DJ Times July 2015, Vol 28 No 7

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 JULY 2015

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US $6.95 CANADA

DJ EXPO: WHAT’S ON TAP?

& MORE

ARMIN VAN BUUREN’S TRIPLE-CROWN TRANCE WIGGLE GRIZ RCF EVOX SPEAKERS OUTPUT SIGNAL THE KEYS TO INFLUENCE GENERATING LEADS FOR DJ GIGS

Mark Ronson BRINGS THE UPTOWN FUNK

AMERICA’S BEST DJ TOUR ROLLS ON

INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES

NEWS

25 YEARS: DJ EXPO SET FOR ATLANTIC CITY IN AUGUST Kick-Off: Mandy Jiroux set to lead the party.

Scratchin’: Grand Wizzard Theodore.

part of the fabric of pop culture.

Then on Wednesday, Aug. 12, Marley Marl and DJ Polo—two members of the legendary Juice Crew—will discuss how the Queens-based collective began to exert its influence

Joshua Hanford

on New York city radio, hip hop, and, ultimately, America’s burgeoning DJ culture.

For the latest on DJ Expo’s seminars and panels, please see Feedback on Page 7.

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America’s Best DJ Kick-Off

Detroit – America’s Best DJ nominee Josh Wink gets busy on Movement’s main stage this past Memorial Day weekend. The festival drew nearly 100,000 fans and served as the kick-off event for America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times.

For more on the tour, please see Page 18.

Marley Marl: Juice Crew in the house.

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From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening (Aug. 11) at Robert’s Rooftop Oceanfront Bar & Lounge at Scores, Peavey Electronics and Jägermeister will present “The Art of the Mix,” featuring an impressive array of hip-hop legends. Hosted by Public Enemy’s Keith Shocklee, the event will include performances by Grand Mixer DXT (of Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit” fame), Grand Wizzard Theodore (inventor of the scratch technique) and DJ Jazzy Jay (co-founder of Def Jam).

Later Tuesday evening, Aug. 11, Promo Only’s Summer Sessions will produce a slate of DJ- and artist-driven entertainment at the Borgata. In previous years, Promo Only parties have presented acts like Lady Gaga, Krewella, Salt N’ Pepa and many more. At presstime, talent was TBA. On Wednesday night (Aug. 12) at Scores, the Expo’s annual “DJ of the Year” competition will bestow awards in a variety of mobile-oriented categories. Hosted by Mike Walter, the event will include exciting performances from a variety of DJs, MCs and dancers. Who will take home the trophy this year?

Then later that night (Aug. 12), the inimitable DJ Skribble will take the party home on with his annual performance at the Trump Taj Mahal’s Ego Lounge.

Keynotes: This year’s DJ Expo will feature two days of keynotes that’ll take you back to the early days of hip hop and DJing. On Tuesday, Aug. 11, Grand Mixer DXT, Grand Wizzard Theodore and DJ Jazzy Jay will discuss the early days of DJing and will also explain how hip-hop became a

DJ TIMES

By Jim Tremayne Atlantic City, N.J. – It was 25 years ago that DJ Times and its publisher Testa Communications first presented DJ Expo. And thanks to its attendees and exhibitors, it remains the DJ industry’s longest-running and best-attended trade show.

With an annual program that offers an exhibit hall full of the latest DJ-related gear, nearly 30 educational seminars tackling the market’s most pressing issues, and nightly sponsored events, DJ Expo continues to define the industry.

This year’s show—set for Aug. 10-13 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J.—will celebrate a quarter-century by looking back at the DJ market’s influential past, but also by pressing forward in the wake of its new ideas and game-changing technologies.

Parties: The Expo Kick-Off party, set for Monday, Aug. 10, at Scores Atlantic City in the Taj, will offer attendees an opportunity to network, but it will entertain them as well. Hosted by Mike Walter of Elite Entertainment, the party will present DJ/singer/dancer Mandy Jiroux, who will perform her solo single, “My Forever.” Jiroux—a noted choreographer—will also walk eager partygoers through a new dance routine or two.

Jiroux began her ascent to stardom in 2008 with the launch of The Miley & Mandy Show with best friend Miley Cyrus. In the years since, Jiroux has been a member of the girl group BG5 and built a leading YouTube dance channel. Currently in the studio working on her debut album, Jiroux has collaborated with Afrojack and Da Internz.

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VOLUME 28

NUMBER 7

DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback

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

26 Making Tracks Output’s Signal

28 Sounding Off RCF’s EVOX 8

30 Mobile Profile

Tarheel DJ Keeps Spinning

32 Business Line

12 The Golden Touch

From the Amy Winehouse Classics to the Evergreen “Uptown Funk,” the Hits Just Keep Coming for Mark Ronson. Still, He Says He Owes It All to DJ Culture.

BY CHRIS CARUSO

18 And Away We Go…

America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times Launches in Motown

BY DJ TIMES PHOTOGRAPHERS

The Keys to Influence

34 Gear

New Products from ADJ, Cakewalk & More

38 Grooves

Phat Tracks from Martin Landsky, DJ Spen & 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 2015 JULY 2015

SAMPLINGS 8 Wiggle

4

U.K. Originators

10 In the Studio With…

GRiZ

22 Triple-Crown Trance

With Armin van Buuren Essentially Opening for American Pharoah, The Preakness Becomes the Latest Big Event to Appropriate DJ Culture

BY JIM TREMAYNE

24 Lead Generation

DJs Relying on Word-Of-Mouth Referrals for a Majority of New Business Are Singing a New Tune

BY JEFF STILES

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FROM THE EDITOR

Uptown Funk & Triple-Crown Trance

Mark Ronson has had a career that few DJs can imagine. Born into a rock-n-roll family—his father was a founding member of the multi-platinum-selling band Foreigner—Ronson decided to go in another musical direction. And did it ever work out.

He began by DJing bars and clubs, eventually graduating to the celeb-party circuit. However, it was in the studio where he began to really shine. One might think that his classic productions for the late Amy Winehouse might be his legacy forever and we should all be so lucky to help create music that lasting and, frankly, that good. But, now with “Uptown Funk,” his evergreen collaboration with Bruno Mars, Ronson is enjoying a pop-culture second act that few could’ve predicted. After a recent show at Brooklyn hotspot Verboten, our Chris Caruso caught up with Ronson to discuss a variety of topics, including how DJing put him on the road to mega-success.

In Samplings, Mr. Caruso also connects with GRiZ (aka Grant Kwiecinski), the DJ/producer/sax player who has been tearing up the EDM/festival circuit. Also, I connect with Wiggle, the U.K. trio of Eddie Richards, Nathan Coles and Terry Francis, which is celebrating 20 years of releasing music and throwing events. Their tech-house sound, merged with an Acid House ethos, has provided plenty of quality experiences for dance-music fans over the years, so… we pay tribute.

In the world of the mobile entertainer, our Iowa-based scribe Jeff Stiles asks a panel of jocks: “What are you doing to generate word-of-mouth referrals?” In Business Line, we look at the keys to influencing the public and potential clients by referencing Robert Cialdini’s 1984 book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. In Mobile Profile, we connect with North Carolina jock Paul Cordts, who got the DJ bug in the 1970s and has parlayed that experience as a performer (and as a listener) into a successful business.

For our Making Tracks studio column, Denver-based DJ/producer Wesley Bryant-King tests Output’s Signal pulse engine and finds some surprising results. In the Sounding Off pro-audio column, Boston-based jock Paul Dailey puts RCF’s EVOX 8 active speakers to the test.

In other features, I venture to Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course for the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. And what does that have to do with DJ Times?

Well, the event is more than just a horse race; it’s also a day-long party, one that draws more than 100,000 fans annually. (This year, with American Pharaoh making racing history, there were more than 130,000.) And who better to get the party started than one of the world’s most popular DJ/ producers Armin van Buuren? Thanks to Armin’s team and the Preakness/Pimlico staff, we were fortunate enough to get backstage access for the performance and the race. We think you might find it interesting to see the extent to which American popular culture has embraced the DJ. We also give you a three-page glimpse of the opening events on the America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times. We launched the tour at the Movement festival in Detroit with 14 ABDJ nominees on the bill. Then it was off to Club Therapy in Providence, R.I., for some late-night action with DJ Boris, which was followed by a jaunt to First Avenue in Minneapolis for the “Get Together 3” party featuring Mark Farina. Big thanks go out to Woody McBride and the First Avenue staff in Minnesota, Jeff LeClair and Volume Productions in Rhode Island, and the entire Paxahau crew, especially Dana Boyette and Morin Yousif, in Michigan.

Of course, DJ Expo is right around the corner. Set for Aug. 10-13 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., the Expo will present nearly 30 seminars, more than 100 exhibitors and nightly sponsored entertainment. We have a few exciting announcements on Page 3 and we hope to see you later this summer in AC!

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

Cheers,

6

Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times

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

assistant editor Chris Caruso ccaruso@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Jody Amos Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Ally Byers Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis Tommy D Funk Michelle Fetky Jon Jay Robert LaFrance Michelle Loeb Evan Maag Duanny Medrano Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Natalie Raben Scott Rubin Deanna Rilling Jeff Stiles Bruce Tantum Emily Tan Phil Turnipseed Ashley Zlatopolsky 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 social media manager Shane Jacobs sjacobs@testa.com

advertising manager Tom McCarty tmccarty@testa.com art/production assistant John Kontolios jkontolios@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 © 2015 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 July 2015

visit our website: www.djtimes.com

FEEDBACK AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 JUNE 2015

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AMERICA’S BEST DJ TOUR LAUNCHES

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“Next Level Video DJing.” Not for the faint of heart and processor-weary, this is where the industry pros dish on how to push the Video-DJ envelope with a healthy combination of future tech and good old-fashioned skills.

Hosted by Joshua Carl.

“Mitzvah Massive with Big Daddy.”

Every year Sean “Big Daddy” McKee does his Mitzvah by wowing Expo attendees with his annual marquee massive. This year, the mock mitzvah will help attendees understand the ins

and outs of Mitzvah performance and marketing.

“DJ Technology: The Latest & Greatest.” For mobile entertainers, club jocks and music makers, the evo‑ lution of gear and software contin‑ ues to move at light speed. Hear the latest news on these topics from a distinguished panel of gear/software reviewers and DJ retailers. Bring your tech-related questions and the panel will offer specific solutions.

“Turning Your Business into a Multi-

Op.” Presented by QSC Audio, this sponsored seminar will explain the benefits of expanding your business horizons, then offer specific ideas on how to do just that. If you’re a single-op mobile entertainer looking for greater opportunities, this detailfilled session is for you.

Other sponsored seminars at DJ Expo will include sessions from show ex‑ hibitors ADJ, Chauvet Lighting, Eternal Lighting, Pioneer DJ, and the U.S. DJ Association.

5/11/2015 1:00:08 PM

DJ TIMES

DJ EXPO: SCHEDULED SEMINARS Set for Aug. 10-13 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., this year’s DJ Expo will celebrate 25 years of shows and, as usual, will present nearly 30 seminars, more than 100 ex‑ hibitors filling the showfloor full of the latest DJ-related products, and three evenings of sponsored events.

