DJ Times June 2014, Vol 27 No 6

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988

JUNE 2014

$4.95 US $6.95

CANADA

Frankie Knuckles 1955-2014 The Music World Remembers

www.djtimes.com

REGISTRATION BROCHURE

INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES

MOVEMENT: AMERICA’S BEST DJ TO LAUNCH AT DETROIT FEST

By Jim Tremayne

Hart Plaza: 100,000-plus are expected.

Douglas Wojcieckowski:/Red Bull Content Pool

Carl Craig: Hometown hero, mainstage DJ.

Stacey Pullen: Set to play fest & afterparty.

Claude Von Stroke: To play Beatport stage.

Carlo Cruz/Red Bull Content Pool

Detroit – After drawing more than 107,000 fans to Hart Plaza in 2013, Detroit’s Movement festival returns to the venue May 24-26 with 135 DJs and electronic acts performing on six sponsored stages. Produced by Paxahau Event Productions, the massive festival will also see plenty of afterparties—official and otherwise—running at all hours throughout the weekend.

As it has since 2006, Movement will serve as the launch event for the America’s Best DJ promotion and its Summer Tour. Presented by title sponsor Pioneer DJ and DJ Times, the 15-event tour will support an online vote that will answer the annual question: Who’s America’s Best DJ? (To vote and see the latest tour details, please visit AmericasBestDJ.net.)

At Movement and other tour-related events—like Las Vegas’ Electric Daisy Carnival on June 20-22, Denver’s Global Dance Festival on July 18-20 and a variety of major club gigs throughout the country—DJ Times will maintain a dedicated America’s Best DJ exhibition booth and collect paper-ballot votes from fans supporting their favorite U.S.-based DJs. Both the voting and tour will run from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the America’s Best DJ Award Show/Closing Party will take place October 12 at Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Fans who vote (in-person and online) and fans who keep up with America’s Best DJ on Facebook and Twitter can win a slew of monthly prizes. Additionally, one lucky voter (chosen randomly) will win a trip for two to the Las Vegas closing event. Vote ABDJ and win. Visit ABDJ social media and win.

Out of the 100 U.S.-based jocks nominated for the America’s Best DJ title, a good handful will perform at Movement. They include Baauer, Carl Craig, Claude Von Stroke, DJ Godfather, Flosstradamus, Green Velvet, Jeff Mills, Just Blaze, Justin Martin, Kevin Saunderson, Lee Foss, Maceo Plex, The Martinez Brothers, Marques Wyatt, Mike Huckaby, Miguel Migs and Stacey Pullen.

This year’s Technology Area at Movement will include some of the DJ and production world’s top brands, distributors and services. At presstime, they include: Allen & Heath; Alpine Hearing Protection; American Music & Sound: Beyerdynamic; Dubspot; Focusrite; Nord; Novation: Reloop; Roland; Sennheiser; Studiologic; SubPac; SynthArk; and Vestax.

Looking for some late-night action after the festival shuts down each night?

A few of Movement’s official afterhours parties include: Ghostly 15 at St. Andrew’s Hall on May 23 featuring Adult., Matthew Dear, Shigeto, Osborne (live), JTC, Heathered Pearls and Mike Servito; CLR Detroit 2014 at Bleu Nightclub featuring Chris Liebing, Marcel Dettmann, Radio Slave and Function; and Red Bull Music Academy presents Soul Clap’s House of EFunk featuring Soul Clap with George Clinton, Heidi, Justin Martin, DJ Three vs. Doc Martin, Stacey Pullen, Egyptian Lover and more.

The 2013 America’s Best DJ vote resulted in a victory by Kaskade—his second in three years. (DJs cannot take the title in consecutive years.) The LA-based DJ/ producer edged a diverse group of DJs that included Diplo, Skrillex, Bassnectar, Porter Robinson, Steve Aoki, A-Trak, Wolfgang Gartner, Z-Trip and Vice.

At promotion’s end, Kaskade flew to Las Vegas on Oct. 13 at Marquee Night-

club and was presented with a goldplated Pioneer DJM-900nexus mixer from Davey Dave Arevalo, Pioneer’s Sr. Manager – Marketing/Artist Relations. Additionally, one lucky winner (Evie Schmeer of Cupertino, Calif.) was flown to Vegas with a friend to enjoy the festivities at Marquee, one of America’s most favorite nightclubs.

Who will it be this year?

800•203•5611

www.SoundPro.com YOUR DIRECT SOURCE FOR

DJM-900SRT

K-SERIES

SIXTY-FOUR

ZLX-15P

BLX

DJ TIMES

Atlantic City, N.J. – Hitmaking artist, DJ/producer and T.V. personality Lil Jon will give a “Keynote Q&A” at DJ Expo where he’ll discuss his many-faceted career. Set for Aug. 11-14 at AC’s Trump Taj Mahal, DJ Expo will present exhibits, seminars and sponsored evening events.

For the latest on DJ Expo, please visit www.thedjexpo.com.

JUNE 2014

Lil Jon at DJ Expo

3 SOUND BETTER. SAVE MONEY. SOUND PRODUCTIONS

VOLUME 27

NUMBER 6

12 Beyond the Mix

The Dance-Music World Offers Remembrances of Frankie Knuckles, the Godfather of House

BY JIM TREMAYNE & JOE BERINATO

20 Riding the Rhythm

As Joey Negro & a Slew of Other Pseudonyms, Dave Lee Has Carved Out a Fruitful Career by Mining Disco Gold

BY ALLY BYERS

22 Star Struck

When Mobile DJs Play for Celebrities, It’s Not Always Fun & Games

BY JEFF STILES

DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback

As Always, the Answers to All Your DJ-Related Questions

24 Making Tracks

Novation Bass Station II

26 Sounding Off

Pioneer DJ’s DDJ-SB Controller

28 Mobile Profile

Part-Timer Holds Full-Time Dream

30 Business Line

The 1% Solution: It’s Not Talent—It’s Training!

32 Gear

New Products from Stanton, Reloop & More

38 Grooves

Phat Tracks from Shall Ocin, Nervo & More

40 DJ Times Marketplace

Shop Here for All Your DJ-Related Supplies

41 Club Play Chart

The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

SAMPLINGS

4

8 Jamie Jones

Hot Creator

10 In the Studio With…

Jack Beats

THE BOLD SHAPE OF PERFORMANCE

M U LT I P U R P O S E S E L F - P O W E R E D S O U N D R E I N F O R C E M E N T

More than just another great JBL sound system, the new EON615 is a true step forward in technology developed specifically to deliver the best sound possible regardless of its application. Completely rethinking how truly good an affordable selfcontained, portable PA system can be, JBL engineers purposely designed and built the EON615 from the ground up featuring JBL’s advanced waveguide technology, JBL designed and manufactured transducers, and convenient, wireless remote control of its onboard DSP EQ parameters via Bluetooth. This total redesign of the EON platform leverages the latest technologies in cabinet materials, acoustic science, transducer design and user friendliness that delivers the extraordinary quality of a high-end studio monitor in a fully professional, highly flexible, easy to use, portable system for today’s working musicians and sound providers.

REVOLUTIONARY WAVEGUIDES The EON615’s extraordinary performance results from a breakthrough approach to waveguide design for both high frequency and low frequency components. The result is consistent HF and LF response and high intelligibility throughout its entire 90 degree coverage pattern. These characteristics are the foundation of high-end studio monitor sound, now available for the first time in a portable, affordable system.

BLUETOOTH CONTROL

PURPOSEFUL DESIGN

© 2014 HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED

Learn more at jblpro.com/EON600

TYPICAL EON615

FLEXIBLE BACK PANEL

FROM THE EDITOR

editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com

art director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com

editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com

production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com

chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com

The Passing of a Legend

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

In an obscure documentary about an influential musician, a fellow artist offers this thought: “Not many people can say that they invented something.” And, for what it’s worth, those are the words that struck me and stuck with me when I began to ruminate on the life and music of Frankie Knuckles.

When much of the dance-music world was returning from Miami this past March 31, we were confronted with the news of the passing of the beloved Godfather of House. Knuckles, born Francis Nicholls in The Bronx, re-invented both himself and the nature of dancefloor possibilities. A lover of melodies, rich arrangements and upbeat rhythms, Knuckles would re-arrange and extend soulful R&B tunes to fit his Chicago dancefloor. At a time when disco was declared dead, Knuckles pioneered a new style—house. (The name was taken from his stint at Chi-town’s Warehouse club.) And the DJ/dance-music world has never been the same.

When we heard the news, we sent out a quick email to DJs and industry types, asking for remembrances and appreciations. With the enormous help from longtime dance-music promoter joeB Berinato, we’ve culled together the responses and offer what we hope is a loving and thoughtful tribute to Frankie Knuckles, a man whose generous personality and seminal music will long be remembered. (Also, another heartfelt thank you goes out to the Def Mix Productions family for all its help on this deadline-sensitive project.)

Oh Yeah, The Rest of This Issue: In Samplings, our L.A.-based correspondent Lily Moayeri goes into the studio with U.K. duo Jack Beats and gets the boys to discuss their latest DJ-mix comp for Fabric and artist EP for Owsla. Atlanta-based Chris Caruso connects with multi-faceted talent Jamie Jones, who discusses his last Hot Natured album and his more recent artistic impulses. In a short feature, U.K.-based scribe Ally Byers interviews DJ/producer Dave Lee (aka Joey Negro and a lot of other aliases), who explains how he built a career that’s spanned 25-plus years.

On the review side, another Atlantan, Reed Dailey, checks out the DDJ-SB, Pioneer’s new Serato solution, in Sounding Off. Also, in Making Tracks, Phil Moffa—owner of Manhattan’s Butcha Sound Studios—checks out Bass Station II, Novation’s update on its influential 1993 model.

In the mobile world, Iowan Jeff Stiles talks to DJs who’ve had the unique experiences of playing for celebrity clients. In Mobile Profile, we meet Jesse Garcia of Expression Events in San Jose, Calif., who reveals his big dreams. In Business Line, we visit with Cali mobile Randy Bartlett, who explains his “1% Solution,” a concept he’ll be bringing to DJ Expo in Atlantic City, N.J., Aug. 11-14.

This month also finds us in Detroit for the always-awesome Movement festival, which runs May 24-26. Once again, the mega-fest, which expects to draw over 100,000 fans to Hart Plaza, will serve as the launch event to America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times.

We’ll be there with a dedicated booth, taking votes for the 100 nominated DJs. The tour will run until Labor Day—of course, we’ll take votes online as well. Make sure you cast your vote, because one lucky voter will win a trip for two to Las Vegas for the America’s Best DJ Closing Party at Marquee Nightclub on October 12. That night, we’ll crown the new America’s Best DJ and have a lot of fun while we’re at it. Cast your vote—maybe you’ll get lucky.

6

Cheers,

Jim Tremayne, Editor, DJ Times

contributors Jody Amos Tom Banham Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Ally Byers Chris Caruso Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis Josh Harris Robert LaFrance Michelle Loeb Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Natalie Raben Scott Rubin Julia Sachs Jennifer Shapiro Jeff Stiles Emily Tan Phil Turnipseed Curtis Zack Innes Weir President/Publisher Vincent P. Testa FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TO ORDER SUBSCRIPTIONS, CALL 800-937-7678 VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.djtimes.com

DJ Times Sound & Communications The Music & Sound Retailer Sound & Communications Blue Book America’s Best DJ The DJ Expo IT/AV Report Convention TV News VTTV Studios

brand design & web development manager Fred Gumm fgumm@testa.com digital media manager Chris Davis cdavis@testa.com advertising manager Jon Rayvid jrayvid@testa.com art/production assistant Douglas Yelin dyelin@testa.com Circulation circulation@testa.com Classifieds classifiedsales@testa.com operations manager Robin Hazan rhazan@testa.com Editorial and Sales Office: DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York, USA 11050-3779. (516) 767-2500 • FAX (Editorial): (516) 944-8372 • FAX (Sales/all other business): (516) 767-9335 • DJTIMES@TESTA. COM Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, NY, USA, 110503779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care an d should be accompanied by return postage.

DJ Times (ISSN 1045-9693) (USPS 0004-153) is published monthly for $19.40 (US), $39.99 (Canada), and $59.99 (all other countries), by DJ Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 110503779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, NY, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DJ Times, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767 Design and contents are copyright © 2014 by DJ Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher. Websites: www. djtimes.com and www.testa.com June 2014

visit our website: www.djtimes.com

$6.95 CANADA

INSIDE

REGISTRATION BROCHURE

048MY14_p001-044.indd 1

TRANCE

TITAN

BRANCHES

OUT

$4.95 US

PLUS: ARE YOU A REAL PRO?>>UNER>>DE$IGNATED>>HARDKISS ARTURIA SOFTWARE>>ALLEN & HEATH XONE MIXER>>MIX ON WHEELS

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988

MAY 2014

MIAMI REPORT:MUSIC & MADNESS WHY MOBILES SHOULD DIVERSIFY

FEEDBACK

$4.95 US

$6.95 CANADA

www.djtimes.com

4/14/2014 2:20:24 PM

This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to industry 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.

We received many terrific responses for our Frankie Knuckles tribute story, which begins on Page 12. Obviously, we had to present edited versions in order to fit the issue. However, we believe a couple of them deserve some extra room, so we present them here, in addition to a letter to the Def Mix Productions family from The White House (opposite page).

My best Frankie memory? In the mid1990s, I heard him play at his residency at the Sound Factory Bar in New York. To witness how his music—then so unusually soft and lush—was moving the people was a life-defining moment to me. It was so immense—it made me feel so little. I remember going through phases of happiness, despair, wanting to drop doing music altogether, and finally the joy of communing with it all. That eventually kept me going on until this day.

– Dimitri From Paris

I was lucky enough to meet Frankie for the first time two years ago: I went for dinner with him and his agent Sam Slade before a gig in London, which I also attended. He very graciously allowed me to gush for five minutes— it’s not every day you meet your maker—and then had us both enthralled with stories of The Warehouse, Larry Levan and his epic DJ sets of yore.

I was particularly fascinated when he explained how they’d dramatically control the amount of sweat haze

hanging in The Warehouse by opening the skylights and letting the cold Chicago air into the club: he’d installed a lever to do so in the DJ booth. Knowing how much technology we have at our disposal these days, including artificial haze, I thought that was pretty special. After dinner, we went and danced our socks off to his set for three hours, a memory made all the more poignant by his passing.

