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AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 SEPTEMBER 2017
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CANADA
HOW DJ EXPO IMPACTS LIVES & CAREERS
DJ RAZOR: MEET THE METS’ MUSIC MAN
PRIME MOVER
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DIESELBOY MOON BOOTS ROLAND BOUTIQUE SERIES DENON DJ SC5000 PRIME
GOES COASTAL
See the video at PIONEERDJUSA
PIONEERDJ
PIONEERDJGLOBAL
PIONEERDJ.COM
NOTABLES…MILESTONES
DJ EXPO ’17: BIG TALENT, HOT DEBUTS, NEW IDEAS Below left to right: Shortkut: Roland-sponsored sets. DJ Irie: Mackie loudspeaker seminar. Skribble: Expo afterparty at Kiss Kiss. Enferno: Keynote from Madonna’s DJ.
ogy” – will feature guests Talib Kweli and DJ Irie. Known as a dexterous MC, skilled DJ and social activist, Kweli will join the Miami party-rocker for some serious tech talk. For a full list of sponsored seminars from Expo exhibitors, please see Page 7. Show Debuts: On the exhibit floor, manufacturers and distributors of all manner of DJ-related gear will be vying for attendee-attention. Several DJ Expo exhibitors expect to debut new products at the show. They include Electro-Voice, RCF, American Audio and Roland. Electro-Voice will introduce its Evolve 50 powered tower loudspeaker system. RCF will debut the ART 7 Series of two-way, active speakers, with newly upgraded MK4 models. American Audio will introduce four new products: the STK-106W portable loudspeaker system; CSL-100 speaker stand; ATX-15W full-range, active loudspeaker; and the POW-R BAR65 utility power block. Parties: Of course, when the sun goes down, DJ Expo attendees like to let loose and Atlantic City—a 24-hour town, seven-days a week—is a perfect spot for evening events. On Monday night, Aug. 14, Boogie Nights— “The Ultimate ’70s & ’80s Club”—will house the Mobile Kick-Off Party. Hosted by Jake Jacobsen, the event will give attendees a chance to meet,
greet and network. Plus, one lucky party-goer will walk away with a pretty fair door prize – a pair of HD12aMK4 active, 2-way loudspeakers from RCF. Tuesday night, Aug. 15, Providence nightclub in The Trop will host the “Roland Showcase.” Biz Markie (“Just a Friend” and “Nobody Beats the Biz”) and storied turntablist Shortkut (Invisbl Skratch Piklz, Beat Junkie Sound, Triple Threat DJs) will drop a club-ready set – expect old-school jams and plenty of DJ wizardry. Wednesday night, Aug. 16, will offer plenty of action. At Boogie Nights, Jake Jacobsen will host the newly named “Entertainer of the Year” competition. Once again, America’s mobile nation will come together to compete in a variety of categories. Sponsored by Chauvet DJ and ElectroVoice, the event will see the top prize-winner (the “Entertainer of the Year”) walk away with a Chauvet DJ FXpar 9 light and a new ElectroVoice Evolve 50 loudspeaker system. For the Expo’s closing afterparty Wednesday night, Aug. 16, DJ Skribble is back on track. Set at Ivan Kane’s Kiss Kiss—a unique video/DJ lounge in The Tropicana—and sponsored by Digital Music Pool, the event will see the legendary Skribble rock the decks into the late hours.
SEPTEMBER 2017
partying deep into the night. Seminars & Keynote Q&As: DJ Expo always brings inspiring keynote speakers for its attendees and, with three unique talents on tap, this year’s event is no different – “Keynote Q&A” sessions will offer tips and allow question time from the audience. On Monday, Aug. 14, Expo will present this month’s cover subject Laidback Luke, one of clubland’s top DJ/producers with a slew of hit collaborations, like “Leave the World Behind” (with Swedish House Mafia feat. Deborah Cox), and remixes for top artists like Daft Punk. On Tuesday, Aug. 15, Biz Markie—the MC/DJ known as “The Clown Prince of Hip-Hop”—will discuss his career on the mic, in the studio and in the DJ booth. Plus, expect some talk about the early days of hip-hop and the modern technology revolution. On Wednesday, Aug. 16, DJ Enferno, the former U.S. DMC champion and Madonna tour DJ, will discuss turntablism and touring with one of the biggest artists in the history of pop music. Plenty of sponsored seminars from DJ Expo exhibitors will dot the week’s schedule. One starstudded session from Mackie – “Perfecting Your Performance – Loudspeaker Selection & Technol-
Right: Biz Markie: Performance & keynote.
DJ TIMES
By Jim Tremayne Atlantic City, N.J. – It’s inhabiting a different pair of venues from the last few years, but the 2017 DJ Expo is set to provide the same triedand-true quality of past shows. As always, America’s DJ community is ready to descent on Atlantic City’s Boardwalk. Indeed, the 2017 DJ Expo will run Aug. 14-17, returning to the Atlantic City Convention Center for exhibits and seminars, while evening events will be hosted Aug. 14-16 at venues in The Tropicana hotel. Including the years that featured two shows – one East Coast, one West Coast – the 2017 event marks the 32nd DJ Expo that DJ Times and Testa Communications have produced. Onto the Show: As always, DJ Expo will present: over 100 exhibitors, showing the latest in DJ-related products; nearly 30 seminars, sessions and keynotes, discussing the most-pressing topics for mobile, club and studio jocks; and evening entertainment that’ll keep Expo attendees
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SAMPLINGS 8 Dieselboy VOLUME 30
NUMBER 9
Blood Sweat & Bass
10 In the Studio With…
12 Prime Mover
Moon Boots
In the DJ Booth, the Recording Studio or the Martial-Arts Gym, Laidback Luke Remains a High Achiever BY RYAN HAYES & JIM TREMAYNE
22 Life-Changer DJ Expo Has Become a Part of Many DJs’ Lives. Here’s How It’s Changed the Game for Some of Them BY JEFF STILES
24 Spinning Sports
Meet the Mets’ In-House Music Man, DJ Razor BY JIM TREMAYNE
28 Two More from the Road
America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Hits 2 Big East Coast Hubs – Philly & NYC BY DJ TIMES PHOTOGRAPHERS
DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback
As Always, the Answers to All Your DJ-Related Questions
32 Making Tracks
Roland Boutique Series
34 Sounding Off
Denon DJ SC5000 Prime
36 Mobile Profile
New York DJ Hits Reboot with Video
38 Business Line
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Build Your Brand & Your Dream at DJ Expo
40 Gear
New Products from RCF, Pioneer DJ & More
46 Grooves
Phat Tracks from Miguel Migs, Cedric Gervais & More
49 Club Play Chart
The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools
Cover & Contents Photos by Ruud Baan
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
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FROM THE EDITOR
Positivity & Perspective For our DJ Expo issue, we couldn’t think of anyone better to grace its cover than Laidback Luke. The hitmaking Dutch DJ/producer exudes achievement in the DJ booth, the studio and the martialarts gym, so there’s no better forum to exude such positivity than the DJ community’s biggest and longest-running get-together. With the help of Canadian scribe Ryan Hayes, we get dollops of wisdom from Luke’s vast perspective – some of which we hope to get live during his DJ Expo “Keynote Q&A” on Aug. 14. Enjoy. In Samplings, we feature a pair of Brooklyn-based DJ/producers. Our L.A. correspondent Lily Moayeri goes into the studio with Moon Boots, who discusses making First Landing, his Anjunadeep debut album. Also, we connect with drum-n-bass legend Dieselboy, who discusses his DJ past and his genre’s resiliency. We venture to Citi Field in NYC’s borough of Queens to see New York Mets’ music man DJ Razor in action during a ballgame between my Braves and the hometown squad. Afterward, I conducted an interview with Razor about a variety of subjects, including spinning sports and his longtime musical partnership with the late Guido Osorio. Many thanks to Razor, hitmaking producer Lenny Fontana and Jackie McCloy from the New York Music Pool for a memorable evening at the ballpark. We also pay a quick visit to a pair of events on the America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Weedmaps & DJ Times. This past June 30, we caught Dieselboy at Webster Hall in New York City; then on July 7, we ventured down the New Jersey Turnpike to Philadelphia to enjoy a late night with Sleepy & Boo on the decks. Of course, we took votes and had pictures taken – you can see them all in our photo spread. In our tech reviews, Wesley Bryant-King handles Denon DJ’s SC5000 Prime media player in the Sounding Off column. With a slew of new features, the unit left Wes seriously impressed. In Making Tracks, Mike Gwertzman tackles two entries to Roland’s Boutique Series of instruments – the TB-03 Bass Line and the TR-09 Rhythm Composer. From the world of the mobile entertainer, Jeff Stiles asks a panel of jocks how DJ Expo has impacted their lives and careers. Quite a lot, we’re happy to report. In Business Line, New Jersey DJ Artem Lomaz previews his DJ Expo seminar “Lessons from the Brandmakers” and shows you how to build your brand and build your dream at DJ Expo. In Mobile Profile, we meet with Jimmie Malone of Exceptional Receptions in Binghamton, N.Y., and he explains how hitting reboot on his business put him in a better place. Oh, there’s also preview coverage on DJ Expo, which runs Aug. 14-17 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Hopefully, you’re already in AC as you read this. It’s our 32nd show since 1990 and we really believe it’ll be one of our best. Thanks for coming. Cheers,
editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com assistant editor Brian Bonavoglia bbonavoglia@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Kat Bein Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Shawn Christopher Matt Clark Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis Tony Fernandez Tommy D Funk Michelle Fetky Mike Gwertzman Jennifer Harmon Josh Harris Greg Hollmann Mike Klasco Michelle Loeb Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Deanna Rilling Jeff Stiles Emily Tan Bruce Tantum Phil Turnipseed Curtis Zack President/Publisher Vincent P. Testa FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TO ORDER SUBSCRIPTIONS, CALL 800-937-7678
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times
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director of integrated advertising Paul Bozikis pbozikis@testa.com art director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com digital art director Fred Gumm fgumm@testa.com social media coordinator Matt Van Dyke mvandyke@testa.com marketplace advertising sales manager Ricky Pimentel rpimentel@testa.com art/production assistant Ricky Pimentel rpimentel@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 © 2017 by DJ Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher. Websites: www. September 2017
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FEEDBACK U P D A T E S AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 AUGUST 2017
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MOSAIC MUSIC 7/18/2017 3:17:38 PM
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 ques‑ DJ Expo Sponsored Sessions As a part of the seminar schedule at DJ Expo—August 14-17 at the Atlantic City Convention Center—several show exhibitors will sponsor educational sessions designed to educate attend‑ ees in a variety of topics. On Aug. 14, Pioneer DJ will present “Harness the Power of the Pioneer DJ Ecosystem.” Hosted by DJ Jay, the session will present the three parts necessary to have a great event: soft‑ ware, hardware and sound. Pioneer DJ will demonstrate the totality of what every DJ needs for their events by delving into rekordbox software, Pioneer DJ hardware, and the XPRS powered speaker system. Pioneer DJ will show you how these three com‑ ponents work together to give you the best sound and visual performance possible. Prize Alert: A pair of XPRS12 speakers, a DDJ-RX controller, and 12 rekordbox DJ licenses will be raffled. Must be present to win. On Aug. 15, Chauvet DJ with present “Lighting to Energize Events and Prof‑ its.” Learn powerful lighting techniques and tools, including a SoundSwitch demo to add new dimensions of ambi‑ ence, excitement and design energy to your gigs that can increase profits and get you booked again and again. On Aug. 15, AmpTrack Technologies will present “Making Music on the Cloud,” as the Swedish company will introduce Amped Studio, the first hy‑ brid DAW, a cloud-based music cre‑
ation platform that also works offline. All your musical projects, instruments and effects are readily available to use anytime, anyplace. On Aug. 16, Mackie will present “Per‑ fecting Your Performance – Loud‑ speaker Selection & Technology.” The session will see Mackie walk attendees through a speaker-selection process
that fits particular needs and explain the latest speaker technologies. Guest speakers Talib Kweli and DJ Irie will also share their experiences to help you perfect your skills. Also on Aug. 16, QSC Audio will pres‑ ent “Multi-Op Mobile Confab,” as lead‑ ing multi-op DJ-company owners will discuss a variety of ways to grow your
business. Participants include Jeffery Craig (Total Entertainment, N.J.), Joe Bunn (Joe Bunn DJ Company, N.C.), Jason Klock (Klock Entertainment, Pa.) and Mike Walter (Elite Entertain‑ ment, N.J.). Additionally, L.A.-based manufacturer ADJ will present a sponsored session. Date, time and topic to be announced.