Newly announced seminars will in‑ clude: “The Keys to a Great DJ/MC Performance.” Like everyone else, mobile jocks are never too old to stop learn‑ ing, so this seminar will be loaded with tips and strategies to make the attendee a better DJ and MC. You'll learn techniques you can use to throw better parties and get more referrals.

Mike Walter has combined his knowl‑ edge and experience from over 25 years in the mobile-DJ business as a top-notch MC and instructor of talent to create this action-packed seminar.

“Right on the Money: Spinning Country.” Connecticut DJ Alan Kohn has been spinning country music success‑ fully at clubs and mobile events for more than two decades. Join him and a panel of experts as they tackle a va‑ riety of genre-related topics—events, marketing and more. Also, be there to learn the latest line-dance moves from the Premier Dance Team.

“Video DJing 101.” Back by popular demand, the seminar that started it all!

A panel of industry leaders and veter‑ ans clear up the rights and wrongs of the reels of steel, Hosted by Bostonbased VJ Joshua Carl.

JULY 2015

This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to in‑ dustry professionals. If you have any questions about DJing – marketing, mixing, equipment or insurance, any at all – drop us a letter at DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Ave, Port Washington, NY 11050, fax us at (516) 944‑8372 or e‑mail us at djtimes@testa.com.

If we do use your question, you’ll receive a free DJ Times T‑shirt. And remember, the only dumb question is the question that is not asked.

7

SAMPLINGS

Tech-House Trio: (from left) Coles, Francis & Richards.

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

W I G G L E : U . K . O R I G I N ATO R S

8

For those of free mind and discerning ears, London’s Wiggle brand has represented proper, underground dance music for two decades now. Infused with the original spirit of U.K. Acid House, Wiggle DJs Nathan Coles, Terry Francis and “Evil” Eddie Richards wouldn’t have it any other way.

As a label and semi-regular party, Wiggle long ago became synonymous with tech-house—that delicate balance between house music’s deeper inclinations and techno’s more rugged rhythms. Of course, that mixture was often spiced with an anything-goes ethos in the music and on the dancefloor. Luckily for younger fans searching beyond the cookie-cutter world of modern EDM, elements of these sounds seem to be cropping up in output from DJ/producers like Seth Troxler to Patrick Topping and others.

So, for those seeking the originators, Wiggle For 20 Years offers an excellent starting point. The mix comp delivers 74 quality minutes of heady flavors, complete with bulging basslines and taut kicks from Wiggle guests like D’Julz, Pure Science, Just Be and more. We recently caught up with Nathan Coles to discuss Wiggle’s impressive journey.

DJ Times: What was your approach to this anniversary mix compilation?

Coles: We decided it was only right to ask the artists that had either produced for the label, or played at Wiggle over the years and then pick 20 tracks for 20 years from what was submitted. It was a tough decision making the choices from all the great tracks that were sent, but we got there in the end.

DJ Times: There’s a direct link between what you guys have always done and the U.K.’s original acid-house scene. How have you maintained that legacy?

Coles: They were amazing, magical times—and you really did feel part of something new and a bit of a rebel at the same time. You were hearing new sounds you’d never heard before and I was caught, hook line and sinker. From my very first party—Spectrum at Heaven—to the crazy, hazy days of the M25 warehouse do’s… Sun Dance and Biology, I started my mission to organize my own parties.

DJ Times: Wiggle became really synonymous with a lot of the late-’90s tech-house that was going on in London. How did that scene get up and running?

Coles: We were just doing our thing, playing upfront music and putting on monthly parties, which soon picked up a really strong following. Terry and I started making music under the name of Housey Doings with Justin Bailey, David Coker and Laurent Webb, at their studio called Strange Weather in Greenwich. Shortly after, that we started Wiggle Records. Can’t believe it’s 21 years now and we’re on our 70th release.

DJ Times: What’s your DJ-gear evolution been like?

Coles: I had always played with turntables from Day 1, and went over to Serato about 10 years ago, as I like the feel of vinyl and using decks. I started using Traktor about seven years ago and I’m still really happy with it today.

DJ Times: In your mind, what makes a great party, something that lasts over time?

Coles: You’ve got a love what you’re doing, like anything in life, as that’s what keeps you going through the down points—and there are certainly ups and downs with promoting parties. It’s the passion that drives you on and that’s part of what makes a good party and one that stands the test of time. Good music definitely helps also.

DJ Times: Which producer/remixers are you really feeling these days?

Coles: Tigerskin/Dub Taylor, Dachshund, Bravofox, Mihai Popoviciu.

DJ Times: What are your favorite current club venues?

Coles: Fabric, as it’s kept that magic going for all this time. Also, No. 90, a great venue and restaurant in Hackney Wick.

DJ Times: What do you make of the current dance/DJ scene, especially this version that’s taken over America? Do you think that rising tides raise all boats?

Or is this something alien to you?

Coles: One man’s shit... is another man’s gold!

DJ Times: Simple question: What’s a DJ’s job?

Coles: To get people doing the funky chicken without even realizing that their doing it.

DJ Times: Which DJs do you find the most inspiring?

Coles: There are too many to mention, really. But it goes right back to the journey and the funky-chicken answer again.

– Jim Tremayne

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DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

GRIZ: MAKING MUSIC FREE

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Very little electronic music producers can aspire to be just as saxy as GRiZ. Over the past few years, the Detroit native (aka Grant Kwiecinski) has become an undeniable festival staple, bringing the bass along with his trusty saxophone to deliver performances that blend together everything from funk to electro into one stage-shaking package.

It’s a somewhat surprising result for an electronic producer that hails from the birthplace of techno, as GRiZ’s work borrows from a variety of elements. He certainly drops plenty of bottom-end, but leans more toward the soul of classic Motown records, while adding a jam aesthetic. He’s no slave to the 909.

This year, the America’s Best DJ nominee is touring in support of his new LP, Say It Loud, on his own All Good label. With his staggering amount of summer festival dates—which even included five different performances in the span of just Memorial Day Weekend—Grant Kwiecinski is an extremely busy guy, but the sax stalwart managed to connect with DJ Times to chat about the new album, his unique live performances, and his views on why music should be free.

DJ Times: You're prepping for the release of the new album. What's gone into the creative process this time?

Kwiecinski: Oh man, so much. Endless amounts of work to try and make it happen. I was in the studio without even having an idea for a song—you know— trying to get inspired to write new songs. I would just say [to musicians], “Play this kind of a vibe in this key and at this tempo.” From there, it was just changing things up. In my view, you can’t just stick a microphone in the center of a room and record sounds.

DJ Times: Why not?

Kwiecinski: There are all these different levels to isolating players, having them play the same line, and recording it with up to six microphones. There are insane layers to understanding how difficult of a process this was, but on a base level, man, it was a project that I’ve always wanted to do. I definitely had that “Oh shit!” moment where I was like, “I have to make something of this and can’t just have fun and dick around.” Time is money, baby!

DJ Times: Considering you're playing the saxophone in certain parts, how much has to be prepared ahead of time for a live performance, and what can be done on the fly?

Kwiecinski: I play [the sax] for most of the set, but for each song I know what parts I can play during. From there, I can play these two songs in similar key or maybe play the line from one song under the other track.

There are a bunch of different ways to do it. If I feel like just tapping in and playing with it, I can loop and extend it little bit to change up the line a little bit. That's how it evolves into an improvisational feeling. Most of time it's “I'm going to play the line,” but who the fuck knows? It could sound a little different.

DJ Times: You've been such a proponent of free music over the years. How did that mentality form in you?

Kwiecinski: I just think music should be free, man.

That's just it. If you charge people for your music, that's cool—that's your idea. My idea is, “Why not just give it away to people for free?” It's cool to have the stuff of inspiration. I don't want to charge people for it and have them be like, “I can't afford this music, so I can't have it,” and I don't want them to have to go to some pirate bullshit. I'm not trying to hate on selling music because I know that's how people make money. I make money from playing shows and that's what I want to do.

This music is for everybody, not just you or you or you.

– Chris Caruso

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

THE

12

GOLDEN TOUCH

From the Amy Winehouse Classics to the Evergreen “Uptown Funk,” the Hits Just Keep Coming for Mark Ronson.

Still, He Says He Owes It All to DJ Culture.

DJ TIMES

New York City – He may be playing in Brooklyn, but it’s clear that there’s an air of “Uptown Funk” anywhere Mark Ronson lays his head.

Grooving behind the decks at Williamsburg’s Verboten nightclub, Ronson is throwing down for a preweekend dance party in front of a packed Thursdaynight crowd. Taking the stage just a few minutes after midnight, Ronson wastes no time launching into a seemingly endless series of certifiable classics, across a broad spectrum of genres.

Menbar Photos JULY 2015

BY CHRIS CARUSO

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“There’s this DJ jukebox that will never fully be switched off.

On this album, I made the record I actually want to listen to.”

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

Before even 15 minutes can pass, the unmistakable vocals of Amy Winehouse take over the room as her Ronson-produced single “You Know I’m No Good” plays to an exuberant crowd. For the better part of the next two hours, the stylistic chameleon will weave in and out of musical icons, genres, and time periods, pulling records from Jay-Z, James Brown, Missy Elliott, Parliament-Funkadelic, Stevie Wonder, and even his own productions—“Bang Bang Bang” from 2011’s Record Collection and the evergreen cover of Kaiser Chiefs’ “Oh My God” sung by Lily Allen—out of his proverbial record crate.

With the year he’s had—which included a stint atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for 14 consecutive weeks with “Uptown Funk,” his collab with Bruno Mars—it may seem strange to some, especially the casual music fan, to see him taking to the DJ decks for such an intimate gig. However, while he may be all over radios

14

now, his origins—and heart—lie firmly in the art of the throwing down records for a slammed club.

Prior to the release of Version in 2007, it was far more common to associate Mark Ronson with the fashion-show afterparties of the thenprevalent world of the “Celebrity DJ” than his well-versed skills in the stu-

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In Studio: Ronson with Bruno Mars

Underrated: 3 Great Mark Ronson Productions

While Mark Ronson is no stranger to commercial success, any lengthy discography that dates back more than 15 years is sure to have its deep cuts and hidden treasures. With his solo ventures existing simultaneously with

a full catalog of projects with other artists, Ronson’s repertoire is no different. Here are three cuts that may not have received the due they deserved or weren’t released with Ronson as a lead artist.

1. Robbie Williams – “Bongo Bong/Je ne t'aime plus” [2007]: It may have come from Williams’ commercially divisive album Rudebox, but few songs represent Ronson’s DJ-centric approach to production like it.

Taking two different songs from Manu Chao and blending them together into a single cover, Ronson serves up a dizzying slice of off-kilter pop. Make sure to listen for Lily Allen singing backup vocals throughout the track.

