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DJ Schwin Interview

What do you want readers to know about you?
I'm a very chill cat in person. been called a zen monk a few times. but most importantly, I embraced a life with music leading me into an array of facets in the music world. I of course dj, but also engineer (studio and stage) as well as make music. i'm a lover of all kinds of music.

Why and when did u decide to call yourself DJ Schwin?
"Every girl wants to ride a schwinn" LOL! No really, i've held other dj names in the 94-97 but eveyone knew me as "schwin." so why not. in 2000 it was just dj schwin.

You have a very interesting Myspace headline "Music is like an Orgasm," can you talk about that?
Oh yeah. everyone knows that it's a very indiscribable feeling. good music makes you feel a certain way. music could be fast, slow, hard, soft, etc. etc. etc. it's not how popular a song gets, but how much you enjoy it.

While the DJ plays an important role in the clubs, they do get overlooked at times. What's your take on your role and responsibility?
in a night club specifically, i have several roles.
1) spin the music for the given feel of the night. i mean who spins r&b songs during an underground hip hop night?
2) control the crown using music
3) use music to bring certain crowds to the dance floor and others to the bar, but not ruin the feel of the night.as a dj that spins to express himself, well it's a free for all in which during my set, you will have the ride of your life!

How did you get your start?
i first started back in 1994 at santa clara university in california. at first it was just something to do with the boys. then it was the frat/soroity, student club, and house parties. then in 1997 got involved with the underground rave scene. i started out spinning the the undergound hip hop rooms. then found myself drawn to the drum n bass rooms, then the trance rooms, then the house rooms. with all that i discovered downtempo, it's a funky electronic hip hopish worldly music. that got me spinning in different cities. in 2000 i moved from SF to LA, hollywood specifically. after running the circuit there, i moved back home to hawaii in 2005. my start in hawaii was over at bamboo @ chain's back in april 2005. after that it was a whole new story.

A lot of DJs slowly work there way up the dj chain through networkingetc..talk about your progressions from the days where opportunities were limited until now?
i'd say that i've been blessed. it wasn't so much that i looked for opportunities. they kinda got presented to me. but yes, in extremely hard networks such as hollywood, networking is very important. here, the opportunities are limited. everyone who's heard me say that i'm awesome, but promoters like to hire their favorites. since i've only been in the scene for 3 years here, not everyone's heard me. besides, i'm an electronic dj, but i sure spin the hell out of hip hop, r&b, dancehall and reggaton, you know, radio music.

If I were to ask promoters your fellow friends who spin about you, what would they say?
"Who's that?" like i said, most people haven't heard me. but for what i'm known for is making people dance. tell me to spin almost genre of music, i will get people dancing. also i'll known for throwing music that you've never heard before and you will dance to it or at the very least really like it.

What makes you more than just some guy in the dj booth who playsmusic/jukebox dj?
The distinguishing point is using music selection to control the crowd. a lot of the young djs i've seen today don't have this trait. all the old schooler's do it. it's not about throwing a popular song with a popular song then followed by a popular song. it's about using that popular song and mixing it about with some of the songs that you see fit for that crowd. also, if you keep all the people on the dancefloor, no one is drinking. if the bar doesn't sell alcohol, you don't have a place to party. only a handful of dj's on the island know this one. there is no way a jukebox or inexperienced dj can do this. besides, do you know how many songs i have in my head that i could use to make people feel certain things? it's insane!

What are some of your most memorable experiences as a dj?
i have a lot or rock star memories, but my fondest is of myself, dj werd, kero one and controller 7 in the garage taking turns spinning while the other boys were passing the mic. this was way before any of us blew up.the best rock star memory was spinning at a loft party in LA that me and the boys threw. calling it a rated "r" night is an understatement. Being a DJ in Hawaii can be competitive,

How did you break in the business. What are some noteworthy clubs you've played at?
I broke in the business by hooking up with Evol Entity. My first residency was at Bamboo @ Chai's back in 2005 with dj technique opening up for me and dj's statik , mixmaster b, and k smooth in the other room. man i miss that party. since then i've played @ Venus, O Lounge, Aaron's, Xyloh, Lotus, the W, Chai's and even club 939.

Current residencies?
Venus - Fridays
O Lounge - Saturdays

What's your number goal as far as your career as a DJ?
I've done the 7 day a week thing and hit burn out. i'd like to do 4 nights. that's a good number. but i'll say this, if a dj is to survive by just dj'ing, we gotta start making more money in this circuit. LA had a $150/HR minimum with a minimum of 2 hours. here guys do it for $100 for 2 hours on the average. some guys get shafted a lot worse.

Is there a song you don't particularly like but always find yourselfplaying, either by not realizing it or from a direct request?
That's a tough one. if it's part of my set it's a song i can at least tolerate. if i don't like it, i make it known that i don't like it. i can pretty much say that any song in my sets are my choices. if you've heard me spin before, you know if i've been told to play a song.

How often do you play for yourself? How often do you play strictly for the crowd?
I play for myself every time i'm there early and the club is not open. either that or at home.every time i'm in the club i'm playing for the crowd. but hey at least i have fun when i get to sneak in something different and people don't realize it.

Most annoying things a dj must face?
I hate it when i'm limited to what i can play. the other one is, i hate close minded crowds. probably the most annoying thing is the request for the song that i just played 10 minutes ago. one of the dj rules is "never play the a song more than once in the course of a night."