At one point, I asked Frankie if he thought it was strange that, as “EDM” was blow-

ing up in the U.S.A., his biggest gigs were still in Europe. He was totally sanguine about it, saying it had been that way for so long and that he was blessed to be able to travel the world and play, adding with a smile, “Anywhere I play is my house.” What a gentleman.

– Tony McGuinness, Above & Beyond, London

There are many great Frankie memories, but the best is the memory of his humanity.

I asked him about doing a [Director’s Cut] remix of “We Can Heal” [for House for the Homeless], a project benefiting homeless shelter for women with mental illnesses… raising money and awareness.

He said, “Yes, no problem.” There was no, “Who else is down?” There was no changing of mind. He said, “Yes, of course, I would love to do it!”

I cried—giving is the gift of love!

– Barbara Tucker, BSTAR Music Group, NYC

SAMPLINGS As the mastermind behind Hot Natured, Jamie Jones has crafted a supergroup that manages to simultaneously subvert both the EDM and underground scenes with its unwavering devotion to pop hooks, playful euphoria and unabashed fun.

In 2013, Jones and his bandmates—Lee Foss, Ali Love, Luca C and vocalist Anabel Englund—released the 15-track Different Sides of The Sun, and toured behind the muchanticipated full-length.

Of course, the group is just one aspect of Jones’ decade-plus solo career, which also includes his roles as DJ, producer, co-founder of the Hot Creations label and resident at Ibiza’s DC-10 (for his Paradise party).

With an impending schedule of tour dates—including U.S. stops at Las Vegas’ Marquee club and Detroit’s Movement fest—DJ Times connected with the Welsh DJ/producer.

DJ Times: There are a lot of wild stories circulating about the studio sessions for the

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

JAMIE JONES: HOT CREATOR

8

U.S. Bound: Jones hits Vegas & Detroit in May.

Different Sides of the Sun. How integral was the hedonistic nature of those to the album’s unique mood?

Jones: It’s difficult to say how it would have turned out had we not had those, but there was much in the initial conceptual song writing stage. There’s this whole backstory to the album that we haven’t told everyone about that’s quite trippy and out there—aliens and all sorts of stuff. I think us being in the studio just vibing off each other and getting quite wild definitely helped us tap into our weirder sides going in rather than being clinical and just writing songs.

DJ Times: What went in to choosing the guest vocalists to work on the album?

Jones: Of course, they also have to fit in with the tones of our music, but the most important thing for us was working with people we like and respect when it comes to what they do musically. Anabel [Englund] came to one of our parties in Los Angeles and, with Lee [Foss] living there, she started hanging out. She’s really young—she just turned 21—and has an amazing voice. It worked really well and brought a feminine element to what we did. With her being so young and new, she was much more available to come into studio sessions and travel around on tour.

DJ Times: Hot Natured has seen its own fair share of mainstream and crossover success. Why do you think the public’s latched on the band’s output?

Jones: I think people connect with it because the songs and lyrics have meaning, but they’re also danceable and upbeat. It’s really a hybrid between traditional pop songs and house/electronic music.

I think people who like listening to all types of music can try listening to indie bands or song-based music, but also like going to clubs and listening to house/techno really can find a nice middle ground.

DJ Times: Have you all started work on a second album?

Jones: We have debated about it, but I think we’re going to wait until 2015. Right now, we’ve got a bunch of new remixes coming from the first album.

There are some really cool ones including MK’s remix of “Reverse Skydiving,” among others. Otherwise, I think we’re just going to focus on singles this year, so there’s not so much pressure. The first album took a lot of time—we don’t want to rush into it. A good thing is that we’re all doing well in our solo careers, so this is more of an add-on. It’s a huge passion project for us, so we just want to make sure it’s right.

DJ Times: What is your studio set-up like?

Jones: I use Ableton for most stuff and then do some mixing in Pro Tools. I have a pair of Barefoot MicroMain27 monitors, TR-909, 808, 606, and 303. I just bought an ARP Odyssey. There’s a bunch I’m not even mentioning, because I just invest a lot of my money into studio equipment. If you spend your money well on it, you’re pretty much putting money in the bank.

DJ Times: What is your current DJ setup?

Jones I still use vinyl, but I’m really enjoying being able to use three Pioneer CDJnexus units. I never really got into using three or four turntables with Traktor as a set-up, but having three CDJs and two vinyl turntables allows me to have a lot of stuff playing at the same time and really experiment with it. I can have three songs playing at the same time and use them to almost create new tracks.

DJ Times: What’s your creative process for production? Work on your laptop and fix it in studio or hole up in the studio for periods of time?

Jones: A bit of both you know. I’ll be in Los Angeles for about six weeks, so during that I’ll be in studio working on solo stuff. Otherwise, I’ll make beats and loops on my laptop while I’m traveling. Honestly, if I’m not on my laptop making music, I’m humming some bassline as I fall asleep.

– Chris Caruso

IN THE STUDIO WITH

JACK BEATS:

TURNTABLISTS BECOME

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

CLUB ROCKERS

10

Jack Beats: (from left) Niall Dailly & Ben Geffin .

Jack Beats doesn’t do anything in moderation. For example, the London duo of Niall Dailly and Ben Geffin released both its installation of FABRICLIVE 74 and its Beatbox EP on Skrillex’s OWSLA label on the same day, the latter accompanied by an EDM star-studded video.

And when Jack Beats regularly plays Fabric—its famed hometown nightclub—it also curates all the talent for the Jack Beats Love parties.

So the duo takes that responsibility very seriously.

“Fabric has a very educated crowd,” says Geffin. “[Dailly] and I have been playing there for over 10 years, since it opened. We’ve seen the club go through a lot of history and we know the crowd really well. If we had a weekly or monthly residency, we could build up a hardcore crowd and we could experiment more. [But] we play there often enough to have a good, strong following and we feel like we can get away with that anyway.”

FABRICLIVE 74, however, isn’t exactly a representation of what you might hear the two spin at the Jack Beat Loves events, or any other evening. A third of FABRICLIVE 74 is Jack Beats’ own bouncy tracks, including compilation-exclusive versions of the two EP cuts. “Beatbox” is based around a chopped sample of Craig Mack’s 1994 hit “Get Down”—which wasn’t cleared in time for this compilation—while “The Ill Shit” focuses on a jump-up bass style made interesting by a weird Native Instruments FM8 synth line.

The second third includes signature Jack Beats remixes including Rudimental’s storming “Free” and A-Trak featuring GTA’s Woody Woodpecker tribute, “Landline.” The balance of the mix features upfront numbers such as Duke Dumont’s disco-fied “Street Walker” and Breach’s taunting “Let’s Get Hot.” The mix closes with Basecamp’s “Emmanuel,” a moody number with smooth vocals.

“The compilation is a reflection of our tastes, what we’re feeling the last six months, the direction of some new stuff, and a bit of what we play in clubs,” says Geffin. “If you see us at a festival with only an hour, it would be harder stuff, and we cram it in. In a club, we would be more experimental, testing out tunes, and playing tunes that aren’t as heavy.”

Both Dailly and Geffin come from turntablist backgrounds—the former as DJ Plus One of the Scratch Perverts, the latter as Beni G of the Mixologists. Winning national and international DMC championships between them, the two have a strong foundation in all the tricks that come with turntablism: scratching, beat-juggling, vinyl manipulation, and routines. And while compilations and mixtapes make up a large part of the duo’s history, FABRICLIVE 74 was recorded through Logic.

In a club setting, Jack Beats has recently changed over to SD cards, so it uses four Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS media players and two Pioneer DJM-900NXS mixers. Both DJ at the same time, rather than back-toback—a throwback to the turntablist days.

“We’ll have one feed to front of house and the other mix will slate into one of the channels that isn’t getting used,” Geffin explains. “We’ve always DJed with other people in DJ crews. We’re used to four to six turntables and all DJing at the same time. It takes a little bit of practice, but once you’re used to the way it works, you can do a lot more stuff.

Turntablism isn’t prevalent in our sets so much anymore, but it influenced us and definitely shaped the way we DJ.” The turntablist mentality has found its way to Jack Beats’ production as well, incorporating numerous styles into what it does and creating its own unique sounds in the process. From the late ’90s onwards, U.K. garage and drum-n-bass replaced traditional hip hop for their routines.

Eventually, they broadened into incorporating a myriad of other genres.

Keeping its production primarily in the box, besides Logic Pro X and 9, Jack Beats says Universal Audio’s products are key items, especially the Apollo hi-res interface. The two are hanging on to their Akai MPCs, Roland JV-2080, as well as the odd Korg synth, even if they aren’t used very often. Another essential element to Jack Beats’ production is testing out the material for an extended period of time prior to release.

“That’s what happens with a lot our tracks,” says Geffin. “The idea might not be working, then we slip the production a little bit and it clicks.”

– Lily Moayeri

WI PLU NO TH G ’ W SE N P RA LA TO Y DJ

IT’S GONNA REMIND YOU OF ANOTHER TURNTABLE… IT’S OK, WE DON’T MIND.

INTRODUCING THE RP-8000 With its MIDI compatible control section consisting of Trax encoder, 8 backlit drum pads and 4 combinable performance modes (cue, loop, sample and user) The RP-8000 has that familiar feeling with all of the modern features you want.

A division of Jam Industries Ltd.

For more information visit: www.americanmusicandsound.com

The Dance-Music World Remembers Frankie Knuckles, the Godfather of House

Frankie Knuckles, the Godfather of House, passed away in Chicago this past March 31 from diabetes-related complications. He was 59.

What follows is a collection of remembrances from DJs and industry people whose lives he touched through his influential music and deep personal connections. For those who loved Frankie’s music, we hope it inspires to you dig through the crates or dive down the YouTube rabbit hole. For those who never experienced Frankie’s magic, there’s a whole world for you to explore. Enjoy.

Not counting my on-and-off NYC club-promotion days in the late-’80s, I’ve been in this business for 20 years and Alison Limerick’s “Where Love Lives” remains my No. 1 all-time favorite tune in house music.

Not surprisingly, it was Frankie Knuckles’ remix that made me fall in love with it and the genre, experiencing genuine house music in ways I’d never felt before.

It was the early-’90s after all, house had been already taking shape, and Frankie in particular was at the helm, taking the post-disco that he’d been playing since the late-’70s and turning it into a whole new

four-on-the-floor-vibe. For many of his fans, colleagues, co-producers and industry

folk who were so deeply affected by the live sets at Chicago’s Warehouse, NYC’s Sound Factory and Red Zone or through his many productions (“Whistle Song” with Eric Kupper), collabs (“Tears” with Satoshi Tomeii), and remixes (Inner City’s “Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin’” with David Morales) and tons more, he and this thing called house would in some way shape who we were and what we’d become.

Indeed, it was all life-altering for many. But that’s just what this master craftsman’s music did for us all—it literally changed lives.

Having been one of the pillars of the legendary Def Mix family for nearly 30 years, Frankie brought out the emotion of pure love for his listeners experience (without getting all hippie), with grace, quality and class. A loving soul, noble spirit, pure heart, and phenomenal talent. A man who could work a room and take people for a magical spin year after year, club after club, city after city, for decades, never losing sight of their enjoyment and what he did to bring them that joy.

Who’s here to replace Frankie Knuckles? Who will make such an impact on music and define a genre in the way he did?

He was the first person in house music to have both an honorary day and a street (in Chicago) named

“Remixer of the Year”

after him. He was the first to win a Grammy for in the Dance category. Upon Frankie’s passing, Elton John established the Frankie Knuckles Fund to support HIV information, testing and treatment in Africa, America and the U.K. Also, at a very moving memorial service in

New York City, a condolence letter from The First Family was read.

His email address was FKALWAYS@..., and so it will remain. The Godfather of House—there will never be anyone like him.

– joeB Berinato (Kaleidosphere Recordings/Pitch Control Marketing/King Street Sounds)

Eric Kupper, Director’s Cut, NYC: He was a pioneer and a leader in this community. He also championed talent when he recognized it. He did not let his ego get in the way, as many often do. In the studio, he had an amazing sense of melody and orchestration—I learned a great deal from him in that regard.

Fave Recording: It would have to be “The Whistle Song,” which was a turning point for both of our careers. Thoroughly inspired by hearing him play at the Red Zone, I wrote the rough draft and gave it to him on a cassette. He loved it and went into studio with John Poppo, and did it properly.

John Digweed, Bedrock, Hastings, U.K.: I first saw Frankie Knuckles when he played at Heaven in London for the very first time in the late ’80s—I have been a fan from the start. His mixes and productions are timeless and, when people talk about house music and where it came from, his name comes up first. His dedication to DJing spans decades and his legacy will live on forever.

I had met Frankie many times and also had the pleasure to play alongside him, which was a real honor. He was always very downto-earth and a great person to hang out with. House music has lost its founder, but the music and memories he created will always be with us.

Kerri Chandler, Madhouse Records, New Jersey: Frankie is the reason house is called house in the first place—it’s from the Warehouse in Chicago. He and David Morales are the standard for me in soulful music to reach for. He had so many ways to merge soul and electronic music and could make you sing to it. He did it with class and with style. He always did it big!

Frankie would make huge and lush productions and make them seem simple. Anytime you would hear any of them, you would notice that something extra that you hadn’t noticed before. He also had amazing arrangements. Frankie always had such a rich knowledge of music and left you wanting to hear more.

Fave Recording: “Tears,” for so many reasons. The first time I heard it, I was at a Frankie gig and when he played it, I had no idea what it was and had to know.

I ran into the booth and asked him. As the record was coming to an end, he mixed out of it, put the record in the sleeve and said, “Here, you can have it. It’s one of my songs—I’m glad you like it.” I gave him the biggest hug and watched him make magic in that room.

Tony McGuinness, Above & Beyond, London: He gave us all a job description. His Warehouse club gave the music a name and a church.

House music is the bastard son of disco and Frankie was one of the people that enabled that birth, extending 12-inch disco mixes and gluing them together with drum-machine beats in his DJ sets and in the studio.

Fave Recording: His mix of Rosie Gaines “Closer Than Close,” a 10-minute epic with atmospheric pads and real Rhodes playing.

