro-style fastener, which can be used for additional stability. W hile road testing the U berStand, I was genuinely impressed. T his stand is well-built, lightweight, and amazingly portable. T he collapsible feature works on a clever hinge system; one hinge on the top rack and one on the bottom. In order to set up the U berStand, all you need to do is fold the feet and arms forward—that’s it. It goes from “ at” to “rack” in less than 10 seconds. In comparison, my old laptop stand resembled a black metal erector set that took forever to set up in a dark club. T he U berS tand is designed to t over any standard turntable or can sit directly over the mixer. T his ensures that there is plenty of visibility, while allowing enough room for the D J to cut, scratch, and mix without the

laptop being intrusive. My only concern with this unit is that the hinge system could prove fatal if it was accidentally bumped hard enough, but that’s where the plastic zip ties come into play. T he weight of the laptop keeps the unit rather secure, but if someone pushed the front of the computer, the unit could potentially fall backwards. H owever, S tanton’s advanced design provides a series of small holes at each of the hinges, as well as the shelf which can be secured by the zip ties. W hen put in place, the U berStand is rock solid. I’ve carried it in my D J bag for months now, and I tend to be pretty rough on my equipment. It’s been dropped and banged around dozens of times and there isn’t a scratch on it. O verall, I would rank the U berS tand as one of the best products that I’ve reviewed in 2008. It’s a clever piece of gear that addresses a direct need for anyone that uses a laptop to D J. I love the fact that I can clearly see my laptop’s display and mix freely while knowing that my beloved laptop is secure. T he MA P of $79.99 is a small price to pay for that kind of piece of mind.

Straight out of the box, the PMC 580 gleams with shiny patterned metal surfaces and enough LED lights to illuminate a dark room. T here are lots of controls, but the main ones are well-placed and well-considered. You have a large wet/dry effect level, smooth knobs, and a crossfader that’s clear from obstructions, which is not common with mixers in this space. N ovice users may nd the PMC -580 daunting, but after a few minutes of actually playing around, everything will start to fall into place. T he rear-panel section has a multitude of input and output possibilities. A ll four channels can accept both a line level and a phono input. In addition, C hannels 2 and 3 have digital inputs—there’s a digital master output if that is your preference—and a USB in/out jack, which I will discuss later. A feature I love: Both the booth and master outputs have XLR and balanced ¼-inch options. T his makes such a difference in being able to easily hook up the PMC -580 to nearly any sound system. T he PMC -580 Pro has a massive AC adaptor. But, as this mixer was clearly designed with the installation market in mind, it really isn’t a big

Vestax PMC-580

Vestax have been in the D Jmixer game for a long time and, while they have always had 3and 4-channel mixers in its arsenal, the Japan-based company has been slower in battling Pioneer and A llen & H eath in the high-end mixer game. Enter the PMC -580 Pro Professional Mixing C onsole, a primarily digital mixer with robust build and a dizzying array of Vestax PMC-580: Great features. sound, loaded with nifty features.

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issue. A fter I hooked up two Pioneer CD J-1000s, two T echnics 1200s, and my Soundbite Pro sampler, I was ready to fire up the beast and get down to it. Each of the four main channels has countless options and again, once O n top of all the channel effects, you get comfortable with their use, there is an additional master effects they make complete sense. T here is section, which you can apply to the a 3-band EQ, which can be used in master output, or assign to A or two formats—one operates in norB channels. A dded here are some mal +/-12dB mode, the other (called additional effects like tremolo and isolator) offers full kills on each freauto pan, as well as a BPM section, quency. T here are large, illuminated effect time section, tap count (for cue buttons and six selectable effects LLP4735 when the internal TIMES engine AD:Layout falls off), DODGE_DJ buttons, which allow D Js to apply and selectable beat keys (similar to a different effects to different channels simultaneously. T he channel faders on my test model were a little stiff at rst, but loosened up after a short period of time. T here is also a front panel adjustment for both the crossfader and the channel faders, which was an unexpected touch on a mixer in this category. T he crossfader felt smooth, but even selecting the sharpest available curve, my cuts were not as sharp and responsive as I had hoped. W hile this is surprising, considering that Vestax scratch mixers are the cream of the crop, I can’t see too many turntablists working with the PMC -580 Pro, so maybe it is a moot point. W hile the basics of this mixer are certainly solid and well considered, I need to be honest in saying that it is the effects section that really had me interested. T he application of effects selectors next to each channel is a change from mixer designs, and the ability to “effect” the mic made for some crazy discoveries. A nother great addition is the ability to select momentary mode, which throws in effects for a short burst, sort of like engaging a transform button. T his is much faster than the on/off switch on other mixers, and has some strong creative uses. R eady to give the six choices of channel effects a whirl, I dropped a beat and got down to playing around with each. Loop is actually pretty good and, while it is nearly impossible to play back multiple loops from multiple sound sources simultaneously as a means to add a short breakdown or roll to the main track playing, it is incredibly effective. D elay/ Low K ill D elay, R everb, and F langer are as their names suggest pretty standard kit. T he one I liked best was the F ilter Sweep, which “effected” the sound in a smooth, pleasing manner. My only word of caution: U nlike my trusty A llen & H eath 92, the PMC 580 has one knob that does it all. So you really need to play around to nd the sweet spot. T wist the effects level knob a bit too far and the lter morphs from high-pass to low-pass, and your dancefloor will wonder what just happened.

recognize it and, even after I worked it out, it appeared only capable of recording the master output—good for recording mixes, sure. O verall, I liked the PMC -580 Pro a lot. It has some great features, a very strong build, intuitive layout, and Pioneer EF X unit), with lengths rangsounds nearly as good as my A llen ing from 1/8 of a beat, to eight beats & H eath 92. I have to be honest in available. I honestly had more fun saying that it is intimidating out of with the channel-based effects, but the box, but if you have the money liked the ability to also “effect” the to spend ($1,999 MA P), and the time entire mix quickly and easily. to invest in learning how to use the W hile the inclusion of US B on advanced features, you would be hard the PMC -580 is worth mentioning, it is limited in its capabilities. It took 1 11/24/08 10:31 AM Page 1 pressed to nd a better mixing environment. some work to get my computer to

UberStand is a clever piece that

addresses a direct need for laptop DJs.

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Available everywhere books are sold

12/4/2008 10:14:41 PM

mo bile pr o f ile

c a r eer s…in n o va t io n s…su c c ess st o r ies

By Sharon K. O’Neill Minneapolis—Bill Hermann is that rare bird: his dad urged him to get into acting and his mother wanted him to be a singer. What Mr. And Mrs. Hermann produced instead is a Twin