2. Amy Winehouse – “You Know I’m No Good” [2007]: It’s almost criminal to describe any of the singles of Back To Black as underrated, but this one only reached #77 on the U.S. singles chart. Still, it’s imperative to emphasize the symbiotic relationship between Winehouse and Ronson that led to the album’s success.

Winehouse’s subdued vocals hint at a heartbreaking acceptance of her apparent moral shortcomings, but it’s the rising and falling production from Ronson that besets a controlled chaos and builds to a dramatic crescendo.

3. Mark Ronson feat. Ol’ Dirty Bastard & Tiggers – “Toxic” [2006]: Created for his breakthrough Version album, the track sees Ronson reinventing Britney

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

Spears’ electro-pop single into a brassy fusion of Brit

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rock meets hip hop. The late Ol’ Dirty Bastard delivers raucous and raunchy verses, while Tiggers lays down a brilliantly lazy vocals, all of which are surrounded a Motown-flavored soundscape.

– Chris Caruso

dio. The album’s widespread critical and commercial success and Ronson’s Grammy-winning work on Amy Winehouse’s album Back to Black shifted the public's focus toward his recordings. While his follow-up LP, 2010’s Record Collection, didn't achieve quite the dizzying heights of its predecessor, it further proved his status as an artist capable of crafting topnotch records that are as memorable as they are effortlessly chic.

This summer, the British renaissance man is hitting the road for a series of live shows at festivals across Europe, Australia, and beyond, including Glastonbury, Lovebox, and Splendour in the Grass. At each date, he and a band will bring the world of his new LP, Uptown Special, to life.

The 11-track album—the result of an intricate recording process with coproducer Kevin Bhasker—is a vibrant package that manages somehow to plant its feet in both the present and past simultaneously. Peppered with a perfect amount of wide-reaching guest artists, including Bruno Mars, Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt, Mystikal, and even Stevie Wonder, the album offers a nostalgia-tinted excursion through moments of uproarious joy and existential introspection.

DJ Times caught up with Ronson while he was in New York City rehearsing with his live band for the summer’s performances, and he dished on the creation of the album, the runaway success of “Uptown Funk,” the never-ending debate on sampling, and just about everything in between.

DJ Times: How was the approach for Uptown Special different from your first three albums?

Ronson: I think there are several things. As I make more records, I gain a lot of experience. I also make a lot of records with other people in between, so I'm always learning or picking up stuff. Other projects I'm working on just find a way into my own record. I realize—especially with how music may change and labels drop people—not only am I in a lucky place to make a fourth album, period, but also I've sort of have this thing in the back of my head like it’s the best thing I've ever done. It’s been a couple years since my last record and people like “Bang Bang Bang” and “Somebody To Love Me,” but it had the Version album before it, which was this massive thing. I think I imagine that there’s all this competition around me, but really it’s a way to mentally psych myself up. I just have to know what I've made is one of the best things I’ve made or the thing that I've worked the hardest on.

DJ Times: Were there any other differences?

Ronson: Jeff Bhasker co-produced

it. I’ve never produced one of my own records with somebody else before.

I have so much respect for him as a musician and an arranger. It was kind of intimidating because he's a prodigious jazz piano player who went to Berklee [College of Music], so I knew I’d be going into a room with someone… and I know I won’t always have the best idea or know the most. That sounds like a good thing, but with being a music producer, you like feeling like the boss.

DJ Times: How did you approach the record? What did you have in mind with it?

Ronson: Obviously, I had something in my head that I wanted to make, and the artists just sort of happened along the way—with the only sort of coincidence is only having to do with wanting to make sure the album would really a raise the game a bit.

DJ Times: What about selecting the guest artists for the album?

Ronson: I did something on this record that I hadn’t done before, but was really important to me. I wanted to make sure everybody was at least on a few songs, almost like there was a line running through it.

DJ Times: How so?

Ronson: On Record Collection, I must have had 15 people on the songs, if you count all the vocalists.

On this one, Bruno is on a few songs, Jeff ’s on a few songs, Kevin [Parker] is on three songs, Andrew is on a few songs, and so on. I guess I reigned it in somewhat.

DJ Times: Was there anything else different?

Ronson: I think that also when I'm making records, I sometimes think in my head, “Well, everyone knows me for being a DJ. I'm not an artist or singer-songwriter, so my records have to reflect that; everything has to have a beat or depth.” On this album, I kind of switched up that mode of thinking. I'm obviously always going to be making records with that DJ side of my brain; it’s impossible to remove that. I can't lose a break from SOHO’s “Hot Music” or a line from Snoop Dogg’s “Ain’t No Fun.” There’s this DJ jukebox that will never fully be switched off. On this album, I made the record I actually want to listen to as well, so it’s sort of like—I guess—the kind of shit that I want to play in the car and not just me thinking about what else to pull out of the crate.

DJ Times: Every artist says they never expect a track to be a huge smash, but did you think that “Uptown Funk” was particularly special when you finished it?

Ronson: I felt like there was something exciting about it from the very first jam session we kind of came up (continued on page 42)

XONE+SERATO DJ=PERFECTION

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For more information visit: www.americanmusicandsound.com

Steven Pham

And Away Tony Dispirito

Motown Duo: Kevin Saunderson & Derrick May.

Bryan Mitchell

Therapy: Boris in Providence.

The initial leg of America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times saw us hit three major U.S. cities— Detroit, Providence and Minneapolis.

The events included: Movement festival at Hart Plaza in Detroit with 14 America’s Best DJ nominees, including Carl Craig, DJ Godfather, Dog Blood (feat. Skrillex), Dubfire, GRiZ, Josh Wink, Kevin Saunderson, Lee Foss, Maceo Plex, Matthew Dear, MK, Soul Clap, Stacey Pullen, and Tuskegee (feat. Martinez Brothers); Club Therapy in Providence with DJ Boris; and “Get Together 3” at First Avenue in Minneapolis with Mark Farina.

As always, DJ Times was there, collecting ballots for the DJs and giving fans chances to win plenty of prizes— like Pioneer gear and a trip for two to San Diego for the ABDJ Closing Party/Award Ceremony at Omnia Nightclub on Oct. 11.

It all looked like this:

DJ TIMES 18

Denis Plaster

JULY 2015

Scratchin’: DJ Godfather cuts it up.

At First Avenue: Twin Cities voter.

Trevor Dernai

We Go‌ Steven Pham

Tuskegee: Martinez Bros. & Seth Troxler.

Get Together 3: Mark Farina at First Avenue.

Steven Pham

Denis Plaster

Shrouded: Carl Craig at Movement.

DJ TIMES

Saxy: GRiZ grooves in Detroit.

Joshua Hanford

JULY 2015

Burning: MK at Movement.

19

Bryan Mitchell Tony Dispirito Steven Pham

Boris Party: Voters pose in Providence.

Vinyl Rules: Soul Clap’s Elyte.

Steven Pham

Matthew Dear: Hands up for Detroit.

Joe Gall

Hot Creation: Lee Foss in Detroit.

Movement: Detroit’s Hart Plaza.

Dog Blood: Skrillex & Boys Noize.

Joe Gall

TRIPLE CROWN

TRANCE

With Armin van Buuren Playing Its Massive Infield Fest, The Preakness Became the Latest Big Event to Appropriate DJ Culture

Before the Storm: Armin van Buuren in the mix.

On TV: Armin with NBC’s Carolyn Manno.

B Y J I M T R E M AY N E Baltimore, Md. – So, what happens when you mix the “Sport of Kings” with one of the titans of the global-DJ scene? As DJ Times found out this past May 16, you get a smashing success, even if you do get a little wet.

Still, with a forbidding weather forecast, we ventured down to Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course for the 140th Preakness Stakes and its “People’s Party”—a massive Infield Fest that included a 90-minute prerace set from one of the world’s biggest DJ/producers, Armin van Buuren.

The B’more equine/trance combo

may seem a bit odd at first, but there was nothing strange about the result: A record-setting Preakness crowd saw Kentucky Derby winner American Pharaoh take the second leg of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, while van Buuren fans enjoyed a daylong party. (Of course, three weeks later with a resounding win at the Belmont Stakes in New York, American Pharaoh would clinch the first Triple Crown since 1978.)

Indeed, the entire experience seemed to be in keeping with other mega-events that are looking for an attendance boost by booking top EDM jocks. On May 24 at the Indianapolis 500 auto race, for example, its Snake Pit fest featured Kaskade, Steve Aoki, A-Trak and Caked Up. A different kind of race, but a similar set of

festival-sized DJs. In Baltimore, nearly 132,000 fans packed the 145-year-old race track, with nearly 70,000 crazies filling the infield. With many showing up as early as 8 a.m., the Infield Fest saw legions of gals with natty hats and guys with fratty shorts. By the time the Dutch DJ arrived on-site, most of the Infielders were feeling no pain. Still, it was a far cry from the typical EDM-fest.

Fans who bought $70 Infield Fest tickets were given a commemorative Preakness mug and they seemed more filled with suds than anything else.Though the infield got plenty raucous, it was certainly a different kind of mid-day delirium—more college party than rave.

The night before the race, van Buuren played at new Las Vegas mega-club Omnia, where he recently launched a residency. After playing his last track, van Buuren left the DJ booth, went straight to McCarran Airport with his tech crew and flew private jet to BWI. After landing in the

noon hour, he and his crew were given a police escort directly to Pimlico. And it was definitely needed, as all the main arteries leading to the track began to clog severely by mid-day.

When he and crew arrived, he was met by his U.S. publicist, the Pimlico media coordinator and a small venuesecurity crew, which was under the capable supervision of Major Mike Singletary. (Good name for a Head of Security, huh?) After quickly settling into the artist trailer, the crew connected with the on-site techs to coordinate the stage’s audio and video considerations.

Meanwhile, van Buuren was taken to the Pimlico stables for a rare, upclose view of the Preakness horses, the very thoroughbreds due to hit the track in a few hours. He met with Bodhisattva owner/trainer Jose Corrales and his family, then took some photos with them and the horse. Even though Bodhisattva was considered a longshot for the race—indeed, the 20-1 horse didn’t end up in the money—he (continued on page 40)

Intense: A State of Trance before the masses.

From Above: Pimlico Race Course.

Stable Scene: Armin with Bodhisattva.

LEAD GENERATION

DJS RELYING ON WORD-OF-MOUTH REFERRALS FOR A MAJORITY OF NEW BUSINESS ARE SINGING A NEW TUNE

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

BY JEFF STILES

24

When it comes to generating leads for his business, Kevin Porter of Elite Entertainment in Rock Hill, S.C., says that DJs who haven’t recently changed the design of their website are way behind their competition. But just as importantly, he says that building personal relationships with vendors in our communities can be just as important.

“I’ve decided to work on building a relationship with five venues, with which I’ve chosen to really meet and talk with,” says Porter. “Concentrate on those relationships, and then build them to where you’re actually friends. I’m not saying I won’t do events from other venues, but I consider those others to be just a bonus.

“We all read and talk about relationships and, while networking at Chamber of Commerce events and visitor bureau events are important, I’ve decided to take things to another level. It’s a slow process, but these are some of the goals I’ve set

for my business.”