You could only respect Frankie—there was no other way. He was extremely friendly. Watching him play or seeing him hanging out at a club just made you feel good. He meant a lot to all the DJs from that era and he always supported the scene. His presence was huge.

Fave Recording: “Tears,” because I was a young teenager when I bought it and I remember the day I got it. It was a very special record with a lot of emotion. Even to this day, it moves the room.

Tedd Patterson, Cielo, NYC: Frankie’s commitment to dance music made one of the biggest impacts in the world of music. If you even call yourself a DJ, you owe it to yourself to read the man’s life story to understand what was made possible for us through his actions. His commitment to his craft, his commitment to dance music, and to his audience will be his legacy and his strongest contribution to modern-day dance music.

Fave Recordings: Allison Limerick’s “Where Love Lives” is still amazing. Lil Louis’ “Fables” is incredible. Sounds Of Blackness’ “The Pressure” is dramatic and uplifting.

To this day, I feel it the way I felt it the first time I heard him play it at Sound Factory years ago. Genius!

Barbara Tucker, BSTAR Music Group, NYC: Without even knowing it, he demonstrated integrity—as a man, as a professional and as a DJ. When the DJing stopped, the teaching began: No ego, stay humble, be a mentor and an example. He was a giver, not a taker. He honored his word.

And it didn’t take his passing for even the city of Chicago to honor his name with a street sign.

Fave Recording: I love the (Director’s Cut) remix of “Get Over U” by B. Slade—I lose my mind to that.

Joey Negro, Z Records, London: Along with Larry Levan, Frankie was definitely there right as the start of DJ culture. By that, I mean the early days of an audience going to a specific club because they liked the DJ’s music selection, not because of cheap drinks or hooking up with people. It’s something we take for granted now that people go out to see a DJ. And the fact that the music he was playing at the Warehouse became known as house music—a term we still use now and for the foreseeable future—is a legacy like no other.

Fave Recording: “Tears” has a unique atmosphere and will always be my favorite.

Picking a less-known piece, it would be his mix of Melanie Williams’ “Everyday Thing.”

Terry Hunter, T’s Box Productions, Chicago: Frankie set the standard and the blueprint for us to follow as how you should carry yourself as a professional, working DJ—at least for me he did. He was very important to DJing because he was one of the first to be recognized in a global way for starting a genre of music that is now respected around the world. That’s truly amazing in my eyes. His musical strength was how he spoke to his crowd. You could tell what kind of mood Frankie was in when he was DJing.

When I was about 11, my cousin took me to the party on the north side of Chicago and I saw Frankie DJing. I couldn’t believe how he was seamlessly mixing songs. I sat there amazed and the crowd was going crazy, shouting Frankie’s name! I told my cousin right there, “I want to do what he’s doing.”

For my next birthday, I got a mixer and that was my start.

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

Fave Recording: Sounds Of Blackness’ “The Pressure”—just an uplifting, heartfelt song with a powerful message that hits home.

14

Teddy Douglas, Basement Boys, Baltimore: Frankie was important because his DJing style and song choices, which he brought from New York to Chicago, influenced the young kids like Farley Jackmaster Funk, Hot Mix 5, Steve Hurley, Chip E, Marshall Jefferson and Larry Heard, etc. Those records in the early ’80s influenced other kids, like myself, to eventually make what the world now calls EDM. Frankie’s main contribution was influencing a generation of kids to use whatever resources available to express themselves musically. By using drum machines and synthesizers, they created a new sound. His biggest musical strength was his arrangements—I loved his arrangements.

Fave Recording: It has to be “The Whistle Song” because this was his return-to-New York theme song.

Jon Cutler, Distant Music, NYC: Frankie was a pioneer. He truly was the Godfather of House, someone who started and built a movement from introducing a sound that a lot of people weren’t familiar with.

Ultra Naté, Blufire Records, Baltimore: Frankie clearly defined a movement that was bubbling as underground dance culture in New York and Chicago. His appreciation for music of all kinds and how it translates to the dancefloor gave birth to a spiritual awakening and collective consciousness expressed through the clubs.

As a DJ, producer and remixer, Frankie taught us “the art of the song,” how to build it, give it life, give it breadth and allow it to convey emotion.

He taught us through his work that this is how you make music timeless. He shaped me as an artist and songwriter long before we ever met, as his music influenced so many.

Fave Recordings: I really loved the work Frankie did with Adeva back in the day, plus “It’s a Cold World,” “The Whistle Song” and his remix for Lisa Stansfield’s “Change”—all amazing timeless works for me.

Louie Vega, Masters At Work, NYC: Frankie was the highest of importance for us. He was our leader, our musical hero, an inspiration to many.

He was the one we leaned on for guidance. He was a key creator of this genre of dance we call house music. As a DJ, he knew how to take you on a trip through his musical library and played songs he loved and felt you would love, which in turn we would sing on the dancefloor. He was our role model.

He was the true roots of electronic dance music.

He opened up so many doors to us all. He was one of the first DJs to travel the world and the first to win a Grammy. He was there at the beginning of club culture. And he knew how to make a club system sound right—just the perfect balance of bass, mids and highs and the atmosphere he created with his choice of lighting moods.

Fave Recordings: When he remixed of Lil’ Louis’ “Fable” he gave it another life. I’m still playing it as if it were brand new. Of course, I love “The Whistle Song,” “Waiting on My Angel,” “Your Love,” “Baby Wants to Ride,” “Forever Came Today” (Jackson 5 remix), “Tears,” “This Time” (Chantay Moore), “Hot Stuff (Donna Summer), “The Pressure” (Sounds of Blackness) and “Let’s Stay Home.” Even the songs he just played pulled you in, like “Where Were You” by Black Science Orchestra—that track will forever remind me of Frankie Knuckles.

DJ Memê, Def Mix, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Apart of his undeniable musical legacy, as an artist he was solid as a rock. He was not only the Godfather of House music, but also the first DJ/remixer to win a Grammy. How many DJs have a solid career for more than 40 years without ever disappearing? He broke so many barriers and opened so countless doors. He made us believe that everything is possible, that DJs are true artists.

Fave Recording: I’m a huge fan of “The Whistle Song,” but on his remix of “Sunshine” for

Gabrielle, you can hear Frankie all over the place. That is the song I play whenever I want to feel him close to me.

Steve Goodgold, Windish Agency, NYC: Frankie is one of the main reasons I am even in this business. I was a DJ as a young kid, and Frankie was like a modern day rock star to me.

Listening to his mixes every weekend on WBLS radio in NY was like Heaven. With reference to this business, it’s the one era in my life that I look back on with the fondest memories.

25th Anniversary Moments

DJ Dan, InStereo Recordings, LA: Frankie made house music, but they were also “songs” that were so inspirational and motivating that everybody could relate to them. His remix of Allison Limerick “Where Love Lives” and co-production of “Tears” are perfect examples of this. In the early ’90s, I was playing techno and his tracks would make me sway my sets deeper so that I could end with “The Whistle Song.”

I think it’s beautiful that Frankie’s story is being told. Since the explosion of EDM I have become concerned that this country had forgotten about the legends and tastemakers of house music and this is wonderful to see.

Fave Recording: My favorite production of Frankie’s was “Baby Wants to Ride.” It was the first house track I would hear at clubs across the board – gay, straight, commercial. It didn’t matter—that was the jam!

Danny Krivit, 718 Sessions, NYC: Frankie always seemed associated with things of quantity and great class, his productions, the music he championed and his DJ sets were very consistent. The music he played, new or old, felt classic, uplifting, and his mixing was just the right balance—powerful, yet simple. It supported the music and took you on a journey. He maintained high standards and always seem to play on sound systems with great sound. You felt like you were hearing the music under the best possible circumstances.

Fave Recording: “The Pressure” by Sounds Of Blackness. He had many others with maybe equal production value, even the heavenly vocals, but this is the one that really took you to church.

DJ Spinna, Brooklyn Bandits, NYC: Frankie’s biggest musical strength in my opinion was his ability to take songs and transform them into epic masterpieces. I loved his signature piano riffs, basslines and string arrangements. He had an appreciation for vocalists and great songs. If I had to sum up his body of work in one word it would be sophistication.

Fave Recording: “Tears” had the biggest impact on my life. It’s one of those songs that has to be played at the right moment because it’s so special. I still play it out from time to time and the dance floor always explodes. It’s quite an anthem without the typical, obvious catch-phrase chorus.

Dimitri from Paris, Yellow Productions, France: He was a very musical person. It was clear that beyond the mandatory raw beat, he was pushing music that was very rich harmonically with a strong emotional content, unlike any others. He was able to take people on long journeys through a chain of emotions rather than just enslaving their bodies to a continuous stream of relentless drum beats.

From the early minimalistic days of “Your Love,” he evolved into productions that were the richest sounding and most romantic house music we ever had. He created a unique sound, suave, gentle yet powerful, that no other producer matched as of now. He had a rare ability to take you through a rollercoaster of emotions.

Breakthrough Product: Akai S900 “Several manufacturers can lay claim to being the first to offer a commercial sampler, but almost everybody had an Akai S900 bolted in their studio rack in the late ’80s. Released in 1986 and eventually upgraded with the S950, the S900 was an 8-voice, 12-bit sampler module. It featured a maximum of 11.75 seconds of sample time at its highest sampling rate of 40kHz, but the cool thing was that you could lower the sample rate for more sample time—which came in handy, because it only had 750Kb of sample RAM. “Although you might not think so if you gave one a spin today, the big advantage of the S900 was its ease of use, pitch-shifting, and looping capabilities, which made it the prime box for sampled grooves back in the day.”

– Kent Carmical, January ’04, DJ Legends Issue

Fave Recording: His remix of Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You.” I first played it in big studio monitors and, from the first piano notes, I was taken, almost in tears. Those older disco classics are extremely tricky to remix. He managed to make it much more deeply emotional than it ever was.

Bruce Tantum, DJ, NYC: One of Frankie’s biggest (and largely unsung) roles was in helping spread the house gospel to the NYC masses via his late stint at East Village club The World in the late ’80s. House had certainly existed in New York prior to that time, but until he and co-resident David Morales began rocking the 4/4 rhythms for The World’s fabulously diverse crowd, the scene was, perhaps, a bit insular; Frankie brought the sound into the open and turned it into the city’s dance music of choice.

Fave Recording: “Only the Strong Survive.” A sort-of-version of Jerry Butler’s gospel-flavored 1968 classic, the soul-drenched cut, featuring roof-raising vocals from Ricky Dillard, captures the essence of what Frankie was all about: A jacking rhythm, gorgeous instrumentation and an ecstatic feeling.

Todd Terry, In House Records, NYC: Frankie was one of the few DJs that was more like a producer than a DJ. He knew he had to make the tracks more like songs so that house music would become relevant. He was a visionary, he saw how the music could reach beyond the clubs.

Fave Recording: The remix of “The Pressure” by Sounds of Blackness.

JANUARY 2004

THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL MOBILE & CLUB DJ

including…

Junior Vasquez Jellybean Benitez Danny Tenaglia Nicky Siano Juan Atkins QBert Roni Size Louie Vega Basement Jaxx Tony Humphries David Morales çois K Franç Pete Tong Mr. C Dr. Dre Carl Cox DJ Lethal Chemical Brothers Funkmaster Flex

SELECTED BY DJ TIMES MAGAZINE

Moby Grandmaster Flash

Fatboy Slim

4 5>

Terry Farley, Boys Own, London: Frankie was our generation’s link to the early golden era of disco and house music. Larry Levan, Ron Hardy, Tee Scott, etc., had all passed before our generation had a chance to hear them play.

0

74470 99165

6

www.djtimes.com

$5.95 CANADA $3.95 US

Jam Master Jay

Frankie Knuckles

Paul Oakenfold

READ STORY ONLINE

Fave Recording: An unreleased remix of Sounds of Blackness’ “The Pressure.” That was pure Sound Factory—5 a.m., lights off with 2,000 queens stamping and hollering.

djtimes.com/25th-anniversary

Tony Humphries, Yellorange, E. Orange, N.J.: His gracious persona made all his accomplishments secondary. He included you in his extended family where you never felt beneath, but beside him. He formulated relationships that made everyone honored to be involved with him on every level. Frankie Knuckles will live and sparkle from within all who share his life and works.

Matt Black, Coldcut/Ninja Tune, London: So far as anyone can be said to have invented anything, he has a good claim to have invented house music. Hip-hop and house are the two most important styles to have defined dance in the last 35 years—so his influence is immense. In this age of posturing, commercialism and lack of creative ambition, we need more real DJ innovators like Frankie to do new things and still get the people dancing. He showed it’s possible to do that.

Fave Recording: The Director’s Cut remix of “Your Love.”

Nicky Siano, “Love Is the Message” film, NYC: He changed the musical selection on the dance scene from disco to house—that’s monumental! Frankie showed what it was like to be famous and still be an incredible human being.

Fave Recording: A New Reality—the entire CD. Melodic songs that sound like they’re making love to you through the speakers.

Nutritious, SpinSpinNYC, NYC: As a DJ, you’re a curator—the performance is selfless—the music is for the life of party. Frankie knew

Fave Recording: “Only the Strong Survive.”

Flux Pavilion, Circus, Hatfield, U.K.: He created a world and a sound for himself, not because he followed the trend, but because he followed his own passions—which is pretty damn awesome.​

Fave Recording: “Your Love.” I’m a huge fan of a well-placed arp—and oh boy, does this record have one.

Vanessa Daou, Synth Records, NYC: Frankie was more than a legendary DJ, it’s what he represented that earned him his iconic status: Hope, beauty, belief, freedom in and through the music. Frankie stood as a beacon, a light in a forest of darkness. Even in his deepest and most soulful works, he never let go of that light.

Fave Recording: “Tears.” The music and the song sum up his entire philosophy: “One word can wash them away.”

Cazzette, Universal Music, Stockholm, Sweden: He basically was the man who created house music. Without him, there wouldn’t be DJs playing like we do right now.

Fave Recording: We love the arps he used in “Your Love.”

Carl Kennedy, Wasted Youth Music, NYC: A real innovator, Frankie Knuckles was a pure legend. For his humbleness and passion for the music, I was in awe of the man—I even named my son after him.

