Well, I think I made it pretty clear how I love playing 45s, so here is round 2 of the mixes I made. Enjoy!… Read more...
Mixtape Monday: 45-7 Vol 2
2
Category Archives: DJs
Scratching Cassettes
I hear cassettes are coming back in style, at least in a retro way… although I told a friend I was coming out with a new mix and was going to put it out on cassette, and he said he didn’t know if he’d even be able to play it. Well, either way, He couldn’t play it like this guy—in fact, I can’t even play records like this!… Read more...
Mixtape Monday: DJ Crimson’s Tribute to Stax
I‘ve never been shy about my love for the wonderful soul music the Stax/Volt label released through out its lifetime, and I’ve been planning a tribute mix for the label for years. Of course, someone beat me to it… but for a change I’m not mad at all!… Read more...
Mixtape Monday: Delgado in Dub
Those of you who know me well (or even just read my last post), know that I love dub music. Although many of the most famous reggae tracks ever are associated with great vocalists, there is no doubt that drum and bass is the foundation and enduring truth of reggae music. This is my tribute to dub.… Read more...
Mixtape Monday: Soul Boulders 2!
I’ve mentioned before that Oakland gives me an opportunity to surround myself with some really great DJs. This week we feature Matthew Africa, a soul encyclopedia who is also frequently the answer to the question “who is your favorite DJ’s favorite DJ?”… Read more...
Keeping 45s Alive!
Tomorrow is the monthly 45 Sessions party at Disco Volante in Oakland, featuring the Oakland Faders‘ own DJ Platurn, DJ Enki, and E Da Boss. For those of you who live in the area and haven’t been yet—you’re missing out.… Read more...
How to Be a Bicycle Based DJ
Bike art by Jose Pulido
As many of you know, I am a bicycling fanatic. Ok, not like a spandex guy, but I simply don’t see the reason to operate a car in a situation where you can ride a bike. I ride my bike to work as often as possible… no matter what work it is!
The bike I ride…. everywhere.
In the 90′s I did a radio show and played hundreds of parties, bars, and clubs, but didn’t have access to a car. On reflection… Read more...
Equipment
It’s the Xmas season for many of us, and I know a ton of DJs are playing with their new toys… or furiously exchanging gifts for cash to go get some! One thing about us (not sure here if I’m talking about DJs, musicians, or men in general) is that we LOVE electronics—and the newer the better. No matter what type of music a DJ plays, I can always start a conversation about the equipment they use. It’s also one of the first questions I get asked by newer DJs, and it is indeed the very first question this blog received (thank you Juan R. in Hayward)!
Mixtape Monday: DJ Skyscraper Originals IV—Tupac
Like a lot of you, I love Hip Hop music. Not just the songs, but the songs that make the songs. This week, DJ Skyscraper joins us with a great mix that highlights one of my favorite rappers and the songs that were sampled to make some of his greatest hits. A long time hip hop DJ from a rather unusual location, Skyscraper is no stranger to digging for samples—this is the fourth mix in his Originals series. Listen to the mix below while you read a very insightful interview with the man himself. Be sure to check out his mixcrate page for more music!
What
Mixtape Monday: DJ Enki Breaks it Down
Like many obsessive music listeners, I hear music all the time. And not just when it’s playing—it’s in my head all the time. Oftentimes it’s a favorite song, but frequently it’s just vaguely recognizable beats with semi-familiar melodies floating in and out. This is the soundtrack to my daily comings and goings, always just out of the reach of my consciousness.
I had always wondered at those “songs” floating through my mind, but I never imagined that such a funky, free floating montage of music could actually be recorded and put to disc. And