Of course, every professional DJ knows that the best way to generate new business is through word-ofmouth referrals, but what are DJs doing in 2015 to generate even more word-of-mouth referrals?

A s t h e ow n e r o f a c o m p a ny in Gilbert, Ariz., that performs for over 200 weddings every year, Jeff Jones of Direct Sounds DJs recently noticed that he was paying for a lot for advertising but his company was not really growing.

“I was doing the same amount of business for three years straight,” he recalls. “When I cut back the advertising costs and reinvested that money into my performance, however, my business shot up. I wanted to know it all, so I did whatever I could to become a better DJ—workshops, training books, online performance research and anything else I could get my hands on.

“That alone has boosted my business last year by 50-percent, and this year I’m on track to beat last year.”

Jones says the best way they generate leads is a combination of good things. “Some of my favorite paid ways to generate leads are through the weddingwire.com website,” he says. “To me, this is the top website

for weddings right now. I believe it’s user-friendly and is a great resource for valuable information. Plus, the review system is a great tool and benefit for us as well.”

Jones says that Direct Sounds also appears at two bridal shows a year.

“The bridal shows can be expensive and are a lot of work,” he says, “but I think they keep us relevant in the local wedding industry.”

However, Jones claims his favorite (and most successful) way to generate new leads is through making friends within the actual business, and that includes his memberships in NACE and ISES. “The more friends you have, the more business you’ll have,” Jones says. “I can’t express how important this is. Just being friendly and trying to overachieve for your local venues and fellow vendors pays dividends.

“I’m on many preferred vendor lists at local venues, which is huge to our calendar each year,” he says. “I have many wedding coordinators that refer me on a regular basis. All because I was friendly, they liked my personality, and I did my job correctly, which makes their own job easier.”

Down in Birmingham, Ala., Geoff Carlisle of JAMM Entertainment Services says that he concentrates on three main areas to generate leads from other vendors.

First of all, Carlisle is a member of his local wedding networking group.

However, he warns that simply being the member of a group is not enough. “Participate, talk with members and become an officer,” he says.

“Participate in the monthly meetings and events. Talk and network with the members. After all, being an officer will allow you to be the point person and have direct contact with

Zutter says he used to think that business cards were the only leads

“As I’ve been working as a live percussion artist in the DJ industry, I’ve been blessed to learn how DJs acquire work both in rural and developed markets,” he says. “In rural markets, bridal shows are the greatest source of leads, with catering halls, websites and fellow vendor referrals coming in second.

“The downfall of this is that a good percentage of the rural bridal shows are run by con artists, who prey on vendors by not properly publicizing the show and—even worse—not releasing the lead sheet of registered guests until the highest-paying vendors have used the list first.

“Sometimes these lists are not released for weeks. And sometimes these leads sheets are exactly the same from show to show.”

For rural market bridal expos, Donovan says we really need to rely on our national sales skills, while working in our booths.

“But in developed markets such as North Jersey, New York City and Long Island—the top markets in the world—it’s a whole different ballgame entirely,” he says. “Generally,

“The more friends you have, the more business you’ll have. I can’t express how important that is.

Just being friendly and trying to overachieve for your local venues and fellow vendors pays dividends.”

a little science mixed in for good measure. “Diversifying our avenues to generate leads is the key,” he says. “Ensure you have a professional look and feel [leads material], along with positive word-ofmouth [watch those social-media posts], and provide your message to as many people as you can [civic groups, trade shows, trade magazines/websites] is the equation that should allow you to maximize your leads into the coming years.”

Back up in the northwest, John Donovan of The Party Percussionist in Stroudsburg, Pa., says that over the past seven years he’s counted on both word-of-mouth referrals along with promotions by his agent to gain new leads—plus his brandnew website: JohnDonovan.biz.

lower-tier and some mid-tier brides attend bridal shows. I’ve yet to hear of any con artists operating in these markets, because the vendors are wise enough to see what goes on and they know how to control the promoters.”

D o n ov a n s ay s t h a t m i d - l eve l brides, on the other hand, typically take the recommendations from the catering halls as well as those from paid lead sites.

The catering halls, he says, are usually paid off by the vendors. “Forget the rural model of a 10-percent referral fee,” says Donovan. “In developed markets, vendors pay tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands a year for the catering halls to refer them. You can watch one of my videos on YouTube, where Peter Grecco

explained how this got out of hand in the ’80s.

“As far as the top-tier brides, you have to pay off the party planners, who rule everything. For instance, DJs have little to no clout with the catering halls in New York City, where party planners pay in excess of $100k a year per venue. In NYC, the DJs pay off the party planners for leads.

“Top-tier brides and most mid-level brides don’t use the Internet the way we do, so social media and websites are non-effective, other than as digital noise and vanity among the inside industry. The truly wealthy see the Internet as how us ‘little people’ communicate.”

Artem Lomaz, founder and principal event host for Ninety-Three Entertainment in Morris County, N.J., says he subscribes to non-traditional advertising to generate fresh leads, and content marketing is what he’s decided to focus on.

“The more content that I generate that’s relevant to my target market and former/current clients, the more I increase my chances of my clients spreading the word about my business,” he says.

“We all know that word-of-mouth is imperative in our industry, and I believe that by creating content we can remain top-of-mind, which in turn creates conversations about our businesses, which will ultimately culminate in lead generation.”

Lomaz has had his business featured on popular fashion blogs such as ‘Dressed by Jess,’ ‘The Rachel Ross,’ and ‘Jersey Fashionista.’

“This helps keep my brand in front of my potential clients,” he says.

“Chamber organizations and meetings are also great for networking with businesses that may lead to corporate clientele, or can lead to industry-related contacts for collaborations.”

When asked to offer advice for other DJs on how to best generate new leads, Lomaz says every market differs and every company therefore needs to discern for themselves what works particular to their geographic area, cultural market and specific business model.

“Various techniques for gaining referrals work for various companies,” he says. “For example, showcases work for some companies but not for others, while traditional advertising such as print advertising may continue to work for certain companies.

“Many factors come into play, but it’s ultimately about determining the current state of your brand, what you would like your brand to be/how it is to be perceived, and who your target market is. Based on these factors, DJ/ event entertainment companies can determine which strategies will help best reach their ideal clientele.” n

JULY 2015

“Word-of-mouth is obvious, but how obvious?” he asks. “What are the mouths saying about you? I know that many of us perform with great energy and style, but do we portray that same style in our personal life?

Separating your personal life—i.e., Instagram, Facebook, etc.—from your business life can be difficult, yet our personal life does bleed into our professional life.

“I’ve witnessed first-hand a DJ who was extremely talented practically, yet shut his business down with rude and unprofessional social media posts.”

Zutter’s advice is to post on our business page and personal pages with similar style and professionalism.

“That’s not to say not to speak your mind—it’s just being smart about how and where you do it, to ensure those who are going to hire you see you in a good light,” he says.

While he doesn’t see as many positive results from memberships in civic organizations, Zutter does participate in some just to keep his name moving around in the industry.

“If you don’t continue to have people talk about you, your leads will dry up,” he says. “Typically, these types of events either cost you money or don’t earn you any money. However, every opportunity to perform and impress people opens another door for leads.

“Trade shows, specifically, don’t generally allow you to show your talents, but they do give you an opportunity to speak with a specialized group that you service—i.e., wedding shows. This specialized group is focused on your talents to fulfill a need.

Maximize their focus by educating them about why your business is the best choice.”

material necessary to promote his business, but now believes that creating an actual brand through marketing materials is more important now than ever.

“Now we have to ensure you have professional business cards with a logo that can generate brand value,” says Zutter. “Additionally, rack cards and brochures that match our business and complement our website is a must to ensure our potential leads know that we’ve taken the time to establish our business professionally.

“That professionalism will be displayed in your performance at their event. I’ve seen really talented DJs fall short in the lead material and lose customers. They perform at a public event and are really good, but when a potential client asks for a card they hand them a homemade hand-cut card—lead gone.

“I don’t want budget to be the excuse here. There are numerous print sites that offer very affordable professional design and print solutions.”

In the end, Zutter says that properly generating leads is an art with

DJ TIMES

the members.

“Secondly, make friendships with key vendors. In my case, three or four of the top wedding planners are crucial. They can send direct referrals and have my price already in their budget before I even meet with the bride and groom.”

And lastly, Carlisle says it helps to offer sound systems, lighting and TVs to other vendors who will rent them.

“Florists and designers,” he says, “are the typical vendors that could use these items for events that otherwise don’t require a professional.”

While word-of-mouth referrals are obviously the best way to boost his business, Brian Zutter of Brian Zutter Productions in New England says that trade-shows, trade publications and lead materials are also important components of a successful marketing campaign.

25

MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…

PULSE ENGINE: OUTPUT’S SIGNAL

By Wesley Bryant-King

At the heart of electronic music (and for that matter, numerous other modern music genres) is the venerable synthesizer.

And while hardware synthesizers continue to have healthy followings, the advent of computer-based music production workflows years ago, coupled with standards like VST, has resulted in an explosion of choices for generating sound in one’s digital audio workstation (DAW) of choice. It’s tough keeping on top of those choices, and it’s equally tough for a new entry to stand out in a crowded market.

Unconventional: Signal creates complex, evolving sounds.

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

“Signal is unlike any soft synth I’ve used.”

26

That’s not held Hollywood-based Output back from trying. The small company, founded by late 2013 by a trio of musicians, recently launched Signal, its second entry into the space, following its initial effort in the market, Rev. What It Is: Signal is unlike any soft synth I’ve used. Like many musicians, I have my go-to synths and workflows and approaches to creating music, and my brain thinks of synthesizers pretty much along the lines of analog hardware synths:You set it up (i.e., pick a patch, or create one), and play notes that generate pretty singular tones (albeit often very rich ones). Sure, you can get into arpeggiators and various types of modulations that impart a pattern onto the sound, but I often do those sorts of manipulations in the DAW vs. the synth.

Signal, on the other hand, is all about patterned sound.

Output refers to an instance of Signal as a “pulse instrument.” Essentially sound begins as a sample—recordings of a wide variety of instruments and other sound sources. Signal then provides various manipulations, including LFOs, step sequencers, arpeggiators, and what Output refers to as their own unique “Tape Looper” to add rhythm and evolution to each sound. I’ll come back to this point in a moment.

Signal is based on Native Instruments’ popular Kontakt synth platform. Kontakt serves as the foundation for a large number of software instruments, including many of Native Instruments’ own offerings. But the platform has proven popular with third parties as well who want to take advantage of its proven

sample engine.

As a result, installing and using Signal means first downloading and installing Kontakt (provided one doesn’t already have it). The plug-in is offered in a couple of different versions, including a free-to-download variety. Users of Native Instruments’ Komplete, or subsets of it, probably already have it installed and ready.

In any event, Output offers its products solely as digital downloads, and utilizes a special integrated “download, un-package and install” tool called Connect to make the process foolproof, and ensure that its sample libraries and functionality finds its way to proper location for Kontakt.

