Insert Coin(s) Mix Series - numero uno

It is my pleasure to give you the first mix in the new Insert Coin(s) mix series.  For the next 9 weeks we’ll be dropping a new mix reppin’ each night of the week by our amazing resident DJs, something special for the summer from yours truly.  The 2.0 version of the Insert Coin(s) website is almost finished and all the mixes will be featured as well as all of our resident DJs which I am so proud to work with.

We start with FRIDAYS at Insert Coin(s).  Mix numero uno is reppin GAME OVER FRIDAYS in which DJs Dave Fogg and Tendaji Lathan will both be doing individual mixes to rep their GAME OVER FRIDAYS residencies.  Here’s Dave’s…if you are into Trap, Bass & Video Games all the pages in your book are about to get turned! 

Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD THE MIX HERE

Some music you should have…

Some of my fellow DJs and friends have put in some pretty fresh work this month…Here are some of my favorite mixes & edits on this lovely spring/summer weekend…

There’s a little bit of everything here…Moombahsoul, Disco, Electronic, Neo/Soul, Lounge, Retro…I love it if it moves me and these selections move me. 

#sharingiscaring

ENJOY and your welcome!

Dancefloor Sessions Vol.  - Nu Disco, Indie, Electro, Disco 

One of my favorite people and DJs, Tendaji has such a great ear for this genre in which he is not known for but I’m gonna make it my mission to let it be known!

Synthsual Seduction - Disco/Electronic/Indie mix - DJ Crykit

Crykit is an incredible dancer, a modern day bgirl…who now has a promising DJ career.  This mix is a personal favorite…she sent it to me the other day and I can’t stop playing it.  It definitely was a pleasant surprise, songs selections are fantastic…very sexy mix!

Anthony Valadez

I just had Anthony as one of my guests for VERSUS this past week,…WHAT A TALENT.  Technically flawless and fluid…his song selections are impeccable.  I’m putting up his mix page so you can choose your poison.  He’s one of my new favorites FOR SURE!

DJ ZIMMIE - Vegas Lounge mix

DJ Zimmie has a glass is half full fun approach to everything that he does.  This lounge mix is a perfect example.  It’s a bit pop-ish at times but not in a way that would turn off an elitist.  Its a great summer Sunday afternoon mix, I’m a big fan of Zimmie personally and professionally.

DJ Dainjazone - Indie-ish 4/26 

This one is an Electronic/Indie/Dubfeel but not in the obvious way, Dainjazone found some INCREDIBLE covers that he threw in here I’m awaiting a playlist…with the exception of a couple of hip hop tracks that I felt threw me off the uber sexual vibe throughout this mix its def a favorite of mine right now…

“Way To Go Bro” - Dave Fogg

This is an edit Dave just put together and leaked out this week, I LOVE this and can’t wait to play it.  I started my day out with it this morning and had it on repeat for a while.  Its a flawless example of well done Moombahsoul with a Philly twist, it’s minimal, not too complicated and there’s no way you’re not going to dance around your house to this,…I did all morning.
until next time…
xxxoh!

The First night of HANG THE DJ’S “VERSUS”…

WHAT A NIGHT!  

The first night of HANG THE DJ’s “VERSUS” was last night, here’s a little recap.

A huge thank you to DJs Dave Fogg & Warren Peace for the amazing sets which consisted of everything from; Jeru to The Beatles to Phoenix to Ice Cube to The Foo Fighters…(Dave played “Everlong” at the end of the night and everyone was screaming the words at the top of their lungs! I love that damn song!)…

Friends of Dave & Warren’s from the last 20 years came out the wood work awaiting a hip hop set from the duo as they used to do together back in the “RA” days (a club they both used to DJ years ago at The Luxor hotel)…Even radio personality Mr. Bob, who used to MC for them at “RA” showed up jumped on the mic…

Its been a while since Warren dug into his virtual crates in search of a hip hop set…

and the smile on his face as the night progressed and people lost their minds over every song chosen was exactly the reason I put VERSUS together.  This night is for DJs to feel the love of the game again without forced genres or dance floor pressure and for friends and fans of said DJs to enjoy something completely different from what they normally experience in a nightclub setting.  