C ity D J with an intriguing approach—and their son didn’t need to abandon his stagecraft. It’s H ermann’s acting background—summer stock, starting as a pre-teen apprentice to b-list names like Pat Paulson and G ene R ayburn—that provides him with a most valuable tool when organizing a wedding gig: the gift of story, the ability to impose on every event a beginning, middle and an end, to unearth drama from sources previously believed to be barren. A nd like every D J who punches above his weight, every successful gig begins at the consultation, where he casts his net far and wide. “I spend a lot of time collaborating with the couple,” says H ermann, the 44-year-old sole proprietor of Bill H ermann Entertainment. “W hen we meet face to face, I try to get them to share their lives with me. I want to know their story: W ho they are? W here are they from? W hat are their parents like? W hat are they doing now for work? H ow did they meet? H ow did they fall in love? I want to hear about their rst kiss, their rst ‘I love you.’ I want to know if she thinks he’s a dork, and I want to know if he thinks she’s hot. I want to know if there are problems with the families. H ow did the parents get together? H ow did the parents affect their children’s lives? H ow did the kids affect theirs?” A s you can tell, Bill H ermann wants to know a lot. “I look at a wedding from a theatrical standpoint,” says H ermann. “You don’t have a crowd, you have an audience; you don’t have an event, you are telling a story, with chapters, crescendos, drama and emotion. W henever I hear a D J say that every wedding seems the same, I think, ‘It’s because you’re allowing it to be!’ T o that D J I would say: ‘You can put purpose and meaning in a D ollar D ance. Just ask why is it being done? W hy is the D ollar D ance, or anything, for that matter, important to the bride and groom? A nd why is it important to the audience?’ “My job—and every D J’s job, to a point—is to gure out from the couple and the families why things that they request are important to them, and to communicate it to the audience. It’s about getting the audience to pay attention. A nd with story, you can do that. Everybody is attracted to a story, even if you’re not very good at telling one. Just try this: walk into a bar and start telling a story or a joke, and people will listen, simply because you started telling it. It’s why you can’t stop watching a movie, even if you’ve seen it a thousand times; the brain wants to move forward from a beginning, logically, to a middle and then an end.” A s for H ermann’s own beginning, it started in F lint, Mich., the son of a hospital anesthetist, and moved around to several N orthern Michigan towns. Like so many D Js, he was a childhood showoff with a need for attention. A s a 12-year-old, he nagled his way into a school-news reporter position at a local radio station. By the ninth grade, he made practical use of his huge vinyl collection and D Jed a holiday party at the hospital that employed his dad. O ut of high school, he was unable to shake the radio bug and enrolled at Brown Institute in Minneapolis. A fterwards, he drifted to C onnecticut for radio work, then back to Michigan, and in 1989 he made a decision. “I decided to no longer be a gypsy,” he says. “I went back to Minneapolis—it was

Twin City DJ Rejects Same Old Story

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

Tale-Teller: Bill Hermann offers clients a unique twist.

a place for me to go where my parents didn’t live, and it was a nice town.” H e cobbled together work, as a D J at weddings, at nightclubs, as a comedy club manager, and as a karaoke jock. It was the karaoke job that changed his life. “T hat’s where I met my wife,” he says. “A nd she said to me, ‘Look, I’m doing pretty good running my hairdressing business—why don’t you choose one thing, anything, acting, radio, D Jing, one thing, and focus on that.’” H ermann was smart enough to realize that before him was a real opportunity. H e chose D Jing. Slowly, he began making a name for himself, tried to run some advertising, but found that the best way to market himself was the relationship he established with his clients. “F irst off, at a gig, I look like U ncle C harlie,” he says. “O r I look like I work for the facility. T he audience doesn’t know I’m the D J until I start telling a story about the couple. Entertainment can move the reception from point A to point B, even if it seems unlikely. If, for example, I get a request to play ‘C omfortably N umb,’ it might be slow enough to clear the oor of the G reat Mall; but you can get away with it if you have a story behind it, it becomes meaningful to the audience if it has meaning to the couple. T here’s momentum and crescendo in everything. If the couple understands that’s what I’m trying to create, they become willing participants.” G enerally, about 50 or so willing participants book H ermann’s services every year. A s a result, today H ermann has two kids, a house, two cars and a boat. “I have a real life,” he says, “but money was never the reason I got into it. I feel I need to make money, obviously, but I feel satis ed with providing a real special day for the couple, rst.” A nd that’s where H ermann sees the business going. F or him, every gig is an act of love. “I pick my clients—that’s the key to a good reputation. I’m stacking the deck. I’ll only work someone’s event who I know I can make happy; if they see the magic of what I can do for them. “If they’re going to let me do this when I’m 80-years old, I’m gonna,” says H ermann. “I know to some it doesn’t seem very lofty, but I want to do what I can for people as long as I can. It just blows me away that these people, years after I’ve done their wedding, still ask how I am, and how my kids are doing. T here just isn’t anything better, for an actor, an artist, than that.”

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bu sin ess lin e

sa les…ma r k et in g …so lu t io n s…

A fter meeting socially on several occasions, D J Mike asked Lenny to join his multi-system mobile entertainment operation. Lenny, a novice who had bought some audio gear and practiced with it at home and at house parties, had “T he R ight Stuff” to succeed as a disc jockey, and Mike assumed the task of molding him into the kind of entertainer that would do a great job representing his business. Mike spent countless hours over the course of a year training his newbie on all aspects of performance and customer service. Lenny came along quickly, graduating from roadie to D J, and then to a full- edged MC . A s a savvy business owner, Mike even had Lenny sign a non-compete agreement so he could rest assured that his new recruit would stay with his company for many years to come. N eedless to say, Mike was stunned, hurt, disappointed and angry when after only two years, D J Lenny left to start his own service. Mike felt robbed of his investment, and the last thing in the world he needed was another competitor in his area. Mike took Lenny to court over the non-compete agreement, but the judge ruled in Lenny’s favor because the contract wasn’t worded speci cally enough to stick. W here did D J Mike go wrong? If this sad tale has happened to you or you fear it might—relax and listen up. DJ Times has some good advice on ways to turn your D Js into loyal, long-term, highly motivated ambassadors for your company. H ere are some creative ideas to get you started.

By Stacy Zemon

10 Ways to Keep Your DJs Happy

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

Help your DJs get tipped. You can do this by adding a clause to your client contract that states, “G ratuities are at the client’s sole discretion—10- to 15-percent is standard for an excellent performance.” T each your D Js the tricks of the trade for receiving higher tips, such as providing the groom with a rose to give to the bride, turning down the meal, helping to wait on the head table, releasing the tables for the buffet line, and looking for any opportunity

Offer a $100 bonus for new DJ referrals. T he bonus should be available to all of your staffers, and it is best to give it only if you hire the person and he/she stays with your company for at least six months.

Create a rst-class company image and a positive work environment. Your staff will be proud to be associated with a company that has an excellent reputation and commands top dollar for its services. S et an example as a strong yet understanding leader. Share your company’s triumphs with your D Js at monthly meetings that start off with pizza followed by a one-hour focused agenda. Such gatherings help your employees bond with one another, offer an opportunity for you to publicly acknowledge people and hand out awards, as well as being an excellent time for your D Js to share their successes and challenges in order to learn from one another.

Pay your DJs well and fairly. T he factors to consider in paying your D Js for an event include: talent, type of event, travel distance, number of hours, and event-planning responsibility. A lso, whether or not the D J provided the client lead, closed the sale, was requested by the client, and if the D J provides the equipment and music. Lastly, the length of employment with your company. T he compensation for your D Js should range between 25-percent to 70-percent of the amount of the client contract.

rest on their laurels. So, motivate your employees to continue striving for their best by giving your consistently top performers rst dibs on new gigs.

to go the extra mile with customer service.Your D Js will be grateful to have earned the extra $50 to $100 or more per gig, and this perk didn’t cost you anything.

Let your DJs keep their overtime money. T his should apply to overtime requested by a client at an event, not in advance. It is a great incentive for an employee to know that they get to keep 100-percent of the dividends from a jammin’ party at which a happy client asks him or her to extend the playing time.

Launch an employee recognition program. Provide $50 to $100 cash-value gift cards to those who receive “X” number of high ratings from client satisfaction surveys. Praise a winning employee publicly in front of the other D Js at your monthly employee meeting while presenting him or her with a hand-written greeting card from you with the gift card tucked inside.

Provide more frequent work for your top performers. Seniority is a good thing because it means a D J has been with your company for some time; however, in our business no one gets to

Provide rate increases every 4 to 6 months, based on evaluations. R aises should be earned through consistent quality performances determined by client satisfaction surveys, and adherence to your company’s standards, policies and procedures. A potential pay raise is an excellent incentive for your D Js to continually want to better their best. F or those who slack off, however, pay decreases can also be made. C onsider starting a newbie at 25-percent of the gross income for a gig and topping out at 70-percent, which should take at least a few years to reach. Praise people when they perform well, and give criticism constructively (and privately) when called for.