SAMPLINGS
Fans of frenetic beats, four-deck DJ mixing and a sweaty dancefloor had all they could handle this summer, when the “Blood Sweat and Bass” tour came to their town. Melding scorching drum-n-bass from genre leader Dieselboy and sub-stretching dubstep from Canadian DJ/producer Downlink, the tour’s stop at Webster Hall in New York City raged into the early morning. Brooklyn-based Dieselboy (aka Damian Higgins) is no stranger to these pages. The perennial America’s Best DJ nominee has flown the flag for North American drum-n-bass since the ‘90s by touring incessantly, recording often and running several labels and sublabels (Planet Human, the umbrella label for SubHuman : Human Imprint). We caught up with Dieselboy around his most recent New York gig to discuss the tour, his DJing approach and his dedication to a much-loved genre.
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
DIESELBOY: BLOOD SWEAT & BASS
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Four-Deck DJ: Damian Higgins aka Dieselboy.
DJ Times: That show at Webster Hall was a scorcher. How would you describe the concept behind the “Blood Sweat and Bass” tour? Dieselboy: Performance-wise, the concept is me and Downlink DJing our asses off and really trying to showcase a heavy dancefloor vibe. We both play on four decks and try to push the concept of technical mixing and layering. We put the focus on the skills, not the costumes, not the stage diving, not standing on the table, not the throwing of food products. Aesthetically, the “Blood Sweat and Bass” tour is all about “Gritty Grindhouse.” We like our graphics to reflect old movie posters and typography. It lends itself to the sound we are pushing. DJ Times: What’s your DJ-booth set-up now? Dieselboy: I like to play on four Pioneer DJ CDJ2000s with a mixer, preferably a Pioneer. I like to use four decks because it allows me the freedom to layer a lot of stuff together, if I want to, as well always having stuff queued so I can keep my sets dense and fastmoving. You see a lot of “DJs” out there that have four decks onstage, but most don’t fully utilize that setup. They sort of bounce around between decks randomly. I use all of the equipment pretty intensely. DJ Times: I read that you began DJing at high-school parties. Dieselboy: The funny thing is that my experience DJing high-school dances—middle school, as well!—and my actual DJ career had nothing to do with one another in a weird way. It was until I was about four years into being “Dieselboy” that I even remembered that I had DJed school dances when I was younger. For some reason, I sort of blanked it out. Looking back, though, I can see that I was just always super-interested in music and showing my friends and people around me music that I enjoyed. That feeling has always been the undercurrent in all of this for me – sharing. DJ Times: But eventually you became interested in underground club sounds. What was it about jungle/ drum-n-bass that attracted you? Dieselboy: When I began DJing clubs and raves, the music that we now know as jungle/drum-n-bass did not exist. It wasn’t a sound or a genre at that point. What I was playing at the time—U.K. hardcore/breakbeat— was the music that eventually splintered off and evolved into d-n-b. What I liked about the music was the clever use of breakbeats and really cool techno sounds. The music just had this raw futuristic and underground en(continued on page 48)
IN THE STUDIO
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
The conventional trajectory for an electronic-dance music artist is to start as a producer-cum-DJ and later, maybe translate that into some type of live presentation. Pete Dougher ty, known professionally as Moon Boots, went about it the opposite way. The Brooklyn-based producer/DJ had a more traditional musical background and made the move to Chicago post graduation from Princeton (with his music degree), to join the ready-made group Hey Champ. In the process, he immersed himself in that city’s storied house music scene from the ground up.
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Dougherty then parlayed Hey Champ’s offshoot DJ gigs into a solid stand-alone career for himself. C l a s s i c a l ly t r a i n e d o n the piano, Dougherty spent enough years as the hotel and restaurant DJ, purposely remaining anonymous until he was ready to star t producing his own music. Around the 2010 mark is when he estimates his livelihood solely coming from music began. “It’s pretty easy to live in Chicago on less than you would in a coastal city,” says Dougherty. “I never had a job that paid well, so I got used to never having much and I never felt I was getting a pay cut doing this.” Since returning to his birthplace of Brooklyn in 2013, Dougherty has pop-
ulated international dance music environments with a steady stream of carefully crafted singles and in-demand remixes in the deep-house vein. Initially, his releases came under the umbrella of French Express, which he co-founded, and after that brand’s dissolution, as part of the Anjunadeep family. Unlike most presentday producers who diversify their output across a number of labels, Dougherty’s focus is on keeping his allegiances singular. “It works better for me,” he says. “You form a much closer relationship with your A&R people. It’s much more personal. You can make your releases fit into each other into a larger story, instead of a track here, a track there.” Up until now, Dougherty’s productions have had the dancefloor as their focus, but his new artist album, First Landing, allowed him to explore further moods, tempos, genres, and employ original vocals instead of samples—a liberating experience for the producer. A groove-based listening album, First Landing, moves at a mellower pace than previous releases, as it offers delicate, soul-flecked songs like “Power” (featuring Gatsby), spooky emotive ones like “Stranger Things” (featuring King Kona), and crossover-ready cuts like “Utopia” (featuring Janielle Kroll). On the other hand, First Landing has its instrumental moments such as on the robust rhythms of “Red
Sky” and the introverted reflection of “The Life Aquatic.” Unlike many electronic producers, Dougher ty doesn’t make his music at home. Instead, he uses an offsite studio space that’s surrounded by other creatives, including Nic Hanson, who turned up on First Landing for the graceful “Keep the Faith.” As is expected from his fo r m a l mu s i c e d u c a t i o n , much of Dougherty’s sound sources come from synthesizers, both outboard and virtual, in combination with each other. Some of his key favorites are classics from Roland: Juno 106 (“the one I’ve owned the longest”); SH101 (“bass on nearly every song”); D-550 (“for new jack early ‘90s vibes”); JV-1010 (“unique sounds you can’t edit, it’s own kind of cool”); as well as Moog Voyager and Dave Smith Mopho x4. What is prevalent on First Landing is a distinctly organic feel, a possible attribute of Dougherty’s traditional music background. “Instead of starting with the sound design, I start with a song structure in place, having distinct sections mapped out and then filling them in,” he explains. “Chord progressions are really important for me. It’s rare that a track will have the same progression or bassline moving through the whole time. I want to make sure the different sections interact, connect and flow into each other and contribute to building certain feelings and emotions.” Synths also are finding their way into select sets in Dougherty’s DJ schedule. “It’s nerve-racking and so much
can go wrong, but it’s great in the moment,” he says. “I’ve always loved to play keys. It gives me something else to do, especially if the track is stripped-down and I feel I can add more to it harmonically, or double a really cool part. There’s a lot you can do. I’m just getting used to it. It’s a lot of fun.” Synths or not, Dougherty’s sets are guaranteed crowdpleasers, and not because he picks the obvious tracks, but because he creates a tangible vibe. Percussive and deep, his style shifts just enough to fit into a daytime pool party, a festival atmosphere, or a late-night club environment. “I go more by time of day than anything else,” says Dougherty of his selections. “The main difference is festival sets are shorter and you only have so much time to get people’s attention, so it tends to be quick-mixing of heavier tracks that sound good on an enormous system. At a day party, I’ll make it brighter, more fun; at night I could get into darker territory.” For any set in any situation, however, playlist preparation remains key. “For each set, I’ll make a playlist of 30 to 60-plus songs I think would be a good match for where I’m going and I’ll have it organized so related sets are close by in the same subfolder,” he continues. “I’ll have another subfolder that’s organized by a cross between the time of set and the genre. I’ll have one playlist of what I call ‘enders,’ which are fun edits, goofball tracks that are a little leftfield, but fun for the crowd to get into. “I’ll have times where I’m not sure how it’s going and I need to lean on something that works from previous sets. I move the histories of the sets I consider to be successful and add those in a folder so if things are not clicking, I’ll jump over to that for a few minutes and get things back on the right track.”
– Lily Moayeri
MOON BOOTS: MAKING “FIRST LANDING”
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DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
PRIME MOVER
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In the DJ Booth, the Recording Studio or the Martial-Arts Gym, Laidback Luke Remains a High Achiever
Photos by Ruud Baan
DJ TIMES
Though he’s known mostly for his exploits in clubland, Lucas Cornelis van Scheppingen has always been a high-achiever, one with a purposeful approach to his life and work. Born in The Philippines and raised in The Netherlands, the 41-year-old DJ/producer known professionally as Laidback Luke broke out big with memorable collaborations like 2008’s “Show Me Love” (with Steve Angello feat. Robin S), 2009’s “Leave the World Behind” (with Swedish House Mafia’s Axwell, Ingrosso and Angello feat. Deborah Cox), 2011’s “Turbulence” (with Steve Aoki feat. Lil Jon) and more recently 2017’s “XOXO” (with Ralvero feat. Ina) and “Paradise” (feat. Bright Lights). Additionally, Luke has remixed hits for some of the biggest artists in the business – Madonna, Mariah Carey, Robin Thicke and Nicki Minaj – not to mention some of electronic music’s most legendary talents – Daft Punk, Depeche Mode and Moby. Also, as the founder of Mixmash Records, his talent-scout abilities are well-known. Over the years, those skills have delivered an astonishing array of hitmakers on their way up the ladder of success – they include Avicii, Bingo Players, Knife Party, Afrojack and Steve Angello, among others. And he hasn’t stopped. When he’s not in the studio or touring the world – playing the biggest festival and club events (like his Super You&Me parties) – the Holland-based DJ/producer is often training in a martial-arts gym. A devout kung fu artist, especially devoted to the Choy Li Fut style, Luke engages international competitions. In fact, this past March in Hong Kong, Luke competed professionally in the Kung Fu World Championships, winning six medals (three gold, two silver and one bronze). The man is made of more than just 4/4 beats. So, in a pair of interviews conducted this summer and spring, Laidback Luke tells his story of sustained success.
SEPTEMBER 2017
By Ryan Hayes & Jim Tremayne
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DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
“THROUGH CRASHING AND BURNING, I’VE LEARNED THAT A FIT LIFE IS HIGHLY BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR STRESS LEVELS…”
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DJ Times: What was your initial musical inspiration? Laidback Luke: I’ve always been intrigued with music and grew up with Pink Floyd and Mike Oldfield as electronic examples. But it was Technotronic’s “Pump Up the Jam” that I saw stemmed out on my friend’s Amiga computer back in 1992 that gave me my calling to start producing. DJ Times: What about your getting into DJ culture? Laidback Luke: It was my ex-wife, then girlfriend, that bought a full set-up to start taking up DJing. She tried it a couple of times, but quickly found out it wasn’t for her. With her set-up just sitting there in my studio, I decided to give it a go and found it really easy to get into with my producer background. DJ Times: Do you remember that first DJ set-up? Laidback Luke: The setup my girlfriend bought included two Soundlab belt-
drive vinyl players with a two-channel Numark mixer. DJ Times: Was there a DJ that first caught your attention? Laidback Luke: One of the first DJs that blew me away was Carl Cox. I saw him playing with three decks and adding scratching into it… which triggered me to become very technical. DJ Times: As a DJ, at what point did you realize that you were good enough to play out in front of an audience? Laidback Luke: I basically got thrown into it! By 1997, I only had played a year at home – just practiced a lot, though. But in that year, thanks to Carl Cox, who played my remix for Green Velvet’s “The Stalker” everywhere, my name became a hype. And thanks to people finding out, I DJed as well, I could instantly start getting shows. To be very honest, I was absolutely not ready to “rock the decks,” but I tried anyway. DJ Times: What were your first DJ gigs like? Where did you play? Laidback Luke: My first-ever show was in a place outside of London called Reading, at the techno party called Checkpoint Charlie. It was a small, sweaty club, where they did invite big DJs regularly. DJ Times: What was your original production set-up? Laidback Luke: Because I’m old-school, I did have quite the hardware studio setup. Most of it, Zki and Dobre—the duo also known as Chocolate Puma—gave to borrow since they had leftover equipment. Later, when I started making money from putting out tracks, I started to buy my own gear. In the end, I owned two Yamaha 01R mixers, DJ Sneak’s Roland TR-909 drumcomputer, an E-mu e6400 sampler, Roland JV-1080 synthesizer and a Nord Lead, to name a few. DJ Times: What is your principal studio software platform now? Laidback Luke: I currently work on Ableton Live, but in the 25 years I’ve been making music, I’ve moved from Tracker to Cubase to Logic to FL Studio and then onto Ableton. There are no real favorite plug-ins. I love everything by FabFilter and still use the [LennarDigital] Sylenth1, [Native Instruments] Massive and Korg M1 as my go-to synths. But I use a ton of stock Ableton plug-ins
as well. I like keeping things simple. DJ Times: With your years of production experience has your process evolved over time? Also, how has the public’s perception of producing changed? Laidback Luke: I don’t think producing was that hard back in the day. I started producing on hardware back in 1992. Back then, tracks would simply be made with three pieces of kit – a drum machine, a synthesizer, and a sampler. If you were fancy, at most, you could add a mixer to that, and possibly an FX rack. Unfortunately, hardware was at least five times more expensive than VSTs are nowadays. Looking past cost, if you compare the production quality then and now, it has evolved so much. I mean, when I started there was no internet.When kids start now, there’s tons of online tutorials you can learn from. I think that helps a lot with learning
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to properly produce and in that sense, makes it easier for the masses nowadays. DJ Times: You play a key role in the world of online tutorials and feedback. Despite your ambitions to lend a helping hand free of bias, hate tends to rear its head from time to time... Laidback Luke: I think it has to do with envy and jealousy. It’s kids that haven’t got a shot, assuming that someone like me doesn’t know the hustle, doesn’t know how to fight for their place. They seem to think that success was always readily available to me, and that I’m not
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willing to give anyone a chance. DJ Times: Seems like the farthest thing from the truth… Laidback Luke: It’s sheer ignorance. I once was that same insecure kid with a lot of talent as well. The difference was I knew I was going to make it someday. Don’t be an asshole – that will take you nowhere. At least 50-percent of your opportunities will come from people granting you a chance. If you go around spreading hate, the opportunities won’t come. Mind you, you don’t need to kiss my ass in order to make it. But what a lot of ignorant kids don’t realize either is that I’m like a football coach – one that has been and still is a professional in this world. If you want to break through as a football player, why not take advice from the coach? DJ Times: Looking back now, who’s production style originally inspired you? Laidback Luke: When I first started learning to produce, again, Dobre from Chocolate Puma, who [with Zki] was famous under the moniker “The Goodmen,” guided me. He also pointed out who was making amazing stuff, and who I should listen to. He introduced me to the productions of DJ Pierre and Carl Craig, among others. Also, I’ve always loved MK’s stuff and Armand
Van Helden. Later Daft Punk came into the picture as well as Timbaland. Oh, and before I got in touch with Dobre, I used to listen to a lot of The Prodigy as well. DJ Times: In the same vein as what Dobre offered you—do you now have any advice for young headstrong producers? Laidback Luke: Yes. For starters, if you want to keep on evolving, and humans need to evolve up until they die no matter how good they are, you will always need to be open to learning something new. The day you stop learning is the day you
“DJing is such a fine art with such depth, and when performed correctly, so much more powerful than a lot of the mediocre, top-name producer sets we get.”