Shout out to the infamous and hysterical DJ Five for our shoot ‘em up battle…

Super bionic shout out to the entrepreneurial and beautiful  Jolene Mannina and her biz partner Josh, 9 Groups Raul Daniels, artist Jerry Misko, comedian BS Williams, Hot Yoga Guru Yoga Dre, KNYEW Clothing boutique owner DJ Neva, Hard Rock Hotel’s Mike Olortegui, the lovely DJ Supra & her boyfriend Dan (who both own the delicious Le Thai restaurant across the street from INSERT COINS)…My extended family that is the INCREDIBLE staff at XS Nightclub including Sean Hyde who rallied the troops, and the XS circus that is photographer Danny & DJ David Mahoney, self proclaimed “Juice boy”/blogger Jansen Bordinhao, soundboard pimp/DJ Joshua Stephens, and Co. who partied their ASSES off all night…literally…they had to kick us out we were still dancing with the lights on, that was Dave’s fault he kept bangin’ out records and saying “ok, ok, just one more”…

It was the perfect launch for what will be a memorable party every Wednesday night downtown…a very special thank you to Chris LaPorte of Insert Coins for supporting and celebrating the vision I have for this night and the entire staff at Insert for being so damn awesome.

Next week…

THIS IS HAPPENING…

…so if this turns your pages at all make it out next Wednesday on the 11th at INSERT COINS for “VERSUS” where myself & LA’s own DJ Tendaji Lathan will be spinning and these guys above will be in the booth basement party style yes ya’llin’ and hangin out!

xxxooohhh!

HANG THE DJ presents “VERSUS” this Wednesday January 4th, 2012

In honor of our first night at everyones favorite downtown spot INSERT COINS featuring Vegas vets and XS Las Vegas’ main resident DJ’s Dave Fogg and Warren Peace, I am re-running their HANG THE DJ interviews.  I wanted to start “VERSUS” off for the first night with two hometown heros who have paved the way for DJs all over Las Vegas.  Not only are these two talents dear friends and two of my favorite DJs, their interviews were two of my favorite interviews to date.  They represent everything this night is about…versatility, love of music, seasoned professionals, individuality and knowing when to not take yourself to seriously and just have fun.  These two have been close friends and worked together before there were major venues on the strip in Vegas. They have contributed greatly to changing the game for Vegas nightlife and most do not know how multi-dimentional they are as DJs.  This is what people are going to fall in love with about this night,…hearing your favorite DJ’s play THEIR favorite shit.  No matter who is playing each Wednesday you can count on walking into one of Vegas’ most adored venues with no dress code, no cover, no guest lists to have an off the strip alternate nightlife experience where its just about the music.

For those of you in town this Wednesday January 4th make your way downtown for what will the the first night of an on going series of incredible DJs doing what they do best. The theme for the night?… “no genres,…just dope DJs playing dope music.”

I can’t announce it yet, but we have an amazing surprise host/performance for everyone next Wed January 11th, 2012 so swing thru this week to find out!

I am THRILLED this interview series has been so well received and equally as thrilled that is has now turned into an actual night where I can showcase and introduce the talents that I’ve interviewed to like minded music lovers.

See you Wednesday!!

xxxohhh!

CLICK on the the names below to read their HANG THE DJ interviews…

DAVE FOGG

WARREN PEACE

Next Up,…The “Best Kept Secret” a.k.a WARREN PEACE

“HANG THE DJ” - #12

This interview is special to me because not only am I a fan I am fascinated by his story…

Meet DJ Warren Peace.  Warren is one of my favorite DJ’s and one of my favorite people period…Warren, (full governmental Warren White)…not to be confused with the White guy on the left, (DJ Pizzo fellow XS resident DJ and great guy), 

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are the long time owners of THE HIP HOP SITE. It used to be an actual store that was a favorite amongst DJ’s and artists alike located off of Maryland Parkway in Vegas…(for full story click HERE).

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I met Warren in the early 90’s when he was a college radio DJ on KUNV.  He had a show called “Word Up” (1988 - 1993). I used to listen to his show when I would come to Vegas to visit my Dad…he BLEW me away, his radio show was comparable to Bobbito & Stretch’s renowned College radio in NY.  Not only was he technically talented (all vinyl back then obviously) but I remember having making the “stink face” to almost every mix he’d play, hip hop was so thick and meaty back then.  

As a college DJ, especially back then, he received all the hottness fresh off the press breaking brand new joints each week to a Vegas audience that had no idea their city was going to turn into the Nightclub Mecca it is now. During these pre-Bottle service years there were just a a few nightclubs on the strip and hip hop hadn’t even begun to take over the world as it has over the last 10 years.

His Twitter Bio reads: ”Warren Peace = hip-hop dude, turned house dude, turned XS Las Vegas head resident DJ , turned business man, turned daddy!” .  Warren has come a LONG way.  

Aside being an incredible DJ, he is one of the most solid dudes I’ve ever met, genuine to the bone.  We are still dear friends to this day and he has been nothing but supportive. When I first moved to Vegas he and Dave Fogg wanted me to manage them, I was definitely flattered, Warren is a true talent, I probably could’ve made a ton of money managing those two knuckleheads.  