Provide a training program for new DJs. T o initiate the newcomer into your business, have regular training sessions that include a combination of lecture, hands-on-practice, observation with your other D Js at events, and on-the-job supervised performance prior to going solo. Your thorough training agenda should cover all aspects of performance sequenced in a logical order, as well as your company’s policies, procedures and standards—all set forth in a comprehensive training manual.

Provide quality tools for your DJs. D epending upon how your business operation is set up, this can include providing a training program, high quality sound (continued on page 42)

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Profile: DJ Rekha 11 of 20 Real Name: Rekha Malhotra Alias: DJ Rekha Home: London, U.K./Westbury, Long Island, but currently Brooklyn, N.Y. Age: 37 Profession: DJ/Cultural Instigator/Chief Rocker of Sangament, Inc. Hobby: Being Punjabi, Cooking Last Book Read: “The Importance of Music to Girls” by Lavinia Greenlaw Last Film Seen: “Persepolis” Claim To Fame: Bringing Bhangra to the masses Latest Accomplishment: Making Italian meatballs with homemade sauce. Greatest Accomplishment: Getting a picture in the New York Times of my mom dancing. Why I Do What I Do: Free drinks One Tune That Never Leaves Your Record Box: “Real Love” by Mary J. Blige My Big Musical Project for 2008-09 Is: Ableton Live + Bollywood Remixes + Bhangra Mash-ups + Importing everything into Serato

Best Party Moment: Basement Bhangra 10th Anniversary at Hammerstein Ballroom

Worst Party Moment: Anytime there is a power failure during a gig

Profile: For more than a decade, Ms. Malhotra

has run Basement Bhangra, one of New York City’s most successful parties and, in doing so, has become one of our great musical ambassadors. Her 2007 CD, DJ Rekha Presents Basement Bhangra, offers a tasty sampling of the event, which merges traditional Bhangra music of South Asia and hip-hop beats of today. In 2000, Rekha founded Sangament (“sangam” is Hindi for confluence—a place where two rivers flow together), a production company that provides music consulting services and produces live events like Basement Bhangra and Bollywood Disco.

I STARTeD ReADING DJ TIMeS IN: 1993.

DJ Times: Fits every Profile C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

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g ea r

A u d io …lig h t in g …st u f f

Fast T-RackS

Purple Haze

IK Multimedia US LLC 1153 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy Sunrise, Fl. 33323 (954) 846-9101 www.ikmultimedia.com

Sense of Direction

Echo Digital Audio Corporation 6450 Via Real Suite 1 Carpinteria, CA 93013 (805) 684-4593 www.echoaudio.com

EastWest 6000 W. Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028 (323) 957-6969 www.soundsonline.com

T -R ackS 3 is the latest mastering and mixing suite from IK Multimedia. It offers nine processors—including three new analog and vintage emulations and two new digital processors in addition to the four processors found in the T -R ackS . T he program, which includes both standalone and plug-in versions in the same package, comes with a built-in metering section that features a spectrum analyzer and meters for RMS, phase, peak and perceived loudness.

D Js who use notebooks with ExpressC ard slots can make use of Echo’s Indigo IO x and Indigo D Jx. Both are compatible with W indows XP and Vista. T he Indigo IO x comes with one 1 /8-inch stereo input, one 1/8-inch stereo output, eight virtual outputs, and low-latency drivers the company says will support all major pro audio software. Indigo D Jx features two independent stereo 1/ 8-inch analog outputs, with one designed for setting up the cue mix and the other designated for the house mix. Its also comes with eight virtual outputs and features a headphone amp and a volume control knob for the headphone output.

C hris H ein H orns Vol. 2 – Section H orns is a library of 17 solo instruments and 10 section combinations that’s based on N ative Instruments’ K ontakt Player 2. It services a variety of musical styles, including pop, jazz, funk and big band with more than 2,000 samples of alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet, tenor trombone, and bass trombone. A ccording to the company, the library includes different legato and play modes, as well as key-vibrato, hotkeys, and a key-switch concept that helps replicate the feeling of a live performance.

Hood Winked

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

PowerFX Systems AB P.O. Box 20061 SE-104 60 Stockholm, Sweden +46 (-8) -660 99 10 www.powerfx.com

Hoodtronica offers hip hop and electronica producers 1,099 loops, drum hits and MIDI fills, as well as F X loops, REX files and 28 A cidized construction kits. T he program also includes two VST instruments—T he H ütkins Synth and Mini D rumz K itz. T he former features 54 instruments and three instrument layers, while the latter contains 40 drum kits, including retro beat boxes. T he program can be downloaded from the PowerF X W eb site.

Batten Down the Hatches Chauvet Lighting 3000 N. 29th Court Hollywood, FL 33020 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com

T he CO LOR dash Batten DMX-512 LED bank system comes in three-, four-, 10-, and 12-channel con gurations. Its automated programs can be triggered by DMX or master/slave modes, and the user can add custom programs to both modes. T hirteen of the units can be linked together. Each operates with a 30-degree lens standard, though a 15-degree lens is available. A dditional features include an LCD display with password protection and a double-bracket yoke.

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g ea r

A u d io …lig h t in g …st u f f

Traktor Beam

Get Things Straight

Native Instruments USA 5631 A Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90028 (866) 556-6487 www.native-instruments.com

Audio-Technica U.S., Inc 1221 Commerce Drive Stow, OH 44224 (330) 686-2600 www.audio-technica.com

N ative Instruments built upon its T raktor software to create T raktor Pro and T raktor Scratch software. T he former includes four full-featured decks, a Sync Lock function, MIDI controller integration, and “quantized navigation” for users to jump between loops and cue points. In all, the program offers more than 20 algorithms including effects like “Mulholland D rive,” “Iceverb” and “R everse G rain.” T raktor Scratch Pro combines the T raktor Pro software with the A udio 8 D J interface.

A udio-T echnica’s ATH -M50 studio headphones are now available in a straight-cable version. T he single-sided 11-foot straight cable terminates to a 3.5-mm stereo connector with a screw-on ¼-inch adapter. T hese headphones sport all of the same features and price point as the original coil-cabled model.

Fruit of the Vinyl Numark 200 Scenic View Drive Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 658-3131 www.numark.com

D Js can turn their vinyl records into MP3 les with N umark’s PT -01USB.T his battery-powered USB turntable system utilizes EZ Vinyl C onverter 2 software, as well as A udacity software and G racenote MusicID technology. T he unit is compatible with PC or Mac, and Mac users get additional EZ A udio C reator 2 software. It connects to a PA or stereo system via RCA line output, or can be used for standalone listening thanks to its built-in monitoring speaker. T he unit comes with a cartridge, USB cable, and protective dustcover.

T wo models make up N ady’s new J-S eries line of speakers—the J-12M and J-15M. Both handle 700 watts of power and feature titanium horn drivers, titanium tweeters with one-inch voice coils, and a scratch-resistant epoxy nish on its cabinet. A dditional features include wide-angle dispersion horns, second order internal crossover with tweeter surge protection circuit, and both Speakon and 1.4-inch connections.

DJ TIMES

Nady Systems 6701 Shellmound Street Emeryville, CA 94608 (510) 652-2411 www.nady.com

JANUARY 2009

Blue J Way

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g ea r

A u d io …lig h t in g …st u f f

Out of Pocketstudio Catch Some Sunrays

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

American DJ 4295 Charter Street Los Angeles, CA 90058 (800) 333-0644 www.americandj.com

TASCAM 7733 Telegraph Road Montebello, CA 90640 (323) 726-0303 www.tascam.com

T he S unray T ri LED DMX is the latest version of A merican D J’s S unray LED centerpiece effect. It incorporates 34 138-degree LED beams in red, blue, green, purple, white, yellow, and cyan into a “mirrorball-type” rotating sphere effect. T he Sunray T ri LED DMX runs as a standalone effect or with a standard DMX-512 controller.