stop living. DJ Times: Basically, evolve or die... how about when it comes to producers performing live like Flume, Deadmau5 or Madeon? Laidback Luke: I have no problem with producers performing live. I think that’s what producers should do. If you are a producer that doesn’t get past basic DJing or pre-recorded sets and pre-fab mashups, you’re just a poor excuse of a DJ. DJing is such a fine art with such depth, and when performed correctly, so much more powerful than a lot of the mediocre, top-name producer sets we get. It’s tough – I’m a producer by heart, too. I was already producing for four years before I started DJing. I’d advise any producer to stick about as much time into learning the real art of DJing as they did with learning the art of producing. DJ Times: What happens to fledgling DJs who find themselves stuck attempting to produce. Those who succumb to writer’s block and do not believe they can create anything that sounds new— how do you fight the notion you have nothing new to offer? Laidback Luke: Don’t worry about that. When trying to re-invent the wheel you’ll always run up against a wall. Guess what? The wheel has already been invented. There’s no need to re-invent the entire system. Just try and be you, because everyone is unique. If you just look inwards and dive deep into yourself—what’s really you, and what you stand for—that unique sound will flow out of you naturally. DJ Times: In producing your own music and playing it out, how important is it to not get bogged down by a single element, be it a drop or the hook?
Laidback Luke: Whenever I consider picking a track to play live and I don’t like the drop or the hook, it could end up being a deal-breaker for me. Whenever I look at my tracks, everything needs to make sense.What doesn’t make sense is to EQ a hihat for eight hours, or to EQ a reverb for four. I’ve done that, and there’s just no use for it – it doesn’t help anything. Nonetheless, things that are as clear and prominent, as a drop or a hook, should be done properly. Those are fundamental to a track. DJ Times: In terms of live song selection, there are obviously specific tracks which you produced that you would regard as off limits for opening DJs. How would Laidback Luke’s guide to a perfect opening set read? Laidback Luke: Actually, I did a video blog called “The Art of the Warm Up DJ.” Basically, a perfect opening set should feel like a good massage. It is meant to get the crowd in the mood... but without playing bangers. Tease them a little bit, keep the energy low. Get the girls dancing and grooving, not raging. I mean, you can play some vocally stuff, just stay away from the obvious hits—don’t play any of the headliner’s tracks! Even if you see playing their track as a sign of respect, you just need to know it’s the most disrespectful thing you can do to a headliner. DJ Times: Speaking of live shows, you became an ambassador for Denon DJ’s Prime Series. Looking ahead, you will be touring with a new set up: SC5000 Prime media player and X1800 Prime club mixer. Tell us about that development… Laidback Luke: I’m very proud and excited for it to be honest. Everywhere I go from here on, I’ll be playing on the Denon Prime Series equipment.
It’s a whole new chapter for me because Denon has a ton of new features that will give me endless possibilities. It’s up to me now to find new ways into the nuances of the equipment to really make it my own. I am currently practicing every day and everything feels really intuitive. DJ Times: Regardless of your set-up, connecting with your audience is key. Do you have any favorite venues where you feel like you are most able to get across your musical message? Laidback Luke: I don’t, actually. Honestly, every venue represents another challenge for me. Even returning to the same venue, you never know what kind of crowd you are going to get. That’s the beauty of what I do. To be able to adapt to the crowd, the environment, the time of year, the energy, and even the booth itself—that’s what makes DJing exciting. It’s still a pleasant challenge for me even after two decades. DJ Times: Your single, “XOXO,” which you have professed was produced for radio, was wellreceived earlier this year. What is it about “XOXO” that plays so well to a live audience? Laidback Luke: I don’t actually know. To be honest, I only started dropping it because we needed live footage of it for social media. But, literally the first time I dropped it, it went over so amazingly well. My mouth literally fell wide open... the only thing I can think of is that Future Bass as a sound is really happening right now. DJ Times: From a technical standpoint, did you have an end goal in mind when you began producing that tune? Laidback Luke: Sometimes when producing (continued on page 48)
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One mobile DJ based in Atlanta, Ga., who shut down his business in 2014 after attending DJ Expos in 1999 and then 2005-2008, says he doesn’t really remember anything that really stand out from the conventions he attended. Among DJs from throughout the nation, however, that particular DJ seems to be alone—perhaps that’s why he shut down his business. Those DJs who return to Atlantic City every August say the annual gathering has changed the way they do their business, and therefore their lives. “I attended the very first DJ Expo back in 1990, and had a ton of fun meeting DJs from all over the world and being able to pick their brains as to how they ran their businesses,” recalls Denny McConnell of Music To You Entertainment in Reading, Pa. “Up until then, I was a single operator, but the Expo got me to see the bigger picture of how to run my business more efficiently. “So I started hiring more DJs and became a multi-op company, branching out of just doing the bar scene to doing wedding receptions, birthday parties and even cor-
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porate parties. I’ve been to every DJ Expo since that first one—and even after 25-plus years of attending the show and meeting up with some great friends and companies, I’m still learning something new every year.” We recently searched for jocks who can tell us about how the DJ Expo has changed their lives. What new business concepts, or lessons, or features have they learned from Expos past? Any new products, panel discussions or seminars that hit them like a steam-train and especially impacted their company? “Every year I would save money from September to August and couldn’t wait to see what new toys they were going to have,” says McConnell. “I call them toys, but they were anything but toys. I remember the year the Pioneer CDJ-500 CD turntables were going to be released at the Expo, and I was so excited to get them. “One year we were on the exhibit floor, and I came around a corner and there’s Roger Sanchez [at the Pioneer DJ booth] demonstrating the brand-new CDJ-500s and the brand-new DJM-500. Well, I parked myself in front of Roger that whole day and was mesmerized by what he was doing so much that on Thursday of that week I bought the very set he was playing on—case and all.” McConnell says he was excited to have the latest gear for DJs, and moved on to the CDJ-700 and was equally excited to eventually buy what became industry-standard CD turntables: the CDJ-1000. “Well, I saved all year for those, and then lo and behold, one year karaoke was brand new. Pioneer’s my company of choice, and it had the latest in karaoke—the LaserDisc, which was not cheap by any means, at $150 a pop for 28 songs. But I had $3,000 on me and, God knows I couldn’t go home without it. “I always say to myself, ‘How is this going to make me money?’ I couldn’t see my audience liking the wiki-wiki-wiki of the scratching on the 1000s, so it was karaoke, and I figured it would be good for maybe three years—enough to get my money back. “Well, believe it or not, I’m still doing karaoke in 2017, still going remember—was the fact that these every year and stealing tidbits from other DJs and meeting new people were indeed making a nice friends each year. And those are just some of the ways that DJ Times’ living doing what I loved doing. I DJ Expo has helped me grow my Music To You business of 43 years.” worked harder than ever that year, Instead of pointing to one big Expo moment that’s impacted and my business more than doubled his career, K.C. KoKoruz of The Keith Christopher Entertainment within nine months.” Group in Chicago says there have been a million little things at One year later, KoKoruz got on Expo that have helped him develop his company. a plane to Los Angeles to attend “A large part of my success was from the knowledge that was the next version of DJ Expo, which shared with me as an attendee by the wonderful presenters at DJ was held at the Sheraton Universal Expo,” says KoKoruz, “as well as through the friendships I’ve cultiHotel. This time he was even more vated through the years attending the show.” impressed, because he got to have In November of 1992, when DJ Expo came to The Windy City, breakfast with industry vets like KoKoruz – then 21-years old – says he was less than three years John Rozz and Andy Ebon, and met into his DJ business when he decided to attend the show. His takeeven more of the show’s speakers – away? The Expo proved to him that DJing could be a serious and professionals like Jeff Greene, Randi potentially lucrative endeavor. Rae, Joe Hecht, Mike Alexander and “The majority of my business others. “I came home even more at the time was schools, colleges, pumped,” he says. fraternity parties and weddings,” Since that show, KoKoruz has says KoKoruz, who was DJing fullmade DJ Expo an annual experience time, but just barely, he admits. “I and his business has benefited. attended the DJ Expo and sud“My company continued to grow denly saw people who had very and we were no longer in our little organized and successful comoffice,” he says. “In 1994, DJ Times panies that were clearly making brought the show to Atlantic City, a nice living in the DJ industry. where it’s stayed ever since, and What inspired me more than anysince then, I’ve seen the premiere thing else—and what I can still of the Pioneer CDJ, the Pioneer DVDJ, the Beatkeeper. I saw the Macarena introduced there, the Cha Slide, and countless other games and dances that I’ve used over the years. I’ve seen computer software introduced to DJs and I’ve received
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help to organize my business. “I’ve seen LED lighting technology introduced, game-show sets, various music services such as Promo Only and Bobby Morganstein’s collection of CDs, videotapes and DVDs. I’ve even watched then-unknown artists such as Lady Gaga and Pitbull perform, while trying to become musical giants. “I’ve learned everything from marketing and sales to training and performance from watching so many great people like Mike Walter, Jeffrey Craig, Bobby Morganstein, Adam Weitz, Steve Moody, Randi Rae, Jeff Greene, Paul Binder, Randy Bartlett, John Murphy, Gerry Siracusa and Sean “Big Daddy” McKee, to name just a few.” Back over in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., Scott Goldoor of Signature DJs has attended a number of DJ Expos. “I learned a ton in the marketing, social-media, and lighting seminars,” he says. “It’s always great seeing, meeting, and networking with old and new performers. I thoroughly enjoy meeting performers and owners of other companies from across the country, while I also see dozens of local guys that I work and network with regularly through the course of the year.” Again, DJ Expo has become an annual must-attend event for Goldoor. “The experience there has been invaluable,” he says. “The main tips I’ve picked up from the many seminars I’ve attended have been more geared toward me, as a business owner, following up with customers, and being a little more diligent with my calls and emails. “In regard to social media, while I’ve gained much insight into this, it’s still a glaring weakness with my company. I’ve recently hired a social-media consultant, who does some of our posting, advertising and Facebook types of boosting.” As for lighting, Goldoor says he’s grateful to have learned through the DJ Expo to offer these many extra add-ons, and this has changed how he does his business. “Of course, many of the facilities at which we work,” he says, “are offering uplighting as their own add-on or including it as part of their own package, which has limited some of my upsells.” But probably the greatest takeaways Goldoor says he’s received from the annual DJ Expo has been the friendships— most of them local—he’s established with business owners in and around his tri-state area. “We’ve networked with each other, referred work to each other, helped each other out with photo-booth rentals, and loaned out each other’s lights for our upcoming events.” And all those things have changed Scott’s life, and the lives of other mobile DJs from throughout the United States – DJ Expo brings them all together. n
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Photos By Marc Levine Double-Duty: Razor spins Mets & Islanders home games.