As the story goes, Dave Fogg and Warren used to DJ together at RA, a nightclub tucked away in the awkward Luxor Hotel.  They, along with MC Mr. Bob (now a top radio personality on Hot 97.5 KLUC), blew up Vegas nightlife at the time introducing club goers to the Top 40/Mash-up music format via DJing and production. Dave was the music director at RA at the time and left to open up what is now Tryst at the Wynn, with new owner Victor Drais.  RA closed, times and trends were changing and Warren, one of the best DJ’s in Las Vegas, couldn’t catch a break anywhere. After a short lived residency with Victor, Warren was lost between that large gap that separated “urban” clubs and mainstream clubs at the time. At the time Warren was known as a “hip hop” DJ…this was when nightlife was taking that left off of the hip hop/rock/mash-up freeway onto the House/EDM super highway.

I had just moved to Vegas and was baffled to find out that Warren was DJing at the Stratosphere of all places doing some random all 80’s night at a spot called Polyester. Warren knew he needed to do something to not only re-invent himself but re-introduce himself to the new regime of nightlife owners that had no idea of his versatility.  His plan?, joining forces with his long time friend and fellow DJ, Dave Fogg, to create the first House mix show for KLUC called “Vibrate Radio”.

Shortly after Dave became the music director for Tryst and pushed for Warren to get another shot in the newly renovated big room that was the toast of the town at the time. So he did a “test” set one night,…The rest, as they say, is….

What is most important about this story and interview is; Warren and Dave really created the format for XS when it opened, almost a decade after RA closed they once again were trailblazing music formatting in Las Vegas.  Not too shabby of an accomplishment…from these two…here is Dave and Warren in the RA days….

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and now…

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Ironically enough Warren is now the lead resident DJ at XS, Deadmau5 requests him to open for him when he headlines XS.  Its such an interesting story and what I enjoy most is that Warren is now so highly revered by those who not only pigeon holed him but blatantly overlooked him.  A couple of weeks ago I was driving up Tropicana right by the airport I saw a much deserved (and long overdue) XS headliner billboard with Warren’s name in lights, I had the biggest smile on my face.  

This is what Warren makes people do when he plays at XS with his fancy computer key pad and alien computer attachments.

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His hat list is as follows; DJ, Dad, Husband, owner of “Just Chill” Snowcones, a snow cone truck he launched this past summer, co-owner of HipHopSite.com, and along with DJ Kevin Scott co-owner of Direct Music Service, a boutique record pool that services DJs with the best in everything from EDM to Reggae and everything in-between.

Boys & girls it is truly my pleasure to introduce you to the “Best Kept Secret” a.k.a “Your Favorite DJ in Las Vegas’ Favorite DJ”, WARREN PEACE.


How did you start?
 
“I started playing records when I was 5 years old.  For Christmas, I received a fisher price turntable and ran through my Dads record collection.  I would go to the grocery store with my mom because the record store was next door. Instead of asking for candy or gum in the checkout line I would ask my mom to buy me a record next door, from that point on I was hooked.   Soon after I would either tape Soul Train or the radio for all my favorite songs, if I really liked a song, I would go to the grocery store with my mom and beg her to buy me the 45. One day when on vacation in NC I heard “Planet Rock” on the urban radio station.  I had never heard anything like it.  I was completely blown away and knew whatever I did it life I had to be around this sound ALL THE TIME!
After many summer vacations and my cousins in NYC sending me tapes of Mr. Magic and Red Alert, it became clear that I had to be a DJ.  I did my first party when I was 13.  I did my first bar when I was 19. From that point it was bar, nightclub, house party, frat party, bar mitzvah REPEAT…  I’ve never looked back!”
 
What was your first gig and when? Were their any memorable moments that night good or bad?
 
I’ve had so many first gigs!! I’ll just pick one.  During my day job at Costco “Serving Hot Dogs” I had hooked up with this funny loud obnoxious kid, I later named Mr. Bob.  When he was working the front door at Costco it was ALWAYS entertaining.  I told him I was going to sneak him in the clubs and he was going to be my Hype man.  His reply was “N*gga you crazy!!”.  I had snuck him into a few gigs and he started “Carrying my crates”. I had made a big name for myself in Radio and was “somebody” on the west coast so I was asked to DJ the Source MAGIC Party in Vegas.  A Very big deal! -  All of the big names in hip-hop would be there.  During rehearsal I told Mr. BOB that he would be doing all the announcements and he would be my hype man that night.  I’ll never forget how big his eyes got and his reply “What do I do!!”  I said “Just be Bob…. and yell” HANDS UP!!”  And “IS THE EAST COAST IN THE HOUSE!!” The party was a huge success The Source was very happy, Bob’s cherry was busted and I got to meet Foxy Brown!”
 
 How long have you been djing?
 
“I’ve been Djing for over 30 years… yep 30 years youngsta!” 

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What genre are you “known” for?
 