T he D P-004 D igital Pocketstudio portable four-track digital recorder sports a pair of unbalanced ¼-inch inputs for mic and line signals, stereo mixdown track, and a series of dedicated knobs and buttons. A metronome, tuner, and stereo microphone are built into the recorder, which also features autopunch recording, track editing and an undo function. T he unit is USB 2.0-compatible for transferring tracks and mixes to a computer. T he D P-004 records to SD C ard media.

Ear Mark

Analyze This

Pioneer Electronics USA 2265 E 220th Street Long Beach, CA 90810 (310) 952-2000 www.pioneerprodj.com

American Music & Sound 5304 Derry Avenue, Suite C Agoura Hills, California 91301 (866) 474-7711 www.americanmusicandsound.com

Pioneer’s HD J-2000 headphones have an enclosed “over-ear” design with ear pads made of Polyurethane foam in order to isolate the sound. T he large 50-mm driver helps deliver a wide frequency response. A dditional features include a mini XLR connection, swivel mechanism that turns the ear cups 90 degrees, and a mono/stereo switch that combines the audio signal for single-ear monitoring.

Mixed in K ey Version 4.0 is a collaboration between Mixed in K ey and A llen & H eath. D esigned for both PC and Mac, the software analyzes MP3 and WAC les to determine the track’s key and the other tracks with which it is harmonically compatible. W hile scanning, the software is also able to determine if the volume is too loud, if the song is off key, or if there are too many clipped peaks.

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g r o o ves

t r a c k s…mixes…c o mpila t io n s

“Trentemøller Live in Concert” EP  Trentemøller  Poker F lat A nders T rentemøller is one of the most compelling live performers in the world of electronic music, and this EP of four live versions (and 3 unreleased remixes), truly shows why. T ransitioning seamlessly from ambient to drum-n-bass, from techno to deep, trippy vibes, he is as exciting as he is talented. Quality release.

– Paul Dailey Josh Gabriel

“Hell No”  Judy Torres  N Y2London T orres’s amazing voice shines on remixes by Moran and R igg, Berrios, C arrillo, and G rant. O n this empowering anthem, Moran and R igg push a mainstream feel with pulsating synths.

tional vocals. Producer G rey offers beautiful, epic, pianoladen builds, gripping basslines, twisted keys and clever drum programming to bring us this classic-feeling, hands-inthe-air dance oor anthem. Peak-hour tune for sure!

– Shawn Christopher “Passin’ Thru’’  Pousseez vs. Demarkus Lewis  T one C ontrol Pousseez and D emarkus Lewis blend H annah K hemoh’s smooth, deep, sultry vocals with slick and soulful hooks on this ultra-groovy house tune. A tjazz brings a heavier, techier feel with brilliant builds, dark, edgy keys, solid tribal drums and mega-basslines that transform this into a peak-hour extravaganza. T he instrumentals are hot as well. D on’t sleep on this one!

– Shawn Christopher

– Dave Fairman

Trentemøller

“Chapter Four: Dreamatic” EP

“Tigerstyle”  Daley Padley  1T rax

 King Roc  Mutual Society Label chief Martin D awson (aka K ing R oc) returns with another compelling four-tracker. T he standout cut is “T irades,” a groovy, proggy mover with deep, lush keys and a hypnotic vibe that will win over any dance oor.

Padley has been standing out from the crowd with productions that rise above the glut of average electro ooding the market. “T igerstyle” continues the trend with deep drums and a driving groove. If you like it dirty, you should be hunting this down.

– Curtis Zack

– Paul Dailey “I Put My Faith In You”

 Chris Fortier  EQ G rey F our quality remixes of F ortier tunes, from some of the most talented producers in the world of techno. T he C oalition of K illing remix of “U nder Your N ose” is a slow building destroyer, while the Patrick Zigon mix is deep, late mover. A lso, the Mark Broom version is a big-room monster.

 Morten Trust  Morehouse H uge when originally released, this T rust classic returns with new mixes. Prime-time versions come from D irty F req and the G roove Junkies, both of which offer freshness.

– Paul Dailey “You Got Me Workin’”  Mark Broom  F lux

Clara Moto

O ne of my favorite techno producers for nearly a decade now, Broom continues his studio assault. A solid C hristopher Benjamin remix aside, it is the original that really makes moves here. F rom the bubbling 303 bassline to the compelling vocal samples, this is a truly monstrous track.

– Paul Dailey “Silently” EP  Clara Moto  InF ine W hile the title cut will likely get the attention, it is the other three tracks that really show Moto’s growth as an artist. “Sancy C at” is a deeply haunting minimal romp, while “H azel” is subtle and delicate, perfect for a latenight chill session. Exceptional EP.

– Paul Dailey “It’s Not Your Job”  Da Lata  Papa

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

Judy Torres

O riginally a downtempo A frican-in uenced number, this latest release gets a makeover from Yass and T he Layabouts. Yass comes out on top by not venturing too far from the original, while upping the tempo and adding plenty of energy.

– Curtis Zack “Unchain It”  Richard Grey feat. ZoëXenia  Pacha F emale vocalist ZoëXenia (N etherlands) tears the roof off the house with these deep, powerful, soulful and inspiraDa Lata

048JA09_p001-044.indd 36

Corner

Download

Chris Fortier

As Long As the Moment Remixed

– Curtis Zack

Each month in this space, DJ Times digs through the virtual crates to give you a quick sample of the plethora of extraordinary tracks available exclusively on legal download—care of our favorite next-generation “record” stores (e.g. Beatport, iT unes, etc). “Dog” (Original Mix) by Adam Shaw [mau5trap Recordings]: T he white-hot producer D eadmau5 becomes label honcho with mau5trap and successfully seeks out this new artist. “D og” loyally follows the mouse-tradition with fat beats, a heavy dose of analog keyboard stabs, and a hands-in-the-air, white-noise lled break. T he only feature that strays is a good touch of subtleness. F ound at beatport.com. “Recife” (Original Mix) by Josh Gabriel [Different Pieces]: Speaking of strays, Josh G abriel of G abriel & D resden fame presents his debut solo album, Eight. D ecidedly different from the duo’s previous pop- and prog-leaning work, G abriel’s sound goes in a more techno-oriented direction. But the standout cut is the genre-defying pumping melodic minimal moves of “R ecife.” F ound at beatport.com. “Magnit Express” by Speedy J & Chris Liebing [Electric Deluxe]: Pure unadulterated techno here with not a note, chord or melody to be found—just a driving noisy rhythm with huge sub-bass and a breakdown that drops to nothing before the spacey reverberated percussion returns. D e nitely for the late night crowd! F ound at beatport.com. – Robert LaFrance

12/4/2008 10:15:36 PM

g r o o ves

“Afrointegrity”  Raul Rincon  Eeear R incon launches his own imprint with an effortless trademark production. Vocal snippets ride over his signature über-percussion on a track that will appeal to all fans.

– Curtis Zack

t r a c k s…mixes…c o mpila t io n s

“Bloody Cash” EP  Marco Carola  Plus 8 R ock-solid EP from the ever-consistent C arola. T he title track is a simple, trippy, tech-house affair, while “Sirens” is a funky drum track. T wo digital exclusives come as part of the download, but don’t make it to vinyl.

– Paul Dailey

“Another Dimension”  Timmy Vegas  Eye Industries A ny track that uses C rystal W aters’ legendary “G ypsy W oman” will always work in the clubs, yet this release is even better than that. A ragga-styled vocal and a fantastic string take on the main riff do the damage on this excellent release.

– Curtis Zack “Can You Feel It”  C LS  Strictly R hythm O ne of Strictly’s biggest records gets an expected rerelease as part of the label’s new deal with D efected. Erick E and Paul W oolford supply the mixes, with the latter sticking to the blueprint of the original. Yes, this one rocks.