Fave Recording: “Your Love,” a classic. I could play it for an hour.

Jesse Rose, Play It Down, LA: He was a DJ you couldn’t help but be excited to see. He couldn’t have done more to contribute to dance music than invent the sound that would become known as house music across the world. If it wasn’t for Frankie, I wouldn’t be a DJ.

Fave Recording: “The Whistle Song.” An anthem, but also so deep, so catchy and emotive all at the same time.

D’Julz, Bass Culture, Paris: He was one of the rare house producers to know how to make a good song or who knew how to turn an average song into something big. He was an amazing remixer.

Fave Recording: I have a soft spot from his early work with Jamie Principle—“Cold World” and “Baby Wants To Ride.” From his NYC era, I’d go with “The Whistle Song” and his remix of “The Pressure” by Sound of Blackness. Masterpieces.

Phil Turnipseed, DJ Times, Newark, N.J.: His ability to be a bonafide house legend was only equaled by his humility and graciousness to his peers and those who knew him. He always gave his time. Musically speaking, his greatest strength was his arrangements.

Fave Recording: “Keep On Movin’ (The One Mix),” a deep-house banger with a delicious, soulful vocal and wicked bassline.

Neil Amin-Smith, Clean Bandit, Cambridge, U.K.: Despite being a “superstar DJ,” he never diverged from the basic aim of making people dance. So many DJs play for themselves or for the respect of others, but at the end of the day a DJ’s job is to make people dance.

Fave Recording: “Tears.” The vocal is so emotive.

Jesse Saunders, Electronic Music Café, LA: At the Warehouse, his incredible use of sound effects, combined with the soulful disco that he played and the monstrous subs and tweeters, made you feel like you were being run over by a train!

16

it, and it helped make him a legend.

Fave Recording: “Keep On Movin’,” a special record that still makes people lose their mind.

Chus+Ceballos, Stereo Productions, Madrid, Spain: His energy was amazing, always with an smile on his face, always with time to share a nice conversation with everyone. He was pure love, like his music.

Fave Recording: “Your Love” with the hypnotizing arpeggio, the magic vocals and the way the track progresses with the harmony creating that climax is epic.

Sultan + Ned Shepard, Harem Records, LA: In some of his remixes, he had the ability to hear a melody in places you might not expect, but it sounded so great. Also, he had great intros.

Fave Recording: “Tears” is one of our favorites and because it was the first thing he did with Satoshi Tomiie—it’s a link to the next generation of DJs.

Tom Liljegren, Max Elto, Stockholm, Sweden: His really nice mix between disco and soul that eventually turned into house music.

Fave Recording: “Your Love.” Everyone should buy it and make him climb the charts once again.

Josh Wink, Ovum, Philadelphia: He was such a positive, shining person. His visions and his ideas radiated with all the people with whom he worked. Every time I’d see him, he would have the biggest, warmest and most inviting smile and hug.

Fave Recordings: “Baby Wants to Ride” remains the most memorable. Favorite remixes were “The Pressure” by Sounds of Blackness and “Talking to Myself” by Electribe 101.

Jimmy Edgar, Ultramajic, Berlin: Frankie made some amazing music. To me, it sounded like he combined the sound of Kraftwerk with the musicality of Prince. This idea was claimed a lot by Detroit artists, but I think Frankie pulled it off best.

Fave Recordings: “Baby Wants to Ride” is so raw—the bass bounces and the track

(continued on page 42)

U.K.-BASED DJ/PRODUCER DAVE LEE WAS A DRIVING FORCE IN THE ’90S INERTIA THAT PROPELLED ELECTRONIC MUSIC TO THE LOFTY PLACE IT IS TODAY. POPULARLY KNOWN AS JOEY NEGRO (IN ADDITION TO A NUMBER OF OTHER HANDLES), LEE HAS CHURNED OUT FUNK- AND DISCO-FLAVORED DANCEFLOOR BURNERS FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER CENTURY.

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

Tracks like 2000’s “American Dream” and 2002’s “My Vision”—released as Jakatta, one of his many pseudonyms—went on to become European radio anthems. Anyone who stepped inside a nightclub in the midnoughties would’ve heard his 2005 funky-house gamechanger, “Make a Move On Me.” More recently, his work with The Sunburst Band on smooth cuts like 2012’s “The Secret Life of Us” has won converts as well.

Lee, who runs his Z Records imprint and still DJs all over the world, started out collecting and distributing records, first as a hobby and eventually as a full-time job for Rough Trade. This insight into the record business gave him a unique approach when it came to carving out his own name as a DJ/producer. DJ Times investigates.

DJ Times: You started out working at a record label in 1986, and it was there you made your first forays into production. How did all that happen?

Lee: Growing up, all I cared about was collecting records, particularly late-’70s and early-’80s post-disco and funk. I’d messed about with overdubbing stuff with friends, but I’d never thought about taking it seriously— I just loved the late-’70s sound. Around that time I was coming toward the end of college, and I was drifting: I had had a few job interviews, but I wasn’t really sure where I was going. Then my local record shop got in contact and offered me a job. That’s really what started it off.

DJ Times: How so?

Lee: Working there, I realized a lot of producers just sampled these old records—you didn’t need a singer, a guitarist, a session keyboard player to make a tune. A friend from school and I teamed up and convinced a local businessman, who was also into music, to invest in a little studio. We made a few records and, from what I learned from there, I moved to Rough Trade distribution. Seeing a top-flight distribution company and gaining insight into that led me to set up my own vanity imprint, and I began self-releasing. It all went from there.

DJ Times: Do you think working in the recording industry before you were a producer yourself affected how you actually approached making music?

Lee: Absolutely. I guess it was like doing an apprenticeship. I felt very in touch with what people wanted, what was selling. I remember my first day at Rough Trade, there was a record I absolutely loved; then someone pointed out you couldn’t work out the name of the artist, or the track, because it had this elaborate graffiti artwork that no one could read. It served as an analogy for the whole industry, really. I realized everything that goes around a song—the marketing, the distribution—is often as important as the song itself. It also pushed me toward self-releasing.

DJ Times: Why’s that?

Lee: That way, I had full control over every single aspect of my first few tunes. That’s a given nowadays with the likes of Soundcloud, but back in the ’80s and ’90s a lot of artists had false starts when a track they worked on didn’t get distributed or marketed properly by whichever small label they put it to. I guess the final big fundamental I learned from working in records was just to keep going. Make a record, distribute it. Your first few releases will not set the world on fire, and they won’t sound as good as that other producer you look up to—by the way, that feeling never goes away, even if you make it big! But just knowing that each track will get a bit further, knowing that will happen through watching other records move through distribution, was a massive motivator.

DJ Times: You’re a big fan of disco samples. What inspired you to use these in dance production? Back then, unusual drum patterns, big strings and drops were in vogue...

Lee: The music you start listening to—in my case, late-’70s, early-’80s funk, post-disco, funk, post-disco boogie,

20

As Joey Negro & a Slew of Other Pseudonyms, Dave Lee Has Carved Out a Fruitful Career by Mining Disco Gold synthy stuff—will always play a formative part in what you produce. That’s why producers now, who grew up listening to garage and dubstep, have those references in their tracks. In terms of my own production, I get a kick out of “updating” my favorite records almost, capturing their essence, maintaining their original vibe, but upgrading the drums, the fills, the structure to make it relevant to club play now.

DJ Times: In addition to Joey Negro, you’ve produced under various pseudonyms— most famously, perhaps, Jakatta, with whom you had a smash with “American Dream” and a Ministry of Sound compilation.

But, none of them are dramatically different-sounding musically, so what’s the idea behind all the different names?

Lee: Part of it came from buying records in the ’80s.

Looking at sleeves, messing about in crates, I liked unusual-sounding names. A cool, unknown name would earn a record a place in my “to-listen” shopping basket. This obviously got me thinking. Another

DJ TIMES

big reason was to do with the major labels. As I progressed as a producer, bigger labels were interested. I knew that if I signed to a label with one name, I was bound to produce that style, for that label, for a length of a contract. So if I have several tracks I’m confident could be big, for maneuverability’s sake, I’ll go through different names.

DJ Times: Over the years, how have your set-ups evolved in the DJ booth and the studio?

Lee: DJing-wise, I use Traktor, or USB sticks on CDJs. I’ve got a massive track collection, so it’s simply the most efficient way of doing business. In terms of studio, I’ve been using Logic for years. In fact, I started out using Logic on my Atari! Back then, it was very limited, however, and outboard kit was essential. Nowadays that’s simply not the case, however, I do make as

much use as possible of external kit. I’ve got several synths, I’ve got some analog effects units, all of which I make a conscious effort to incorporate.

DJ Times: Having seen it evolve for some time, do you think upgraded, easy-to-use production software has changed the way we approach music? Do you think it’s advantageous that music’s easier to get down, or has it led to a lot of music feeling formulaic?

Lee: From sample packs, from bedroom producers just rolling out endless a cappella rips, I think it’s easier now than ever to make decent, middle-of-the-road tracks. But that term in itself clouds the water a bit. Up until the early noughties, there was simply much, much less music.While in so many ways now is better, I think that people now fully expect every track to hit them between the eyes. Back then, many huge records came out, attracted little attention, then in a slow week or month, DJs would give it another listen in the record shop, buy it, and a track would build an enormous following over the course of time. That’s rare nowadays. Really, that’s the only negative impact, that there are so many tunes, some genuinely talented stuff just gets buried too quickly.

DJ Times: What’s changed the most in your time?

Lee: There’s no mystery around music now. People don’t have to travel miles to hear one DJ, or wait nine months and conduct serious research just to find that one tune they heard once in Ibiza. It’s all available instantly. That’s fine, except producers often lose out, as it’s harder to build hype, and no one’s going to buy something you can stream, download or share. In a wider sense, music’s become an instantly available commodity, and I think it was all a bit more magic when you really had to wait for a tune you wanted. After all, it’s human nature to want what we can’t have.

DJ Times: Your most recent album, Remixed With Love, is all remixes, and it’s a return to your earlier ’70s- and ’80s-tinged sound. What inspired a strictly remix album, rather than just sampling those tracks?

Lee: I started out as a remixer in many ways. My initial motivator was always to re-visit those old records as new.

But at my peak in the mid-’90s I was being commissioned up to 20 remixes a year. I got fed up. I also realized that a lot of the time remixes have a limit. If you’re doing something along the lines of MK, where you take a record and entirely re-imagine it, then you’re fine. But when you’re specifically commissioned to do a club edit of an average track, it’ll always sound average. This album is basically me going back to my original passion. I’ve stepped beyond record collecting and now I collect the original studio parts for all those records!

DJ Times: So your approach to the album…

Lee: This project was about giving them the upgrade they deserved, in terms of extended timing, modernized drums, clearer parts. I feel a lot of producers back then may have been limited by the whim of their label boss, so I’ve taken their ideas, their melodies, and just beefed them up a bit. I’ve not been strategic, as the title suggests. This (continued on page 42)

JUNE 2014

Dave Lee Advice: “Work around your shortcomings & think big!”

21

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

BY JEFF STILES

22

DJ Rob Nadigal can now cross one huge item off his bucket list.

Nadigal, who grew up in Montreal, Canada, clearly remembers DJing his sixth-grade school dance in 1983, when Michael Jackson’s song “Thriller” was the hottest party tune in North America. That particular single was the teenage jock’s first-ever vinyl purchase, though he never even dreamed he would someday meet up with the entire Jackson clan.

“The Jacksons recently were playing in Las Vegas, and I was there recruiting DJs for the Princess and Carnival cruise lines,” explains Nadigal, who today spends most of his time DJing and recruiting for other entertainers on cruise ships. “I had been told there would be 25 people meeting the Jacksons backstage that night, but, for whatever reason, it was just me. That changed everything, and suddenly made me really nervous.

“At 8 p.m., the Jacksons’ manager brought me backstage and after a few minutes I got to meet them. It was a very surreal situation, but a very exciting situation. We stood around did some small talk, and then I thanked the Jacksons for everything they’ve contributed to the music business.”

We recently polled DJs from throughout the country about run-ins they’ve had with celebrities. We asked: Have you ever performed for (or around) a well-known actor or musician or athlete or politician?

Has a famous person ever used one of their microphones or even given them a testimonial?

When it comes to being entertained, are “famous” people any different from the rest of us? And has it helped business?

Some examples: Joe Martin of All Star DJs in Texas once rubbed elbows by opening a show for Weird Al Yankovic and Dr. Demento in Wichita Falls in 1981; Scott Goldoor of Signature Sounds in Pennsylvania was once able to shake hands with Chubby Checker while working with a third-hand entertainment company; Mark Haggerty of Denon & Doyle Entertainment in the San Francisco Bay Area is quick to rattle off dozens of celebrities he’s worked around.

“Let’s see,” recalls Haggerty, “Robin Williams, George Lucas, MC Hammer, quarterback Alex Smith, John Madden, both of Mike Singletary’s daughters’ weddings, Ann Hathaway, three Halloween parties for Sammy Hagar, and the son of a well-known U.S. Senator—I can’t name him, as I signed a waiver not to use it in any publication.

“We also supplied a DJ and a photo booth for Robin Williams’ third wedding in Napa, where his guests included Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal and Bobcat Goldthwait, his best man. By the way, Mr. Williams

When DJs Play for Celebrities, It’s Not Always Fun & Games

met his wife while shopping at the local Apple store.”

Haggerty says Denon & Doyle has actually done numerous events for the family of filmmaker George Lucas.

“We’ve performed for his son and daughter’s birthday parties, his daughter’s going-away-tocollege party and for several school auctions,” he says. “I also did a wrap-up karaoke party for the first season of his TV series cartoon, ‘Clone Wars.’

George gave a speech as to how this was his first adventure into television, which at the time was uncharted territory for them. We’ve also done a few weddings for his Industrial Light & Magic staff.”

Denon & Doyle personnel also performed a birthday party for the pastor of Christian Jubilee Church, where MC Hammer was the featured guest (and also in attendance were several San Francisco 49ers players, including Jerry Rice and Merton Hanks).

While Mark Haggerty working in the Bay Area definitely has its perks when it comes to the celebrity scene, in the end he’s learned that these folks are just regular people with very interesting jobs.

