It's June 15, 2024, 10:01:43 PM
Is there actual mixtapes/albums of his mixes? He couldn't be bad if DJ Jazzy Jeff co-signed him.
Stepping Til The A.M., R.I.P. DJ AMhe truly taught me the art of taking risks.we first met at a maxim superbowl party in 2005. as usual i wasshocked that he was in awe and happy to see me. he told me of hisphilly roots and INSTANTLY stopped his uber pulsed 130 bpm electronicfest that at that point even i will admit had me even hypnotized--well this being my first type of party of this stature in which evercliche was going on around me on some sex, drugs, rock n rollish------to start playing....real hip hop?i yelled "no man! dont do that for my benefit! do you see that 5 girlmake out fest on the floor? put that Daft back on man!!"he laughed at me. "its past 1am....they're already warmed up"i didn't get it but he taught me the 1am rule. he said you spend thefirst two hours in foreplay "warming them up"---but the second that1am arrives (presuming the crowd has um....."warmed up" at the bar andwhatnot") THIS is when you establish your legend. you take risks andyou use their vulnerable state to truly establish an imprint in theirmemory bank.that night i was jaw dropped at how this mofo found a common threadbetween michael jackson, herbie hancock, alan thicke's "differentstrokes theme", a diplo Seinfeld remix and james brown.that night changed my life forever.and im not the only dj to tell this story.those not in the know can scoff "blah blah nicole ritche" all theywant"---dude was a maverick in the highest order.i changed my entire approach to djing and my approach to how ilistened to music. yes you've heard me use that quip before whendescribing the late great j dilla as well. but that is using all musicto create music. now i have to use all my knowledge of music to SHAREmusic.i mean of course i love the andy griffith theme...but how do i make itwork in a club context?see! you have adam to thank all those times you've heard me go from:-a breakbeat sample-the song that used that sample-a jazz song from the 40s-some commercial ish i would never imagine in a bajillion yearsplaying 10 years ago-some crazy underground ish you aint up on-some rock ish that my 80s patrons remember their big sibblinglistening to back in the day-some funk jam their aunt and uncle played at the bar b que-some real hip hop-some disco song....i mean i can go on and on and on.....i started treating records likethey were 10,000 piece puzzles that i had to assemble the right way inorder for you to have a good time....before i just showed up and played whatever. never giving a thought toa strategy.now i spend a minimum of 20 hours some days before testing and preppingeach step i take at the booth.how can i shock em?how can i move em?how can i make em say "YO MAN HE IS MY FAVORITE DUDE ON TURNTABLES?!"how can i match that night at the maxim party that i first saw DJ AM?