– Curtis Zack “Fountains of Youth”  Loverush UK! Loverush D igital T he original is a beautiful downtempo pop song with haunting vocals from Molly Bancroft. H owever, remixes from K inky R oland, H igh F requency, and D amien S. also cover many dance oor angles. T he fave: K inky R oland’s version brings pure U .K . avor.

– Dave Fairman “Mindbounce”  Speakerbox feat. Freedom Williams  SeaT oSun W ith remixes by H ybrid H eights and Masi and Mello, this house track kicks. H ybrid H eights uses a heavy percussive feel in line with chopped-up vocals, while Masi and Mello bring us a more electronic feel with spooky synths.

“Human”  The Killers  Island/D ef Jam O f the ve remixers and 12 mixes, check the efforts from A rmin van Buuren and F erry C orsten—crisp and poppy. T hin W hite D uke and Pink N oize drop catchy, radio-ready mixes as well.

Marco Carola

– Phil Turnipseed “From A to B” EP  Hobo  Minus T his one almost de es classi cation. T he fave cut, “Midnight,” is funky, glitchy, jackin’, soulful, minimal—it will have your head bobbing and booty shaking. C all it what you like, just play it often.

The Killers

– Paul Dailey “MF 05”  Marc Antona  Micro F ibers T wo tracks from the vinyl and one digital exclusive here. “T imer” is a simple, hypnotic mover with delicate keys, and chunky vibe, while the massive, moody “D o You Believe Me N ow” is the real standout. Quality release.

– Paul Dailey

Marc Antona

“Magic”  Vinny Troia feat. Jaidene Veda  C urvve T roia tackles D onna Summer’s classic version of “C ould It Be Magic” with several capable mixes. T roia and D ave A udé do two chunky mixes that effectively work Veda’s vocals. Saeed Younan’s remix brings a perky, dark synth that’s custom-made for a proggy crowd.

– Phil Turnipseed Vinny Troia

– Dave Fairman “Underlying Feeling”  Sylvia Tosun  SeaT oSun O n this midtempo trancer, T osun’s vocals are pure magic when intertwined with any of the mixes. Sharp remixes from Soul Shakers and H ybrid H eights are included, but the winner is the mix from A dam K & Soha.

– Dave Fairman “Obsession”  Jazzlounger  Seamless F ollowing on the successful “Loveblind,” Jazzlounger continues his musical progression with an outstanding release. T he original is quality all the way and could easily have come from the studio of the likes of Jon C utler. A lso included are a stack of remixes to make this package the business.

O riginally a smash in the original bassline revolution, the W ideboys nest moment returns. T he K ings of Swing offer up the best mix with a classy workout and a plethora of mixes from the W ideboys themselves do the business as well.

– Curtis Zack

DJ TIMES

“Sambuca 2008”  W ideboys  AATW

JANUARY 2009

– Curtis Zack

37 048JA09_p001-044.indd 37

12/4/2008 10:15:38 PM

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DJ TIMES

A LIFE L

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39 048JA09_p001-044.indd 39

12/4/2008 10:15:56 PM

C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

Profile: Miguel Migs 2 of 20 Real Name: Miguel Steward Alias (if applicable): Miguel Migs Home: San Francisco Age: 35 Profession: All things music.

Profile: Josh Wink

Affiliations: Salted Music Hobby: Juggling chainsaws on Venice Beach for spare change. Last Book Read: “The Secret Life of Water” by Masaro Emoto. Last Film Seen: “American Gangster” Favorite Quote: “Be the best person you can be, treat

1 of 20

Profile: Roger Sanchez

others with kindness and respect and be a creative individual with your own mind!” (Migs)

3 of 20

Greatest Accomplishment: My friends and my music. Real Name: Josh Wink Alias: Variations of Wink and some other names thrown in. Home: Philadelphia, PA. Age: 26 ;) Profession: Producer/DJ/Owner, Ovum Recordings

Home: New York Age: 40 Profession: DJ / Musician Affiliations: Release Yourself / Stealth / Pacha Hobby: Reading Last Book Read: “Century Rain” by Alastair Reynolds Last Film Seen: I Am Legend Favorite Quote: “Nice to be important but much more important to be nice”

MP3, CD, or Vinyl: I’m cool with CD and vinyl. One Tune That Never Leaves Your Record Box: My Mikey Dread reggae accapellas. My Big Musical Project for 2008 Is: My label Salted Music, my new 8-piece band, Petalpusher, and my upcoming album Those Things Remixed. I will probably also start on a new album later this year as well.

Hobbies: Cooking/Athletics Last Books Read: “Stealing Buddha Dinner” by Bich Minh Nguyen; “Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life” by Steve Martin; and “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson Last Film Seen: “Zeitgeist” Favorite Quote: “I was trying to daydream, but my mind kept wandering.”

Latest Accomplishment: I’m a Daddy and soon to be Husband !!

Best Gig Moment: Performing with my new band, Petalpusher, right after Lenny Kravitz at the Oracle event last December.

Latest Accomplishment: Doing what I do! Greatest Accomplishment: Still doing what I do! MP3, CD, or Vinyl: All baby! However, digitally speaking...MP3 is easier to store! One Tune That Never Leaves Your Record Box: “Higher State of Consciousness” by Wink. To this day, people still want to hear me play it. My Big Musical Project For 2008 Is: Working on new WiNK LP on Ovum. First in a long time!

Greatest Accomplishment: My beautiful daughter Soleil Why I Do What I Do: For The Love Of House MP3, CD, or Vinyl: All 3 are fine with me!

Worst Gig Moment: Having to play super sick with a horrible stomach flu in Miami in 1993, getting some kind of shot from a nurse in the DJ booth while I’m almost vomiting and hallucinating from the high fever I had.

Best Event/Gig Moment: In 1992, my first gig outside of the USA, a New Year’s Eve Party in Rome when electronic dance music was very new for people. A great line-up and a great party.

One Tune That Never Leaves Your Record Box: “Turn On The Music” by Roger Sanchez My Big Musical Project For 2008 Is: Working on a single for Billie Ray Martin and my new album.

Profile: As a DJ, Migs found fame playing chilled, Cali-flavored deep house. Later, his productions (like his Petalpusher tracks for Naked Music) became staples for global DJs who appreciated his funky, soulful grooves. Migs has also done remixes for a slew of artists (from Macy Gray to Lionel Richie) and in 2004 he founded his own imprint, Salted Music. In ’07, he released Those Things, one of the year’s top US electronic albums. He continues to pursue a busy international schedule.

Worst Event/Gig Moment: Happy to say it doesn’t happen too often. But, I try not to remember them when they do. Profile: In the mid-’90s, Wink rattled off a series of global hits that are now considered club classics—“Higher State of Consciousness,” “I’m Ready” & “Don’t Laugh.” He also founded Ovum Recordings, and in the new decade he cranked out faves like “How’s Your Evening So Far?” and “Superfreak (Freak).” When he’s not jetting to the world’s top venues, the Philly native can be found spinning his monthly “Last Wednesday” party at cozy hometown club, Fluid. I STARTED READING DJ TIMES IN: 1988! I WAS A MOBILE DJ IN THE ’80S. HAPPY IT’S STILL AROUND!

Best Gig Moment: Release Yourself @ Pacha, Ibiza Profile: Just another mobile DJ from Queens who found astronomical success? Hardly. Before he gained the glory afforded by a Grammy Award (for his remix of No Doubt’s “Hella Good”) or a long-running Ibiza residency (Release Yourself at Pacha), the Dominican-American DJ/producer was inspired by NYC’s deep house-music tradition. His first club hit, 1991’s “Luv Dancin’,” set him on the path and his international pop smash, 2001’s “Another Chance,” solidified his status as one of our greatest global DJ/producers.

I STARTED READING DJ TIMES IN: 1998.

