DJ Plez profile picture

DJ Plez

It's All About House Music!

About Me

I'm a club DJ who spins all forms of house music: deep, jack, tribal, progressive, funky disco, and plenty of old-school classics. I'm the Saturday night resident DJ @ Mary's Attic in Andersonville & my cheese-head credentials are earned via a monthly residency at PUMP! in Milwaukee (Decibel Nightclub). +++++++++++I'm a former commercial banker who is now utilizing the other side of my brain in my current artistic endeavors. The excitement and joy I get from being in the DJ booth is second to none. ++++++++++++I'm also somewhat of a journalist as I am the Music Editor of - and write a column for - ChicagoPride.com and BOI Magazine. +++++++++++I'm currently single and still healing from the end of a 15-year relationship. I thought I'd grow old with my former mate, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.

My Interests

I'm a huge sports fan and I absolutely love "The Beautiful Game" - soccer. Fave teams: Liverpool, Barcelona, AC Milan, and the Chicago Fire. Fave current players: Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Owen, Raul, Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Ruud van Nistelrooy. ++++++++++++ I'm a bit of a governmental and political junkie. +++++++++++++ I've become a dog lover and am particularly fond of the basenji breed ("the barkless dog"). I have a red & white basenji boy whose name is Wilson. He's got a wonderful personality and the cutest face. I'm a very proud parent! :-) +++++++++++ Surprising to some, I love NASCAR. Old-school favorite: Cale Yarborough. Current fave is Jeff Gordon. I also like Dale Jr., Carl Edwards, and Jimmie Johnson. +++++++++ I love to travel and have had some amazingly fun travel adventures over the years.

I'd like to meet:

House-heads of the world and those who realize that it really is all about the music. +++++++++Any basenji owners or those who love the breed.+++++++++ Those of you who love "The Beautiful Game."

Music:

"It's All About House Music!" Favorite record labels are Defected, Stealth, Classic, Strictly Rhythm, & Star 69. +++++++++ DJing Influences: Victor Calderone, Junior Vasquez, David Morales, Derrick Carter, John Digweed, Danny Tenaglia, Johnny Fiasco, Frankie Knuckles, Danny Howells, & Ralphi Rosario. +++++++++Favorite Groups: Earth Wind & Fire (Gratitude was the first album I remember listening to as a kid) , Genesis (Three Side Live just cooks), Pearl Jam (Vs. still blows me away), Journey, Parliament/Funkadelic ("One Nation Under A Groove"), The Who (I like them better than the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin). +++++++++++Favorite Solo Artists: Stevie Wonder (Songs In The Key Of Life is sinmply brilliant), Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Frank Sinatra, Prince, Michael Jackson, Madonna.

Old Asher Roth Stuff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B0OQRh0S8o

Yes, I'm a house-head, but I recently got turned on to rapper/lyricist Asher Roth and I'm completely digging his rhythm and flow.

Movies:

L.A. Confidential, Bad News Bears, The Color Purple, Terms of Endearment, Dr. Zhiavago, Brokeback Mountain, Do The Right Thing, Shawshank Redemption, Heat, The Manchurian Candidate (the original with Sinatra and Landsbury)

Television:

I'm a TV addict! New season fave: Dirty Sexy Money. The Wire (one of the best shows ever), Sportscenter, Hardball w/ Chris Matthews, 24, Law & Order (in all its formats), Top Chef and cooking shows on the Food Network (especially Good Eats), The Shield, Project Runway, CSI: Miami (I just love all the over-acting).

Books:

In Cold Blood, Cold Mountain, She's Come Undone, And The Band Played On, The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Heroes:

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Winston Churchill; Abraham Lincoln; Nelson Mandela; and Oprah

My Blog

Paulina Monologue: "Sway" Available for Download

The Paulina Monologue: "Sway" Mixed by DJ Plez This is the first in a series of mixes that I am calling The Paulina Monologue.  "Sway" is a jazzy groovy mix that's great for a fun cocktail party...
Posted by DJ Plez on Wed, 28 May 2008 07:31:00 PST

May 2008 Top 10 Playlist

I really haven't shared with you all a Top 10 List in recent weeks, so here's what's been in heavy rotation the past month or so. DJ Plez Top 10 Playlist (as of May 22, 2008) 1. Groove Armada - Love S...
Posted by DJ Plez on Thu, 22 May 2008 12:14:00 PST

Continuous Mix Available on Download: Wade-ing Thru The Beat

Recently my friend Wade asked me to make him a new mix.  I asked him what kind of music he wanted and he replied: "I like it happy, dark, and energetic."  Hmmm.  Given those rather broa...
Posted by DJ Plez on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:22:00 PST

Update: MKE Pumphouse Return & A Top 10 Playlist

DJ Plez Update   The weather finally seems to be warming up a bit here in the Midwest, so hopefully I'll see more of you venturing out in Chicago and Milwaukee this weekend.  And spea...
Posted by DJ Plez on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:41:00 PST

Top 10 Playlist - January 2008

Here's what's been getting the most play from me in the most recent weeks.  - Natasha Bedingfield  Love Like This  Johnny Vicious Warehouse Mix  - Mighty Dub Katz  Just Another Groove  N...
Posted by DJ Plez on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:27:00 PST

Thanksgiving Groove Line Mixes - Available for Download

I had two mixes on Fusion last night, but was so hurried yesterday that I forgot to post a bulletin as well as a blog with the tracklisting.  So here goes.  And I will probably make the mixe...
Posted by DJ Plez on Sun, 18 Nov 2007 06:03:00 PST

"Take Em To Church!" Continuous Mix Download

"Take 'Em To Church!" This is an older mix of mine from a couple of years ago, but trust me the mix as a whole as well as the individual tracks, some of which date back to the early 1990s, stand the ...
Posted by DJ Plez on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 06:41:00 PST