“John Madden lives in our area and his son threw a birthday party for himself and we were there to play music,” he recalls. “No one made the connection when the file contained the last name of ‘Madden,’ but when our DJ [William ‘Bink’ Feathers] saw John Madden he could barely contain himself.

“We all try to give respect and professionalism with all of our clients, but ‘Bink’ was very excited since he grew up a Raiders fan. There was a payper-view prize fight on TV that night and it cleared the dancefloor as people went inside to watch.

They invited the DJ inside to watch it with them, so he got to hear John Madden’s play-by-play commentary in-person.”

Do these high-profile gigs lead to increased bookings?

“I know that many of those gigs did lead to repeat business, as do many non-celebrity events,” he says. “But it does all come down to networking, whether it’s a famous person or not. We have some pictures in our hallway at the studio where prospective clients can see them.

“I suppose that may sway some people to decide to go with us. It’s just that one extra reason they may pick us, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt.”

JUNE 2014

“I suppose [celebrity gigs] may sway some people to decide to go with us.

It’s that one extra reason they may pick us, and it certainly doesn’t hurt.”

—Mark Haggerty, Denon & Doyle Entertainment

DJ TIMES

Even down in Rock Hill, S.C., Kevin Porter of Elite Entertainment says he’s occasionally had well-known clients. He once did a Halloween party for Mel Gibson and the cast of “The Patriot” while they were filming the movie, for example, and he also performed for a conference where North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory spoke.

“For the last five years,” he says, “I’ve continued to do a Celebrity Pro-Am golf tournament attended by several NFL players, NBA players, NASCAR Drivers, comedians and even former wrestler Nikita Koloff. I also regularly DJ for the Thomas Davis Casino Night, and there are several former and current Carolina Panthers and other NFL players who attend that event.”

As a result of working together, Porter says he’s actually become good friends with Davis, a Panther linebacker.

“It’s funny how most celebrities kind of sit back and wonder why you’re wanting to be a part of their event or charity,” he says. “They kind of wait to see if you’re in it for tickets, autographs, etc. For me, I don’t ask and if I receive one, then I’m good with that. And I’ve actually become more involved with Thomas Davis’ charity as a result.”

Back up in Seattle, Wash., Adam Tiegs of Adam’s DJ Service says that he hasn’t had too many opportunities to work around celebrities, but from his limited experiences with them he’s learned a lot. So far, Tiegs has worked with or spun for events featuring former MLB pitcher Jeff Nelson, former NBA player Doug Christie, UFC fighter Ivan Salaverry, musician Dave Matthews, actor Sean Penn and NFL player Earl Thomas.

“For the most part, working with celebrity clients can be difficult,” says Tiegs.

“First, most of them have a public relations person you have to work with, so there’s a barrier between you and the client. Because of this, the relationship isn’t what it can or should be, as it is with most regular clients.

“Second, I’ve found that while these are one-time events with unique situations, I haven’t got much repeat business as a result of these events—even though it appeared the clients were happy with the job I did for them.

“Third, we need to remember that celebrities are people, too.”

The one irritating thing Tiegs has noticed from working with famous folks is that they sometimes expect a financial break. “Knowing some of these celebs have a lot of money in the bank and they have the nerve to ask for a discount?” he chuckles.

Over in New York City, DJ Carl Williams says many of his high-profile clients tend to be athletes or musicians, and he definitely takes advantage of these events by listing them on his website at DJCarl.com.

“My first break into this exclusive vertical,” he recalls, “was performing with Justin Timberlake and the ‘N SYNC boys down in Orlando, when MTV hired me to play music in the background while the boy band engaged with five tweens from Rhode Island who had won an online contest. That was an exciting and great opportunity.

“A couple of years ago, I was hired by the CEO of NBA China [David Shoemaker] to perform at his wedding. Being that he is such an eloquent speaker, he used my microphone to speak with his diverse guests from all over the world. His wedding story is on my website, and if anyone would like to read about it they can contact me.”

Williams says that, although they do appreciate his skills and his professionalism, many of his high-profile or high-spending clients would rather not write testimonials.

“These folks have a certain expectation when they hire me,” he says. “I remember so vividly when Kevin Martin of the NBA Minnesota Timberwolves said to me, ‘You really know how to run a wedding, DJ Carl!’ He tipped me, and I just wished he made that comment on the microphone with his room full of NBA VIPs. In any event, his colleagues still call me for their events and I’m happy to still be relevant.”

Williams says there are both positives and negatives that come with performing for celebrities. “First, celeb clients know that I have the experience to manage and entertain at their events with confidence, and they know that they can trust me,” he says. “I tell people all the time that celebrities are people, too, who have had their identity publicized through the media. They have the same emotions as everyone else. If you do your homework, then you should be successful at executing their events.

“Secondly, playing for celebrities can intimidate non-famous people. Many potential clients look at my website’s content and my past clients and feel they won’t be able to afford me. My response to that perception is to nonetheless invite them to contact me.

“Performing at cool events, like I did for an MLB Detroit Tigers’ gala fund-raiser, is a benefit for me, too, and it’s not always about making the most money possible.

Sometimes, we just have to give back for the less fortunate.” n

23

MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…

By Phil Moffa Novation’s original Bass Station was available as a 2-octave keyboard and also a simple 1U module.

Released in 1993, it was an inexpensive mono synth used on many records, even getting a mention in lyrics by the Rza. The small-format analog synth is in style again and Novation has brought back its little hitmaker.

The latest incarnation (Bass Station II) adds a few modern conveniences, like USB and more patch storage, in addition to some tone-shaping effects.

The Bass Station II is certainly a competitor in an already crowded market.

Due to its compact size, the oscillator controls work for both Osc 1 and 2, which are selectable by a switch. The digitally controlled analog oscillators can be chosen from the classic list of sine, triangle, saw, and pulse (square). Each oscillator can be tuned with both coarse (semitone) and fine (cents) controls and each can exist in one of four octave ranges, measured in feet.

There are two modulation depths in the oscillator section: a mod envelope that responds to Env 2 and also LFO 1. If using the pulse waveform, both Env 2 and LFO 2 can modulate pulse width. A sync button with corresponding LED syncs the two oscillators.

The sub oscillator is pretty versatile, boasting three waveform choices and the ability to be either one or two octaves below the main oscillators. Despite all of the sub oscillator options, I found the Bass Station II to excel more as a lead than a bass, although many quality sounds in all ranges are possible.

The filter section has some unique features, starting with the Type button that selects between the Classic subtractive-style filter and Acid, which emulates the filter found on the Roland TB-303. Classic

is selectable between lowpass, bandpass, and highpass. When in Classic mode, a Slope button toggles between 12dB and 24dB per octave. An overdrive knob adds some subtle, but very effective pre-filter distortion.There are LFO 2 depth and Mod Envelope depth controls in the filter section for modulation, both in positive and negative directions.

It’s a good-sounding analog filter with a nice, big cutoff knob and the extras make it very useful.

For added sound design capabilities, a small effects section includes Distortion and Osc Filter Mod controls. An external input jack on the rear panel sends a mono signal to the mix.

Both LFOs have a button for selecting waveform (triangle, saw, square and sample & hold) and a knob that does double duty as speed and LFO delay, which postpones the time when modulation occurs.

Each LFO can independently be synced to incoming MIDI beat clock.

Extended features LFO Slew and Keysync further enhance the modulation possibilities. Slew changes the shape by rounding off the waveforms, making their cycles sound smoother, while Keysync determines if the LFO runs freely in the background or restarts with each key press. These features (and several others) are activated by On-Key functions, which require a button press and then the user playing a key as notated on the front panel.

It’s great to see that, even though the panel is small and space needs to be considered, there are some extra features available with a little diving in.

LFO 1 can modulate the pitches of both oscillators using the LFO 1 depth control, the modwheel, or aftertouch as assigned with an On-Key function.

LFO 2 is assignable to pulse width and filter fre-

quency, either via the LFO 2 depth control or the assignable modwheel. The LFOs have three selectable waveforms: triangle, falling sawtooth, or sample & hold (random).

Although the front panel is rather small, Novation still found space to include a pretty thorough arpeggiator and basic sequencer, both of which are syncable to MIDI clock or internal tempo. Thirtytwo preset rhythm sequences combined with six different arpeggiator modes—up, down, random, etc.—create a lot of possibilities. If this isn’t enough to satisfy, a 32-note sequencer allows for four different patterns to be stored and recalled.

Notes and rests are easily programmed in record mode and then, when switched to play mode, they play with whatever note is held as the root, making transposing easy. Fortunately, the arp/sequencer also has a swing control, something that is often overlooked, which makes it more versatile. Pressing down the Latch button will hold onto whatever arp/sequencer notes were pressed last and free up both hands for tweaking parameters.

The Bass Station II is a powerful little synth. I saw it onstage at a P-Funk show and noticed that their keyboard player, Danny Bedrosian, also leaned towards using it as a lead, soloing some very heavy riffs that tore through the sound system. Novation did a great job at fitting enough necessary features into a small unit, and it is also rather easy to navigate.

Novation even snuck a decent arpeggiator/sequencer, some tone-shaping effects, and a limiter into the feature list. There are a lot of mono analog synths hitting the market lately, and the modernized Bass Station II ($499 MAP) should definitely be a consideration if you are shopping for one.

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

ANALOG MONO-SYNTH: NOVATION BASS STATION II

24

Bass Station II: Upgrades aplenty since 1993.

SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

PIONEER’S SERATO SOLUTION

By Reed Dailey

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

One of the first reviews I wrote for DJ Times was about the first-ever Serato Itch all-in-one controllers. The unit was simple in nature, reliable, and heavy as hell.

Well, fast-forward five-plus years and the DJ controller world is hotter than ever. Almost nobody carries records any more, and when I say no one I mean me. Whether it’s with Serato, Traktor, Mixvibes or any other software alternative, DJing with a laptop is hands-down easier.

So with that said, I introduce the all-new Pioneer DDJ-SB, a fully functioning DJ controller with every bell and whistle imaginable.

Welcome to Controllers Are you new to the DJ world? OK, let me first break down what it means to be DJing with a controller. The controller—in this case, the DDJSB—acts as both the mixer and two “turntables.”

While, of course, there are other features, let’s just keep it simple for now.

The second piece is your laptop and accompanying DJ software—this will be your proverbial record bag. When you connect your laptop to your controller, you as a user are able to play and manipulate those tracks (records) similar to a traditional DJ setup (via the DDJ-SB controller).

Software When the world started to move to DJing with a controller, New Zealand-based Serato Audio Research—having already stuck gold with its Scratch Live DVS product—released a light version of its software called Serato Itch. Over the years, this software has been slowly phased out and Serato released Serato DJ and Serato DJ Intro products.

And to be honest, other than a couple of visual tweaks to the user interface, there is not a whole lot of difference between the Itch, Serato DJ, or even the original Scratch Live.

The commonality between all of Serato’s platforms is that they all work, all the time, and with very few bugs.Today, we are talking more about the Pioneer controller, but I will say if you are familiar with Serato Scratch Live, you will like Serato DJ; and if you are new to Serato products overall, I can tell you that it is an extremely intuitive software.

Also, I can almost guarantee that anyone can un-

26

derstand 90-percent of the software functionality within 20 minutes.

Feature Overview Alright, now that we have mentioned all of that, let’s take a harder look at the Pioneer unit. Just when you think Pioneer can’t dig any deeper or price any lower, it surprises you its all-new DDJ-SB. While the device could be labeled entry-level, it is far from basic, is impressively lightweight, and completely matches the needs of the modern-day DJ. The DDJ-SB is a 2-channel DJ controller specifically designed for Serato DJ Intro or, if you feel like upgrading, Serato DJ. Similar to the look and layout of both the DDJ-SX or DDJ-SR, the DDJ-SB has a 3-channel EQ, four total rubber performance pads per channel, dedicated channel filter, six control FX, which can be layered or assigned to either channel, the all new “Filter Fade,” two jog wheels, and Serato track select and load navigation.

You might be asking yourself, “What’s that mean?” It is simple. When Pioneer was designing the DDJ-SB, it did everything in their power to make this device as comprehensive as possible, while also keeping the size and weight at a level that even my grandmother could carry from her house to a gig.

As it is likely that if you are reading this you are fairly familiar with a 2-channel DJ setup, let’s skip through the part where I say the jog wheels and crossfader work great for scratching, the EQ couldn’t be tighter, and using the search and load functionality for track selection gives you memories of an aching back—as you recall all the vinyl you lugged around vs. turning a knob and pushing a button. Rather, let us skip to the three pieces of functionality the DDJ-SB contains, which will change the way you play your sets: Filter Fade, Performance Pads, and Layered FX. Key Features Filter Fade is an all new piece of functionality that Pioneer has specifically added to this controller and, in my opinion, it makes complete sense.

The idea behind the Filter Fade functionality is to allow tracks to be mixed naturally using a crossfader by adjusting the volume of the left and right decks, as well as the high-pass filter parameters.

From a technical standpoint, the high-pass filter of the left and right decks is linked with the actions of the crossfader, and the deck volume is adjusted while applying the base filter. This allows tracks with different styles or BPMs to be mixed smoothly and, from a user perspective, makes mixing and transitioning from song to song much easier and smooth—perfect for those who are DJing for the first time.

Performance Pads are like hot cues, but way cooler. The idea behind these pads is to allow a user to set cue points to start, stop, and loop a track. The even cooler part of these pads is that you can do all sorts of live remixing in a much more natural performance manner, giving your sets a completely new sound, feel and flavor.

The last piece of functionality comes with the six FX knobs. In previous editions of controllers, FX knobs could only be assigned to a single channel and/or only one FX parameter could be used at a time. With the DDJ-SB, there are six FX knobs which can be layered and combined, allowing an individual to create an all-new sound and give the track a unique feeling.

General Setup It is not right to provide a proper product review without talking a little about the setup. Outside of downloading the Serato DJ Intro software from serato.com, all you need is a PC or MacBook, a USB cord and your favorite pair of headphones.

The DDJ-SB is powered off your laptop and the controller has a built-in soundcard, which means you can connect directly from your controller to the speakers. The last piece of setup to note is that the headphone jack provides both an 1/8- or ¼-inch headphone output—perfect for both standard DJ headphones and everyday headphone.