DJ Times: Fits every Profile

I STARTED READING DJ TIMES in: 1999

DJ Times: Fits every Profile

C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

Profile: Andrew Grant

Profile: DJ Dan 6 of 20

Profession: Dreamer; Resident DJ, Circoloco @ DC10, Ibiza, Spain. Affiliations: Circoloco, Religio.Audio, Barraca Music. Hobby: Searching for people looking to get rid of old records. Last Book Read: “How To Install Your M-Audio Oxygen8 v2 MIDI Controller” Last Film Seen: John Waters’ “Cecil B. Demented”

Profile: Colette 4 of 20 Real Name: Colette Marino Home: Los Angeles, CA

Latest Accomplishment: A&R Manager for Barraca Music, a new music label offshoot of the club in Valencia, Spain. Greatest Accomplishment: Only missing one flight this year. One Tune That Never Leaves Your Record Box: “The Bells” by Jeff Mills MP3, CD, or Vinyl: Play more vinyl! Best Party Moment: Playing after Norman “Fatboy Slim” Cook on the infamous DC10 terrace. Worst Party Moment: Arriving at a snowy warehouse party in North Carolina after driving five hours, only to find 80 people and a generator to power the equipment, circa 1994.

Alias: DJ Colette

Age: 32 Profession: DJ/Vocalist

Profile: Russ Harris

Hobby: Cooking. I’ve become somewhat of a foodie in the past two years. Last Book Read: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire Last Film Seen: Wristcutters

4 of 20

Name: Russ Harris Home: Chicago / Aurora, IL Age: 35 Profession: Owner, Show On The Road Productions; DJ / Artist / Remixer / Producer Hobby: Stephen King collector Last Book Read: “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows” Last Film Seen: “No Country For Old Men” Latest Accomplishment: Releasing my debut album Ear Therapy this past year.

Claim To Fame: Singing live while deejaying, one of the founding members of the Superjane collective. Latest Accomplishment: My second artist album, “PUSH” on OM Records

Real Name: Daniel Wherrett Alias: DJ Dan Home: Los Angeles Age: Timeless Profession: International Partier of Mystery

Greatest Accomplishment: I put together a band last year with three of my writing partners. We’ve been working on music for the last eight years and to be able to perform on stage together has been incredible. I’ve always wanted to be in a band and to finally have that experience is thrilling and frightening all at the same time.

Affiliations: InStereo Recordings/AM Only/The Ascot Club Hobby: Over-the-top theme parties at my house Last Book Read: “The Power of Intention” by Wayne W. Dyer Last Film Seen: “Juno” Claim To Fame: Being one of the first West Coast DJs to travel internationally, spawning the fusion of funky house and breaks. Favorite Quote: “Your playing small does not serve the world.”

Why I Do What I Do: Music is my greatest addiction. I’ve been enthralled with music since the age of three and thirty years later I can’t picture myself doing anything else.

Latest Accomplishment: Starting production on my first artist album, and being able to work with so many other talented producers Greatest Accomplishment: Becoming one of the top DJs in the world and re-launching my record label, “InStereo”. Why I Do What I Do: I’ve loved music since I was born and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I still have the same fiery obsession to put music together, create energy, and see it light people up on the dancefloor.

One Tune That Never Leaves My Record Box: “What Will She Do For Love” is probably the only track of mine that I have performed at every single show. It’s one of my favorite songs to sing and is usually my most requested track to play.

Greatest Accomplishment: Hitting #5 on Billboard’s Club Dance Chart last year with “Drums In The Club”. Why I Do What I Do: I’m always picking music apart and tell myself “I can do that”. I love the creative process of starting out with an idea, forming it & molding it & tweaking it on a computer & keyboard, & then having a crowd rock out to it. There’s nothing more satisfying.

I’m doing a bigger band

tour this year.

Best Party Moment: Coachella 2006. I’ve always been a huge fan of this festival and having the opportunity to be a part of it was phenomenal.

This Tune Never Leaves My Record Box: “Zombie Nation” by Kernkraft 400. Best Event/Gig Moment: Getting to take pictures & sign autographs after my set like a superstar at my first record release party.

Worst Party Moment: I played a rave in Detroit and 30 police officers in riot gear stormed the DJ booth and yelled at me to shut the music off. Definitely not a fun way to end a party.

Worst Event/Gig Moment: Playing at a wedding during a heat wave in a un-air conditioned hall and moving my sound and light system outside & inside of the hall trying to beat the heat only to have the air conditioning fixed later on.

Profile: A founding member of the female DJ collective SuperJane, Colette has toured the world as a singing DJ and scored chart-topping hits (like “What Will She Do For Love”) and best-selling albums (“Push” and “Hypnotized”). Her music has been licensed for national ad campaigns (Motorola) and film projects (“The Devil Wears Prada”).

Profile: As one of the Midwest’s more successful mobile operators, DJ Russ Harris and his Show on the Road Productions have kept Chicagoland parties hopping since 1988. In recent years, Harris began to create special remixes and mash-ups for his company’s events and he later parlayed that studio experience into an artist career.

I STARTED READING DJ TIMES IN: 1994

I STARTED READING DJ TIMES IN: 1995

Profile: It’s a long way from Baltimore to Ibiza, but Andrew Grant has completed the route. Beginning as a party DJ in his hometown, Grant became inspired by the DJs playing New York’s Twilo club and bought a one-way ticket to the Spanish party island with nothing but his records and an armful of mixtapes. It certainly worked out. Seven years on, he’s still a resident at Circoloco at DC10, the island’s top afterhours event and one of the world’s most influential parties. The Lesson: Hold on tight to your dreams, DJs. I Started Reading DJ Times In: 1998, the issue with Armand Van Helden on the cover.

DJ Times: Fits every Profile C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

MP3, CD, or Vinyl: WAV files on CD and Serato One Tune That Never Leaves Your Record Box: “Disco Muff” by The Dirt Diggers. My Big Musical Projects For 2008 Are: Aside from releasing new tracks on my InStereo label and my artist album, I’m launching the label’s podcast by re-releasing some of my old classic mixtapes. Best Gig Moment: The Funky Tekno Tribe reunion party at The Endup in San Francisco this past New Years Day. I wasn’t originally on the line-up, but when I went on at around 7a.m., I surprised the crowd and it was amazing! I had never played at The Endup before and had always wanted to—getting to do it with the Funky Tekno Tribe crew made it extra special. Worst Gig Moment: Arriving at consecutive gigs in Venezuela and Mexico City that were shut down by police, flying on very little sleep, and then being stranded at the hotel in Mexico City by the promoters with no transportation, no explanation, and no pay. Then arriving back home and getting tons of angry emails from fans in Venezuela and Mexico saying that they’d heard that I’d refused to play. Profile: As one of the first indigenous West Coast DJs to break out from the Pacific Time Zone, Dan’s been called “The People’s DJ” and “America’s Hardest Working DJ.” Over the years, he’s been a member of the legendary Funky Tekno Tribe and his productions like “Needle Damage (The Zipper Track),” “Loose Caboose” and “The Phone Track” have lit up clubs and the rave circuit alike.

I STARTED READING DJ TIMES IN: 1995

DJ Times: Fits every Profile

7 of 20

Name: Andrew Grant Home: 2 bedroom, 1 bath, terrace apartment in Ibiza, Spain, from which I fell from last year. Age: Forgot due to concussion caused by fall from aforementioned terrace.