Most rewarding aspects of being a dj?
The most rewarding thing is that i get paid to do what i love. not very any people can say that. not to mention that i got to travel with it and meet so many cool people.

Party for DJ Skid

Lovefest Shoutz!

In order of appearance

Kevin, Kevin's gf, Zane, PSI, Jannie, G, Stu, Bone, Technique, Aaron, Daniel J, Sickboy, Pam, Mox, Ikon, Delve, Wu Chang, Lyz, CJ, Donovan, Krystilez, Betty, Don, Lava, the b-girl that tore it up, the light stick kids, Taharba and the dozens of happy boys and girls who i forgot to mention..(i'll add u when and if I remember..)

THROWback Pik...

Mos Def @ Pipeline Cafe, Honolulu.

FREE Little Brother show @ Next Door

I.A interview preview..

Collectively do you think Hawaii hip hop artists are unified or is everyone kind of on their own seperate grinds?

I.A. – Hip Hop is competitive from when it started. As far as Hawaii, there are several different crews but we are all one movement. We all do our own thing but I see most people showing respect where its due, especially to the OG’s in the Hawaii Hip Hop scene. We need to continue raising the bar to get the attention I feel we deserve as a movement.

Specifically speaking, how does this album top your first?

I.A. - It’s not so much topping the last album, but more like continuing the story. My first project was introducing myself as an MC and what I stand for. This album is defining that.

Jabba gettin ill wit it..

THROWback Pic.......

Up Close with Mistah Mef..ROCK THE BELLS HAWAII 07

Video mix by DJ Jai Freedom

RANK

Here's my ranking of the top five Hawaii deejays of the summer based on party rocking, song selection, crowd response and overall flair and flava.



1- ANIT
2- Jami
3- Technique
4- XL
5- Sick Boy

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L4 G.O!!

Lovefest Afterhours

DJ Lost Boy Spinzone

http://honoluluweekly.com/calendar/spinzone-feature/2008/07/get-lost-boy/

I'll post the interview up soon..

Honolulu Weekly Spinzone interview: QUES

WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
That I am Hip Hop! I live it, eat it, drink it, think it, and feel it.
I want the people who knew me from before to know that I'm not just a DJ anymore. I am evolved to what most DJs become.
The producer

HOW DID YOU GET INTO DJING?
The love for music. That and a long time friend of mine got me into DJing house parties and bars. I must say, those were some of my best years. Only bad thing was that I was forced to play top 40 while I had love for underground music.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO MAKING BEATS?
I wanted to make extended versions of songs that would make it easier to mix. Like adding a break to a song to give me leeway for mixing in to another song. So I went out to buy this software called "Sonar" from cakewalk. There was a free version of Fruity loops that came with it. After messing around with it and discovering it's capabilities. I built up in interest in making beats.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT DJING AND PRODUCING?
It's fun! It keeps me away from trouble. It's being able to teach people who wants to learn. It's finding that familiar break in an old record. It's the sound of the dust that comes from an old record. It's being able to scratch over your OWN beats. It's having my friends come together to freestyle again. It collaborating with different artists and other MCs.
It's Hip Hop and I love it.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU?
http://www. myspace. com/questheproducer


WHAT DOES THE UNDERGROUND HIP HOP SCENE MEAN TO YOU? DESCRIBE IT FOR THOSE UNFAMILAR?
It's that good old fashioned Hip Hop. We're living on the legacy of the Golden Age era in 1993 till infinity. DJs, MCs, b-boys/b-girls, and graffiti is what keeps the underground alive! It's Hip Hop and it's life style. Also, we bring music that is not heard from the average listener. It's not music for the media to exploit. The underground is for the real hip hop head who appreciates the sound of the boom bap and the lyrics of an MC. Whether it's songs that still have scratching and turntable riffs in them. Maybe even a human beat box. It may be old school but it's still a breath of fresh air.


HOW DOES THE OAHU'S UNDERGROUND SCENE DIFFER FROM THE MAINSTREAM?
It's the music. You have the mainstream that is most likely in it to make money. Then you have the underground, where the artist does it for the love and hardly any money is involved.
When you switch to your popular radio station, you hear music what most people find as "catchy" or sometimes "annoying".
We feel that as an underground artist, it's a need to produce music that is more meaningful and on that conscious tip. Most people can relate to it.

TALK ABOUT ALL THE TALENTED HEADS THAT EXIST IN THE SCENE?
There's too much to list. But we have to give props to the heads who's been doing this from day one! You know who you are. The artists who inspired today's artist. Big Ups!
To the new school! Keep bangin' till one day we're going to be considered legends as well.

Shouts to all of LightSleepers, Siq Records, Direct Descendants, The KOY, Fat Soul, Hivemind, Sturdy Hull, everyone in Hawaii Hip Hop, Banana Camp Cats, Verona Villains, and to all my friends and family. Audrey!!

Coming Soon..

I heard so many good things about this flick...I'm interested to see the story telling techniques the director chose. There's no question this movie will be fresh. But will it just be big among boom-bap fans or actually open the eyes of the dance culture to a larger audience? The soundtrack should be hot as well.

Game On!

Will cop the first day available..

Copped...

Glow in the Dark....WhoA!