Once installed, using Signal is as simple as firing up your DAW, loading Kontakt into a track, and choosing Signal within Kontakt’s interface.

Using Signal: As I mentioned earlier, Signal and its “pulse-engine” approach are all about patterned, evolving sounds, and there’s a lot to choose from. With a huge 40Gig library of content, and myriad manipulations, you get a remarkably capable sound generating system whose approach and “flavor” was (to me, anyway) both unconventional and inspiring.

Starting with the provided “pulse instruments” (presets, basically), Signal’s default user interface delivers simple, easy-to-understand manipulation capabilities to modify the sound and make it your own. It’s done with four prominently placed sliders, whose function changes depending on the preset chosen.

Under the hood, the sliders— which can be automated within the DAW with ease, or for live performance, controlled with hardwarebased controllers—are macros that each control one (or more) underlying aspects of sound generation.

It’s clear that the company spent a considerable amount of development effort just providing that core, 500-instrument-strong library; the macros for each seem well-thoughtout, well-named (to give you a good sense of their function), and each preset is described in plain English to also give you a hint of what’s to come. And for my part, I had a great time exploring it and tinkering with sounds without ever digging into the product’s advanced mode.

But alas, an advanced mode is available to those who like to get their fingernails good and dirty. That mode allows you to dig into the intricate details of each preset, and of course, to create your own. You can choose the source samples, set up filters, adjust ADSR, add effects, and choose the rhythm methodology—and do that across two separate pulse en-

gines that run in parallel, with up to two separate rhythm systems running simultaneously in each.

Those rhythm systems are where a lot of the power comes into play.

When you select a pulse type (wave, step, arp or loop), you can then choose from a wide array of variations. Or, depending on the type, you can customize to your heart’s content (e.g., programming the step sequencer or arpeggiator).

The end results are complex, evolving sounds that can serve both as rich sonic backdrops in a track,

as well as in-your-face leads that can pulsate and throb, grow and retreat, or evolve in ways that are sometimes unpredictable, giving some inspirational musical fodder when creativity wanes—or when you just want to kick some juice into a project. And using DAW automation (or off-board controllers) to wind, unwind, and otherwise control things over time adds even more fun to the mix.

Conclusion: By the time this review hits the pages of the magazine, Signal’s first update will have been available for awhile, and Output

seems poised to keep strengthening Signal’s functionality and sound capabilities; the Version 1.1 update included two free expansion packs for early adopters—perhaps a sign of things to come.

In any event, Signal runs $199, or can be purchased with Output’s earlier Rev offering for a reduced bundle price, and offers a lot of sonic bang for the buck. As I said earlier on, it’s unlike any soft synth I’ve used—and a result, it’s found a permanent home on my studio computer.

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SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

RCF EVOX 8: ACTIVE ADVENTURES

By Paul Dailey

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

EVOX 8: Portable with rich, punchy sound.

28

DVS and wireless DMX aside, the most important change in the mobile-DJing world over the past 15 or 20 years has been the continued innovations with active loudspeakers.

Of course, bigger shows like proms, corporate events and mega-weddings still require substantial sound reinforcement, but in the world of average events (150-person weddings and the like), the options for reasonably powerful, compact speakers has grown exponentially in recent years.

Unfortunately, as size and weight has declined, so has sound quality in some quarters, with very few smaller speakers being able to reproduce mids, highs and bass with any real accuracy and clarity.

Enter the audio experts at premiere Italian speaker manufacturer RCF to change the paradigm.

The EVOX series is RCF’s latest line of compact, portable PA speakers for users looking for a small footprint without sacrificing sound quality and power. Taking what might be described as the Bose L Series idea and making it even more compact and powerful, RCF has produced an amazing product here. I was provided with a pair of EVOX 8 speakers and, honestly, could not be more impressed.

The EVOX 8 is driven by a 700-watt RMS amplifier and is made up of a 12-inch subwoofer with a satellite module of eight two-inch, full-range compression drivers capable of achieving 128 dB max SPL. The EVOX array design features constant horizontal directive coverage of 120-degrees and a vertical array of 30-degrees, guaranteeing a correct listening environment and avoiding high-frequency beaming that’s typical of a straight array.

The system is also designed for easy transport and storage and the included three-piece pole allows the satellite to be positioned at varying heights, depending on your application.

Any discussion about the EVOX 8 has to begin with the fact that it is an amazingly compact system

that’s completely self-contained and weighs in at just 51 pounds. There is a slot at the back of the speaker that accommodates the array section, an easily transportable 3-piece pole system (complete with clamps to keep your wires cleanly positioned behind the pole) and a super simple Speakon/Powercon system that is quick to set up and virtually foolproof. There is an available RCF bag for storing all the components and an optional trolley with wheels that makes the transport of this system incredibly easy.

But, none of this ease-of-transport means anything if a system struggles to move your dancefloor, and this is there the EVOX stands above all other compact line-array-type systems.

Having previously reviewed the mighty RCF HD32A, I am familiar with the virtues of RCF tweeters and found the mids and highs on the EVOX 8 to be every bit as pleasant as HD32A. Due to the decreased weight and the 8’s design, I was able to position the tops much higher than most other powered speakers, allowing the EVOX to truly cover the entire crowd from front to back, side to side.

The 12-inch sub is also formidable, with rich, punchy sound that handled everything I could throw at it from jazz to house music. It began to lose some of its punch when playing tracks with sub-bass (trap, dubstep, drum-n-bass), but that is more down to the physical limitations of a 12-inch speaker than anything the engineers at RCF missed.

In the end, I will be keeping my big-boy system for crowds of 200-plus or events where I need to push out 130+ SPL. But for all of the other events on my calendar (and 80-percent of them fall into this category), the EVOX 8 will become my system of choice.

Easy to carry, easy to set up, easy on the ears and eyes—the EVOX 8 is truly a major step forward for portable active PA systems. RCF has scored another victory here. Highly recommended.

MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

DJ KEEPS THE TARHEEL STATE SPINNING

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

By Richard Kearns

30

Greensboro, N.C. – It all started back in 1975 in junior high school. It was in Abilene,Texas.The school band was enormous, enough people in the band to fill a school dance by itself. At this one particular band dance, there wasn’t a DJ, so Paul Cordts volunteered along with another band mate.

Cordts and his buddy ended up DJing that dance and all the dances after that. “But it was the ’70s and great dance music was plentiful,” he recalls, “just like long hair. Jefferson Junior High School… good times.”

When his family moved to North Carolina, his DJing reputation followed, and he was soon asked to spin a dance at his high school. “Soon after that, other local schools heard about the success we were enjoying and they asked if I could do dances at their schools,” he says. “The word quickly spread and I started doing school dances on a regular basis. The money was good and the fun was better. I began to realize that with work and marketing, I could make some good money at this job.”

The work and marketing paid off, as Cordts expanded his clientele to weddings and corporate events. He hasn’t looked back since. His dad used to call it an “unconventional form of employment,” says Cordts. “And all my friends thought it was cool!”

After college—he went to North Carolina School of the Arts and majored in lighting— Cordts began to pursue DJing as a business. He moved to another town to pursue a “college-related” job and continued to DJ on the side. Word continued to spread and weekends became booked with shows.

“I started to do mass mailings and postcards to potential clients and corporate contacts,” he says. He also focused on vendor contacts. “I know my local vendors and I am sure to make them aware that they are appreciated. They are some of the finest and most highly trained people in the business, and I’m fortunate to know and work with them. Their recommendation to potential clients is vital to my success.”

School and corporate clients are obtained through email marketing, mass mailing and word-of-mouth. Cordts sends out a lot of postcards once a month to schools within 100 miles. “Keeping your name recognizable to teachers and advisors is paramount,” he says.

But the No. 1 business generator has always been word-of-mouth advertising. “Good talk,” he says, “brings great business.”

Cordts breaks down the referral process into four important aspects: Value: “Making certain that the client believes, at the end of the event, that they got more than what they paid for.”

Accessibility: “Making certain that the client knows that they can contact you whenever needed, to discuss whatever is on their mind. And being sure to be available to talk.”

Open to Change: “Make sure that the client knows that there is no ‘setin-stone’ way to do anything. Let them know that any part of the program can be changed or modified to fit their individual requirements.”

Recommendation Letters: “Great recommendations seal the deal!”

Gear-wise, Cordts uses Serato DJ software on a PC with Rane MP4 mixer with a QSC Audio active-speaker system that includes units from the HPR Series and K Series. Lighting includes ADJ Mega Go Par and Mega Go Bar units, plus Martin Professional effects and Diversitronics strobes.

Though he’s enjoying hard-earned success these days, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. In his younger days of DJing, Cordts says he “thought I knew it all and probably didn't listen to what people really wanted in their DJ.” He says he had “all the bling and lights and state-of-the-art sound, it was impressive. My gimmick was all the stuff I had.”

Paul Cordts places an emphasis on client feedback.

Now, he says, “My gimmick is experience and the ability to listen to the needs of the client.

“At the end of the evening’s work, I want that client to leave believing that they got a whole lot more service than what they paid for,” he says.

“Even though I am being fairly and rightly compensated for my services, there is nothing better than a client believing that they got a great deal and great service.”

Cordts says he views the feedback he gets from clients as an invaluable resource. “I actually ask customers to give me feedback to help me further my business,” he says. “Feedback is the No. 1 factor for me, in regard to how I conduct myself and my business. If someone didn't like something that I did, I need to know, so that I can adjust or eliminate the issue. Feedback can help me to develop skills and activities related to the success of my event.”

Cordts even gets feedback from bridal shows. “Bridal shows are tough, you have to sell yourself in seconds to people who are coming and going for the entire day. Sometimes they are standing with you for seconds and sometimes minutes. I have learned that these people who are with you for more than 30 seconds, are worth spending the extra time with. Even at the expense of not being able to talk to everyone. In the beginning, I thought that I needed to give out cards and meet and greet everyone that came to my booth. I have learned from feedback that you don't have to meet everyone.

“Spending a little extra time with the potential client that wants to stand and chat about their upcoming event is critical. They want to feel special and if I’m so concerned about passing out cards to all the guests there, I will never establish the initial contact with that person who really wants to use me. You can’t meet everyone, but you can meet the ones who are really interested in what you can offer and not just coming around to pick up cards. A little attention and accommodation can seal the deal.

Hopefully, the ones you missed will come back to the booth again.”

And in five years, where does Paul see his business going?

“If I conduct my business ethically and make my clients happy, I’ll be able maintain the ability to pay the bills and have fun. Life, love and the pursuit of happiness—what more is there?”

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BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

SIX INSIGHTS INTO PERSUASION

Principle

3

By Gerard Carney

Whether we know it or not, we are all in a perpetual state of being influenced. As a DJ-business owner, it can help to be aware of these principles. That’s what’s behind Robert Cialdini’s book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, released in 1984, but generally recognized as a timeless tome on the field of influence and persuasion.