C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

DJ Times: Fits every Profile

C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

Profile: Mike Walter

Profile: Three

9 of 20

8 of 20

Profile: Jody Amos

Name: Mike Walter Alias: None—I was never that cool. Name Of Your Company: Elite Entertainment Home: Originally Queens, N.Y., been in New Jersey since ’88. Age: (Gulp) 41

10 of 20 Name: Jody Amos

Profession: Mobile disc jockey, business owner. Hobbies: Writing, reading, movies, traveling. Last Book Read: “Before I Get Old: A History of The Who” by Dave Marsh Last Film Seen: “Sweeney Todd” Latest Accomplishment: My DVD entitled, Training Your Next Great DJ. Greatest Accomplishment: Building Elite Entertainment to where we are—over 1,200 gigs a year and a strong enough reputation to make all the “Best Of” lists every year. Why I Do What I Do: On the business side, I really enjoy teaching people how to DJ and watching them grow as entertainers. On the performance side, I still enjoy doing events and getting the accolades that go along with them. One Tune That Never Fails To Get The Party Started and Why: “Jump Around” by House Of Pain Best Event/Gig Moment: Every year, doing the “DJ of the Year” competition in Atlantic City during the International DJ Expo. It’s such a high-profile, high-pressure event and, on top of that, my parents are always there, which only adds to it. Worst Event/Gig Moment: Doing my monthly “networking” event on September 13, 2001. Profile: One of America’s more successful mobile operators, Walter has become the permanent host of the International DJ Expo’s prestigious “DJ of the Year Awards,” which bestows honors to mobiles in a variety of categories. His upbeat demeanor, can-do attitude and MC abilities help make the show an annual success. I Started Reading DJ Times In: 1988. My first job in the Mobile DJ Industry was working for John Murphy at Star DJ’s. He started getting the magazine right away and it was always around the office.

Home: Livermore, Calif.

Age: 35 Profession: Owner of a San Francisco Bay Area mobile-DJ company with over 20 DJs. My Company: Amos Productions

Hobby: Motorcycle riding

Last Book Read: “What To Expect When Your Wife Is Expanding” by Cader Books & Thomas Hill. My wife recently had our first child. Last Film Seen: “I Am Legend” Favorite Quote: “Confidence: The feeling you have just before you fully comprehend the situation.”

Latest Accomplishment: The Knot’s Pick – Best of Weddings 2007 – Best DJ Company in Northern California

Real Name: Christopher Milo Alias: Three Home: New York City Age: Too young to know better... Profession: Purveyor of the recorded arts.

Greatest Accomplishment: My company in

general. I never thought I would be able to do this as a full-time career and be successful at it.

Why I Do What I Do: Cheerleaders. Back in 1987

a few cheerleaders asked me to play the music for them at my high school’s football and basketball games. After graduating, I bought my own gear and started my own business. If it wasn’t for the cheerleaders, I probably wouldn’t be doing any of this today.

Affiliations: Hallucination Limited (label), Three A.M., Second-Hand Satellites Hobby: Music, people and travel. Last Book Read: “The Alchemist” by Paolo Coelho Last Film Seen: “Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner” Latest Accomplishment: Finally launching the Hallucination Recordings & Hallucination Limited back catalogs digitally via Beatport and finishing my “Theme From Madchester” single. Greatest Accomplishment: Respect from my peers. Why I Do What I Do: This path chose me as much as I chose it, but I simply can’t stop chasing the feeling I get when it all comes together in real time... the music, people and atmosphere. One Tune That Never Leaves Your Record Box: “Outta Limits” by Mission Control Best Party Moment: My first time playing at Twilo in 1999 as my experiences in that room in the early ’90s when it was Sound Factory with Junior Vasquez were huge for me... or playing for Wicked Crew at Townsend (RIP) in San Francisco 2002. Worst Party Moment: Not so much a party moment, but I finished DJing a party in Miami and went straight to the airport to fly to Tampa, Fla. I fell straight asleep, slept through the landing ... and woke up mid-flight to New Orleans! Obviously, this was well before 9/11. Profile: A staple of Florida’s nascent electronic scene, along with Rabbit in the Moon and others, Three’s remixing & DJ skills have earned him respect far beyond the Sunshine State. His genre-bending passion for cutting-edge music spans house, techno and all things beyond. Currently opening for Sasha’s latest “Involver” tour, Three has enjoyed his jaunts around the world from Argentina to Japan—but his ongoing Snatch residency in Tampa may be American dance music’s best kept secret. I Started readIng dJ tImeS In: 1992.

DJ Times: Fits every Profile

MP3, CD, or Vinyl: MP3s with Serato Scratch LIVE. One Song That Never Leaves Your Record Box: “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” by Michael

Jackson

Best Event/Gig Moment: I recently produced a

local awards show and after-party. My crew and I did the all the production: staging, props, dance floor, large video screens, live cameras and all DMX programming for the table lighting, dancefloor lighting, and accent lighting. My team also coordinated the “red carpet” pre-show interviews with the guests, which were then played live inside the event. The event all came together perfectly. The energy level was so high that the dancefloor was packed all night long. To produce an event at this level and have everything go flawless was quite an achievement for me. Worst Event/Gig Moment: Doing an outdoor wedding at a local winery and a fight broke out among some drunken guests. One of them took off in a hurry in his car and hit a power line which blacked out the winery and the entire city block. Game over. I’ve Been Reading DJ Times Since: 1993. I used to go to Tower Records every month to buy one.

DJ Times: Fits every Profile

C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

DJ Times: Fits every Profile

C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

DJ Times: Fits every Profile C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

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Compiled As Of December 4, 2008

National Crossover Pool Chart 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Kreesha Turner Don’t Call Me Baby India Can’t Get No Sleep Cascada Faded Rihanna Disturbia (remix) Annagrace You Make Me Feel Kim Leoni Medicine Nikka Costa Stuck To You Jenny Bliss All About Me Luvndreams Heaven Can Wait Madonna Give It 2 Me Loveless F/ Amanda W Found A Miracle Groove State Get Sexy Re-mixes Janice Grace Wanna Be Beautiful Robyn Cobrastyle Alyson Adios Barcelona Britney Spears Womanizer The Veronicas Untouched Rmxs Weezer Troublemaker Donna Summer Stamp Your Feet Dj Rad F/ Zoe Sweet Serenity Room For Two Roots Before Branches Project X Que’ Pasa Leann Rimes What I Cannot Change Houston Bernard I Feel Gorgeous Karissa Moved By The Music Groove Enforcers F/ A Little Closer 2008 Plumb In My Arms Brooklyn Bounce Crazy Destination X F/ Lis Little Secret Carla Prather W/ Jer I Am J Costa Without You Lady Gaga The DJ Vice Megamix Alyson Here With Me Digiteck F/ Damian W Physical Love Brian Kent Breathe Life (remix) Craig David Hot Stuff (Let’s Dance) Dj Skillmaster Summertime Justin Lanning Take My Breath Away Crystal Waters Vs Sp Dancefloor Anavi Sweet Caress

National Urban Pool Chart

Capitol Angel Eyes Robbins Def Jam Robbins Robbins Stax Records Robbins TC Warner Brothers Groove Factory Play Lab Jaguar Interscope PM Media Jive Warner Brothers DGC Burgundy ISV Warner Brothers EsNtion Curb HB Nashfilms ISV Curb Capp Trackworks Forever Soul Ess Bee Interscope PM Media Divamatic Solid Sound Reprise Capp TS Trackworks EsNtion

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Ciara F/ T-Pain Big Boi F/ MJB Neyo John Legend V.I.C. Beyonce T-Pain F/ Ludacris Jane Kc Jockey 50 Cent Nina Sky F/ Rick Ros Kam Kutta Lee Carr T-Pain Dolla Lil Haze JR MIA Bun-B Jessi Malay Dooney Da Priest Qwote Nikkole Sam Gotti Daddy Yankee B. Lester K-Lethal 3 Bad Brothaz Lockwise Nikka Costa Ludacris F/ C Brown Akon F/ Lil’ Wayne Jay Z Busta Rhymes Z-RO Yung Frazier Buju Banton Richgirl Game Brothas Jazmine Sullivan

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Darude Leann Rimes Filly Trip Thottle Robyn Dynamic Destony Hibernate Ernest Kohl Weezer Enrique Iglesias