“I’m known for many Genres it depends what years you are referring to.  From early on I was known for urban and hip-hop. Later on me, Dave Fogg, and Chris Mirykel formed the Inhumanz.

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We did rock and rap mashups and made the monster “50 cent vs. NIN Nails – 50 inch Nails”.  We later expanded the Inhumanz added Pizzo and Dj Destroyer.  We put out many more singles and an album. (click on the link to view and listen to the album)…

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I am currently known for the “XS sound” which is primarily arena house and electronic music.  The one thing I am most proud of is at my peak in every genre I could hold my own against ANYONE.”…(you can watch Warren in Lazer Tag action at XS going on after AfroJack here, pretty aggressive kids)
 
What do you/would you love to play you don’t get booked for or that you’re not known for?
 
“Lately I’ve been itching to do a Classic Rock/old funk party.  I did a wedding in Wells, NV…

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a few years back where I played 70s rock, disco and funk for a bunch of cowboys and small town folk.  It was one the best parties I have ever done - Top 5 in my book. No one would leave the venue. I had rednecks asking me to stay and play for a few hours more…(this is Steve from Wells, Nevada…he wasn’t at the wedding but I googled some images of Wells, Nevada and this was the first one to come up, its awesome, you get the picture)…

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I still get calls to DJ weddings up in Wells, NV.  I’ve wanted to do a 80s Urban party. Not the hits, not new wave.  Stuff like Guy, the old Foster and McElroy, O’Bryan some electro funk etc.”
 
Whats a couple of your new favorite artists or songs in the genre(s) your known for and especially genre(s) that you aren’t know for but really dig?

“Since I’m at XS it’s hard to say what my genre is because I play mostly house but also play hip-hop, rock etc.  I really like all genres accept country.  My favorite artists right now in the house genre are Hard Rock Sofa and Swanky tunes.  Favorite artists I really dig outside my genre are all the big names in Classical music - Beethoven, Mozart, Bach Tchaikovsky etc.  I find myself listening to allot of Classical music lately.  It clears the taste buds.” 

If you weren’t djing what would you be doing?
 
“I would own an electrical engineering firm with my dad and brothers.  I went to school to become and Electrical Engineer, my dad is a Civil engineer and my brothers are Mechanical and Civil.”
 
What is your hobby or interest when you’re not djing that people don’t know about? 
 
“I like to work out and love Hot Yoga.  I also love to raid 99 cent stores.”
 
 Whats in your dj bag (aside needles, headphones, vinyl, and slipmats)

“Earplugs and a phone charger”
 
How do you deal with requests? (if you have any pictures of napkin requests pls shoot me one)
 
l love requests!! They are a perfect gauge of what you are doing wrong, right and if you have a dumb crowd.
 
Top three re-occuring request situations? (i.e. “can you play something I can dance to”?)

“Can you play something with a beat? 
Hey man you Black how come you aint playing no Hip-Hop!! C’mon son!!
Hey brother why you playing this white boy shit!”
 
Why do you think people think the dj booth is also a coatcheck?

”Once you realize that most people in the club listen to the radio and don’t know 0.1 % of the music you know, and the only reason they are here is so they can show off their fake”___”.  It is at that point you will know to expect anything and it’s your job to ENTERTAIN! So start dancing, scratching or djing your ass off, but please stop crying about stupid stuff from stupid people.” 
 
Who’s the “character” in the club that annoys you the most? i.e. club promoter, birthday girl, makin’ it rain dude, Jamie Foxx on the mic doin his “stump the dj” bit, etc.

“The person that annoys me the most is the “I’m too cool person”, I’m too cool to dance, I’m too cool to be nice to a lady, I’m too cool to smile… etc  I really hate that dude and someone tell him to get off his phone in the middle of the dance floor.”

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Your story about people asking you to play “hip hop”…when you’re playing hip hop?  
 
“I get the reverse.  Since I’m black it’s expected of me to play hip-hop so I get the “Oh he’ll play hip-hop soon look” or “of course he’s going to play hip-hop look at him”. So it’s actually cool because people “know” I’m going to play hip-hop and tend to stay until I do.  BOOM GOTCHA!!!”
 
Worst gig you ever had?
 
“I was djing a high school dance and set up 2 hours late.  While I was setting up kids were yelling at me, girls were crying, the principal was shouting at me.  Some parents threatened to sue.  NO one would help me set up.  It was really bad.”
 
Weirdest moment djing?
 
“One of my weirdest Djing moments was when I did my first gig on ScratchLive without ANY back up wax.  I was pretty scared and if something were to happen I had no backup!”
 
Best moment djing?
 
 ”I’ve had a ton of “best moments” but recently it was Djing the closing set for the Electric Daisy Carnival official after party with Laidback Luke at XS.  I had been following laidback Luke for years and considered him one of my mentors.  I knew it would be hard to follow him, keep people there and stay on his pace.  Not only did I do it well, Luke tweeted about it and gave me compliments.  I was a very happy dude!”
 