Conclusions From top to bottom, this controller does everything that an aspiring and experienced DJs could ever want from such a unit. Add up the functionality with its light weight and $299 price point, and you might find that the DDJ-SB quickly becoming your new best friend. Well-done, Pioneer.

Pioneer DDJ-SB: Portability matches performance.

ay M 1– ne Ju ,2 30 4

01

SIMPLE SETUP. SERIOUS BASS. BOSE® B2 BASS MODULE & L1® MODEL 1S SYSTEM Presenting the two latest additions to the Bose L1 family. Our high-performance B2 bass module delivers more bass than you’ve ever heard before from an L1, and our L1 Model 1S offers the portability and flexibility of the L1 family — with a new level of performance. With the proprietary Bose 12-speaker articulated line array, the L1 Model 1S provides 180 degrees of clear, even, room-filling sound. And with no speaker stands and fewer connections, you’ll spend less time setting up and more time giving your customers a party they won’t forget.

To learn more about Bose L1 systems, visit Bose.com/L1systemsdj or call 888-367-2073.

L1 Model 1S with B2 bass ©2014 Bose Corporation.

Discount not to be combined with other offers or applied to previous purchases, and subject to change without notice. Offers are limited to purchases made from Bose and participating authorized dealers.

CC014363

MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

PART-TIMER HOLDS FULL-TIME DREAM

Jessie Garcia started Expression Events in 2004

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

By Mo Carins

28

San Jose, Calif.—Jessie Garcia spends his days as an IT manager. But at night, towards the weekend and on weekends, he wears the hat of a mobile DJ. “I don’t mind taking on corporate events during the week,” he says, “but other than that, it’s IT Manager by day, DJ by night.”

With a mixing style inspired by friends and mentors (Bernardo from SoundzUnique and Jaime from CuttingEdge DJs), Garcia started DJing in the late 1990s with Playitloud Productionz. They even got on some preferred vendor lists in the Silicon Valley, a great source of gigs for when he eventually went on his own in 2004.

With Expression Events, Garcia hoped to bring his unique style to every event. “Many DJs say this, but I’m not your typical wedding DJ that relies on played-out songs from decades past,” he says. “I spend several hours of preproduction music-planning and mixing before each and every event. At Playitloud, I’d done everything from working at clubs to mobile events, so I gained some valuable experience there.”

Not that Garcia didn’t try the typical wedding-DJ method to generate gigs: bridal shows.

“We tried the bridal-show arena, and had mixed feelings,” he says. “Aside from having one of the coolest booths around, we had tons of positive reaction and probably the busiest booth. The one thing we noticed, however, was that most people that we had met were on challenging budgets. Although we were fortunate to get enough business to break even, we seem to get more business from making social connections with Silicon Valley venue managers and event coordinators.”

Garcia says an even more effective way of generating gigs is the tried-andtrue way: building his network, even funneling gigs to his competition.

“I send business to other DJs out there that I’ve built relationships with,” he says. “Take, for example, Rich Amooi from Hey Mr. DJ. We highly recommend each other many times to pass business to each other. Although he could be considered ‘the competition,’ by working together, we’ve both been able to book more gigs on both ends.”

Each year, Garcia spends approximately 5-percent of his yearly earnings on some form of advertising. “Every year is different depending on our earnings from gigs,” he says. “One year we’ll do the bridal-show thing, the next we’ll do special deals through Constant Contact. We once threw a release party at a restaurant to showcase our services. Another year, we wrapped our van. It’s all about mixing it up to really see what sticks and works well.”

One place he invests regardless of his earnings is social media. “In this day

and age, of course, it’s very important,” he says. “The latest generation grew up with the Internet, they go there for everything. So I do my best to keep the most important channels as updated as possible—Facebook, Pinterest, and our blog. It shows prospects and potential clients that we are alive on the web, and people love visuals, so we try to share as many photos from recent events on those sites as well.”

In such a visually oriented business as DJing, it made sense for Garcia to start offering lighting and photo-booth services. Both products have effectively boosted his bottom line. Garcia’s wife Sara handles the photo-booth services, allowing Jessie to focus on the music, the lighting side of the business, and keeping dancefloors filled.

“Aside from pre-production work on my mixes, I constantly peoplewatch,” says Garcia, when we asked how he keeps the floors filled. “I never live by a pre-produced playlist when it comes to playing music.

Watching people and knowing my audience is what has worked for me.

I’ll usually start the dancing with a good mix of classics mixed in with today’s music. Once I get a feel for what people like, I go with that and continue to build from there.”

On average, Garcia will book about two weddings and two corporate or private events per month. “We believe in quality vs. quantity,” he says.

“We would rather work two to three amazing events per month than to try and do more and take the chance of not living up to our clients’ expectations. I try to balance my life between family, work, and play and do my best to keep it in that order!”

In fact, it was a family member that gave Garcia the best business advice.

“My father-in-law has been in the wedding business as a professional photographer for 34 years. One day I asked him what advice would we have for me as a business owner in the same industry. He quickly responded: ‘Find out what the competition is doing, and do something totally different.’ He couldn’t be so right. I believe that’s one of the things that’s made me successful as a DJ and small business owner.”

We asked Garcia where he sees his business in five years. He said he believes it’ll be thriving. “By then, I would hope to have built the business in a way to make it my main source of income, yet allow me to spend more time with my family.”

And to pull that off, Garcia will take his own advice he offers to young DJs. “Do what you enjoy and you’ll never work a day in your life,” he says. “Find your niche and just do it. Always smile—people will feed off your energy when you are center stage. And, of course, never forget the people who helped get you to where you are today.”

BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

For the better part of a decade, Randy Bartlett—owner of Premier Entertainment and Video in Sacramento, Calif.—has been producing a series of videos based around the premise that small adjustments applied to many aspects of a DJ’s performance can yield better results than one major adjustment.

He’s called this approach “The 1% Solution,” and he’ll be providing DJ Expo attendees the latest version of the seminar in August.We recently spoke to Bartlett and he offered some great takeaways.

THE 1% SOLUTION: IT’S NOT TALENT,—IT’S TRAINING! Tell us about what inspired “The 1% Solution.”

In our training workshops for our DJs, we spent a lot of time making small tweaks in performance to get a better result. One day, I said, “I don’t want to change anything you’re doing by 100-percent; I just want to change 100 things by 1-percent.”

That’s how we came up with the name. I began giving seminars on performance, and, for me, it was always much easier to understand the concept with a video, rather than just talking about it. It was hard to discuss the little things that made the difference without being able to show it.

At my seminars, I would show video samples of both good and bad examples, and afterwards, I would be deluged with requests from DJs for copies of the videos. I realized that there was nothing on the market that combined great content with great production value, so we set out to fill that niche with “The 1% Solution” DVD. The success was beyond what we imagined, with tons of requests for more and so began the series.

WHAT CHANGES HAVE SEEN IN THE INDUSTRY, PERFORMANCE-WISE, SINCE THAT DVD DEBUTED? The DJ business will always be, like all entertainment, mostly made up of part-time hobbyists, just like musicians, magicians, singers and so on. There is still a large contingent of DJs out there who try to improve their service by adding new gear, with little thought to changing their performance. But I’ve heard from countless DJs over the years about how they’ve been able to double or triple their rates by using the ideas in “The 1% Solution,” by creating more direct referrals from guests at events.

For years, the only real difference between DJs was between the competent professionals and the incompetent hobbyist, but now we’re seeing another level—the competent professional and trained DJ, who knows how to create applause without yelling, “Make some noise!” or is able to create excitement and energy, to naturally transition the moments of an event to keep the guests completely engaged.

CAN YOU GIVE US A SNAPSHOT OF HOW DJS CAN USE WORDING CHANGES TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE? Here’s a simple example: Applause is important, but if it’s forced, it can actually take away from the moment, instead of adding to it. Think about a Broadway play—as the scene ends, as the lights fade, as that last note is hit by the actor, as a member of the audience, you have goose bumps, you’re totally in the moment and without any prompting, you will spontaneously begin to clap.

But if, at that moment, a voice came through the sound system saying, “How about a nice round of applause for the actors—that was awesome,” then it would take you out of the moment and you wouldn’t feel the emotion.

It’s the same at a wedding. We want to learn to deliver applause lines, so it’s about the wording, the inflection and the timing, which is why “The 1%” DVDs are so helpful.You don’t read about it, you see

I DON’T WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING YOU’RE DOING BY 100-PERCENT;

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

I JUST WANT TO CHANGE 100 THINGS

30

BY 1-PERCENT

and hear it. One common mistake DJs make is in the opening, when they welcome the guests to the venue, rather than to the event. They will say, “Good evening and welcome to the Sheraton Grand. My name is Jim Jackson from Jackson Entertainment and I will be your host for the evening. I want to let you know about, blah, blah, blah.” There’s no applause line in there. An audience needs a reason and an opportunity to applaud and they will, every time.

So with a small change, they can engage that audience quickly: “Good evening.” (Pause slightly to give the guests a moment to disconnect from the conversation and to engage you.) “Welcome to Steve and Sarah’s wedding reception!” This line must be delivered correctly, with the proper up-tempo ending, but without going over the top. If delivered with the right inflection, timing and body language, the guests will respond with a big, natural cheer and applause every single time. If they didn’t, it means you didn’t deliver it correctly.

Now, within the first three seconds of being on the microphone and without you telling them to do so, they have enthusiastically cheered and clapped all on their own. You now own the room. The difference between “Welcome to the Sheraton Grand,” and “Welcome to Steve and Sarah’s wedding reception” is very minor, but the results are completely different. That’s not talent—that’s training.

WHAT WILL EXPO ATTENDEES SEE THAT’S UPDATED? Although a lot of what I teach is timeless, because it’s more about technique, everything changes with time. The styles of wedding-party introductions have changed a lot, the styles of interaction have changed and we concentrate a lot more now on transitions— those moments between every event, every announcement, every song that tie everything together.

HAVE YOU RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM DJS THAT MADE YOU WANT TO ADD TO “THE 1% SOLUTION”— AND WHAT WAS IT? One of the biggest changes from when we began is YouTube. I get people sending me links all the time to both good and bad performances. As a performance coach, I almost always see things that can be improved, even in the good ones.

Our next DVD, “Transitions,” out in the fall of 2014, is one that we’ve wanted to do for a long time, because we’ve had so many requests from DJs to see that, but it’s been the toughest one to do, because most videographers don’t shoot the transitions, and if they do and have it in the video, it’s usually only the good ones that make it in. But I think DJs need to see bad examples to relate to in order to really understand the difference.

The other request we get a lot is for “Grand Entrances” and we’re working on that as well, but that won’t happen until 2015 at least.

HOW IS ESTABLISHING “THE 1% SOLUTION” BRAND DIFFERENT FROM ESTABLISHING THE PREMIER ENTERTAINMENT BRAND? “The 1% Solution” is about how we do what we do.

Premier Entertainment is about what we do.

I’ve made the mistake too often with my Premier Entertainment clients of getting into the “how” instead of the results. Nobody wants to hear about the labor pains—they just want to see the baby. But that doctor better know about how to handle the delivery.

“The 1% Solution” is “How to Deliver a Healthy Baby.” Premier Entertainment is “Isn’t this the cutest (continued on page 42)

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Inno a Place ADJ Products 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.americandj.com American DJ’s Inno Spot Series includes four LED moving heads. Inno Pocket Spot uses a 12W LED source and features seven colors plus white, Pan/Tilt Inversion mode and four built-in light shows. Inno Spot LED has a 50W LED source and eight colors plus white, while Inno Spot Pro is powered by a bright 80W LED source and has eight colors plus spot. Both feature a three-facet prism. Finally, Inno Spot Elite features a 180W LED source, eight colors plus white and 15 DMX channels.

The Dream of the ’90s

Hear Me Out

American Music & Sound 22020 Clarendon St, Suite 305 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (800) 431-2609 www.AmericanMusicAndSound.com

Pioneer DJ 1925 E. Dominguez Street Long Beach, CA 90810 (310) 952-2000 www.pioneerdjusa.com

Novation has released “1992 - Today: Iconic Synth Sounds,” a free soundpack for UltraNova and MiniNova users.

The soundpack includes iconic synths from some of the most recognizable songs from the past 22 years, encompassing a wide variety of genres that includes house, dubstep, drum-n-bass, breaks, trance, R&B, U.K. garage and more. Available for download from the Novation website, “1992 - Today: Iconic Synth Sounds” is easily transferred to the user’s computer using the “easyto-use” PC and Mac librarian software.

Resolv the Issue

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

Samson Technologies Corp.

45 Gilpin Avenue Hauppauge, NY 11788 (631) 784-2200 www.samsontech.com

32

Samson’s line of Resolv SE two-way active studio reference monitors includes the Resolv 70W, 50Hz–27 kHz SE5; the 100W, 45Hz–27 kHz SE6; and the 100W, 40Hz–27 kHz SE8. Each model features a four-position high-frequency lift control, 1.25-inch soft dome tweeters, and both balanced ¼-inch inputs and unbalanced RCA inputs. The units are AV shielded for use with computers and are made with a solid MDF construction to support maximum SPL.

Pioneer DJ has introduced two new enclosed inner-ear headphone models—the DJE-2000 and DJE-1500. The DJE-2000 sports a “hybrid” two-way driver system and comes with three Comply foam earphone tips, as well as four silicone tips and one triple-flanged silicone tips for different-sized ear canals. The DJE-1500 utilizes a large 9.4 mm driver and CCAW voice coil to produce a high-frequency range. It comes with a medium-sized Comply foam earphone tip and four silicone tips. Both feature a detachable MMCX connector.

Two top players, one crowd-pleasing system: Crown’s XLS DriveCore™ Series amps and JBL’s new JRX200 Series speakers.

Portable and powerful, the XLS Series provides crossovers, limiters, and multiple inputs to plug in anything and play anywhere. With an updated high performance compression driver and JBL designed low frequency woofer, the JRX200 series ensures you sound great every time you play.

For high performance that’s highly affordable, take the stage with Crown and JBL.

For more information please visit www.crownaudio.com LIFE IS A STAGE. ROCK IT. EVERY DAY.

©2013 Harman International Industries, Inc.