SPINNING SPORTS
Flushing, N.Y. – It’s late April and, in a strange scheduling quirk, the Atlanta Braves have returned to Queens for their second Citi Field series of the young season. It’s a decent crowd for a Wednesday, but things aren’t going so well for the local nine this spring evening. Already down five runs, the Mets are trying to quell another Braves rally when mop-up reliever Fernando Salas induces an agonizing roller to the left of Mets’ second-sacker Neil Walker. Apparently imbued by the spirit of iron-fisted infielders of Mets past (namely Ken Boswell), Walker stretches out for the ball, only to have it clank spectacularly off his glove and shoot into short right field. Another run comes around and Citi Field lets out a collective groan. Meanwhile, DJ Razor looks over the proceedings from his media booth, situated behind home plate and perched above the walkway
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behind the Excelsior Gold section of seats, not far from the TV and radio announcers. Working a pair of Macbook Pro laptops and a Numark NS7 III controller – fully skinned with colorful Mets logos – Razor gets busy prepping for the looming 7th inning stretch and the extra time he’s required to fill. Within minutes, the restless crowd will be on its feet singing the traditional “Take Me Out to Ballgame,” then the regional fave “Lazy Mary (Luna Mezzo Mare),” and eventually mass-pogoing to evergreen hip-hop hit “Jump Around.” In favor of some temporary joy, the infield misdeed seems to be forgotten. But that’s what a good DJ can do if he pushes the right buttons, and Razor (aka Peter Osback) been doing that for most of his life. Of course, playing to big crowds is nothing new for Razor. Working with Guido Osorio to comprise the Long Island-based DJ/producer team Razor N’ Guido, he had a big hand in creating the sound of New York clubland. After years of DJ and studio work, the duo broke out and, between 1998 and 2001, had a string of huge club and chart hits, including dancefloor scorchers “Do It Again” and “Miss the Way” (feat. Reina). Additionally, RNG remixed hits for a wildly diverse range of artists including The Notorious B.I.G., Deborah Cox, De La Soul, Björk, Club 69, Kim English, Isaac Hayes, and Madonna. The duo’s fusing of hard-house sounds, tribal percussion and hooky elements opened touring opportunities and late-night gigs at some of New York’s most legendary clubs, like Twilo. (Sadly, Osorio passed away in early 2016 at the age of 46.) Now working each home game for the New York Mets, the Major League Baseball club he’s always loved, Razor has become quite comfortable spinning sporting events. In fact, in 2015, when the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders moved its home games from Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum to Brooklyn, he was invited to join them in the Barclays Center DJ booth. Combining both clubs’ home schedules, that’s 122 regular-season games a year, playing in front of about 3.3 million New York-area sports fans. In addition to catching a ballgame at Citi Field, we caught up with DJ Razor to discuss the special challenges presented by spinning sporting events, his deep DJ background and the unique musical partnership he shared with Guido Osorio. DJ Times: How’d you get the nickname Razor? Razor: In 1988, I was the DJ in a rap group called Steppin Razor. The other guys said I was sharp with my cuttin’ and scratchin’, and the name stuck. The funny thing is I didn’t even have my first set of turntables yet, just one belt-drive turntable, a tape machine with a good pause button, along with my Radio Shack mixer, which didn’t have a crossfader. I was just cutting with the faders, but I made it work because I had to. DJ Times: Tough way to get started… Razor: It was hard work, and it wasn’t until a decade later that my remix partner Guido and I began seeing the benefits of our work under the moniker Razor N’ Guido. Our remixes and original productions for artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Madonna were being played on the radio stations we grew up with – and that was really amazing. DJ Times: What kind of music first attracted you? Razor: When I was in grade school, most of the school kids listened to metal, but I was inspired by the percussion and rhythm of freestyle, rap and house. One of my favorites was Newcleus’ “Jam On It,” which has its roots in funk and disco, too. It’s got a phat baseline and some bouncy percussion. DJ Times: What inspired you to actually DJ? Razor: My cousin Rio was a DJ, so by the time I was 10 or 11, I had begun sneaking into the club and hiding in the DJ booth. I was really into the music and breakin’ scene. Rio was a big influence on me, so when I saw people react to the songs he played and the way he put them together, I knew this was what I wanted to do. So, I got a job at a bagel shop and a Chinese restaurant, and saved up to buy DJ equipment. Once I had enough saved to buy turntables, I gave my two weeks’ notice. Soon after that, I bought my first vinyl – “Must Be the Music” by Secret Weapon and “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang. I still put them in my sets to this day. DJ Times: How did the sports gigs come about? Razor: Growing up, I was a huge fan of baseball and spent lots of time at Mets games. You can’t imagine the thrill [Guido and I] felt hearing our hit song “Do It Again” at Shea Stadium. I dreamt of meeting the people who played our song for the crowd, never knowing that one day that would be me. I began to foster a relationship with some of the guys involved and, through hard work and perseverance, we got the gig scoring the fireworks shows. As that relationship evolved, I became the Mets DJ for their home games, which is a real dream come true. At the end of baseball season, I was approached by the Islanders, whose season began just a week later – and, of course, I accepted! Now I’m thinking: What other sports do I love? It’s been an incredible opportunity. DJ Times: For the Mets, how do you approach game day? Razor: The Mets are about entertainment for everybody. Before the gates open, I’m playing music for the players. Season ticket holders get early passes, so I’m always watching the crowd, and change the music depending on who’s there and how they react. When the gates open, the crowd is diverse, and I’ll usually go
SEPTEMBER 2017
Meet the Mets’ In-House Music Man, DJ Razor
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into some radio hits. In the moments before the game, I want to fire up the crowd, so that’s when I really bring up the energy. Then it’s game time, and there really is no playbook, you just gotta know what to hit them with and when. DJ Times: What’s unique about this gig? What special skills does it require? Razor: The fans don’t realize that by the time the first pitch is thrown, I’ve already spent the whole day selecting the right music and doing on-the-fly edits to make them work for any situation. It’s not as easy as it
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sounds. Most tracks are only played for 30 seconds during the game, so tight editing is critical. Anyone who knows me understands the importance I place on good edits. I learned to cut physical ¼-inch tape and edit on the TASCAM 34B [4-channel, reeltape recorder], and I think it shows in the precision of my cuts. In the digital age, I can bring those skills to a laptop, which is good because tapeediting machines weigh a ton! DJ Times: What’s your setup at Citi Field? Razor: I love my Numark NS7 III [4-channel DJ controller with
screens] because it feels like the oldschool turntables I learned on. My hardware is two MacBook Pros, one for effects and one for back-up, running Serato DJ software and three [360 Systems] Instant Replay systems. Plus, I have a ton of other toys for generating effects at my disposal. DJ Times: Spinning live for a sporting event in an active venue obviously has its own challenges. I see you’re on an earpiece with other people discussing upcoming music and scripted moments for the evening. How does that work? Razor: When I DJ at clubs, I only
have to listen to two songs and the crowd. At the ballpark, there’s a lot in my ears, and it takes some getting used to. In addition to the music I’m mixing, I hear TV and radio broadcast, official scorer, camera ops, scoreboard techs and various others. In my headset, I have the director of the ballpark keeping everything in sync and letting me know what’s next and when it’s my turn to go. We talk before the game and listen to some new music and edits and decide what works. We also have a game log we follow for inning breaks/commercials and other events. But during the game, anything can happen, so I always have to be on headset. It takes great focus and, at this level, mistakes are not an option. DJ Times: You also work the Islanders games at Barclays Center. How are the gigs different? Razor: The music is very different for each. Baseball is fast-paced at times and things can change even faster. But I’ll always have the end of the inning to reset and catch my breath for the next inning. Hockey is more abrupt – surprises can happen even quicker. They can also stop at any time, so I have to be on-point and ready to cue the next track or effect on the fly. It’s an adrenaline rush, but I love the challenge. DJ Times: Where else are you spinning these days? What music are you making? Razor: I still love playing in the clubs when my Mets schedule allows. I love trying out new sounds. I have a couple of residencies in New York, and recurring gigs in Boston, Vegas and London. I’m still creating Razor N’ Guido remixes. Right now, I’m working on a remix with Richard Scotti for Lenny Fontana & D-Train, and just finished one called “Bomba” by Aggro Santos. I’ve also got an original project with my friend John Page that will be out soon. I don’t ever want to stop doing music. DJ Times: Also, belated condolences on the passing of your studio partner, Guido Osorio. He was such a great guy, such a unique personality and so talented. Razor N’ Guido music very much defined a time in New York City clubland – helping push that tribal sound would seem to be your enduring musical legacy. But in your own words, what did partnership mean to you? Razor: Let me start with there will never be another partner to replace him. He was everything to me and I will miss him more than words can express. In the beginning, the partnership was based on the winning production formula. We each knew our strengths, and they complemented each other. I knew the sound I wanted and where it should go, and he knew how to get there and (continued on page 50)
$ 9 99
Y L N O
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
S E R O T S IN
For more information visit: www.americanmusicandsound.com
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TWO MORE FROM THE ROAD Photos by Bryan Kwon & ArtChick
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The latest club dates on America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Weedmaps & DJ Times hit a pair of hot East Coast venues this past month. On June 23, the tour landed at NYC’s Webster Hall for some drumn-bass/dubstep mayhem with ABDJ nom Dieselboy (who co-headlined with Canadian DJ/producer Downlink). Then on July 7, we ventured to Philadelphia as ABDJ noms Sleepy & Boo gave the Coda club a tech-house treat. Thanks to Bryan Kwon (NYC shots) and ArtChick (Philly pics), we’ve captured the moments for posterity. Stay tuned for reports from upcoming ABDJ events, including Denver’s Global Dance Festival and Baltimore’s Moonrise Festival.
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SEPTEMBER 2017
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America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Hits the East Coast
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1 In the Light: Sleepy & Boo at Coda. 2 ABDJ Booth: Philly fan strikes a pose. 3 Webster Hall: E. 11th Street scene. 4 NYC Voters: Fuzzy fans cast ballots. 5 O Canada: Downlink drops the bass. 6 Wreckin’ It: Dieselboy in mainroom. 7 Artfully Done: Fan with latest issue. 8 Booth Visit: Sleepy & Boo pre-gig. 9 Webster Crazies: Bass blast-off. 10 D-n-B Destroyer: Dieselboy’s cans. 11 Manhattan Madhouse: Webster Hall scene. 12 Project Human: Dieselboy at Webster Hall.
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DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
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MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…
TB-03: The authentic sound of acid house.
To get the most out of these machines, you’ll need to practice a bit and dig into the quirky onboard sequencers that gave the originals so much of their character. Thankfully, there have been some updates here. Most significantly, the TB-03 now has a step-sequencing mode that makes creating your own patterns much easier. The 09 hasn’t added any new programming modes, but you’re now able to switch between the step and tap modes while patterns are playing. Both units are battery-powered, and can also be powered by a USB hub; transporting either one, and playing with them anywhere you go, is a breeze. The USB plugs also mean that you can download drivers and connect each unit to your computer for DAW integration. However, this is one area where I felt Roland could definitely improve things. There’s no dedicated tutorials or support on Roland’s side for integrating either machine with your DAW – so instead, I had to dig around on the internet
BACK IN TIME: ROLAND’S BOUTIQUE SERIES
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
By Mike Gwertzman
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When it comes to iconic synthesizers and drum machines, few pieces of gear have achieved the same level of exalted recognition as Roland’s TB-303 and TR-909. Though both units were only briefly in production – the TB-303 from 198184, the TR-909 from 1983-85 – the impact was seismic. Both pieces were instrumental in the worldwide explosion of house and techno music – the former being the little silver box that birthed the acid sound, while the latter’s kick drum, toms and hi-hats have powered thousands of dancefloor productions, from the past to the present. For years, there have been relentless cries urging Roland to resume production of these machines.That’s no surprise considering how enduring their audio legacy is –plus the fact that original units sell for thousands on the second-hand market. In late 2016, Roland gave the world most of what it’s been asking for, announcing the latest additions to its innovative Boutique line – the TB-03 ($349) and the TR-09 ($399), the most faithful re-creations of the TB-303 and TR-909, respectively, to date. Roland has done a great job with these two pieces of gear. They are visually and aurally faithful to the originals, preserve their unique sequencing and modulation interfaces, and have added a few modern necessities – namely, a USB port. At their price points, some purists might be tempted to label these as toys, but both the TB-03 and TR-09 hit their marks where they’re needed to. If you want to work hands-on with two all-time classic machines, but also add modern compatibility with your DAW, you’ll quickly become a fan of what the TB-03 and TR-09 offer. For those who crave authenticity, the TB-03 looks almost identical to the 303, right down to the dimensions. The 03 has a nice metallic case and solid build, and all the knobs and buttons feel tight. Both pieces come with a very useful and adjustable stand. The major difference between the Boutique version and the original 303 is the addition of a small LED display, which greatly simplifies navigation and programming. The 09 can be more challenging for producers who have ever worked with a TR-909. The dimensions are much smaller, and the knobs for tweaking the various drum parameters, which are so crucial to the 909’s signature sound, are almost tiny. It’s not unplayable, and the smaller size can be quite convenient in a crowded studio set-up, but it does take a bit of getting used to. Another feature sacrificed to the smaller footprint are the multi outs that let you route each drum independently, although this can now be done by assigning the drums to four separate digital outs via USB. Both of these machines are purely digital, and they employ Roland’s ACB (Analog Circuit Behavior) technology to accurately emulate the sounds of the original. Are they exact audio replicas of the originals? That seems to be a hotly debated topic on some online forums, but for most people’s ears, any difference is negligible.
for instructions on how to do this. I was able to get them both to work with Logic Pro X, but with mixed results as far as MIDI programming and audio playback. The TB-03 definitely worked better here, while the TR-09 did have some cool USB features – especially the assignable outputs. But considering that the USB compatibility is one of the major new improvements of the Boutique line, I felt like connecting the machines to your DAW should be much easier to do – or Roland could provide some dedicated documentation for the most popular software packages. For the gearheads who like to work “out of the box,” these units do provide some great options for connectivity. There are standard MIDI ins and outs, as well as “trigger” plugs on both units – you can send the trigger out from the 09 to control the 03. The TB-03 also features the CV and gate outputs to work with older and vintage gear. Another nice update is that this trigger can be programmed independently, instead of being tied only to the rim shot, as was the case on the original 909. But once you’ve been able to work out the kinks, or at least find a setup that works well for what you want to do, you can really dig into both machines. For many, using a TB-03 or a TR-09 will be the first time they’ve been able to use a version these hallowed pieces of gear. And once you get a bassline flowing on the TB-03, and you start tweaking the decay and accent and cut-off, and you’re able to start making your own bouncy, squelchy acid patterns, it’s like going back in time. It’s like you’re creating your own piece of acid-house history. Similarly, creating your own 909 patterns “on the fly,” adding different drums here and there, adjusting the decays on the hats, turning the snares: it’s a great feeling to make your own sounds that you’ve heard on countless classic tracks and productions. The fusion between the old and the new has its advantages and disadvantages on both units. These will both undoubtedly appeal to producers who (continued on page 48)
TR-09: Classic drum-machine sounds.