Worst moment djing?

“I’ve had a few of these also.  I was djing my kids school carnival and I played the clean version of “Party like a Rock Star”  3 parents came up to me and scolded me, saying it wasn’t appropriate and immediately took their kids from the carnival and told the Principal I was playing obscene stuff.  I didn’t feel like a cool dad.”

Tips - biggest and smallest or any short story about getting tipped?  

“Biggest tip $1000 for an obscure trance song.  Smallest $2 for Mac Dre or Too short or somebody…”

The Good, Bad & the Ugly of the current club format/scene right now? (pertaining to whatever scene your in, i.e. big room, underground, lounge, cool kid whatever)

”The good:  Technology!  I can now go to the club with a USB stick or laptop and play for hours.  With Serato Scratch live, Ableton, traktor you now have an incredible amount of creativity at your finger tips.  DJs if you are using any DJ software just to play records, the same way you were with vinyl you are really missing the boat!  I DJ with an Alienware PC (not a MAC fanboy… sorry), use 3 midi controllers and run 3 programs simultaneously.  My Milkshake is better than yours…..

The bad:
#1 DJs getting hired on Image and the type of NIKES they are wearing
#2 booking agencies pushing mediocre talent, and then calling them the greatest thing since Wi-Fi.  Just because Dr. Dre makes incredible beats doesn’t mean Beats by Dre are incredible!!  Please read that again and let it soak in!…TALENT AND CREATIVITY STILL HAVE A PLACE IN THE DJ WORLD - GO FIND SOME!”

Least favorite thing the dj opening before you or going on after you does?

“The opening DJ can play whatever he or she wants.  Just gets the crowd moving!  If you are so untalented that you have play all the hits go ahead do it.  It’s not always about what you play; sometimes it’s how you play it.”

What would people be surprised to know about you?

“I use to be a dancer for RBX?  I like to create my own path and not follow?”

Who are some of your favorite DJ’s that you think people should know about who people might not know about on a mainstream level 

”Laidback Luke - Classic example of sometimes it’s how you play the music, not what is being played

Dave Fogg - I’ve never met anyone with more overall knowledge of music.  I would put his knowledge against ANYONE!

Funkmaster Flex and Kid Capri - Taught me how to play hip-hop (not mix) and how attitude presence and confidence can win over the room

Melo D - First person I ever heard flip R&B records hip-hop style on the radio.  I use to record his shows on LA radio and listen to them all the time. His timing is amazing.”

Whats on your ryder?

“101 green M&Ms”

Whats your poison? (drink of choice in the booth)

“Tequila straight! and ALOT OF WATER!”

What will you be/or want to be doing 5 years from now?

“In 5 years, (maybe 6) I will be done Djing.  I’ll be living off my businesses and investments.  I’ll own a summer home in Hawaii. And I might be producing… hint… hint…”

Follow Warren on twitter: HERE

For all things Warren:  http://warrenpeacelv.com

Next up…”The Quiet Storm” a.k.a. DJ Destroyer

“HANG THE DJ” - #8

AH The very talented and seasoned DJ Destroyer (government: Aaron Paar) I met Aaron thru Dave Fogg I believe…we have several mutual friends that I’ve discovered over the years. Aaron is one of my favorite DJ’s, his taste is impeccable no matter what genre he’s playing. I’ve heard him dj several times and every time there is something that he plays that I have to run up to the booth to find out what it is. I’ve heard him murder sets from hip hop to house and when we booked him to do SNITCH last year which is mostly electro/future disco etc. he murdered that too. He does his research.

He’s a record head, a music junkie, a whiskey cowboy and just an all around good dude.

He has a weekly spot at The Little Temple in LA on Thursdays for those of you who dig that soulful thang.

Allow me to introduce you to “The Quiet Storm”, a.k.a. DJ Destroyer.


“Me and one of my heroes. “BreakBeat” Lou Flores of Ultimate Breaks & Beats while digging for records….one of my favorite things to do.”

How did you start?

” I wanted to DJ after seeing JMJ in Run DMC’s Rock Box video. The Hip Hop movement of the early/mid 80’s spurred me to get into making pause tapes for my graff & breaker pals recorded from LA Radio station KDAY broadcasts. I worked two summer jobs to buy turntables, practiced non-stop and never looked back.”

What was your first gig and when? Were their any memorable moments that night good or bad?

“First gig outside of doing house parties was in a sideroom at a Rave in the DTLA Warehouse district. I forget which one but I was told to keep it funky and downtempo. I played a bunch of Acid Jazz type stuff. I was 16 years old.”

How long have you been djing?