Cialdini, a researcher and professor of psychology, breaks influence and persuasion down into six principles:

Principle

1

Principle

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

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RECIPROCITY The tendency to return social favors is a near-universal attribute of the human condition. It’s the essence of the Golden Rule: We generally aim to treat others as they treat us. This idea of reciprocity, which can lead us feeling obligated to offer concessions or discounts to others if they have offered them to us, is rooted in the fact that we’re uncomfortable with feeling indebted.

One example of reciprocity that Cialdini cites is the Hare Krishna movement in the 1970s: They were woefully underfunded and unrecognized until they embarked on a campaign where they gave out flowers to passersby for free. Recipients felt the need to donate and the Krishna coffers ballooned—as did their visibility.

HOW TO USE IT: Identify your goals: Do you want to generate more referrals from vendors and catering execs? You then need to identify what you can offer them to obligate a return favor.

The easiest way to do this is on social media: you should be Facebook friends or following all your fellow vendors and execs on Twitter. Re-tweet them or Like something they posted on Facebook to stay top of mind.

Better yet, use an asset of theirs—a photo that a photographer took at a wedding (doesn’t need to be one that you did, by the way) and post that.

Another way is simply going to a bridal fair that you’re exhibiting at and asking at set-up if any other exhibiting vendors need a coffee. Tell them you’re making a run and would be glad to do it.

Principle

4

Principle

5

COMMITMENT (and Consistency) Cialdini says that we have a deep desire to be consistent, that once we’ve committed to something, we’re more inclined to follow through with it.

HOW TO USE IT: Here, try to get people’s commitment early on, either verbally or in writing. Do this with an “upfront contract”—essentially a verbal agreement at the first meeting with a prospect that details what everybody’s expectations are for what happens when the meeting is over. It puts a clear agenda on the map and assures that your meeting will be purposeful.

Or, if you’re selling a product, sell a small quantity, a “taster.”

(Here, the act of purchase is the early commitment.)

Principle

6

SOCIAL PROOF This principle relies on our tribal sense of “safety in numbers.”

For example, we’re more likely to work late if our colleagues are, place a tip in a jar if it already contains money, or go to a nightclub with a long line outside. The assumption we’re making is that if many others are doing something, then it must be OK. We’re more likely to be influenced if the people we see seem to be similar to us. That’s why TV commercials often use moms, not celebrities, to advertise household products, and that’s why your website should have pictures of real brides—not stock images.

HOW TO USE IT: The easiest way to establish social proof is to demonstrate how “buzzworthy” your company is: Highlight on your website how many clients your DJ company has served. Load it up with plenty of testimonials, encourage comments on social media, and publish case studies with current customers to demonstrate your success.

LIKING Cialdini says that we’re more likely to be influenced by people we like. Likability comes in many forms—people might be similar or familiar to us, they might give us compliments, or we may just simply trust them.

Put simply, people are more likely to buy from people like themselves, from friends, and from people they know and respect.

HOW TO USE IT: This can be achieved when you sponsor, say, a local softball team, or perform at charity events. It helps you interact with the community in an organic, non-forced way—a key to not looking like a phony!

AUTHORITY Most of us feel a sense of obligation to people in positions of authority. This is why ad agencies for pharma companies use doctors in their campaigns.

Job titles, uniforms, and even accessories like cars or gadgets can lend an air of authority, and can persuade us to accept what these people say.

HOW TO USE IT: Here you can use both your own authority, and the authority of others, as influencers.

To ramp up your own authority, make a presentation at a DJ event. Otherwise, on your website, highlight well-known and respected customers, use comments from industry experts, and discuss relevant research about brides and the wedding industry.

Also, make sure your brochures and materials are well-produced.

SCARCITY Cialdini states that products or services are more attractive when their availability is limited, or when we risk losing the opportunity to buy them on favorable terms.

HOW TO USE IT: With this principle, people need to know that they’re missing out if they don’t act quickly.

This is why a “Weekends are booking up now” statement on your website can be effective.

Keep these keys to influence in mind when marketing to your audience, and you might be surprised at the positive results.

T R U M P

T A J

M A H A L

A T L A N T I C

C I T Y ,

N J

AUGUST 10-13, 2015

DJ EXPO ‘15: DEFINING THE DJ MARKET FOR 25 YEARS. 25+ SEMINARS | 7000+ ATTENDEES | LATEST TECH DJ Times first presented DJ Expo in 1990—and, ever since, the show has continued to define the industry. With a program that includes 25 educational seminars, an exhibit hall full of top gear, and three evenings of sponsored events, DJ Expo remains the industry’s longest-running and best-attended trade show.

For More Info Call: 800 YES 7678 /THEDJEXPO

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JULY 2015

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

34

Kermit the Fog

Liquid Hot Magma

ADJ Products 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.americandj.com

Mixware 11070 Fleetwood St, Unit F Sun Valley, CA 91352 (818) 578-4030 www.mixware.net

ADJ expanded its Fog Fury series with the introduction of the Fog Fury Jett, a high-velocity, DMX-compatible fog machine that sends fog 25 feet into the air. The 700-watt unit is equipped with 12 three-watt quad-color LEDs that add color to the fog effect. It is designed with a high-performance Italian pump system that has an output of 20,000 cubic-feet per minute and an external tank that holds up to three liters of fluid.

The Magma Riot DJ Backpack, distributed Stateside by Mixware, is the most compact model in the company’s Riot line. It was especially designed for digital DJs traveling with a basic DVS setup such as 15-inch laptop, control records and accessories, or small controllers. The interior layout of the main compartment includes two padded, removable dividers which allow for three separate protective compartments. Two additional hanging mesh pockets can comfortably fill out the upper area of the backpack and easily hold headphones, cables and smaller gear.

Join the Club

The Rapture is Coming

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

Cakewalk 179 Lincoln Street Boston, MA 02111 (617) 423-9004 www.cakewalk.com

The Reloop RMX-33i is a compact club-style 3+1 channel DJ mixer that features four built-in Sound Color effects— White noise, Filter (low and high-pass), Bit Crusher and Gate. A large bi-polar potentiometer is included to control the effects, which can be used for any channel. The unit also features a rear iPad split input, allowing users to include an iPad, Android tablet or smartphone into their setup.

Additional features include three-band EQ, 10 inputs and five outputs, including both RCA and XLR.

Cakewalk’s Rapture Pro combines elements of the company’s Rapture and Dimension Pro into one virtual instrument for both Windows and Mac users. The performance synth combines algorithmic and sample-based synthesis into an intuitive design that can be used by musicians of any skill level, according to the company. Rapture Pro features extensive layering and mixing capabilities and comes with more than 10GB of instruments, textures and soundscapes in its sound library.

GEAR

AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Purple Hazer Le Maitre USA PO Box 365077 Las Vegas, NV 89036 (702) 843-5080 www.lemaitreusa.com Le Maitre introduced the EcoHazer, a hazer that uses a new heating system that the company says is “highly efficient, drawing less than 0.4 amps at operating temperature.” The EcoHazer, which the company says consumes 100-150W, scan be operated manually via rotary controls or using two channels of intelligent DMX. The unit uses Le Maitre’s PureHaze Fluid, which is 85-90-percent active ingredient combined with just 10-15-percent water, allowing the unit to use less fluid for the same output, according to Le Maitre.

App-y Medium IK Multimedia 1153 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy.

Sunrise, FL 33323 (954) 846-9101 www.ikmultimedia.com The GrooveMaker 2 remixing app is now available for Android devices. GrooveMaker 2 includes a suite of effects, including Filter, Delay and Noise, as well as song packs that cover house, techno, reggae, rock, trance and other musical styles. Each song contains over 60 loops that cover essential categories like kick drums, basslines, pads, effects, percussion and more. The app features intuitive controls that let users lock, solo and mute loops, change volume and panning and save favorite sequences for future use.

Throw the Book at You

DJ TIMES

Ableton published Making Music - 74 Creative Strategies for Electronic Music Producers, a 340-page book intended to serve as a resource for “anyone who makes music with computers, using any software or hardware.” The book is divided into three sections – “Problems of beginning,” “Problems of progressing,” and “Problems of finishing”— each of which focus on “concrete methods for solving musical problems, making progress, or completing projects.” The book is available in hardcover, ebook and iBook editions.

JULY 2015

Ableton Inc. 36 W. Colorado Blvd. Suite 300 Pasadena, CA 91105 (646) 723-4550 www.ableton.com

35

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Snap into a SlimBEAM

On Top of the Laserworld Laserworld USA 41 Skyline Drive, Suite 1017 Lake Mary, FL 32746 (407) 915-5577 www.laserworld.us Laserworld introduced the SwissLas PM10.000RGB, a 10W RGB laser that comes built into the company’s Pure Micro housing, which measures 7.3x6.5x5 inches. The unit features a beam diameter of ca. 4mm and an average divergence of 1mrad. It’s also fully graphics capable thanks to its Pangolin ScannerMax 506 scanner system. According to the company, the unit is dust proof and has no airflow inside the housing, making the laser “nearly maintenance free.”

Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com The SlimBEAM Quad IRC from Chauvet is a wall accent and effect light that comes equipped with three Quad-Color LEDs in a single bar. That bar can be tilted up to 180 degrees to create uplight effects. It was designed without moving parts to ensure silent operation. The unit comes with built-in automated programs and can be controlled either via DMX or in Master/Slave mode. An optional IRC remote is also available.

Natural Elements Future Loops www.futureloops.com Future Loops released Future Dub Elements, a sound library designed for producers, DJs and musicians that mixes dub, ambient and dubstep. The 1.10 GB library is available in WAV and REX formats. It includes more than 500 royalty-free samples and loops, including Drum Loops (Top Loops, Kicks, and No Kick Loops), Bass, FX, Synth, Chords, Pads, Vocal FX, Brass and over 130 Drum One Shots.

Never Miss a Beatport Beatport.com Taxi Drive 2 3461 Ringsby Ct. Suite 150 Denver, CO 80216 (720) 974-9500 www.beatport.com Beatport released its first-ever official mobile app for iOS and Android devices. The app is free and it allows users to stream all of the charts and playlists available on Beatport.com, as well as any track “hearted” on the Beatport service. In addition, the app lets users browse events and explore performances hear them using the location feature on their smartphone, as well as access links to ticketing options.

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

Ride the Lightwave

36

Numark Industries 200 Scenic View Dr. Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 658-3131 www.numark.com Numark has released the Lightwave powered loudspeaker with dual LED arrays. Each 23-pound unit features: five customizable lighting modes (Mood, Meter, Mix, Pulse and Party); brightness control that lets DJs adjust or disable LEDs; Custom Color Control to easily adjust the desired mix of Red, Green, and Blue lighting; three 6-½-inch woofers and 1-inch tweeter; and 200 watts of peak power, 100 watts continuous of Class D amplification.

WATCH IT NOW! DJTimes.com/watch Plus, catch interviews and live performances from J.Phlip Paul van Dyk Julian Jordan Kill Frenzy Dada Life Cosmic Gate Pan-Pot Pete Tong Gorgon City Seven Lions Nicky Romero and more!

TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS

Citizenn

Tom Middleton Tiefschwarz

“STRANGER” u DJ Spen u Quantize Teaming up with Todd Terry and harkening back to the Gypsymen days, Spen offers another essential outing on his Quantize imprint. Bumpin’ and groovin’ with a hazy vocal, this one should find its way to a dancefloor near you.

– Curtis Zack “DA GEH BO” EP u Martin Landsky u Poker Flat Berlin’s Landsky drops a superb three-tracker of deep underground house. Highlights include the well-produced title track and “Under the Bridge”—both are sure to be great DJ tools.

– Tommy D Funk “DO ME” u Tiefschwarz Feat. Khan u Watergate Records The “Frank Wiedemann Mix” is where it’s at on this monster. Radiant, symphonic strings, colorful keys and vibrant effects complement the thunderous kick and roaring bassline of this peak-hour floor-filler.

– Shawn Christopher “TIED” EP u Citizenn u Crosstown Rebels The original offers a nice vocal piano-house thumper. Adesse Versions’ mix seasons the track with a few tech-house flavors and ample sub-bass, and Denny takes his interpretation dark and deep.

Oscar G and Ralph Falcón’s “Murk Mega Mix” creates a huge—though repetitive—vocal techno bouncer. The highlight of the EP is the lone “Together (As A People),” a track absolutely begging to be played out in a dark, dingy warehouse.

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

– Chris Davis

38

disco romp that is Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears, and Nile Rodgers’ “The Other Boys.” The perfect dosage of camp and drama, this one’s got “summer anthem” written all over it.

– Chris Caruso “TRINE” EP u Grum u Anjunabeats Comparative to Eric Prydz, Grum shines in his retro-’90s style—warm, sparkling synths, simpleyet-effective hooks, and sparse, psychedelic vocals.

– Evan Maag

DJ Spen

“DO YOU LOVE WHAT YOU FEEL” (2015)

u Joey Negro u Z Records The track that thrust Joey Negro (aka Dave Lee) into the public eye is back with some subtle makeovers for ’15. Three mixes all pay the maximum respect to the original, but craft enough of an update to ensure they fit with today’s floors. Check the bumpin’ and bubbly “JN Revival Mix.”

– Curtis Zack NOCTURNAL SUNSHINE u Nocturnal Sun-

shine u I/AM/ME Maya Jane Coles brings the bass for her the eponymous debut from her Nocturnal Sunshine alias. The resulting output is noticeably dubbier than her dark house cuts, with a distinct singer-songwriter flavor.

Simultaneously spooky and sexy, tracks like the foreboding “It’s Alright” and melancholic “Drive” deliver an addicting air of mystery and intrigue. Don’t sleep on the dancehall-inspired “Bass Bin” either.

Joey Negro

– Chris Caruso

COLLATERAL u NERVO u Ultra Music

The big-room queens finally unleash their artist album. Previously released hits “Hold On” and “You’re Gonna Love Again” are as universal as ever, but the saucy new cuts like the acid-tongued “Hey Ricky” and the hardstyle-adjacent “Let It Go” work as well. The true standout? The electro-

tini u Groovejet Another sublime outing from the Groovejet stable. Hosts Micky More and Andy Tee take the track in a jazzy direction with a killer sax

“REAL HOUSE” u Samuele Sar-

Prok & Fitch

NERVO

while the remix adds more horns, giving the track an early ’90s feel. The retro/future vibe continues.

– Tommy D Funk “THAT’S WHAT I THINK ABOUT” u Eddie

Fowlkes u Defected Two deep tracks of tech-house at its very best. Culoe De Song’s remix of “That’s What I Think About” goes less dancefloor-oriented, but offers an atmospheric synths-and-percussion combo, giving it a distinct and unusual sound.

– Tommy D Funk “DEEP IN YOUR SOUL” u Ed Ed feat. Eric

Mcbride u Defected This upbeat and crisp production champions a smooth, rolling bassline and a soulful, yet catchy vocal sequence. The “In My Soul Tool” track features wet edits of Eric McBride’s vocal line.

– Tommy D Funk

Martin Landsky

Maya Jane Coles

Damian Lazarus

and crisp beats, making this a great addition to the box.

– Curtis Zack MESSAGE FROM THE OTHER SIDE

u Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons u Crosstown Rebels Lazarus’ live-band project offers an expectedly psychedelic journey through brilliant production. Cycling through Eastern (“Lovers’ Eyes [Mohe Pi Ki Najariya]”), techno (“Trouble At The Séance”), and even pop-R&B (“Vermillion”) influences, Lazarus transports listeners to a supernatural world full of magical grooves and exotic soundscapes. If you can’t afford a ticket to Burning Man, this record might be the best alternative.

– Chris Caruso “KUMTO GETHA/HEVA” EP u u Tom Middleton u Anjunadeep “KUMTO GETHA” perfectly blends the punch and bounce of tech-house with an infectious deep-house groove. “HEVA” gets more uplifting, borrowing a bit more from trance roots, but the bassline is lively and gets those shoes moving.

Another fantastic Toolroom EP. With the title track and the terrific “Jack To Jack,” this one offers some tasty, underground tech-house.

– Tommy D Funk “LOVE & WAR” EP u Tommy Bones u Strictly Rhythm “Get Down” contrasts classic house sounds with contemporary beats,

DJ TIMES

“ONE OF THESE DAYS” EP u u Prok & Fitch u Toolroom Records

JULY 2015

– Evan Maag

39

Preakness

(continued from page 23)

on-air with van Buuren, she confidently introduced him to the national audience thusly: “We are backstage with world-renowned trance DJ and producer Armin van Buuren…” Nice work, Ms. Manno.

Showtime: At 3:45, van Buuren hit the stage before a massive and appreciative, if somewhat boozy, audience. Just like a club, just like a festival, the Armin/Armada/State of Trance fans were out en masse. You could see people hanging on the restraining fence clad in various t-shirts celebrating the DJ, the label or the show. There were official “Armin Intense” banners flying, plus plenty of homemade signs. Right off the bat, it looked like Preakness made the right call with this booking, which was done through Glow, a longtime D.C. area promoter.

After spinning crowd-favorites like his own “Ping Pong,” his new single “Another You” featuring Mr. Probz, plus remixes for Faithless’ “Insomnia” and Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence,” van Buuren finished with the Grammy-nominated hit, “This Is What It Feels Like.” NBC-TV caught the finale and showed a vast infield audience having the time of its life.

Still enjoying the post-gig afterglow, van Buuren and crew returned to the trailer and shared a drink with Glow principals and their friends, which included a pair of North American sportsmen – Tom Wilson of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and Shawne Merriman, a former NFL All-Pro linebacker, both big fans of dance music.

Soon everyone was summoned to a special place to view the race on the infield side of the finish line.

All the horses were paraded in front of us, but we could all see the dark clouds looming in the near ADJ Inno Pocket Spot distance. Before the horses made it to the starting QSC K10 $ 29999 $ gate, the skies opened and sheets of rain began 69999 to fall. Not a word was said before everyone in Pioneer DDJ-SZ $ the crew began sprinting to the nearest tent. We 1997 all arrived huffing and puffing, soaked to the bone, before someone realized that the artist trailer was another short sprint. So off we went, again…

With everyone finally under shelter and a decent-sized flatscreen before us all, we watched the messy race, which bore these results: Win: American Pharaoh. The 4-5 favorite would grab the greater glory a few weeks later.

Place: Tale of Verve. The 30-1 longshot closed impressively and made some exotic wagerers very happy.

Shure BLX24/SM58 $ 349 Show: Divining Rod. Touched by the Dutch DJ, the 12-1 horse also paid off some exotics handsomely.

Go to idjnow.com for details Dortmund, the horse that anchored many of our exotic bets, finished a disappointing fourth.

Fast FREE Shipping | idjnow.com | 1.800.355.7746 Nonetheless, it was a day that many of us won’t Se Habla Español | Showrooms Open 7 Days | We Rent Locally soon forget. And, of course, it served as another reQueens, NY 718.762.0100 | Babylon, NY 631.321.1700 minder of the impressive reach that the DJ culture has achieved in the mainstream. © 2015 I DJ NOW. Limited time offers. Prices subject to change without notice. Not responsible for typographical errors. Consumer Affairs # 1387598 Before heading back to BWI for his return flight to Europe, van Buuren was asked about his impresDJ Gear | Lighting Effects | Live Sound | Recording | Stage | Performance sions of the day: “It was better than I expected because I thought it would be more of a general crowd, one that didn’t know who I was,” he said DJ_Times_May_2015.indd 1 4/14/15 11:09 AMfrom a van surrounded by the exiting legions. “But I was very pleased to see that there were a lot of IDJNOW • Leasing Ad • 4c, 4.125” W X 4.375” H • Ad Runs in DJ TIMES for May 2015 • 631-585-1100 x 7460 fans. And thank goodness it waited to rain until after the gig! It was a memorable experience and now I can say I’ve done Preakness.”

And The Preakness, with its unique daily double of racing and music, can say it’s been introduced to n DJ culture. was an amazing physical specimen to behold upclose.

In the stable next to Bodhisattva, however, stood Divining Rod, a 12-1 horse that would later stride through the slop for a surprising third-place finish.

(Good thing one of our “smarter” wagers had him to “show.”) When van Buuren, whose wife is involved with dressage competitions back in Holland, eased up to Divining Rod to stroke his mane for a moment, the Bodhisattva owners protested mildly.

Of course, he stopped, not wanting any conflict, but we’d like to think van Buuren touched Divining Rod with a dollop of luck.