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SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING
MEGA-PLAYER: DENON DJ SC5000 PRIME
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
By Wesley Bryant-King
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It’s been roughly three years now since Rhode Island-based inMusic Brands added Denon DJ to its expanding portfolio of brands, after striking a licensing agreement with Denon’s owners, D&M Holdings. And as I write this particular review, it’s been a year since I took a look at Denon DJ’s incredible MCX8000 DJ controller (you can read that review in the archives at djtimes.com). One of the things that struck me about the MCX8000 is the level of technical sophistication built into the product, evidenced by the big, dual LCD screens and the on-board software that drives those displays, as well as the rest of the capabilities that permit the MCX8000 to be used standalone. It seems clear that inMusic is developing some serious in-house expertise in the realm of embedded software, the sort of software that’s at the very heart of technology products like the MCX8000 — as well as the subject of this review, the SC5000 Prime media player. Seemingly built on the knowledge gained from the MCX8000, not to mention some of the innovative gear from sister inMusic DJ brand Numark, Denon DJ is plowing new territory with this new media player offering. Introduced this past January at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, Calif., the SC5000 is part of Denon DJ’s new Prime Series, which also includes the X1800 Prime mixer, and the VL12 Prime turntable — both of which are the subject of future reviews for this magazine. The SC5000 is serious gear, for serious DJs, and that was strongly in evidence during the demo I witnessed in the inMusic suite at NAMM. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one, and with production ramping up, I finally have had a chance to play with a pair of them, along with the X1800 Prime mixer. I’ve come away even more impressed than I was from the demo at NAMM. (I’ll cover the X1800 Prime specifically in an upcoming issue.) Set-up & Use: For the most part, set-up and use consists of unboxing the units and connecting them to your mixer of choice. One of the things you notice first at this point is the physical evidence of one of the SC5000 Prime’s primary features: dual-layer support. What that means is that a single SC5000 can act like two separate decks rolled into one, playing back two sources at the same time on a single unit. So when connecting the deck to the mixer, all the outputs are duplicated, corresponding to the A and B “layers” of the deck. If you intend to use only one layer, you need only connect one, but you’d missing out on some serious flexibility. As noted above, I did review the units alongside the X1800 Prime mixer. While I don’t want to venture too far into the X1800, there are certain benefits to using one with your SC5000 decks. One of them is auto-configuration of the layers; just connect both layers’ outputs to the X1800 using the method of choice (digital RCA, one connector per layer, is the obvious option), connect a standard Ethernet cable between the two, and on playback, you’ll see a color-coded match-up between the two channels on the mixer, and the two on the deck, so you can easily know which layer is going where. Multiplied by two SC5000s, of course, and you have all four layers of material properly and easily connected. With an X1800, you also get an “on-air” indication on the outer ring(s) of the deck(s) to indicate when the channel is open on the mixer. Finally, tempo information is transmitted all around, allowing a pair of SC5000 decks to beat-sync with one another, and the mixer itself. Nice touches all around, and without the X1800, you get some of the functionality (like cross-deck beat-syncing) just by connecting a pair of SC5000 decks directly via Ethernet cable. Each SC5000 provides incredible connectivity; there are no less than three USB ports on the device – one in front, two in back – allowing you to connect all sorts of media sources, including hard drives, thumb drives, etc. There’s also an SD card port on the front for a fourth source of material. And with a pair of SC5000 decks networked together (directly connected, or through an X1800 in between), you can share all the sources in both directions. Ejecting a source that’s not in use is easy but failsafe, so swapping material — or swapping DJs
Dual-Layer: One unit can play two sources.
— is a simple affair, too. It may be worth noting for users of digital scratch (DVS) systems that, among the SC5000’s many capabilities, it is not playing physical CD or DVD media — it’s purely for digital material on USB or SD media. Denon DJ has done a great job of supporting both drive and media types. For drives, they can be formatted in all the major file system formats; the Windows-derived FAT32 file system is preferred. I’ll note, too, that the music file formats supported run the gamut, including lossless formats, and include AAC, AIF, FLAC, MP3, Ogg Vorbis and WAV among others. With the unit’s digital-output capabilities, the SC5000 is ready-made for high-resolution output situations where quality matters. One of the SC5000’s key features is on-board music analysis. While Denon DJ does provide a new version of their Engine software, logically called Engine Prime, the choice is yours as to whether you pre-analyze your music from a computer with the software, or just let the deck do the work on-demand. The on-device analysis includes BPM, beat grid set-up, and even key identification, and the results are saved to the device alongside the music for quick start-up on subsequent track plays. Of course, using Engine Prime from your Windows or Mac computer has certain advantages, but the on-device option is nice to have, powerful, effective, and certainly a nice advantage to the SC5000 Prime. When I reviewed the MCX8000 last year, I noted how much I loved the displays, but thought they sort of begged to be touch screens. Well, Denon DJ must have had the same thought, because on the SC5000, the beautiful color displays are multi-touch-enabled. They look incredible; Denon DJ’s specs don’t include a mention of the display’s resolution, but with a 7-inch diagonal measurement, they’re large, bright, responsive, and incredibly crisp and clear. The embedded software expertise I referred to earlier extends to the aesthetic design of the user interface of the screens as well; everything from the choice of font, to color, visual design, how they allocated the space on the screen — every aspect reflects deliberate thought. In the smartphone era where companies like Apple set a very high bar for user experience, Denon DJ has risen to the challenge of creating something modern, intuitive and easy to use. Even without reading a single word of the manual, it was obvious what to do, how to navigate and access things, go back, and so on. Even adjusting beat grids when the analysis might be a couple of beats off seemed natural. The fullness of the user interface extends to the ability to customize the be(continued on page 48)
SC5000: Unique on-board music-file analysis.
MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES
NEW YORK DJ HITS REBOOT WITH VIDEO
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
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DJ Vet: Jimmie Malone has been spinning since ’93.
Heather Esposito
Binghamton, N.Y. — For Jimmie Malone, the old way of running his DJ-business model had run its course. “I had become burned out on the ‘book-everything-and-figure-out-thedetails-later’ way of doing things that I had adopted for my first company, Astounding Sound,” he says. “It wasn’t a rewarding lifestyle and I was ready to get out of the industry. That’s how I learned to run a DJ business, like a lot of other guys.” That changed after he attended his first DJ Expo, in Atlantic City, N.J., in 1996. “I had a renewed energy and focus,” he recalls. “I met some incredible people, many of whom I am still great friends with today, and I saw that it was possible to make a living without trying to be everything to everyone and booking every job, no matter the price.” Malone began DJing in 1993. He got the bug working his first job, as a 16-year-old bus boy at a banquet center, when he saw an event DJ having more fun than anybody. “I was the bus boy who was always asking them questions about their gear,” he recalls, “asking what they were going to play tonight. I finally bugged one DJ enough that he gave me my first job as a DJ.” When he founded Astounding Sound the following year, Malone says it was like a lot of other DJ services at the time: “Not terrible, but often forgettable. We didn’t know any better back then.” He started Exceptional Receptions in 2006, he says, to “focus more on giving individual attention to each client’s event.” Incorporating the company in April of 2017, he has four employees, but, he adds, “We are aggressively expanding and currently looking to add two more part-time employees.” What Malone realized was that one doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel – and whatever you want to do, someone has already figured it out. “I wanted to make six figures as a solo-op DJ,” he says, “so I sought out people who were not only successfully achieving that level of income al-
Jeanette Hampp
By Stu Kearns
ready, but who were doing it in a way give away for free,” says Malone, who that I could see myself replicating.” uses Magix Vegas Pro editing software One upsell that has transformed for these jobs. “I’ve done dozens and his company is the “Video Love Stoit still takes between five and eight ry.” It’s something he began offerhours of production on each one. ing in 2011 when he got the idea to From my own experience, it not only use voice-over recordings, which we leads to future bookings, but those had offered since 2006, and combine future bookings are going to include them with slideshows and, eventually, video screens and command higher live video. fees. You’ve got to know how to edit “I was among the first students video, but it’s also important to know of Mark Ferrell’s ‘Love Story Worknot just what to ask couples on camshop’ when he began offering it,” era, but how to ask it – and you can’t says Malone, “and I had a couple be afraid to coach them to sound that loved the concept and asked if their best.” it was possible for them to record Malone says humor works best something themselves, instead of me for these videos. “The best ones are reading it. We decided to approach it always funny, and there are usually like an eHarmony commercial, cutsome details that come out that are ting between footage of the bride a surprise to one of the participants. and groom talking about how they One of my favorites was a couple met, fell Nationwide: in love, and eventually got that had gone their separate Brian Buonassissi operates in three states. ways engaged. and were living in different cities, “I was not prepared for how well who then would be seeing each oththe audience would react. People er again at a mutual friend’s graduwere laughing so much that you ation. Both were anxious about the couldn’t hear the next part of the meeting and neither knew what to video! They are funny, and heartexpect. When the bride, Melissa, saw warming, and they are incredibly efthe groom, Brad, she ran up to give fective at drawing the guests into the him a big hug, but Brad didn’t hug moment.” back and even seemed a little cold. Malone says it’s a time-consuming As it turns out, Melissa had cut and service, and should be priced accordcolored her hair and Brad didn’t recingly. “It’s not something you should ognize her and had no idea who was
hugging him!” With a population of less than 50,000, Binghamton itself is a relatively small market, its claim to fame being the birthplace of Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. “Most people couldn’t point it out on a map,” he says. “But the internet has opened up marketing opportunities all around us and we have a huge destination market within an hour and a half drive in the Finger Lakes Region of New York.” On the gear front, Malone uses a mixture of old and new. “I’ve been using some of the same equipment for 10 years or more,” he says, “and tend to only make purchases when I have a plan for it to make money.” His gig set-ups include the following: VirtualDJ 8 software; Denon DJ DN-HC4500 controller; Denon DJ DN-X500 mixer; Bose L1 Model II speakers; Bose B2 bass modules; various Sennheiser microphones (wireless, lavaliere); Sony MDR-V55 headphones; Global Truss Totems (for TVs); Samsung 50-inch TVs; PeerlessAV HDS200 HD Flow Pro Wireless Multimedia Kit; LumiDesk ULTIMATE DMX USB lighting interface controller; DJ Techtools Midi Fighter Pro (lighting controller); and generic LED pars for lighting and uplighting. For the future, Malone is pushing into more rentals, and always looking for unique products and services to offer his clients. Photo booths, uplighting, and video screens have done quite well for him. “But the goal,” he says, “is to be in a place in five years where we have whatever someone is looking for. I want Exceptional Receptions to be the first name people think of when they’re looking for something they can’t find anywhere else.”
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BUSINESS LINE SALES… MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…
By Chadwick Harrington New Jersey-based mobile Artem Lomaz has a background in marketing and advertising. In his career, he’s had stops at Zenith Media and Party City’s corporate marketing department, where he came to understand brand building and positioning. He uses these lessons with his luxury single-op, NinetyThree Entertainment. Lomaz saw enough parallels between his two worlds to come up with a seminar for the DJ Expo – “Lessons from the Brandmakers.” So, we asked the Roxbury, N.J.-based jock a few questions about the importance of personal branding and what topics will be broached at his seminar. DJ Times: What’s the seminar overview? In other words, why should a DJ care about this topic?
