Thomas

Hey, don't laugh because I only have a few friends on here. I JUST GOT ON HERE!!!I've lived in the south suburbs of Chicago almost all my life. I really woulden't want to live anywhere else. Chicago is a great city. It's also the city where House music was born. If it weren't for the pioneers like Ron Hardy, Frankie Knuckles, and Jamie Principle, there woulden't be the 1000+ genres of EDM we listen to today. If you have about three hours to spare, do a Google search for "Pump Up The Volume". It's the story of how it all started. I've watched it about four times. It was shown only in the UK. It was interesting to see people on there that I have met many years ago. Like Larry Sherman, owner of Trax records, who released two records I made.I've been spining records for 22 years now. When I'm an old man I will still have my turntables set up. I may need to lower the decks so I can reach from my wheelchair. In addition, some extra loud headphones for the Belltone. I remember being introduced to dance music when I was about ten years old. My father was a guy who liked to party and have many people at our house. the parties would start out with music by Sinatra, Bobby Darin, and Louie Prima (yes, he was quite the Guido). But, after the cocktails and other substances started to flow, he would put on the mix shows from WBMX and WGCI. That was when the parties really got started. I remember really taking a liking to that music. It wasn't disco. It wasn't Pop or Rock. It was like nothing I have ever heard before. It set a vibe like no other. So, I would stay up late recording the mixes in my room.Then came the break dancing days. Although I wasn't much of a dancer back then, my contribution to gatherings was the music. I would play the mix tapes I had and began to enjoy the reactions I would see from some songs. I decided to take the music one step further. Using a duel tape deck, I would edit the mixes down. I would keep only the best songs and the best parts of them. The response to my mixes of other peoples mixes was huge. Friends were always asking for copies of the tapes I would edit. Then, I wanted to take it even further. I wanted to record my own mixes. The problem was I had no idea how to do it. At the time, the only dj set-up I ever saw was a breif glimpse of one in the movie Beat Street. Being in the suburbs, I didn't know of any dj's in my area. (I later found out there were two) My first day of high school I met a guy that was really in the breakin scene. He must of had ten pairs of Puma shoes. He introduced me to a guy with the cheapest dj set-up ever. At the time, I was in heaven and had to buy the same set-up. So, for $300 I had what was needed. I was forced to teach myself how to mix because the only dj in my town had a bit of an attitude. I would buy all the same records from the mix tapes I still recorded. Then, try and mix the songs exactly as they were from the tapes. And that's how it happened. From 85 to 89 I played Chicago style house and some Detroit Techno. Then, in 91 a friend brought me to Medusa's. I can honestly say that was a life changing experience. Teri Bristol and Psycho Bitch (Val) played the most amazing tracks downstairs. It was there I discovered artists like Lords of Acid, The Shamen, and Thrill Kill Kult. While upstairs, I discovered artists like Sisters of Mercy, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, and The Cult. Ever since, I have always enjoyed music with a sort of dark element. Even in the Trance tracks I have been playing since 98. These days, I can be found at Neo on most Sundays.