After returning to the trailer, van Buuren did a meet-and-greet session with fans. Then, he did television interviews with Lowell Melser from WBAL, the local NBC affiliate, and then with NBC Sports’ Carolyn Manno, who did some quick homework on EDM, including the various differences between subgenres. So by the time she was

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1 Martin Garrix F/ Usher Don’t Look Down Spinnin 2 Madonna Ghosttown Interscope 3 Ricky Martin Mr. Put It Down Sony 4 Tove Lo Talking Body Universal 5 Britney Spears & Iggy Azalea Pretty Girls RCA 6 Chic F/ Nile Rodgers I’ll Be There Warner Brothers 7 Ellie Goulding Love Me Like You Do Interscope 8 Nick Jonas Chains Columbia 9 Andy Grammer Honey I’m Good S-Curve 10 Robert Clivilles Set Me Free C&C Music Factory 11 Tony Moran F/ Martha Wash Free People Radikal 12 Rozalla If You Say It Again Rozalla Music 13 Rihanna Bitch Better Have My Money Roc Nation 14 Philip George Wish You Were Mine Motown 15 Sir Ivan Kiss All The Bullies Goodbye Peaceman 16 Audien F/ Parson James Insomnia Astralwerks 17 Axwell & Ingrosso On My Way Def Jam 18 Sia Elastic Heart RCA 19 Giorgio Moroder & Sia DeJa Vu RCA 20 David Guetta F/Nicki Minaj & AfroJack Hey Mama Parlophone 21 Giorgio Moroder F/ Kylie Minogue Right Here Right Now SME 22 Alesso F/ Roy English Cool Def Jam 23 Muzik Box Fabulous Control Voltage 24 Raquela Summertime House Of Pride 25 Sam Smith Like I Can Capitol 26 Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly Shite Dauman 27 Ariana Grande One Last Time Republic 28 Claire Rasa All I Wanted BMAB 29 5 Maroon Sugar A&M 30 TiE Won’t Let Go Global Groove 31 Carly Rae Jepson I Really Like You Interscope 32 Axwell Ingrosso On My Way Def Jam 33 Calvin Harris F/ Ellie Goulding Outside Columbia 34 (We Are) Nexus They’ll Never Stop Me Shotgunn 35 Ryan Cabrera House On Fire RCA 36 Corey Black Here We Go BMAB 37 Zedd F/ Selena Gomez I Want You To Know Interscope 38 Franques We Got It All Promark 39 Kelly Clarkson Heartbeat Song RCA 40 Delilah Party Till We Drop LP

1 Omarion F/ C. Brown & Jhene Aiko 2 Fetty Wap 3 Weekend 4 Trey Songz 5 Big Sean F/ Kanye West 6 West F/London/Kingdom & McCartney 7 Ciara 8 Wale F/ Usher 9 Chedda Da Connect 10 Future 11 Migos 12 Drake 13 Rihanna 14 K Camp 15 J. Cole 16 Ne-Yo F/ Juicy J 17 Rich Homie Quan 18 Jidenna F/ Roman Gianarthur 19 T.I. F/ Chris Brown 20 Kendrick Lamar

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

Andy Grammer Rozalla Claire Rasa Britney Spears & Iggy Azalea Dark Intensity F/ Liz Primo Corey Black Giorgio Moroder & Sia Chemical Brothers KC And The Sunshine Danny Thorn F/ Amanda Wilson

Honey I’m Good If You Say It Again All I Wanted Pretty Girls Dance With Your Heart Here We Go DeJa Vu Some Times I Feel I Love You More Out Of Time

S-Curve Rozalla Music BMAB RCA 444 BMAB RCA Capitol Sunshine Southside

REPORTING POOLS

Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n Chew Fu - Woodbridge, CT; Chew Fu n Dirty Pop Productions - San Diego, CA; DJ Drew n Dj Stickyboots - Goshen, NJ; Blake Eckelbarger n Victors - Milwaukee, WI; Chris Egner n Nexus Radio - Chicago, IL; Manny Esparza n HypeRadio - Yuba City, CA; Rich Fayden n Pittsburgh DJ - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich n Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle n New York Music Pool - Levittown, NY; Jackie McCloy n Dixie Dance Kings - Alpharetta, GA; Dan Miller n WPTV-Prty 105FM Frd MdMx - New York, NY; Mike Rizzo n MOOD Spins - Seattle, WA; Randy Schlager n Legends - Raleigh, NC; Joey Shull n Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis Looking for these titles? You can hear them and buy them at www.dancekings.com. Just click on the links in the chart.

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Post To Be Trap Queen Earned It Slow Motion Blessings All Day I Bet The Matrimony Flicka Da Wrist Commas One Time How About Now Bitch Better Have My Money Lil Bit Wet Dreams She Knows Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh) Classic Man Private Show King Kunta

Atlantic RFG Republic Atlantic Def Jam Def Jam Epic Atlantic EOne Epic Quality Control Republic Roc Nation Interscope Columbia Capitol Think Its A Game Epic Columbia Interscope

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Casey Veggies F/ DeJ Loaf Tamar Braxton Mark Ronson F/ Mystikal J-Doe Silento

Tied Up If I Don’t Have You Feel Right I Dont Give Watch Me

Epic Epic RCA RAL Capitol

NEW NATIONAL LATIN DANCE POOL CHART 1. Rey Chavez 2. J Martin 3. Chino & Nacho 4. Delilah 5. Charlie Aponte 6. Oro Solido, Hmns. Rosario 7. Tarzana 8. Victor Manuelle 9. Gente De Zona y Marc Anthony 10. Zion y Lennox 11. Daddy Yankee 12. Enrique I. ft Yandel & J Magan 13. Tito Rojas 14. Jessy Rose 15. Tomas The Latin Boy 16. Angelucho Copacabana 17. Angie K ft Qbanito 18. Kalimete 19. Prince Royce 20. Clasicon

Voy A Robarme a la Novia Yo soy el Loco Aquel Me Voy A Enamorar Party Til’ We Drop Para Festejar Merenguemania Baila Con Tarzana Agua Bendita La Gozadera Pierdo La Cabeza Sigueme y Te Sigo De Dia y De Noche Aguzate y Come Berro Falso Amor Bailalo Aqui Esta Lo Que Esperabas De Moda El Perdon Solita La Calle Soy Yo

J&N PPE Universal Latina Princess Sony 24K Demand Sony Latin Hits Latin Hits Universal Universal T.R. Park East Latina Mr. Yuca Big Dream Sueños Top Stop Music BN

Stuck On A Feeling En Los Pasos De Mi Padre Perdido En Tus Ojos Sunset Te Voy A Tomar

Latin Hits Andujar Music Universal Carbon Fiber SB4 Music

Most Added Tracks 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Prince Royce ft. Snoop Dog Don Perignon Don Omar ft Natty Natasha Farruko ft Shaggy, & Nicky Jam Son By Four

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.

Mark Ronson

(continued from page 16) with it at Bruno’s studio. A jam was what it really just came out of, with Bruno on drums, I was on bass, and Jeff was on keys. Basically, Bruno was on tour and every time we tried to fix it… it felt forced, as we never felt the same excitement as the first day we played it. We just fought for it; there were so many times the song was going to end up in the trash.

DJ Times: But it worked out.

Ronson: When it was done it felt great because: A) I couldn’t believe it was done and B) we had really worked so hard to make it feel unlike anything else. I don’t know if there’s really anything like it. There was no reason for us to expect it to be on the radio; it doesn’t have a chorus.

Everything about it just made it a record I couldn’t wait to pull out and play in the club.

DJ Times: It’s interesting to note the “All Gold Everything” interpolation on the track. It’s not uncommon for a rap song to sample a funk song, but you don’t really see it the other way around that often. How did that part make its way into the song?

Ronson: Bruno had a couple gigs playing with his band, and they were playing that song and that's how it sprang in his head. It’s like when I’ve DJed before and I’m looping up a break in Serato and then throwing the a cappella from Biggie Smalls’ “Hypnotize” over it. I remember hearing “Black Cow” by Steely Dan into “Déjà Vu” by Lord Tariq: you’ve got a hip-hop song and the song it sampled played back-to-back. They make people the move the same way and give you that same feeling. As a DJ, I know this, and when making music sometimes I think that some things will blend well together.

DJ Times: You did a TED Talk last year about sampling. How were you approached to do that and why did you actually decide to do it?

Ronson: I was just approached when they emailed me. It was the 30-year anniversary, so they wanted to do something that was a bit of an overview of the last 30 years of music and asked if I was interested. So first, it was kind of a straight ego thing like, “Holy shit, I've been asked to do a TED Talk!” Then, as it got closer and I was reading all of these books realize you're basically writing a college thesis, and then you're like, “Holy shit, why did I sign up for this?” I do love talking about the thing that I love the most, which is music. I had a whole bunch of ideas I'd been rehearsing and researching for months, but the week before I kind of chucked them all out because I realized that it might be more interesting to scratch video from some old TED Talk videos, almost like the same way DJ Premier used to scratch words from other songs to make his own meaningful sentences. That's what I tried to do, and it's honestly the most terrified I've ever been—but I'm glad that I did it.

DJ Times: The driving message of it is, “Sampling is not hijacking nostalgia wholesale.” How relevant do you think that is to the music industry of today, in comparison to when hiphop was first emerging?

Ronson: Well, there are two different types of sampling. There's sampling, what I'm saying is the more cut-and-paste, chopped-up style of sampling—you know like things from DJ Premier or DJ Q-Tip or obscure breaks or things like that.You think of things like when Dr. Dre used samples

in songs like “The Next Episode.” It was all about finding something that nobody ever used before. When we got into the ’90s, we started thinking about sampling things like Diana Ross and David Bowie, and it got a little bit more into shining the past. Those are things that we remember. Right now, when you look at some of the charts, there's not really so much sampling going on anyway, so I don't know how absolutely relevant it is.

DJ Times: Despite the massive pop hits, you’re still DJing in intimate venues. What’s the importance of still doing gigs in smaller clubs, in addition your massive festival gigs?

Ronson: I just still love DJing. I love being able to get onstage and play my music, but I started DJing because I love other people's music.

Specifically, in 1993 there was all hip hop out that you could only buy on vinyl in underground record stores and I was like, “Fuck, how do I get ahold of it?” So I taught myself how to DJ. Playing that music is very much what I love doing, having a crowd and that big energy. That will never go away. Also, it's weird because like when I started—when I was playing little clubs like New Music Café or Rebar—the DJ wasn’t even necessary on display in a way that was visible to the dancefloor. Sometimes the turntables were set up at the end of the bar and you'd have the busboy going behind you while you're trying to kill it. I love that. I love playing in those days when the room was sweaty and everybody was having a good time; I didn't need anybody seeing that it was me DJing. Suddenly, you're on a stage DJing and people looking at you—that still feels weird to me. Anyone can come to my show and enjoy

it in any way to have a good time, but for me I much prefer playing anonymously in a corner knowing that everybody is dancing and having a great time because I guess that's where I come from. Even now when I go up and play four of my records in a row to get it started, it feels weird, but I know people come because they like my music and want to hear my music.

DJ Times: You've got your full band live shows, in addition to your DJ sets. Do you think the two can coexist?

Ronson: Yeah, I do think it can coexist. Even when I was touring the last album, I always had a segment in the middle where I brought out turntables to do a DJ routine, while the band rested. It's a really important part of me; I've spent 23 years honing this skill, so it would be foolish to not bring any of those tools to playing— even if it was with a live band.

DJ Times: What sort of impact has technology and its evolution had on your musical career?

Ronson: Well, part of me thinks I was better DJ before Serato era because I was always hauling a crate to the club and living in a three-floor walk-up wasn't fun. So you really take the time to know what's in each record that you're taking that night.

Sometimes with Serato, you're looking at a list of 8,000 tracks and might as well toss everything in. It's a very new style of DJing. I still like DJing to have more of a thread and feeling—something more soulful—but I'm guilty of that too sometimes. The thing about Serato that's amazing is I can take a record I just made, throw a mastering plug-in on it, and play it five minutes later. That's the incredible n thing about technology.

42

You can call me Destructo…

Or you can call me Gary…

Just don’t call me a party-pooper.

Gary Richards, Next Month in DJ Times

Photos By Erik Voake.

DJ TIMES

JULY 2015

Gary Richards, The Hard Way

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