“20+ years”

What genre are you “known” for?

“I’m kind of known for being a multi Genre DJ. But I lean towards Soulful music geared towards the dancefloor. Whether it’s Hip Hop, Funk, Disco, Reggae, House, Rock or Techno.”

What do you/would you love to play you don’t get booked for or that you’re not known for?

“I would love to get more Disco/House bookings. Taking it to that Larry Levan/Ron Hardy level for a 1000 people who just want to dance is the ultimate peak for me.”

Whats a couple of your new favorite artists or songs in the genre(s) your known for and especially genre(s) that you aren’t know for but really dig?

“I Ced’s “All in My Mind” LP, J Rocc’s “Some Cold Rock Stuf” LP, Dego’s new LP, New Hawthorne Headhunters LP, SBTRKT LP, Random Axe LP.”

If you weren’t djing what would you be doing?

“Probably an Inker at Marvel Comics. (Inking is not tracing by the way).”

What is your hobby or interest when you’re not djing that people don’t know about? (if its something that you can send a picture of pls do, i.e. art, photography, etc.)

“Records, Dank, Whiskey & Kung Fu.”

Whats in your dj bag (aside needles, headphones, vinyl, and slipmats)

“Cables. cords, usb flash drives, usb light, & 5 hour energy shooters.”

How do you deal with requests?

“I deal with requests respectfully and try to be cordial as possible. However, you come at me sideways with something lame….it’s not happening. Some requests I’ll honor if it fits within context of what’s going on at the time. Some requests are actually good. But that’s a rarity.”

Top three re-occuring request situations? (i.e. “can you play something I can dance to”?)

“When playing House it’s either “can you play Pitbull” or “some Hip Hop.”
“When Playing Reggae it’s “can you play some Reggae?”
“When playing Detroit Techno it’s “can you play anything but this?”

Why do you think people think the dj booth is also a coatcheck?

“Some people have no concept of what a DJ is or does. Just ignorance I suppose.”

Who’s the “character” in the club that annoys you the most? i.e. club promoter, birthday girl, makin’ it rain dude, Jamie Foxx on the mic doin his “stump the dj” bit, etc.

“Any dude that asks for a song is quite the most pathetic creature.”

Worst gig you ever had?

“Worst gig was doing a college party in the middle of nowhere. I show up and sitting on the floor was two 1200’s, a Radio Shack mixer and two bookshelf speakers. What’s worse was that the guy who picked me up left early so I was basically stranded. I had to take a 150 dollar cab ride back home to LA.”

Weirdest moment djing?

“So many but one that stands out was this Private Halloween house party up in the hills of Echo Park. Some old guy in his 60’s started going ballistic that he couldn’t sleep and was sick of the music blaring. The thing is, it was remote up there and all the neighbors were present or knew about the party. This guy proceeded to tear through the house screaming and yelling. I was outside Deejaying under a canopy in the driveway. I’m still playing and this guy ends up getting carried out by two dudes and as he passed the canopy he clung on to the posts and was bringing the whole thing down over my set up. I managed to shield the turntables and the situation was saved but the old guy escaped the hold and proceeded to go after me. I put him in check by yelling at him but he then grabbed the mic on the table and threw it at a random person on the dancefloor. He bolted and i chased this fucker around an suv. He came back around to my direction and I knocked him down. He was detained momentarily by some other dudes so I could get back to work. The guy ended up being a loony from the mental hospital nearby. Shit was crazy.”

Best moment djing?

“Would have to say when you are playing the right music for the right crowd and everyone is in unison rhythmically. That’s the best. I’ve had many of those nights and they are always memorable.”

Worst moment djing?

“The worst moments are when no matter what the crowd is just wack. Or you have to chase down your money at the end of the night.”

Tips - biggest and smallest or any short story about getting tipped?

“Biggest tip was 200 dollars for Billie Jean. Smallest was a nickel of dirt weed.”

The Good, Bad & the Ugly of the current club format/scene right now? (pertaining to whatever scene your in, i.e. big room, underground, lounge, cool kid whatever)

“There will always be top 40 pop rooms and there will always be Underground. There are equal bs politics in both. I say forget about all that and forge your own sound, scene and brand. DIY all the way.”

Least favorite thing the dj opening before you or going on after you does?

“If the opener can get bodies moving I’m happy. Setting the table is important. I’ve opened for cats and for me it’s fun to get the energy going without playing all the hits the headliner would likely play. I think it’s important to know who you are playing with so you can create a complimentary balance. If I’m sharing the bill w/someone and they go on after me I’m not gonna hold back. I wouldn’t expect anyone else to do the same to me.”

What would people be surprised to know about you?

“Maybe that I’ve put out records on my own imprint staring in the mid 90’s and have been involved in the LA DJ world longer than the start of my Destroyer moniker which I started in 2003.”