BUILD YOUR BRAND & YOUR DREAM — AT
“Identify which market helps you do your best work, and identify how you can help them achieve even more with what you have to offer.”
Artem Lomaz: The purpose of the seminar is to not only encourage introspective analysis for the event entertainers in attendance — to look back at your careers historically and ask how can you utilize those experiences to improve your performance and/or business practices — but to also gain the perspective of those outside of the industry. The panel will include successful representatives in their respective fields, who will share how they accomplished their own growth, while also looking to highlight how each seemingly un-related industry can correlate to what we do as event entertainers and business owners. The hope is to also encourage a thought process regarding how to relate to potential customers, that are understandably not associated with the industry.
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
What is personal branding and why is it important? Personal branding is important because it’s the initial impression that you release to those that you interact with. In essence, it’s your recognition, it’s how your clients will see you representing them, and it’s how you’re choosing to relate to your target audience.
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side. He talks about the importance of passive income. How can a DJ make passive income? DJs can make passive income in a number of ways: equipment rentals (i.e., photo booths, lights, etc.); multi-op-ing, franchising, etc. But one of the keys to Walt’s success has been finding ways to have others selling his services. He’s done this through strategic partnerships. This can work for DJs by utilizing partnerships with event planners, cinematographers, photographers, etc.
You’re going to have Louis Wittig, copywriter and associate creative director from Grey New York, an advertising and marketing agency, on the panel. What are two of the parallels from his business to the DJ industry? In the ad-agency world, campaigns are created via a copywriter and art director, which parallels the DJ and MC relationship in the event entertainment space. The parallels are that the MC is like the copywriter, and the DJ is like the art director. Often, the MC acts as the entertainment director, with a plan of action and possibly a script, while the DJ works off of those ideas and looks to create a soundtrack to them. The art is the music programming, and the ideation is the MC’s pre-event process. They’re so important because they work hand-in-hand, and if one doesn’t acknowledge the other, things can go wrong very quickly. You’ll also have Walt Blau, who worked for Coca-Cola on the brand
There will be a comedian on the panel as well, Brett Davis, an Andy Kaufman Award Winner, “Comedy Central’s Comics to Watch,” writer, producer, and star of IFC’s “Boy Band.” What can a DJ learn from a comedian when it comes to reading a crowd? Brett’s style of comedy involves wildly different sets, for wildly different audiences. “Sometimes you won’t know if you’ll have an audience that has never seen comedy before, or have been to five different comedy shows that week,” says Brett. “An audience in Bushwick is going to laugh at something different than an audience in midtown Manhattan or Los Angeles or Denver. The key is preparing ahead of time, reading a room in the moment, and an ability to work on the fly. And lots of practice. And failure.” You’ll also have Ian McHugh, owner of NYC Photo Party, who’ll talk about focusing on a target market. Can you give us an example or two? Ian’s expertise comes way of the photo-booth business. Although many entertainers in our field own their own photo booth, Ian’s business operates on innovate, ever-evolving photo-booth structures, and technologies. Originally from New Jersey, Ian was inspired while living in Las Vegas, to bring the Las Vegas Photo Party experience back to the East Coast. His homecoming came with a surge of corporate clients interested in branding and promotional opportunities via Ian’s booths and social media-connected software. In his understanding of his clients’ needs, NYC Photo Party has now been creating and further developing photo booth software that will enhance, as well as expedite, user experience. So, the two examples…. Right! In order to focus on a specific target market, you must first define who they are, based on a variety of factors. Two tips on focusing on a specific target market are to identify which market helps you do your best work, and identify how you can help them achieve even more with what you have to offer. Each panelist will offer insight into business and performance enhancement opportunities for all attendees. The combination of industry experts, and the fact that most of the clients we work with are not in our industry, will help event entertainers better relate to potential clients, as well as develop an introspective review process.
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
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Strike the Right Concorde
ART Appreciation
American Music & Sound 925 Broadbeck Dr. #220 Newbury Park, CA 91320 (800) 431-2609 www.AmericanMusicAndSound.com The Concorde Vibe is the fourth product in Reloop’s series of Concorde cartridges. Designed with a high-output level and flat frequency response for studio and club environments, the Concord Vibe uses an elliptical stylus allows for “maximum contact with the record groove, resulting in rich and detailed sound reproduction,” according to the company. Designed by Ortofon, the unit offers a frequency range of 20 Hz – 22 kHz and a tracking force range of 2 – 5 g.
RCF-USA Inc. 110 Talmadge Rd. Edison, NJ 08817 www.rcf-usa.com
Pack It Up
Interface the Facts
inMusic/Akai Professional 200 Scenic View Drive Suite 201 Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 658-4032 www.akaipro.com
Pioneer DJ Americas 2050 W. 190th Street Suite 109 Torrance, CA 90504 (424) 488-0480 www.pioneerdj.com
“Tim Kelley Presents Vol. 1” is the new MPC Expansion pack from Akai Professional created by Tim Kelley, one half of the Grammy-winning production duo Tim and Bob. The pack contains over 1.9 GB of content, including 16 MPC Drum/Clip Kits, nine MPC Multi Kits, 11 sequences, 1,103 samples and 1,103 melodic loops. “Tim Kelley Presents Vol. 1” is available now for the following supported MPC hardware units: MPC Touch, MPC Live, MPC X, MPC Renaissance, MPC Element (Essentials), MPK2 Series Keyboards (Essentials) and MPD2 Series Pad controllers (Essentials).
Pioneer DJ has launched Interface 2, a 2-channel audio interface that lets DJs use rekordbox dvs to scratch and control the digital music on their computers using any DJ set-up. Interface 2 supports 44.1 kHz/48 kHz/96 kHz audio signals and the S/N ratio exceeds 110 dB. Housed in seamless aluminum casting, the unit comes with bundled license keys for rekordbox dj and the rekordbox dvs Plus Pack. Features include a highquality D/A converter, a large signal GND terminal and LED indicators that show signal flow.
RCF’s ART 7 Series consists of seven multi-purpose active speakers, including eight-, 10-, 12- and 15-inch active 1m400-watt two-way models, as well as 12- and 15-inch models with larger compression drivers. All models in the line sport an award-winning, rich cabinet design and they feature FiRPHASE technology, a proprietary DSP that “optimizes dynamics, phase and sonic detail increasing the quality of sound significantly,” according to the company.
AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
GEAR
Rock & Roland Roland Corporation 5100 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 890-3700 www.roland.com Roland and Studio Electronics have collaborated to create the SE-02 Analog Synthesizer, the debut product of the new Roland Boutique Designer Series. The SE-02 includes a 16-step sequencer that can sync to external tempo via MIDI, USB, or trigger input. It sports an analog synth engine that features three voltage-controlled oscillators, each of which are temperature stabilized with automatic tuning and feature six different waveforms. Additional features include a 24 dB low-pass filter, 384 preset sounds, standard MIDI jacks and a dual gain-stage amplifier.
Toys in the Attic Native Instruments 6725 Sunset Boulevard, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90028 (866) 556-6487 www.native-instruments.com Kinetic Toys is the full-sized version of Native Instruments’ Kinetic Treats. It features more than 200 individual sound sources—including a variety of children’s toys, games and snacks—which are combined with custom synthesized tones to create musically tuned, playable hybrid patches. There are a total of 670 sounds split across 35 themed NKIs, creating 3.5 GB of content. Kinetic Toys also comes with two custom X-Y matrices that control the sound mixer and the onboard FX. These can be controlled manually or with three different forms of automatic motion.
Desk Duty
DJ TIMES
Output has released Platform, which the company calls a studio desk built for musicians. Platform sports a clean, modern aesthetic that’s available in natural or hand-stained Kodiak Brown. The desk is made in the USA and constructed of 100-percent real wood from renewable sources. It can hold up to 120 pounds of weight. Key features include a bridge for studio monitors, 9U of rack space, cable management, and an optional pull-out keyboard tray that can hold up to 50 pounds.
SEPTEMBER 2017
Output 1418 N. Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 www.output.com
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GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
The Long & Shortee of It
Neutron & Improved
Hal Leonard Corporation PO Box 13819 Milwaukee, WI 53213 (973) 337-5034 www.halleonard.com
iZotope 1 Kendall Square Cambridge, MA, 02139 (617) 577-7799 www.izotope.com
“The Complete Guide to DJ Basics with a Traktor Controller” is a video course aimed at beginners without any DJ experience, as well as intermediate or advanced DJs who are transitioning from another gear setup and learning how to DJ on a Traktor controller for the first time. Available on Groove3.com, the video lessons are taught by DJ Shortee, covering such topics as how to handle the jog wheels; various ways to cue up songs; three different ways to listen using headphones; and how to perform a basic transition between two songs with the same bpm, using the crossfader to blend them together.
iZotope released Neutron Elements, a new version of the company’s popular mixing plug-in that is designed for producers and podcasters on a budget. Neutron Elements comes with more than 200 presets, as well as four single-band processors—EQ, Compressor, Transient Shaper and Exciter. The plug-in features a track assistant that lets users create a custom preset based on their audio. Neutron Elements also offers track identification technology that will automatically identify instrument, drum, and vocal tracks and add clarity and balance using spectral shaping technology.
Totally Tube-ular ADJ Products 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.americandj.com
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
IK Multimedia
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1153 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy Sunrise, FL 33323 (954) 846-9101 www.ikmultimedia.com IK Multimedia’s Syntronik is a virtual synthesizer for Mac and PC that includes 17 instruments and more than 2,000 preset sounds covering a wide selection from 38 vintage synthesizers. Syntronik’s synthesis engine features a new analog modeled filter section, and DRIFT technology is also included to accurately reproduce the behavior of oscillators from real hardware synths. Syntronik also features a streamlined interface for layering and combining of up to four different synthesizer parts, as well as a note and chord arpeggiator for each synthesizer part.
The ADJ Magna Tube is a lightweight acr ylic tube that combines with ADJ par cans to create a glowing-tube effect. The unit comes with four strong magnets, allowing it to be attached to the metallic housing of any Flat Par or WiFLY Par fixtures, slotting easily into the included magnetic gel-frame adapter. Each tube is 39-inches tall and 5.9-inches diameter and rubber covers are included to protect them during transport.
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GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
Magic Show PreSonus Audio Electronics 18011 Grand Bay Court Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 216-7887 www.presonus.com The Studio Magic Plug-in Suite from PreSonus is a seven plug-in bundle designed for the company’s Studio One 3 DAW for Mac and Windows. The bundle is available free to registered owners of any currently available PreSonus audio interface or mixer. Among the included plug-ins are the SPL Attacker, which amplifies all attack events regardless of signal level; Mäag Audio EQ2, which allows for low phase shift across all EQ adjustments; and Arturia’s Analog Lab Lite, a “Greatest Hits” collection of physically modeled—not sampled—classic analog synths, organs, string machines, and pianos from Arturia’s V-Collection of virtual instruments.
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
Up Up-Light & Away
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Adkins Professional Lighting 1559 S Main St Akron, OH 44301 (330) 436-3260 www.AdkinsProfessional.com The EZ Up-Light from Adkins Professional Lighting is a 100-percent wireless fixture that comes equipped with six 6-watt hex color LEDs in Red, Green, Blue, Amber, White and UV. The fixture comes with a built-in kickstand, a built-in battery pack that allows for up to 16 hours of wireless use and internal sound active programs. It can be controlled using an app on a smart phone or with the wireless remote, allowing users to select colors for mixing. Users can also operate the fixture with any DMX512 controller using a wireless transmitter.
Fits Like a Glove Gig Gear LLC 463 Quentin Road Brooklyn, NY 11223 (718) 569-5345 www.gig-gear.com Gig Gloves are designed to protect a DJ’s hands during the setup and tear down of their rigs. Gig Gloves feature strong nylon threading throughout, as well as fold-over fingertips on the thumb, pointer and middle fingers that allow the wearer to use touchscreen devices without having to remove the gloves. In addition, the gloves are designed with TPR molding on the back of the hand and fingers to protect against impact, abrasions and pinching. Gig Gloves are available in three models—Original Gig Gloves, all-black Gig Gloves ONYX and fleece-lined THERMO Gig Gloves—and come in six sizes ranging from XS to XXL.
Pro Sound Effects 240 Kent Ave Brooklyn, NY 11249 (646) 706-7728 www.prosoundeffects.com Industrial Sounds with Soul is a collection of sound effects curated by film sound legends Ann Kroeber and Alan Splet. The 638MB sound library is 100 percent royalty free and it includes 42 sound effects in 24-bit/48kHz broadcast WAV files with descriptive embedded metadata. Users get recordings of roaring factory ambience, oscillating rhythmic machinery, metallic clanks, clicks, ticks and more. A free 33MB, two-sound sampler is available for download and the collection can be purchased as either a download or a flash drive.
