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Interview: Superstar DJ Lee |
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Feb.2005 | Phocas.net
(see article)
by Brent Crampton
photo by Jackoline Lawrence & Misha
Superstar DJ Lee has been rocking the dance floor since
early ‘95. Over the years he has performed with the likes of
Bad Boy Bill, Joey Beltram, DJ Icey, Angel Alanis and countless
other world renown DJ's. His five-year stint as the DJ in the
band, George Zip, gave him the chance to play alongside such
national acts as The Kottonmouth Kings, 2SkinneeJ's and Ziggy
Marley.
Considered one of the main players in the introduction to
dance music culture in Omaha, Lee has continued to be on top
of his game while keeping modest about his experience in music.
Lee currently holds a residency at Omaha's premiere
electronic music bar, 415, as well as a residency in
Sioux Falls, South Dakota at Touchez.
With his long and varied history in Omaha’s scene, I probed
at him to get this thoughts on times past and what’s ahead
for the future.
Recently you have been focusing quite a bit on producing.
What are you working with and what direction in your music
are you going? Do you have any musicianship experience
(i.e. played an instrument, learned music theory)? Have you
tried shopping your tracks to any labels as of yet?
I've been working mostly with sample-based programs. Most of
what I make is house, and house is pretty sample heavy, so
it works out well for me. As far as the direction of my
music, it just kind of goes where I feel it going at the
time. I've got almost 30 tracks done to date, with most of
them being deep, jazzy and fairly tracky. I do have a few
bangers though. Most of my stuff is very percussive with
organic melodies.
I have been playing the guitar for almost 15 years. I think
the that background has helped me quite a bit in both
DJing and producing.
As far as shopping my tracks, I have not. I do, however,
give my stuff to the locals to play out and play a lot
of them myself as well. I am finally getting to the point
where I think some of my tracks are good enough to get
pressed, so I will probably start soon.
Since you have been booking DJs at Omaha's foremost
electronic music bar, 415, what has been your experience
there? Being a resident DJ, do you enjoy playing
for the crowds?
The 415 has its good days and its not so good days. I
love it there though. Dmitri (the owner) supports the music
and supports the scene. It's a nice environment to be
heard in. Through the four years I have been there, I have
seen quite a change. The crowds seem to be there more
for the music now, when four years ago they were there
because it was trendy to be there. Being able to book the
DJs gives me a chance to let Omaha hear the DJs they need
to hear. I'm glad 415 has given Omaha DJs a place to
express themselves.
What keeps you motivated to DJ? I mean, you're a married
guy, going to school, working full time and have been playing
out for nine years. In that time you have witnessed a peak
in rave culture (which you were very much a part of) and
then the spill-over-splash of the club culture. The after
taste that we refer to as club culture (given the context
of electronic music in Omaha) can sometimes seem a bit sour
and past its expiration date. The industry around here
doesn't seem promising that the music will get big again
– and doesn't show any signs of going away. Why keep doing
what you do?
The music keeps me motivated. I love the music, and not
just house, but all kinds of EDM. I think there is a place
for every style. I can spend hours on a track, or hours
in the DJ booth and time seems to just fly by. I think
that enjoying something, no matter what your surroundings
are, is key in keeping yourself motivated, whatever it
is you are doing. I think if we keep playing, they will
keep coming to hear us.
The peak was great, who doesn't like parties with thousands
of people at them? I loved it at the time, but everything
has to evolve. The shift to clubs legitimized the music.
I think EDM is much more acceptable in the public eye than
it was during the time of the mega-raves. The people involved
in the scene are getting older, and want to be able to enjoy
the music in a more stable environment. I really don't mind
if it gets big again, I'll love it either way. Making the
scene smaller makes it more about the music and less about
the negative perception society has had about EDM.
Back when you were regularly DJing with names such as Halo,
Bad Boy Bill and Joey Beltram in the hay-day-rave-days,
did you ever think you were going to "make it" in the
industry? And now that those times are gone, what is your
outlook on your participation in music?
I never thought I was going to make it like those guys
did (the DJs he opened for). I'm from Omaha. It's not that
Omaha doesn't have the talent, there are some fabulous DJs
here. DJs like Plan 9 (formerly DJ Kaoss), Glenn Okada,
Brent Crampton, Lunatik, and a host of others are just as
good technically and have just as good of track selection
as some of these thousand dollar DJs. It's the location
that is hindering us. No one wants to bring a DJ from Omaha
out to London or New York, it just doesn't look good
on a flyer.
I'm not doing this to get big or get rich. I wouldn't turn
down flying out of town every weekend to play halfway
across the country or globe, or having some of the premier
DJs playing my tracks, but my life is not going to be
over if it doesn't happen, nor am I expecting it to ever
happen. I'm going to keep playing out when I can and keep
making tracks until absolutely no one wants to hear them.
Then I'll just make my cats listen.
Sorry, not trying to seem so depressing about the music
scene. It just seems that some old school DJs are riding
on a high that is well past its prime. One can't live on
memories of the past. What's your hope for the future?
To keep on doing what I do and to keep on making people
enjoy what I and others are doing with EDM. I'd like to see
Omaha open up a bit to the idea of EDM in more of its clubs.
I went out to Denver over Christmas and there were dozens
of venues out there where you could hear EDM on the weekends.
Omaha has one place to hear underground DJs on a Friday
or Saturday night. I think that once people get a little
more accustomed to the idea of underground dance music in
clubs, and not top 40 and hip-hop every where you go, they
will start to appreciate the difference and appreciate the
music.
Given the above questions, tell us a little bit about where
you have been. I know you used to be in a band?
I was in this rock band, George Zip. I DJed and did some
vocals in the band. We wrote hip-hop influenced rock
songs about playing kickball and shooting horse on the
basketball court. We weren't too serious about ourselves.
The other musicians were some of the best in Omaha. The
other DJ involved, and mostly stage prop, was the infamous
DJ “.com.” Some of our other members have gone on to bands
that have been featured in Rolling Stone. We did, however,
open for Ziggy Marley, 2skineej's and Kottonmouth Kings.
The band was great and really helped me develop into a
true musician.
You have been a few other places other than house in your
DJ selections in the past. Tell us about your experience
with DJing jungle and techno?
I played Drum and Bass for a couple years. I wasn't really
into the attitude that most drum and bass DJs had at the
time. I guess I kind of grew out of it. I decided to
separate myself from it. I do enjoy some good jungle every
once and a while. As far as the techno, I still love it
too. Nothing is better than an hour of pounding techno,
given the right environment. I don't own any Drum and Bass,
but still own almost 500 techno records and probably won't
ever get rid of them.
When buying music - vinyl or CD? And what elements do
you look for?
I look for mostly the feel of the music. I buy exclusively
vinyl. If the music makes me feel good, if it is fluid and
well produced, and catches my ear right away - I buy it.
Most of what I buy is funky disco house and occasionally
some breaks. I'm into more of the groovy, deep disco. I
think as I've gotten older, I've gotten into the more
musical tracks and away from the mindless bangin' house.
Where, outside of Nebraska, have you DJed?
I've DJed in Souix Falls, where I have a residency now,
and Rapid City in South Dakota. I've also played KC, St.
Louis, Des Moines, Ames and Denver.
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