I Ran What I Cannot Change Sweat Drop Zone Cobrastyle My Angel The Feeling Say Adieu Troublemaker Away

Go Girl Sumthin’s Gotta Give Miss Independant Green Light Get Silly Single Ladies Chopped ‘N’ Screwed Screensaver Rub Your Body Get Up Curtain Call I’m A Winner Breathe Freeze Make A Toast Girls In Da Club Floor Rocka EP Paper Planes You’re Everything Cinematic Pull Your Pants Up Don’t Wanna Fight E-X-Otic I’m A Rap Star Caribbean Connection She Bad Da-System Miss My Baby Wise Up Vol 1 Stuck To You What Them Girls Like I’m So Paid Jockin Jay Z Arab Money Crack Call On Me Cowboys 24s We Tha Game Brothas Need U Bad

LaFace LaFace Def Jam Columbia Reprise Columbia Jive Jive Sweet Sadies Interscope J Records Blank Disk Jive Jive Jive Fontana Dazed Interscope Rap-a-lot Warner Brothers Malaco Jive SE Make Machete Hollywood Fame Amathus Live Wire Lockwise Stax Records Def Jam Interscope Def Jam Universal Rap-a-lot Coastal Gargamel Jive Big Rich J Records

Most Added Tracks Robbins Curb Robbins EsNtion Silver Interscope Dynamic System Recordings Dance Street DGC Interscope

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Game Brothas Various Real Life Product Blackout Akon F/ Lil’ Wayne Richgirl Busta Rhymes Dolla

We Tha Game Brothas Rich Kidd Compilation 2 Cloud 9 Welcome 2 Jook-City I’m So Paid 24s Arab Money Make A Toast

Big Rich Big Rich Dooreal Hurricane Interscope Jive Universal Jive

Reporting Pools ✦ Masspool - Revere, MA; Gary Canavo ✦ Central Ohio - Columbus, OH; Fred Dowdy ✦ NW Dance Music - Seattle, WA; John England ✦ Philly Spinners Assoc. - Cherry Hill, NJ; Fred Kolet ✦ Pittsburgh DJ - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich ✦ Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle ✦ New York Music Pool - Levittown, NY; Jackie McCloy ✦ Dixie Dance Kings - Alpharetta, GA; Dan Miller ✦ Hawaii DJ Association - Honolulu, HI; Kevin Okada ✦ Rickett’s Record Pool - Saddle Brook, NJ; Bill Rickett ✦ Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis

All Titles Available Through Dixie Sound Works NOW TOLL FREE: (888) MIX-JOCK, On-Line: www.dancekings.com Charts & Picks Compiled by DME Inc. Dan Miller, Chart Coordinator

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QBert

(continued from page 16) QBert: Vajra, R afik, Mix Master Mike, Shortkut, C ash Money, Jazzy Jeff, Joe C ooley, F lare, A lladin, X-Ecutioners, Miyajima, K ouji, K en O ne, Primo, T oad S tyle, Z-T rip, D -S tyles, R adar, Scratch Perverts, A -T rak, Mr. Mixx, D J Man, Mike Boogie, Idea, T oomp, Idee, C raze, F ly, Zinc, N etik, and the list goes on... DJ Times: N o kidding. W hy do these D Js impress you? QBert: T hese guys always have something new up their sleeves, and that is what always intrigues me—I see originality in their art. It’s always refreshing to see something new, of course. It’s what drives me to practice. DJ Times: W hen you go out to see a D J, what do you want to experience? QBert: A hypnotic experience, or maybe just have some fun. But I really like to learn and I think of going to see these other D Js as a class. I’m that nerdy guy that really wants to stand behind the D J and jot down all the tracks he’s playing on my notes on my iPhone. I’m not embarrassed because I read that Jimi H endrix would never be afraid to ask other guitarists, “H ey, how did you do that?” Sometimes I ask myself if I should even be doing that, because it may be rude to ask about their secret beats or techniques, but hey, “If you can’t make a decision, always choose the one that will make the world a better place!” A nd if they refuse, then they are just immature and they usually won’t get that far in life if they keep that attitude. DJ Times: A t this point in your career, you’re very much looked up to as an ambassador of D Jing. Is that a responsibility you feel?

QBert: I like the idea of spreading the art and letting others see the beauty in this instrument. I want to make the world a better place, and I only know how with what I know best, so I want to do the best I can, and we all can because we all have different ways of doing it. I want to hear from others what they come up with, so I, too, can learn and progress. T each a man to sh and he will go get sh for you.T he more I mentor, the more we all learn. A nd that’s what life is all about: Learning and becoming better. n

R ecovery

(continued from page 22)

4-percent [or at least used to], which is better than a savings account, which barely earns 1-percent. I keep $2,500 in this account for any emergencies or unexpected costs so I don’t keep charging or getting loans.” H owe says mobiles should take any extra income, above and beyond living and business expenses, and use it to pay down debts—and then squirrel the rest away in an IRA or a college fund for the kid or an emergency savings account. “T his way, you don’t have immediate access to the money and are more likely to actually save it,” he says. “I feel safe and secure right now knowing that I have some sort of nancial cushion. F or that, I don’t mind taking a weekend off or accepting a little less than normal for a certain gig.” A nother tidbit of advice H owe suggests for extra income is selling all our extra sound and lighting equipment. “I found that I actually made more money taking my old wireless microphone, mixer and CD players to a pawn shop instead of selling those items on

C raigslist or eBay,” he says. “T his is the stuff most young kids want, so they’re still in demand. “I don’t know why so many D Js keep their old used gear when they aren’t using it. I would rather sell it all and use the funds to upgrade my current gear—or else put the money into my emergency fund for a ‘rainy day.’” O ne last tip H owe offers to fellow D Js is to get rid of our traditional medical insurance and get into a health savings account. “HSA s are much less expensive than standard insurance, and if you don’t use the money it’s treated like a high-yield savings account,” he says. “If your medical ends up being more than your annual deposit amount, then you won’t have to pay anything else. It’s seriously a very smart way to stay protected without wasting money.” A nd as far as the stock market is concerned, as stock analysts and industry experts have been advising ever since 1929, even though past performance is no indication of future results, historically stocks have over-performed every other type of investments.

Making T racks

(continued from page 24)

shaking. I never ran into this problem with the Mackies. I constantly felt like the music was much louder and there was much more power emanating from the speakers. C leaner sound, more power, and fewer headaches—how can you beat that? In the end, I was able to create more professional and accurate mixes than I could

ever achieve on any home-based stereo or PA system. O verall, I was impressed with the sheer power, sound quality, and intuitive features offered by Mackie’s MR 8. T hese speakers are a smart investment for any producer looking for a critical monitoring system where they can make clean, truesounding tracks without breaking the bank. T he build quality, high-end components, and the Mackie name ensure a wise investment that will continue to be an asset to any studio for years to come.

Business line

(continued from page 30)

and lighting equipment, and a well organized and complete music library. W hen you provide your staff with all of the tools necessary to perform well, you’re helping them to succeed. W hen people are succeeding at a job, they rarely feel the need to look elsewhere. Remember Your Internal Customers: Be aware that you not only have external customers but internal ones, as well.T hey are your D Js, of ce and sales staff.T he best way to attract and retain the best people is to compensate them well, show appreciation for the contributions they make, and provide ongoing opportunities for professional and financial growth. T hese actions are nearly guaranteed to make them happy. F rom performance and productivity to accountability and retention—talented, motivated and hardworking employees lead to increased profitability and longevity for your business. A nd that should make you very happy!

DJ TIMES JANUARY 2009

Tommie’s Sunshine State

They call me Tommie Sunshine.

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So why do I look so dour?

Because blowing minds is no joke. T ommie Sunshine, next month in D J T imes

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12/4/2008 10:16:11 PM

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12/4/2008 10:16:13 PM

DJ Times January 2009, Vol 22 No 1

Articles inside

QBert Back to the Old School