JOSE S. GUTIERREZ JR.: WHAT IS A DJ? >>>

Having been a DJ since I was 6 years old has been a blessing and a challenge. I grew up spinning (actually “scratching”) on my mother’s Technic turntable â€" yeah, just one! So, recently I have been asked by cats interested in the art and culture of the DJ, “What is a DJ?” There are many answers to that question, but here is what I suggested a novice do to earn an authentic answer.

I felt rather than just having the novice follow me, I would recommend that he/she visit a successful night at a club where a dope and accomplished DJ could be studied. I recommended that the novice visit The Royal Lounge in Olympia on Re:Fresh Fridays where, The 25360 DJ of The Year, DJ Drastik would be. There were many DJs I could have recommended … I chose to forward the novice to visit Drastik because he is a rarity in that he has excellent programming (music selection), he is a personality (he interacts with the crowd/audience), he is enthusiastic (he has a good time doing his thang-thang on the 1s and 2s) and he is an original, genuine party rocker! This is rare … most so-called DJs I have encountered are content to be followers and biters of other DJs, and few are focused on pushing the art and culture into new creative realms. Drastik does this with his attitude alone.

Read what happens at The Royal Lounge on Friday at the Weekly Volcano Web site.