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

By the Book Terminal Velocity American Music & Sound 22020 Clarendon St, Suite 305 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (800) 431-2609 www.AmericanMusicAndSound.com Terminal Mix 8 from Reloop is a four-deck pad-based performance controller developed with Serato in order to work closely with Serato DJ software.

Terminal Mix 8 features an intuitive PAD performance section with16 touchsensitive RGB drum pads that trigger cue points, loops, samples and a slicer effect that cuts the playing track into eight pieces that are distributed across the drum pads. Additional features include 15.5cm diameter, anti-skidding vinyl surface jog wheels and 14-bit, 100 mm pitchfaders.

State of A-Tracktion

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

Tracktion Software Corporation 10820 NE 108th Street Kirkland, WA 98033 www.tracktion.com

34

Tracktion Version 5, the latest update to Tracktion Software Corporation’s recording application, is available for Mac, PC and Linux systems. The new update offers enhanced MIDI capabilities, including a Step Sequencer Clip, Per-note Automation and MIDI Learn for integrating hardware controllers. Additional features include a System Resource Manager, rapid audio comping, track presets, Freeze Point technology, and an “Edit Clip” format that allows users to embed multi-track material as if it were a single audio clip.

Hal Leonard Corporation PO Box 13819 Milwaukee, WI 53213 (973) 337-5034 www.halleonard.com Hal Leonard releases two new books on Ableton Live 9 written

by Ableton certified trainer Jake Perrine. The first, “Sound Design, Mixing, and Mastering with Ableton Live 9” is a 176-page book that comes with a DVD-ROM that includes audio samples, demo software, and video tutorials. “Producing Music with Ableton Live 9” features an appendix section that focuses on such non-Ableton specific topics as digital audio basics, components of a producer’s studio, considerations when buying a DAW computer, and more.

Knights in Warm-White Satin Elation Professional US 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (866) 245-6726 www.elationlighting.com Elation Professional’s Lumina Series of warm-white LED washes/blinders includes the Lumina Matrix and the Lumina Strip. The former is an LED matrix panel that sports 16 warm white LEDs in a 4 x 4 array, while the latter is a one-meter-long linear LED bar that uses 10 warm-white LEDs that can be individually controlled. Both models feature a 15-degree beam, 0-100-percent electronic dimming with variable dimming curves, and individual pixel control.

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

25th Anniversary Moments

Wash Away Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com Chauvet is now offering two new moving head wash fixtures, the Intimidator Wash Zoom 250 IRC and the Intimidator Wash Zoom 350 IRC. Both models are outfitted with 20-watt quad-color RGBW LEDs and offer such features as built-in auto programs with sectional control and manual zoom for short-throw or long-throw applications. The Intimidator Wash Zoom 250 IRC also offers wireless non-DMX control using the optional IRC-6 remote.

David Morales: Lessons from David Mancuso & The Loft “What I learned from The Loft parties was crowd control—how you start your evening, how you pace yourself. With Mancuso, you learned that when you went to somebody’s house, you relaxed. You grooved with the evening. You were seduced. He built it—the way it was supposed to be done. You take it up and down—you ain’t peaking for eight hours. It doesn’t work that way.

“The most important thing I learned from Mancuso was that it was all about the selection—it’s not about the mix. He played the record from beginning to end, and that’s what people wanted to hear.

They didn’t care how incredible you were as a mixer.

It wasn’t about the technical side. And you know something? To this day, that’s what it’s about.”

– David Morales, February, 2005

GREENSKEEPERS’ GREENSKEEPERS’ TWISTED TWISTED HOUSE HOUSE * * DJ DJ IRENE’S IRENE’S TRANSIT TRANSIT TRACKS TRACKS

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs. ESTABLISHED 1988.

FEBRUARY 2005

Lstand Corrected

DAVID MORALES

Odyssey Innovative Designs 809 West Santa Anita Street San Gabriel, CA 91776 (626) 588-2528 www.ody-usa.com

WHY MULLET-ROCK WILL SAVE YOUR DANCEFLOOR CURE THOSE POST-HOLIDAY GIG BLUES CHRIS LIEBING PUSHES TECHNO MASSIVE

The Lstand360 Ultra laptop stand from Odyssey offers multiple configurations for DJs and producers, including multiple stand configurations controlled by a single push button click-lock mechanism. Options include the classic L-shape, a Z-shape for iPads and other small devices, and an extra tall setting. Made from aircraft T6 aluminum, the stand is able to fold flat, making it only 1.5-inches high. It comes with a travel pouch and is available in white, black or silver colors with translucent wraps.

$5.95 CANADA

$3.95 US

NOTES FROM THE OLD SCHOOL

$3.95 US

$5.95 CANADA

0 2>

7

25274 78543

8

w ww ww w..d djjttiim me es s..c co om m

Untitled-1

1

PLUS:

NAMM PREVIEW SOCCER MOM DJ SURROUND SOUND MIXING POSTCARD FROM THE “BIG HOUSE” WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE COLD CALL? 12/29/04, 1:51 PM

READ ENTIRE INTERVIEW ONLINE djtimes.com/25th-anniversary

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Viva Las Vega Gibson Corporate 309 Plus Park Blvd.

Nashville, TN 37217 (800) 444-2766 www.gibson.com Cerwin-Vega’s P1000X 10-inch Powered Loudspeaker is a twoway, bi-amped, full-range bass-reflex speaker. It comes equipped with a 10-inch woofer and highfrequency compression driver, and is powered by a custom 1,500W C lass- D amp. T h e s p e a ke r i s housed in a lightweight, robust polymer enclosure with ergonomic handles and a self-tightening pole cup. Additional features include enhanced EQ, VEGA BASS boost, high-pass filter controls and a built-in mixer with multiple channels and I/O connections.

Revenge of the Synth Ableton 36 W. Colorado Blvd. Suite 300 Pasadena, CA 91105 (646) 723-4550 www.ableton.com Dark Synth is a new Max for Live synthesizer created by Ableton in conjunction with Amazing Noises. Users get 2,048 independently-controllable sine wave oscillators, which the company says “are capable of creating many varieties of classic waveforms such as sawtooth and square wave.” Using those partials, Dark Synth can create up to 128 detuned and phase-shifted copies. It offers a variety of stretch, overdrive, and granular stereo simulation effects, as well as an assortment of presets. Dark Synth requires Ableton Live version 9.1 and Max for Live version 6.1.6.

We Provide The Gear.

You Provide The Energy.

Top Brands Including:

Call a Sales Pro Today!

Call 800-356-5844

or visit fullcompass.com Leading The Industry For Over 35 Years

Follow Us Request your FREE 540-page catalog

August 11-14, 2014 | Trump Taj Mahal | Atlantic City, NJ REGISTER AT THEDJEXPO.COM Be at The Casbah on Wednesday, August 13, for DJ Expo’s annual competition, when the best of the best from the Mobile Nation compete in a variety of performance categories, including “DJ of the Year.”

If you’re a mobile DJ/entertainer/performer & you think you’ve got the goods to compete in Atlantic City, please contact us (djtimes@testa.com) with a Subject Line reading “DJ of the Year.”

Maybe you’ll take home this year’s honors!

/THEDJEXPO FOR

EXHIBITION

@DJExpo_

INFORMATION,

PLEASE

/DJTIMESMAG CONTACT

JON

RAYVID

AT

516-767-2500

Ext.507

OR

EMAIL

HIM

AT

JON@DJTIMES.COM

GROOVES TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS INSPIRED u Nervo u Ministry of Sound In the second installment of Ministry of Sound’s new Inspired comp series, CD1 (“Present & Future Inspirations”) serves as a best-of package of the Aussie pair’s vocal-house hits and festival-ready DJ sets. Then, the “Past Inspirations” disc offers a more subdued and eclectic retrospective. New track “Sunshine Through Rain Clouds” is a delightful mix of soulful vocals and pounding electro drops.

– Chris Caruso “HEARTBREAKER” EP

u Kele Okereke u Crosstown Rebels Bloc Party singer Okereke delivers some cool, deep sounds on this fourtrack EP.We’re definitely feeling the murky, yet bouncy vibe of “Get Up” and we dig jazzy house vibe of “God Has a Way” for its aggressive chord work. Both mixes of “Heartbreaker” are working as well.

– Phil Turnipseed “LURKING WOLVES” u Shall Ocin u Ellum Audio Just right for late-night action, this one leans toward the harder side. Shall Ocin (aka Argentina’s Nicolas Abalos) drops this devastating mega-nugget that boasts chugging drums, gripping key stabs, wildly vicious effects and a monstrous bassline.

– Shawn Christopher

Monarchy

Idris Elba

Irena

Shall Ocin

Christian Malloni

“CHILDREN OF HOUSE” EP u Nolan feat. Idris Elba u Connaisseur Who knew? The DJ/actor—Stringer Bell from “The Wire”— takes the mic with this adventurous new set. With four tracks included here, the vibe goes funky and minimal (“Bass Drop”), then

Nervo

ventures into a darker, more tech-house sound (original mix of “Children of House”). Things get more electro and quirky with the title-track remixes from Timo Garcia and Of Norway. Elba’s voice descends on each mix with a sort of Darth Vader-meets-The-Streets vibe. Very cool.

– Phil Turnipseed “LIVING WITHOUT YOU” u Monarchy u Ultra Records The English duo delivers a brilliantly paced interstellar epic, loaded with singalong choruses and a jubilant tone. Ra Black’s sings of getting over an ex-lover, while the production slowly builds toward an explosion of spacey arpeggiated synth, creating a track that’s equally as emotive as it is danceable.

– Chris Caruso “BODY & SOUL” EP u Christian Malloni u So Sound Recordings Right out the gate, this one bangs. The title track offers fierce percussion and a sick vocal sample—it’s an in-your-face beatfest. “Muzik” goes more on the deep house tip with some perky chord work, while “Wet” offers an early-’90s throwback, but blends some contemporary vibes and some soulful vocal stabs.

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

– Phil Turnipseed

38

“STUCK IN LOVE” u Irena u Favouritizm Masterfully mixed and produced by Mark Ralph (Hot Natured) and Julian Bendall (Bah Samba), this cool house piece also showcases Irena’s rich, heartfelt, feel-good vocals. On their remix, Alex Vanni and Sarah Favouritizm bang out a retro, Nu-Disco, floor-filler. Also, Aki Bergen lays down some driving rhythms and wafting basslines on his mix. This chic package is definitely heating things up for the summer.

– Shawn Christopher

CAST YOUR VOTE Win a Trip for 2 to Las Vegas for the America’s Best DJ Closing Party! t Alvin Risk t Armand Van Helden t A-Trak t Baauer t Bad Boy Bill t Bassnectar t Blake Jarrell t 3lau t BT t Carl Craig t Carnage t Cedric Gervais t Christopher Lawrence t Claude VonStroke t Crizzly t Crystal Method t Danny Tenaglia t David Morales t Dennis Ferrer t Derrick Carter t Designer Drugs t Dieselboy t Dillon Francis t Diplo t Disco Fries t DJ Bl3nd t DJ Boris t DJ Craze t DJ Creme t DJ Dan t DJ Enferno t DJ Godfather t DJ Shadow t DJ Shiftee t DJ Skribble t Dubfire t DVS1 t Erick Morillo t Faust & Shortee t Felix Da Housecat t Filo & Peri t Flosstradamus t François K t Gabriel & Dresden t George Acosta t Girl Talk t Grandmaster Flash t Green Velvet t Jazzy Jeff t Jeff Mills t Josh Wink t Just Blaze t Justin Martin t Kevin Saunderson t Kill The Noise t Krewella t Kristina Sky t Lee Foss t Louie Vega t Maceo Plex t Manufactured Superstars t Mark Farina t Markus Schulz t Marques Wyatt t Martinez Brothers t Matthew Dear t Max Vangeli t Mike Huckaby t Miguel Migs t Mix Master Mike t Moby t Morgan Page t Nicolas Jaar t Porter Robinson t Pretty Lights t QBert t Reid Speed t RL Grime t Robbie Rivera t Roger Sanchez t Roonie G t Saeed Younan t Seven Lions t Sharam t Shogun t Skrillex t Sleepy & Boo t Soul Clap t Stacey Pullen t Steve Aoki t TOKiMONSTA t Tommie Sunshine t Tritonal t Trouble & Bass Crew t 12th Planet t Vice t Victor Calderone t Wolf + Lamb t Wolfgang Gartner t Z-Trip

2007 Jonathan Peters

2008 George Acosta

2009 Christopher Lawrence

2010 Z-Trip

2011 QBert

2011 & ’13 Kaskade

2012 Markus Schulz

Inaugurated in 2006, America’s Best DJ is a competition presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times that determines the premier US-based DJ. Each year, DJ Times nominates 100 DJs, and fans can vote for their favorites from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

/AMERICASBESTDJ

AMERICASBESTDJ.US

/DJTIMESMAG

FOR ADVERTISING RATES AND DEADLINES CALL 800-YES-7678 X507

MARKETPLACE

SUPPLIES

P T EMBE R Y-SE MA

AMERICA’S BE ST DJ

MER TOUR SUM 201 4

PR

ES

EN

TED B Y DJ TIM

ES

FOR SPONSORSHIPS AND BOOKING, EMAIL US AT: BOOKING@DJTIMES.COM | SPONSORS@ DJTIMES.COM AMERICASBESTDJ.NET /DJTIMESMAG /AMERICASBESTDJ

DEBUT

NEW PRODUCTS TO A KEEN AND TARGETED MARKET.

EXPAND

YOUR BUSINESS INTO AN ESTABLISHED, BUT STILL FAST-GROWING, MARKET.

© 2014. All Rights Reserved. NYS Dept. of Consumer Affairs #1387598

Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, 12/5/13NJ 10:23 AM August 11-14, 2014 IDJNOW • Holiday Ad • 4c, 4.125” W X 4.375” H • Ad Runs in DJ TIMES for NAMM 1/15/2014 •

40

A BR TTE OC ND HU EE RE

YOUR LEADS, SALES & PROFITS

INCREASE

BRAND RECOGNITION WITH DJS OF ALL KINDS.

SELL

3

FO

631-585-1100 x 7460

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES TO AN AUDIENCE THAT IS READY TO BUY.

E PA G E SE

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

R

DJ_Times_February_2014.indd 1

DOUBLE

djexpo.com

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE PHONE JON RAYVID AT 516.767.2500 EXT. 507 OR EMAIL AT JRAYVID@TESTA.COM.