Who are some of your favorite DJ’s that you think people should know about who people might not know about on a mainstream level (name the DJ and what city they’re in)

“C Minus- Los Angeles, Warren Peace - Las Vegas, Cokni O Dire - Dallas, DJ Tomas - SF, Dave Fogg - Las Vegas”

Whats on your ryder?

” Technics 1200’s , Rane 57 or Pioneer 800 mixer, loud monitors, and keep the whiskey and h20 coming.”

Whats your poison? (drink of choice in the booth)


” Duh!”

What will you be/or want to be doing 5 years from now?

“More production & remixing and traveling to other cities and countries to share my musical story.”

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE LATEST MIX FROM DJ DESTROYER:

http://destroyer.podomatic.com/

OR FIND HIM ELSEWHERE:

@djdestroyer

Next Up,…the infamous Dave Fogg

“HANG THE DJ” interview #7

Wizards, Barbarians, & Apes ….Oh, My!

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I met Dave Fogg lets see, in 1992 I believe,…in LA.  We didn’t know each other well but ran in similar circles.  He’s become close friend and has also become a DJ mentor of sorts if you will.  He makes me laugh, a lot…definitely one of the funniest people I know. When I first moved to Vegas he was the first person I called which was funny because he had been djing since I met him, and YEARS later I was calling him to say that I started djing and this is what I wanted to pursue.  Although we hadn’t seen each other in years, he came through and was the first person to put me on, he actually got me my first residency at a spot called LURE, which later turned into BLUSH at the Wynn.  

All I wanted to do was DJ, I finally had found my calling…I had managed DJ’s for years and was so excited to just focus on me…funny enough not to long after that Dave called me and asked if I was interested in managing him and Warren Peace.  If I were going to manage DJ’s again…those two would be FIRST ON MY LIST…two of the most talented DJ’s I’ve ever heard, period.  I politely declined, flattered for sure, but instead I wanted his help.  I was tryin’ to sit up underneath his wing and learn all that I could.  Off and on I would call him for advice.  4 years and a couple of residencies gained later, we did a few parties together downtown just as a side-bar to be able to play joints we loved and invite other dj’s to come and get their rocks off.  Around the time I was a resident DJ at The Palms and had started “SNITCH”, Dave acquired his fourth Music Director title ironically enough, at The Palms (His previous include: Whiskey Sky, RA, & XS/Tryst).  We, along with Palms Marketing Director Rachel Wenman, and DJ Mike Attack, made that party the hottest Wed night spot in Vegas at the time.  Many, many funny moments in that DJ booth we had and many incredible guest performances from DJs & artists, we were breaking non top-40 artists in a major casino in Vegas and it was awesome, one of my best Vegas memories.  Tonight for interview #7 in the “HANG THE DJ” series…He’s the DJ, and I’m the rapper….

Dave is an interesting fellow, a 6’ 4” self-titled Alpha-nerd, a talented producer who, as most probably don’t know, was one of the producers responsible for the Mash-up phenomenon, and is quite the dancer when Whiskey takes over.  He is most def one of the people responsible for me being the DJ I am today.  Allow me to introduce you to the DJ otherwise known as Dave Fogg…and one of the greatest early 90’s pictures of any DJ you’ll ever see!

How did you start? “

“Really started in college, doing radio and parties. UNR was not conducive to learning so I stayed in the dorm all day mixing records..”

What was your first gig and when? Were their any memorable moments that night good or bad?

“The first proper, paying gig? At a gay nightclub amazingly called “Steppin’ Out”. Even better, is that it was close to my house so I rode a scooter there every week. It was, like… the first, big room gig, from previously doing house parties and sports bars. I remember there was a big dyke named Butch that was telling the customers I was off limits. Probably the closest I came to being a prison bitch.”

*pause* (Dave circa late 90’s)

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How long have you been djing?

“Long time, since the late ’80s. I’m in the “I’ve been DJing since you were a twitch in your daddy’s loins” club…” 

What genre are you “known” for?

“I guess it kinda depends on the time frame and your interpretation of “known”. Raves, rare groove/acid jazz, mashups, deep house. Might be better defined with production work, whether it was with DIY releases with Teflon Dons, Inhumanz, or major label work with RBX. I think recently it’s just been more for being a big-room Vegas DJ, which isn’t such a bad look until Puffy unlocks the studio…”

What do you/would you love to play you don’t get booked for or that you’re not known for?

“Something like a Do Over situation would be ideal. Being able to play reggae, disco, funk, yacht rock, etc. for an open crowd. It doesn’t happen as much as I’d like it to.”

Whats a couple of your new favorite artists or songs in the genre(s) your known for and especially genre(s) that you aren’t know for but really dig?

