Property of Gotta Dance Dirty
There’s no denying DJ Dan is one of the forefathers of house music. His roots dig into the very soul of this vast, head pounding, foot stomping, dace fever-inducing love of ours. We jumped at the chance to shoot a few questions his way and catch up with the legend. As he gears up for One Tribe Festival, he walks us through his year thus far, as well as his own thoughts on his place in the scene. Read the full script after the jump!
GDD: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us Dan, what’s new?! Tell us about some of the highlights of your year so far.
A:It’s been an amazing year so far. I’ve done several InStereo parties around the country and they’ve all been a great success. Mainly just featuring local artists and producers in every area, some of the best ones were in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Kauai…we bring out true house heads that are really into the InStereo sound. I’m also still doing my “Funk The House” residency at King King in Los Angeles (which is the best underground House club in LA) and that’s been amazing. I’ve had several really great tunes out this year including ones with Dj PP, Peter Brown, Mike Balance and Diva Danielle as well as some really funky remixes for Fort Knox Five and The Mystic Roots Band. I’m getting really excited for Burning Man this year too. I’ll be hosting an entire night at the really wild and crazy “Slutgarden” camp on Friday September 4th….as well as many others that are yet to be announced. I’ve also been doing several fundraisers for my Burning Man camp (Camp Charlie) here in LA as well as some really great ones in San Francisco. Some of my most standout gigs have been the Daybreakers party here in LA as well as my regular gig at The Grasshopper Underground in Detroit, also my shows in Chicago, Toronto, Vegas, Washington DC and New York and Seattle and the Apt Entertainment agency party in Austin for SXSW with my good friends Mark Farina, Collette and Heather. Some of my favorite festivals I’ve played have been The Love Festival, EDC, Leyenda, Boogaloo Mountain Jam, Hydrotechnics Festival, The Love Groove Festival and The Hamilton Street Festival. It’s definitely been a busy and incredible year so far.
GDD: Your “Stereo Damage” is a house favorite over here at GDD. How do you find time to coordinate the show amidst your crazy touring schedule?
A: You know, it’s actually pretty smooth doing the show. I always wanted to do a podcast that was coming from an organic place where I could feature great music (with variety) and keep the talking to a minimum. It’s all about the music, not the hype. Most of my mixes I do come from my live sets or when I feel I have an honest story to tell through my mix, I don’t force it. As far as guests go, I reach out to artists (known or unknown) who are inspiring me at the moment and the mixes keep flowing in. Once the mixes are all in, it takes about half a day to record everything and get it uploaded to all outlets. It’s pretty simple really and quite a pleasure to do, since I don’t have to deal with any politics or any unnecessary corporate or management influences. It’s just all about the music.
GDD: I think it’s safe to say there has been a big resurgence of love for house music across the masses in the last couple of years. Being such a staple in the scene for so long, have you seen these trends rise and fall a fair amount?
A: I’ve seen so many trends in music since I started in 1991. The one thing that I’ve noticed is that “House” has remained a constant staple in dance music. I prefer to mix many styles together when I play out so it keeps unpredictable and ultimately a lot of fun for me and the crowd. This allows me to pull from years of great music like funk, disco and early house classics that still sound amazing today. Since the term “House” is the respected and consistent basis to all of dance music, I think people like to attach the term to many styles like “Deep House” and “Future House”……..all of which contain some great music as well as some questionable stuff. In my personal opinion, SOME of the stuff in those genres use the term “House” as a security blanket to hide behind. Some of it should really be in new genres called “Garage inspired blown out bassline music that sounds a lot like bad electro” or “Trance that sounds like you’re on a bad acid trip disguised as House” LOL….Just saying. I look at it like this, play what you love and play it well. If you have good taste you can play from many sources and there’s going to be a crowd that gravitates toward your vibe. It’s really just about being honest and pure about your intentions when you play and you should always play from the heart. That’s what I think is the key to a long successful career that some of my favorites (who have been true to their sound) like Danny Tennaglia, Derrick Carter, Sneak, Doc Martin, Mark Farina, Richie Hawtin, Lee Burridge, Craig Richards and Carl Cox. Trends come and go but honestly if it feels good to you, it will most likely feel good to everyone else too.
GDD: What has kept you at it for this long?
A:Honestly when I first started dj’ing I only saw myself doing it for a few years because I really was pulled the whole time feeling guilty about not pursuing my fashion design degree that I worked so hard to earn in college. Then one day I had a great talk with my mom and she showed me a picture of me getting my hair cut at 5 years old and I was spinning a 45 record really fast on the barber’s drawer knob with the happiest but crazy intense look in my eyes. She said, you know this has always been your true calling right? It made me realize that my purpose was to make people happy and bring them together through music. It’s also been amazing therapy for me to be honest. This music has gotten me through some amazing and hard times. I play off my mood and I have a friend who finally admitted to me that he liked to piss me off before I played because I played funkier and more aggressive….that bastard, haha! I guess it’s kind of true, I am so affected by my mood. I look at it like this, as long as I wake up every morning and the first thing I think about and get excited about is my hunt for good music and great samples to make tracks with, I know I’m still meant to continue my journey through this music.
GDD: Touching on that, many of the talented acts you’re playing alongside can list you as one of their top influencers. How does it feel to be one of the forefathers in such a tight-knit scene?
A: It feels great to hear it from artists that I also admire because I know they are also coming from the heart while they are performing or making music. At EDC, the Soul Clap guys played such an amazing set that I walked up on stage while they were playing to tell them how much I loved their set and they each separately pulled me aside and told me I was one of their biggest musical influences from so many years of hearing me play live. That was such an amazing feeling because I also really love their music. Jake Shears from Scissor Sisters has also been a fan for many years which was also surprising! Again, it’s just confirmation that I have found my calling and am following my passion in this lifetime.
GDD: Are there any newer acts who you’re really feeling?
A: I’ve really been into Doorly, Gussy, Slideback, Agua Sin Gas, Alaia & Gallo, Angello Scallici….there are too many to mention!
GDD: Any favorite tracks at the moment?
A: Jay Vegas – Bad Behavior, Alaia & Gallo – The Message, The Bird Cage – Watch Me Dance, Herve & Trevor Loveys – Jackin with your mom……so many more but you’ll have to come hear me play next time and see!
GDD: Let’s talk about One Tribe Festival. What are your thoughts on the lineup they’ve put together? Likely one of the most talented and unique Southern California has seen in some time.
A: I’ve been working with the B3 guys for years now and they’ve always believed that the quality of the music is the first priority. It’s a really refreshing lineup for people that want to hear quality music across the board. But it is not surprising because between B3 and ID&T, this is going to be one of the most incredible events that Southern California has seen in years. They are doing this from a place of great intention and really care about quality music, good vibes, and unity. I think it’s going to be the start of something magical and I’m very proud to be involved with such great friends and family.
Thanks again Dan, any last things you’d like to tell the people?
A: I just want to thank everybody who has been sending me so much love and support during a time when trends come and go so fast. I realize how blessed I have been to remain busy touring in this country for this many years and I am committed to bringing the best of myself through my music and feel grateful every day for being so lucky to do so. Without the love and support of everybody in this community my music would be falling on deaf ears…THANK YOU!!! I don’t take this for granted and will continue to bring you the funk that you crave! Much Love —-Dj Dan
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