MP3s in 56

Compiled As MAY 5, 2014

NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART

NATIONAL URBAN POOL CHART

1 Kylie Minogue Into The Blue(Remixes) 2 Engique Iglesias F/ Pitbull I’m A Freak 3 Gia Bombs Away 4 Tiesto Red Lights 5 Beyonce Partition 6 Shakira F/ Rihanna Can’t Remember To Forget 7 Beyonce Blow 8 Cher I Walk Alone 9 Alina Artts Bounce 10 Audio Playground Hands Up In The Air 11 Zedd F/ Matthew Koma & Miriam Bryan Find You 12 Duke Dumont I Got You 13 DJ Cassidy F/ Robin Thicke & Jessi Calling All Hearts 14 Pharrell Williams Happy 15 Daft Punk Give Life Back To Music 16 Naughty Boy F/ Sam Smith La La La 17 VenSun The Dragon Flies 18 Mariah Carey You’re Mine 19 Katy Perry Dark Horse 20 Claire Games 21 Katia Erase Replace 22 Diva Demolition Can’t Wait 23 Lady Gaga Do What U Want 24 Avicii Addicted To You 25 Chainsmokers #Selfie 26 A Great Big World F/ Christina Agui Say Something 27 Kwanza Jones Vicious 28 Havana Brown Warrior 29 Chromeo Jealous (I Ain’t With It) 30 Calvin Harris Summer 31 Anything But Monday Bump 32 Kristine W So Close To Me 33 Bimbo Jones And Beverly Knight I Found Out 34 Afrojack F/ Wrabel Ten Feet Tall 35 Malea Give 36 Katy Perry Birthday 37 American Authors Best Day Of My Life 38 Asher Monroe F/ Chris Brown Memory 39 Ariana And The Rose In Your Bed 40 Jason Derulo F/ 2 Chains Talk Dirty

1 Beyonce 2 Kid Ink F/ Chris Brown 3 Pharrell Williams 4 Trey Songz 5 Chris Brown F/ Lil Wayne&French Montana 6 Young Money F/ Drake 7 Jhene Aiko 8 Jason Derulo F/ 2 Chains 9 Ty Dolla $ign F/ B.O.B. 10 Jay Z F/ Beyonce 11 Lil Boosie & Webbie F/ Kiara 12 Young Thug 13 Future F/ Pharrel/ Pusha T / Casino 14 Snootie Wild F/ Yo Gotti 15 Sage The Gemini 16 KCamp F/ 2 Chains 17 Kid Ink F/ Chris Brown & Tyga 18 Dj Infamous F/Jeezy/ Ludacris/Juicy 19 Tinashe F/ School Boy Q 20 K. Michelle

Warner Brothers Universal Global Groove Casablanca Columbia Warner Brothers Columbia Warner Brothers REC Sony/Canada Interscope Astralwerks Columbia Columbia Columbia Capitol Sea To Sun Island Capitol Astralwerks Global Groove Spitfire Interscope Island Dim Mark Epic Innovative Ent. 2101 Warner Brothers Columbia ABM Fly Again Radikal Def Jam Water Music Capitol Island/Def Jam D-Empire Pookiebird Warner Brothers

Most Added Tracks 1 Ariana And The Rose In Your Bed 2 SilverLand And Stix Golden 3 Bimbo Jones And Beverly Knight I Found Out 4 Katy Perry Birthday 5 RPM Project F/ Eva Solas Sara 6 Lady Gaga G.U.Y. 7 Duke Dumont I Got You 8 Tribal Saints F/ Hyp3d & Reanna Armellino Dance The Night Away 9 Eddie Amador Super Duper (Remix) 10 Jennifer Lopez I Luh Ya Papi

REPORTING POOLS

Pookiebird Ryal Radikal Capitol Panache Interscope Astralwerks Amathus InStereo Capitol

n Dixie Dance Kings - Atlanta, GA; Dan Miller n Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n OMAP - Washington, DC; Al Chasen n Dj Stickyboots - Goshen, NJ; Blake Eckelbarger n Pittsburgh DJ - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich n Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle n New York Music Pool - Levittown, NY; Jackie McCloy n WPTV-Prty 105FM Frd MdMx - New York, NY; Mike Rizzo n MOOD Spins - Seattle, WA; Randy Schlager n DeeJay Creativity - Pflugerville, TX; Scott Smith n Northeast Record Pool - Revere, MA; Justin Testa n Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis n Next Music Pool - Los Angeles, CA; Bob Ketchter

Looking for these titles? You can hear them and buy them at www.dancekings.com. Just click on the links in the chart.

DDK has limited memberships available for qualified DJs in the US. We service CDs and MP3s in dance and urban formats. Feedback and membership dues required.

770-740-0356

Partition Show Me Happy Na Na Loyal Trophies The Worst Talk Dirty Paranoid Part II ( On The Run) Show Da World Stoner Move That Doh Yayo Gas Pedal Cut Her Off Main Chick Double Cup 2 On Can’t Raise A Man

Columbia RCA Columbia Atlantic RCA Republic Island/Def Jam Warner Brothers Atlantic Rock-a-fella Trill Atlantic Epic Epic Universal Interscope RCA EOne RCA Atlantic

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Ty Dolla $ign F/ Wiz Khalifa Jennifer Hudson Yo Gotti F/ Rich Homie Quan Kid Ink F/ Chris Brown & Tyga Future F/ Kanye West

Or Nah Walk It Out I Know Main Chick I Won

Atlantic RCA Epic RCA Epic

NEW NATIONAL LATIN DANCE POOL CHART 1. Gretchen feat Gocho Tu Princesa 2. Gallardo & Falcon Pegao’ (Remix) 3. Romeo Santos feat Drake Odio 4. Adassa Vs Don Candiani Young Love 5. Chan Junior Margarita 6. J Martin Ni Una Lagrima Mas 7. Angelucho Copacabana Soy Latino 8. Marc Anthony Cambio De Piel 9. Enrique Iglesias feat Marco A. Solis El Perdedor 10. Brenda K Starr Te Voy A Enamorar 11. DJ Cubanito feat Oba Frank lords La Casa De Pepe 12. Prince Royce Te Robare 13. Juanes La Luz (Remix) 14. Charlie Zaa Digo Yo 15. Yvi Queen Cuando Las Mujeres (Remixes) 16. J Balvin feat Farruko 6 AM 17. Wisin, J-Lo & Ricky Martin Adrenalina 18. Farruko feat Sean Paul Passion Whine 19. Enrique Iglesias feat Gente de Zona Bailando 20. Grupo Niche Tocando El Cielo

Universal 3rd. World Music Sony Kult Latino Music Chanson PPE Mr. Yuca Sony Universal The 360 Site Toy Robot Sony Universal Entity Granda Ent. Universal Sony Latin Ent. Universal PPR

Most Added Tracks 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Muzik Junkies feat Adassa Magic Juan Tito El Bambino Juanes NG2

Soy Soltera Embrujado Top Stop Music El Gran Perdedor Venemusic Mil Pedazos Universal Y Ahora Me Voy 360 group

REPORTING LATIN POOLS n Latinos Unidos Record Pool n Salsamania Latin Record Pool n Lobo/Bass Record

Pool n Urban Tropics Music Pool n North East Record Pool n Mixx Hitts Record Pool n Ritmo Camacho Record Pool n Ritmo Internacional Record Pool n DJ Latinos Record Pool n Mass Pool n Record Pool Latino n V.I.P. Chicago Record Pool.

Frankie Knuckles (continued from page 16)

tells a story. Also, “Your Love” is very sexy, like a synthetic disco.

Shawn Christopher, DJ Times, NYC: Frankie’s sets were joyous, uplifting, spirited, emotive and inspirational with an abundance of vocals.

Positivity and light radiated from the booth and he knew how to work a crowd.

Fave Recording: “The Whistle Song.” This song so touched me that I devoted my life to house music. Its ethereal rhythms, whimsical flute, and exquisite bassline gripped my soul.

DJ Pioneer, Kiss FM, London: Listening to his music gives you a guideline of how to produce it and listening to his sets would provide us DJs with the blueprint of spinning house music.

Fave Recording: “Tears” because it paved the way for soulful house. It’s a complete song with powerful lyrics and excellent production.

Sleepy & Boo, Marquee Club, NYC: If you heard Frankie or you heard his music, you knew what he was about as an individual: emotional, uplifting, spiritual, inspiring, a uniter.

His strength was to channel those feelings into his music, and to bring people together to share in that moment on the dancefloor.

Fave Recording: “The Whistle Song” is just the perfect Frankie record. It makes you smile, feel good and want to dance.

Clara Da Costa, Sonica FM, Ibiza, Spain: Frankie was an innovator. Anyone who knows the history of house music knows that. He was important to other DJs and produc-

ers alike because he always supported the people around him or people that came to him with their music.

He produced some of the earliest house music, creating what are now timeless classics. The Warehouse (Frankie’s club) in Chicago was also one of the first house clubs showcasing this new fresh sound.

Anyone that does not know his music should get to know it. He made you want to be a better DJ, a better producer and he was in it for all the right reasons.

Fave Recording: The obvious one would be “Your Love” that he made with Jamie Principle, but his remix of Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You” is one that has to be mentioned. The beautiful piano at the beginning of this track is so emotional and followed by a genius arrangement. It gets me every time and often brings a tear to my eye.

Alex Cecil, DJ, NYC: Frankie

Business Line

(continued from page 30)

baby you’ve ever seen?”

ARE YOU STILL LEARNING THINGS THAT YOU CAN ADD TO “THE 1% SOLUTION” BRAND? WHAT ARE THEY? The teacher learns the most. As I’ve been working on the “Transitions” DVD, I’ve really come to focus on them, and while I’ve always prided myself on being good at transitions, now that it’s my focus, I see lots of room for improvement.

It’s really fun when you take something that you’re pretty good at, and then give it “The 1% Solution” treatment and see that little tweak get you a great big better result than ever. For me, learning has always been fun.

Knuckles singlehandedly brought a vibe, a knowledge, and an opinion to the world. He carried the underground to a level heard by everyone.

Fave Recording: The Director’s Cut remix for “Get Involved” by Dbow—ups, downs, vocals, ’70s, disco, smooth, funky, upbeat, happy.

Tony Zeoli, Netmix, Asheville, NC: For me, it was about his longevity—40-plus years is incredible.

His greatest strength was not only his personal touch on the records he worked on, but also his ability to bring together so many talented people on these productions and create unique and complete orchestrations.

Fave Recording: “The Whistle Song” with Eric Kupper on keyboards is a house-music classic, but his mix of “The Pressure” by Sounds Of Blackness is one of the most foot stomping, soulful and gospel-infused stormers I’ve ever heard. n

As I’ve begun the preparations on my “Grand Entrances” DVD, I’ve been looking at a lot of different styles and I’m realizing that there’s so much more that can be added.

One of the coolest things about the workshops I do now is watching other DJs perform on the mic. I’ve gotten some great ideas from them as well. In a workshop I did last year, I heard the greatest line from one of the attendees, one I’ve integrated into my own opening and the reaction from the guests has been awesome:The teacher learns the most!

DJ Expo will run Aug. 11-14 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J. For the latest info, please visit www.thedjexpo.com.

Joey Negro

(continued from page 21) whole exercise was just an indulgence for me.

DJ Times: Seeing how the electronic-dance scene has evolved so much since your beginnings, what do you predict for the future?

Lee: You can never predict what’s happening next. If somebody asked me that question 20 years ago, I would’ve mumbled something about soulful house. I would have never imagined the EDM thing, or that it was R&B pop groups that were now fronting these massive chart-topping dance records.

However, I am confident that electronic music will stay healthy. There’s a lot of hate for the current trends— but then some of the most amazing producers of the late-’90s and early noughties started out on happy hardcore—so really, quality-wise, that puts EDM in context.

DJ Times: What are Joey Negro’s plans for 2014?

Lee: I don’t have a strategy for this next stage. What I’m concentrating more and more on is just enjoying what I do above anything else—hence, the Remixed With Love compilation. In general, that plan is going to involve production this year. I’ve got a forthcoming track with Horse Meat Disco, I’ve got a remix coming out of a track

by Kolombo, I’ve got another cratedigging themed project, too, an Italianhouse compilation.

DJ Times: What advice would you give aspiring DJ/producers?

Lee: Build a following. And do that by doing your own thing. Also, assess your shortcomings and find a workaround. Can’t play keyboard? Find a mate that can. Can’t get inspired by a cappellas? Get a vocalist to do some stuff for you. Think big! n

Carnage Creates a Deadly Path Because when I play...

I slay!

DJ TIMES

JUNE 2014

They call me Carnage...

42

Carnage, Next Month in DJ Times

NEW HD8 DJ Excellent sound reproduction across the audible range thanks to Sennheiser’s proprietary acoustics system Crafted from durable, high quality metal parts to guarantee years of use Ear cups can be rotated 210 Degree for easy one-ear monitoring and storage Two Kevlar-coated cables (one straight and one coiled) are included and can be attached to either the left or right ear cup, allowing you to swap to your preference 95 ohm impedance for optimum compatibility with DJ equipment

NEW HD7 DJ Impressive sound quality and powerful, accurate bass to help keep you in the groove all night long Constructed of rugged, lightweight parts - built to withstand years of heavy-duty use Ear cups can be rotated 210 degrees for easy one-ear monitoring and storage Soft, durable ear cushions ensure a comfortable fit, even over extended periods of use 95 ohm impedance for optimum compatibility with DJ equipment

NEW HD6 MIX Designed to cater to the needs of the professional sound technician Rugged, lightweight parts and built to withstand years of work in the studio Accurate, balanced sound reproduction suitable for mixing and monitoring Soft, durable ear cushions ensure a comfortable fit even over extended periods of use 150 ohm impedance for optimum compatibility in the studio

Developed with DJs. Built with passion.

“Drawing on our success based around the HD 25 and extensive experience in high-end audio, the DJ range applies Sennheiser’s proprietary acoustic system to answer the needs of different performing and production applications” - Ivan Kuan, Head of Product Management, Sennheiser Consumer Electronics

Check out the NEW HD6 MIX, HD7 DJ and HD8 DJ www.sennheiser.com/dj-headphones