“SBTRKT, Modeselektor, Siriusmo, Dillon Francis, Jamie Woon…”

If you weren’t djing what would you be doing?

“Probably still performing in some capacity, maybe hosting a karaoke night, get things warmed up with some Lou Rawls..” 

What is your hobby or interest when you’re not djing that people don’t know about? 

“This sums up my hobbies.”

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Whats in your dj bag (aside from laptop, needles, headphones, vinyl, and slipmats)?

“Denon HC-1000S Midi Controller, Novation Launchpad, Leatherman, assorted cables, energy supplements, assorted cables, mints…Now that I think it about it, it’s a purse…”
 
How do you deal with requests?

“I’ll take requests if they’re done with respect, within reason, and gratuity, of course. I’m pissed because I put aside some hateful napkin requests and can’t find them, but these one is a classic.”

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Top three re-occuring request situations? (i.e. “can you play something I can dance to”?)

“Birthday, Bachelor, Bachelorette.”

Why do you think people think the dj booth is also a coatcheck?

“Mainly because they think that the area underneath the turntables is some theft-free zone that the DJ guards with his life. I will go through your shit…”

Who’s the “character” in the club that annoys you the most? i.e. club promoter, birthday girl, makin’ it rain dude, Jamie Foxx on the mic doin his “stump the dj” bit, etc.?

“All grown men that stand by the booth to request a song.”

Your story about people asking you to play “hip hop”…when you’re playing hip hop?

“For some reason, happens whenever I play A Tribe Called Quest. I swear a whole generation missed the era of boom-bap. What’s even funnier is their requesting Lil Wayne or Waka…sweet.”

Worst gig you ever had?

“The weekday 5am-1pm shift at the Crazy Horse Too. I used to doze off in between girls and when I would announce I sounded like I was on heroin.”

Weirdest moment djing?

“Not so much weird, but memorable. All-Star Weekend. Grand Opening, Grand Closing! Yelling match with Young Jeezy, riot police in da club, Rick Ross freestylin, big fun…and, the best quote ever from a patron…”Hey white boy, this is a black club”…while playing a short house set”

Best moment djing?

“For alot of DJs i guess it would be playing for large crowds or connecting with someone who had a major influence on you. Definitely has happened for me, but I don’t think THE moment has come yet. Like, if I got to be the guy that played the five tones, that would be a moment.”

Worst moment djing?

“I was in Macau working for a few weeks. If you haven’t been, it’s about the closest thing to the Wild West. A heavyweight Triad member came into the club with about a dozen soldiers and just took over the bar. They got pretty aggro with the staff, including myself, demanding and then threatening. I didn’t wanna end up at the bottom of Macau Bay, so I bounced. Not cool, especially being a stranger in a strange land…”

Tips - biggest and smallest or any short story about getting tipped?

“I’ve gotten a dollar for playing Mac Dre and over $1,000 for playing Bon Jovi.”

The Good, Bad & the Ugly of the current club format/scene right now?

“As pertaining to the Las Vegas scene:

The Good- Vegas is easily the premier destination for nightlife, especially now with the trend in EDM spiking growth in the clubs. It’s a good time to be a professional DJ, regardless of how easy it is to actually become one now.  (There’s actually a big difference in those two.)

The Bad- Talent agencies. Period.

The Ugly- Just like anything that fosters high-stakes competition, the politics, ego, and greed that happen behind the scenes.”

Least favorite thing the dj opening before you or going on after you does?

“Hey man, I’m just gonna loop out on this when we switch…”. No. No, you will not. Give me  a CDJ or an input, I will mix in from my phone if i have to…

What would people be surprised to know about you?

“The last 5 movies I cried in were…
Rise of The Planet Of The Apes, 300, Fellowship Of The Rings, Conan, The Barbarian, Excalibur”
  

 Who are some of your favorite DJ’s that you think people should know about who people might not know about on a mainstream level (name the DJ and what city they’re in)?

“Warren Peace- Las Vegas, DJ Spryte- Los Angeles, DJ Destroyer- Los Angeles

DJ Jayceeoh- Pittsburgh, Jaguar Skills- UK”

Whats on your rider?

“3 CDJ 2000s, Pioneer 800/900 mixer, Serato SL3, bottle of Jack Daniels, Red Bulls, water, and sour gummi worms.”

Whats your poison? (drink of choice in the booth)

“Bourbon”

What will you be/or want to be doing 5 years from now?

“Hopefully getting paid exorbitant sums of money to travel around the world because I made the next “Barbara Streisand”. Either that or I’ll be serving you a chicken at Medieval Times…”


YOU CAN DOWNLOAD DAVE’S NEW PODCAST HERE:

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For other podcasts jump to:

http://davefogg.podomatic.com/

OR FIND HIME ELSEWHERE:

@davefogg

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