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TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS “PURPLE FUNK”
u Mothers Favorite Child feat. CeCe Peniston u Reel People On this tribute to His Royal Badness, Reel People gives us an ultrafunky track—snaky guitars, boppin’ rhythms, Maceo-like horns— while Peniston delivers the vocal goods. A feel-good tune that works for the dancefloor.
– Curtis Zack “DEVIL IN ME”
u Purple Disco Machine feat. Joe Killington & Duane Harden u Sweat It Out
Based on “My House,” PDM’s gospely groover from 2013, this one delivers an immediately catchy vocal, bringing the track some genuine pop potential. It’s a unique melding of undeniable soul, irresistible hooks and authentic club vibes. Check the extended mix with its strolling, “Billie Jean”-like intro.
Full Intention
– Jim Tremayne “SOMEBODY NEW”
u Cedric Gervais (feat. Liza Owen) u Island Records While the original’s a radio-ready, rhythmic pop tune, the “Just Kiddin’ Remix” adds a synth-heavy house vibe to this already juicy jam. Uptempo, hooky and bright, it’s an excellent dancefloor-friendly rework.
– Jennifer Harmon “FEEL THAT”
u Risk Assessment feat. KE u Papa Trax Here’s some more old-school house goodness from scene stalwart Glyne Braithwaite, as he hooks up with Chicago’s KE for vocals. The main mix is the version to play, with those classic, spoken-word vocals and a cheeky synth sample. Terrific. CeCe Peniston
– Curtis Zack
Oliver Heldens
“GIVE ME” EP u Under_Score u Simma Black Two great underground-house tracks here. “Give Me” drops a terrific, percussive-house vibe, while “Stellar” gets more tweaky with vocal-sample snippets, whopping beats and a mega-breakdown.
– Tommy D Funk “MISUNDERSTOOD”
u Miguel Migs feat. Coco Bonne u Salted
Daniel Cova
The irrepressible Migs returns on his Salted imprint for another release that gushes pure class. Of the three mixes here, go with the ultra-smooth “Stripped and Salty Mix”—soulful vocals from Bonne and bumpin’ grooves from Migs.
– Curtis Zack
David Morales
Tim Tailor
“REFRAIN” EP u Uknew u Midknight Records Both tunes, “Telling Me” and “Zone,” are anchored with a similarly sliding bass lines, sputtery rhythms and funky, chopped-up vocals. House tracks that keep it basic, they get straight to the point with solid, hip-shaking grooves.
– Jennifer Harmon “GET FUNKY GET DOWN” (REMIXES)
u The Micronauts u Micronautics
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SEPTEMBER 2017
Remember acid? Breaks, anyone? This reissue offers remixes new and old, as it properly delivers that uniquely tweaky mid-’90s vibe. The original 1995 rouser sounds remarkably fresh, and sharp new mixes from J Dubs and Nature will get booties shaking. But, the draw here is Daft Punk’s almost malevolent, acid-techno re-rub. From ’95, it was the duo’s first remix; a far cry from filter disco, it’s downright ominous.
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– Jim Tremayne
Miguel Migs
Cedric Gervais
“DON’T YOU WANT MY LOVE”
u David Morales pres. The Face feat. Nikki Richards u Def Mix David Morales returns with his Face guise featuring Richards out front on this fully disco-ed up number. A sublime cover of Debbie Jacobs’ 1979 hit, this one’s guaranteed to bring out the glitter and sequins.
– Curtis Zack “VONG” u Tim Tailor u Puregold This whopping, bass-laden house track delivers a dark and disjointed feel, but somehow its quirky mega-groove works. The uplifting, falsetto vocal sample serves as a perfect counterpoint to the track’s otherwise menacing mood. – Jennifer Harmon “ALL I DO” (DR. PACKER REMIX) u Cleptomaniacs u Soul Heaven Neatly updated for 2017 by Australia’s Dr. Packer, this 2001 classic gets a fresh lease of life. Not straying too far from the original, this Bryan Chambers-fronted release could bring the track to whole new audience.
– Curtis Zack “IT’S SET TO GROOVE” (REMIXES)
u Full Intention u Full Intention Records With this remix package of the 2004 club monster – “Uptown” and “Downtown” mixes – house DJs have plenty to get busy with. Check the “Downtown Mix,” with its house-driven 4/4 beat, amazing disco-influenced breakdown and repeating, sexy, female vocal – a hypnotic, full-on banger.
– Tommy D Funk “SUPERFRESH” (OLIVER HELDENS REMIX)
u Jamiroquai u Virgin
The original finds Jay Kay going the nu-disco route and Oliver Heldens’ remix carries the party vibe into overdrive. His signature bouncing bassline and the emphasis on the soulful chorus makes this hyped-up mix a memorable one.
– Jennifer Harmon “TIME TO CHANGE”
u Steven Stone feat. Pete Simpson u Soul Deluxe Stone’s tracks often go under the radar, but, as always, here’s another deep and funky release that delivers the goods. With Simpson providing soulful vocals over a bouncy bassline, this one’s a quality production. – Curtis Zack “PULSAR”
u Philipp Kessler u Bandcamp This 10-minute journey of “ambient space music” from the Swiss synth wiz can serve as a dreamy, hypnotic piece to intro or outro your sets – or it’s chill-room freakout material. Deep and beatless, but no less mesmerizing. – Phil Turnipseed “MEANT TO BE”
u Café 432 feat. Lifford u Soundstate On this rollicking, uplifting R&B/dance number, Lifford delivers an impressive vocal performance. Another top-notch release from Soundstate.
Purple Disco Machine
– Curtis Zack “YOU’RE GONNA WANT ME”
u Sugarstarr & Milkwish u Purple Music Some serious piano-driven, main-room house coming at you from Jamie Lewis’ Purple Music. DJs have two mixes to select from, with Lewis’ edit offering a subtle variation on the original.
– Curtis Zack “SUMMERTIME”
u Milk & Sugar u Milk & Sugar The German duo of Mike Milk and Steven Sugar are back with yet another groovy anthem on their own label. Different, yet very cool and breezy, this should get plenty of action this season.
GUEST REVIEWER: NATASHA KITTY KATT “GET IT BABY (DRUM MIX)”
u Body Music u Razor-N-Tape The beauty of this track lies in the haunting undertones that help to create depth and a strong atmosphere. Opening with dynamic drums and then gradually building into keys and a driving bassline, “Get It Baby”—taken from Body Music’s “Just One” EP—is the epitome of a modern deep-disco track. Razor N Tape doesn’t disappoint.
Natasha Kitty Katt
– Curtis Zack
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Dieselboy
(continued from page 8) ergy—the same reason why I still love drum-n-bass today. DJ Times: Your favorite producers and record labels now? Dieselboy: Producer-wise… Mefjus, Phace, Misanthrop, Prolix, Noisia, Audio, Upbeats, Mind Vortex, DC Breaks, Black Sun Empire and others in that vein. Label-wise… RAM,Vision, Neosignal, Blackout, Trendkill. DJ Times: What was the scene like for you in the early ’90s when you
began spinning underground events? Dieselboy: Back when I started in Pittsburgh, the scene was just superunderground. It attracted people with an underground mentality. It was challenging to find shows to go to—you had to run across a flyer or a poster. There was very little internet and no world wide web, so you had to call information lines—answering machines—for event info. People were really into the music and the DJs. To
be a raver, you really had to work for it. It was the polar-opposite of what you would consider “mainstream” in any way, shape or form – nothing like the way it is nowadays. I really enjoyed it. It felt real as fuck. DJ Times: Going back to the genre’s beginnings, drum-n-bass fans are some of electronic music’s most dedicated—why is that? Is there something about the genre that makes people so loyal?
Dieselboy: Because drum-n-bass, at least in North America, is still underground. It is a challenging music. It isn’t casual music. It requires attention. So, people that love it tend to be very passionate about it. There is also the mentality that drum-n-bass hasn’t gotten the respect it deserves, so fans are really intent on embracing it and promoting it as much as they can.
brand. I felt immediately at home, and immediately productive. With the two players connected to the X1800, and the mixer connected to some speakers, I powered everything on and was successfully performing a set quite literally within minutes. The enormous rotary encoder (jog wheel) in the middle of the unit was most striking when I started to perform. It stands away from the surface of the unit roughly an inch, making it easy to accurately control transport alignment from the edge of the wheel without accidentally scratching when I didn’t want to. Along the bottom edge of the SC5000, one finds an array of buttons much more commonly seen on digital DJ controllers, especially those popular with Serato users: There are buttons to choose hot cue, loop, roll, and slicer functions, along with eight
companion buttons. It allows easy, on-deck setting of cue points, setting or performance of loop points and lengths, triggering loop rolls, and slicing 8-beat loops for interesting performance effects. In preparing this review, I have logged dozens of hours with the two SC5000s I was provided for analysis, taking them through their paces, trying to, metaphorically speaking, find any visible cracks in the handsome façade. If they exist, they’re eluding me. On the contrary, this pair of SC5000s performed flawlessly, and even seemed to take a relatively slow USB thumb drive in stride, allowing me to play material from it from both decks at the same time without a single burp or issue of any kind. (Of course, higher-quality, faster media is recommended for serious performance use.)
Conclusions: If Denon DJ was trying to create a superbly impressive, incredibly flexible, and intensely fun media player for the DJ market — one with great engineering and an industry-leading feature set — all I can say is that they have been wildly successful. I did not find a single thing that felt lacking to me; on the contrary, the SC5000 Prime is pretty much the DJ media player of my dreams, delivering unparalleled on-board capabilities that perform well, are responsive, intuitive and simply enjoyable to use. With a street price in the general neighborhood of $1,900 a pop, they are clearly an investment, and intended for serious users. But what you get for that investment reflects the fact that Denon DJ has set a high and lust-worthy new bar for products in this space.
brute, for example, shines. I found myself wishing for certain things while working with both units – why can’t I easily automate a decay sweep on the TB-03 with my DAW, for example? While Roland does provide a MIDI implementation chart for these parameters, there’s no documentation
as to how to actually do it. The bottom line is that both the TR-09 and TB-03 are solid purchases if you want a vintage re-creation of two pieces of iconic hardware. They may not be full-on game-changers, but they are a lot of fun to work with, sound great, are built solidly, and
provide a great, price-friendly option to anyone who has ever wished they could own a TR-909 or TB-303. It’ll be fun to see how Roland continues its Boutique series, considering its long legacy of beloved synths and drum machines.
edly full of pop sensibilities. Within the production community, do you see a sense of prestige and entitlement held by those who make more complicated tracks and stray away from the mainstream? Laidback Luke: Yes, I guess so – but what does that get you? Nothing is stronger than a song that sticks in your brain and gives you goosebumps. I don’t even remember when I last had goosebumps from listening to an abstract track with all farty sounds that were so-called made from scratch. A lot of times people think about producing too complicatedly, they lose sight of the plot. It’s almost like those super fancy chefs who make these amazing meals that consist of one bite. Afterwards, you get some junk food to make you feel
full anyway. A lot of young producers try to be that chef, most of the time it is just very unnecessary. DJ Times: Looking at the full spectrum of production styles, which artists currently stand out to you? Laidback Luke: It’s such a different time nowadays. Everything sounds amazing, yet ever ything sounds the same. Everything sounds super-polished and loud, yet nothing really stands out. It’s crazy times, if you ask me. I miss the times we had people like Neptunes, old Daft Punk, or even Basement Jaxx to blow us away. I might just finally be getting old, though… DJ Times: There must be some that you admire still… Laidback Luke: I still look up and admire the people who I’ve always
looked up to – people that influenced my DJing like Jeff Mills, Dave Clarke, Bad Boy Bill and Frankie Bones. I’m still in awe by amazing turntablists like QBert, Jazzy Jeff, A-Trak and Craze. I’m very much not impressed by anyone that’s a DJ and stands on the DJ booth or in front of their private jet on Instagram. DJ Times: You’ve earned your reputation as quite a talent scout. What are you looking for in a DJ/producer? Laidback Luke: Obviously, the right tracks, but I often take on producers that haven’t fully developed yet. In that case, I’m looking for humble and open people that are willing to work hard. We really put high standards onto our talent. Sadly enough—and I hate it, too—but DJ skills aren’t enough. We really need to
Sounding Off
(continued from page 34)
havior of the SC5000 right from the unit. Press and hold a certain button on the unit, and the Utility and Preferences screens pop-up. Don’t like the default color choices for the layers? Pick new ones. (They’re reflected on the X1800, too, if you use one.) Many other attributes can be set as desired, from BPM range to what style of key notation is used on the analysis and displays. (I love that it supports the popular Camelot notation I’m used to, among its various choices.) All the aesthetics and technical tricks aside, at the end of the day, a media player needs to do an effective job of… well, playing media. I’m happy to report that the SC5000 does that quite well, too. The placement of controls is logical, and familiar to any DJ who’s spent time with CDJs or media players of practically any
Making Tracks
(continued from page 34) want to work with vintage gear, but on more contemporary terms. At the same time, it would have been interesting if Roland had truly embraced technology, and developed a more intuitive and modern sequencing process – an area where Arturia’s Drum-
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SEPTEMBER 2017
Laidback Luke
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(continued from page 18) you have the end goal in mind, others you just follow the music. When playing with different sounds you often reach your end goal naturally. A lot of times you end up stumbling over tiny mistakes and if you use those properly you will find that you can add an awesome layer of creativity to a track. I used to make tracks by just starting to play around with a preset sound out of a synth and then tweaking it and playing melodies with it. But often that takes up a huge amount of time which I don’t have too much of these days. So recently, to save me a lot of time, and allow myself to still be a family man, I do mostly plan my tracks out conceptually with a finished product in mind. DJ Times: “XOXO” is unabash-
– Jim Tremayne
MP3s in 6
Compiled As July 25, 2017
NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART
NATIONAL URBAN POOL CHART
1 Katy Perry F/ Migos Swish Swish Capitol 2 Louis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee F/Justin Bieber Despacito Universal 3 Ed Sheeran Castle On The Hill Atlantic 4 Miley Cyrus Malibu RCA 5 Rihanna Pose Def Jam 6 Clean Bandit F/ Zara Larsson Symphony Atlantic 7 Deborah Cox Let The World Be Ours Tonight Radikal 8 Sir Ivan I Am Peaceman Peaceman 9 Dj Khaled F/ Rihanna & B. Tiller Wild Thoughts Epic 10 Rasmus Faber We Laugh We Dance We Cry Radikal 11 Peter K Every Day VMG 12 Charlie Puth Attention Atlantic 13 Stargate F/ Sia, Pink Waterfall RCA 14 Leann Rimes Love Is Love Is Love Sony 15 Taryn Manning Gltchlfe Dreamworks 16 Rita Ora Your Song Atlantic 17 Selena Gomez Bad Liar Interscope 18 Jonas Blue F/ William Singe Mama Capitol 19 David Guetta F/ Justin Beiber 2U Def Jam 20 Bruno Mars Versace On The Floor Atlantic 21 Katy Perry F/ Drake & Lil Wayne Bon Appetit Capitol 22 Lady Gaga The Cure Interscope 23 Calvin Harris / Pharrell / Katy Perry & Big Sean Feels Columbia 24 Gia 7 Live And Shine Stiletto 7 25 K.C. & The Sunshine Band Movin’ Your Body Sunshine Sound 26 Alma Chasing Highs Virgin 27 Shawn Mendes There’s Nothing Holding Me Back Island 28 Halsey Now Or Never Capitol 29 Stonebridge F/ Seri Turn It Down For What Stoney Boy 30 Joe Bermudez F/ Megn Ghosting 617 Records 31 Kim Cameron Dancing In The Dark Side FX 32 Drake Passionfruit Republic 33 Nial Horan Slow Hands Capitol 34 Noah Cyrus Stay Together Syco 35 Carley Rae Jepsen Cut To The Feeling Interscope 36 Imagine Dragons Believer Interscope 37 Kym Sims Turn It Up Divamatic 38 Dj Pebbles Heart Away From You Friendship 39 Erasure Love You To The Sky Mute 40 Eric Redd Don’t You Know Carrillo
1 Future 2 Kendrick Lamar 3 J. Cole 4 2 Chains F/ Quavo & Gucci Mane 5 Chris Brown 6 Ayo & Teo 7 Travis Scott F/ Kendrick Lamar 8 Bryson Tiller 9 Lil Uzi Vert 10 Tee Grizzley 11 Wizkid F/ Drake 12 Dj Khaled F/ Rihanna & Bryson Tiller 13 Lil Yachty F/ Migos 14 Migos F/ Gucci Mane 15 Meek Mill F/ Chris Brown & Ty Dolla $ign 16 Jacquees 17 Mike Will Made-It F/ Kendrick Lamar/Gucci Mane 18 Yo Gotti & Mike Will Made-it F / Nicki Minaj 19 Sza F/ Travis Scott 20 Big Boi F/ Killer Mike & Jeezy
Most Added Tracks
1 Calvin Harris / Pharrell / Katy Perry & Big Sean Feels 2 Noah Cyrus Stay Together 3 Alma Chasing Highs 4 Joe Bermudez F/ Megn Ghosting 5 Deborah Cox Let The World Be Ours Tonight 6 Dj Khaled F/ Rihanna Wild Thoughts 7 David Guetta F/ Justin Bieber 2U 8 Nick Jonas Remember I Told You 9 Clint Holmes The Perfect Trance 10 Triarchy F/ J. Lauryn Coconuts
Columbia Syco Virgin 617 Records Radikal Epic Def Jam Island L&L Robbins
REPORTING POOLS Peter K. Productions n Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n OMAP - Wash‑ ington, DC; Al Chasen n Dj Stickyboots - Goshen, NJ; Blake Eckelbarger n Victors - Milwaukee, WI; Chris Egner n Nexus Radio - Chicago, IL; Manny Esparza n Kahoots - Columbus, OH; Ilan Fong n Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle n New York Music Pool - New York, NY; Jackie McCloy n Dixie Dance Kings R - Atlanta, GA; Dan Miller n DJ Rafy Nieves - San Juan, PR; Rafy Nieves n In The Mix - Charlotte, NC; Alfredo Pareja n Mixxmasters - Lithonia, GA; Brian Stephens n DJ Laszlo - Las Vegas, NV; Laszlo Szenasi 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. DDK HAS LIMITED MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE
Mask Off Humble Neighbors Good Drink Privacy Rolex Goosebumps Somethin Tells Me XO Tour Lift3 First Day Out Come Closer Wild Thoughts Peek A-Boo Slippery Whatever You Need B.E.D. Perfect Print Rake It Up Love Galore Kill Jill
Epic Interscope Interscope Def Jam RCA Columbia Epic RCA Atlantic Quality Control RCA Epic Capitol Quality Control Atlantic Republic Interscope Roc Nation RCA Epic
Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5
Jay Z August Alsina Skeme F/ London Jae The Dream F/ Fabolous LeCrae F/ 1K Phew
4:44 Don’t Matter Red Coupe Summer Body Hammer Time
Roc Nation Def Jam One Roc Nation Columbia
NATIONAL LATIN DANCE POOL CHART 1. V.I.P feat Tazz, Areli,LProfeta, J miguelo Toketeo 2. El Gran Combo Besar tu Boca 3. Luis Fonsi feat Daddy Yankee Despacito 4. Nacho Bailame 5. La Banda Pegadita de Los Hombres 6. Ilegales Tamos Happy 7. Vakero Mi Sepelio 8. Prince Royce feat Shakira Deja Vu 9. Limi T21 ft Elvis Crespo Like 10. Grupomania Si Me Quieres No Me Quieres 11. Puertorican Power Ella Tiene 12. Piso 21 Besandote 13. Kevin Roldan Me Gustas 14. Karol G A Ella 15 Hector Acosta La Maleta 16. Lefty Peres & Nino Segarra Goza La Vida 17. Fito Blanco Shape Of You 18. Don Omar feat Sharlene Taute Encanto 19. Gente de Zona Si No Vuelves 20. Farruko Don’t Let Go
V.I.P Music EGC Universal Universal Merenhits Dotel Prod. Mayimba Sony Renew Music Corp. Mania Music Mambiche Warner Latin Hit Universal Venemusic Indie Crown loyalty Latin hits Ent. Sony Latin hits
Most Added Tracks 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Fherramy Sonido Criminal Conjunto Impacto Orq. La Solucion Pedro Alonso
El Diablo 407 Pensando En Ti Eso Es Asi Ya No Vale
ET Music SC AJ Music Ritmo Music Lopera Music
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. ATTENTION DJ TIMES READERS: DJ Times is currently looking for DJs that are interested in reporting to the DJ National Dance/Crossover chart and the DJ Times National Urban Dance chart. Reporterships are open to Record Pools and individual DJs. For more information contact: Dan Miller, dmiller@testa.com
have tracks to be able to spread the name internationally. DJ Times: What’s the key to running a successful music label today? Laidback Luke: In my case, it’s having a good team with people that know about their specialty and that are very passionate about it. People that do a half-job can never operate on a high level. Finding the right people is tough, though! DJ Times: In your experience, how has your artistic approach changed? To what extent has your creative process or music influence evolved? Laidback Luke: When I started my career I was mainly underground house and tech-house. That later became very specialist with my love for techno. This certain niche killed me as an artist. It was too limited, as to what I was capable of as a musician – i.e., coming up with good leads, using chord progressions, making songs, using vocals. So after I broke with techno, I became more all-round as a producer. In 2004, I was doing so much of my own thing and I hit another wall. I realized no one was into what I was doing... or getting what I was doing. I was making music purely for myself at that point. And all of a sudden it clicked that it has to be a 50/50 thing: Keeping the audience in mind and blending it with what you want as an artist as well. DJ Times: Why have the Dutch become so successful in DJ/dancemusic culture? Why did that take off so much in The Netherlands? Laidback Luke: We’ve always had a strong dance culture from the start, so that has always been deeply rooted. I do think one of the main things that kept the quality high is the Dutch crowd and mentality. The
Dutch crowd is super-picky and, if you screw up or deliver less quality, even if they are your biggest fans, they’ll tell you in your face. Another thing that helps is that the Dutch are very smart when it comes to doing business. Overall, very professional – and even cunning, I’d say. DJ Times: Why do you think dance music and DJ culture have become such a global phenomenon? After years of essentially ignoring it, even the U.S. has gotten into the act in recent years… Laidback Luke: Even the Chinese are getting onto it now! I think dance music can be understood by everyone. It’s the native rhythm and moving to beats that can appeal to anyone. Becoming a DJ is relatively easy, especially when you compare it to bands onstage or anything else on stage. Try becoming a stand-up comedian and compare it to what most Top 10 DJs have to offer when it comes to skills… DJ Times: In the U.S., anyway, it seems that this music and culture has spread via internet and festivals, as opposed to clubbing.Younger fans here don’t seem to have the attention spans that clubbers/ravers once had, in terms of trusting the DJ to take them on a journey. These days, the kids want instant gratification and tunes they know. How does a DJ react to that? Laidback Luke: I’ve noticed that and I have been one of the first DJs to play sets like that—so I’m partially to blame! I’ll still have the journey in there, though, but on a much more explosive level. Dance music has become very poppy as well now. So in order for the mainstream crowd to get it and to keep them occupied, you’ll need to give them sets like that.
DJ Times: How do you balance your musical career and your immersion into martial arts? Does one side help the other? Laidback Luke: Both sides complement each other. Through crashing and burning, I’ve learned that a fit life is highly beneficial for your stress levels and, obviously, you feel much better in a healthy body. I make working out and eating mindfully a top priority every day. My workouts aren’t long… just 45 minutes to an hour a day, but they set me off into the day fully energized! DJ Times: What’s next for you and what keeps you excited about DJing and producing? Laidback Luke: What’s next for me is a new album in the making, but
I’m particularly excited about the VLOGs and video tutorials I’m making right now. You can find those on my Youtube Channel under “Laidback Luke.” With my long career, I have so much experience I can share, and I still thrive on helping people out. DJ Times: If you were to give advice to our DJ/readers on how to carve out a successful career of making music and DJing, what would it be? Laidback Luke: Have a vision, have a dream, and then do anything you can to sculpt that out over a course of five or 10 years. No matter what people will say to you, or how many setbacks you have, work hard and work smart to make your dream come true! n
Spinning Sports (continued from page 26)
make it sound incredible to your ears. We learned from and fed off each other and, at some point, he came to know what I wanted in a song without me telling him. Having a partner is easy, but having the right partner is key. DJ Times: What was your studio process? Razor: We had a system. I would work on vocals and arrangements, while he would lay down the sounds and handle the final mixdown. If I wasn’t sure on a track’s direction, I could always ask Guido and know his answer would inspire me to something even greater. He would always push for better sounds, even if it took days, and many tried to find them. Sometimes we worked separately, but we always completed a project as a team. DJ Times: And the gigs?
Razor: Club gigs also had a process. He knew my style and I knew his, so we didn’t have any questions when it came down to who was playing what. It would really depend on who was playing first and how the crowd was responding. Sometimes I would open the room and test the waters and then sometimes he would start – we often didn’t know until we got there. Sometimes I would jump in his set and play something and sometimes we would both play at once. It wasn’t unusual to have four tracks going at once. DJ Times: Quite a team... Razor: Guido was more than a partner – he was like a brother to me. We worked together and lived together, and always helped one another, no matter what the situation. I have learned so much from him and would not be in this position if we had never met. I am so grateful to call him my true partner. n
Mr. C: Wise Words from a Superfreq
50
“To the palace of wisdom.”
Great minds think alike, right?
Brittany Somerset
DJ TIMES
SEPTEMBER 2017
“The road of excess leads…
Mr. C, Next Month in DJ Times
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