DJ SNEAK - Defining House Music

[dedoSixteen]

"We built this house a long time ago, these newcomers just like to vandalise it by bastardising the music to become some kiddie pop genre.


DJ Sneak is someone who represents House music in its purest form. Having migrated to Chicago from his native Puerto Rico as a youngster, he soon fell in love with the 4x4 beats and soulful rhythms of early House music. In fact, because he couldn't speak English in those formative years, it was the fact that a lot of House was simply instrumentals and vocal samples that facilitated his burgeoning love for the music. Now a self-professed 'House Gangster', Sneak is a man who is always in demand around the globe and someone who continues to work hard, day in, day out to maintain his position and to spread the House music gospel. He has also put himself forward to defend the intergrity of House music against perpetrators such as the Swedish 'blank' Mafia. Here's an in-depth interview with the man himself...

When did your love affair with house music begin?

It started as soon as I landed in Chicago in 1983 to a very cold and snowy winter. I came from a tropical paradise to cold and winter. I had never seen snow so, as you can imagine, I wasn't too keen on spending my time outdoors. There was really nothing to do but watch TV or listen to the radio, I tuned in to a few radio stations that really opened my ears to the new sound and they were just calling it house, short for Warehouse Music. It really was a turning point at a young age. I was 13 years old.

Can you remember when you first heard house and how it made you feel?

It was like nothing I had heard in Puerto Rico, what I loved about it was the beats rolling through, mixed from one to another, with almost no talking and no real singing on tracks, this was helpful 'cause I spoke no English. House music was pure and young like me, we partnered up right away and music was the only thing I would focus on, it kept me sane during the cold Chicago winters.

How did you make those first tentative steps to becoming a house DJ?

Funny enough, the first time I really saw a DJ do his thing live was at a school dance, after listening and recording tapes from the radio it was a huge thing to see an actual DJ play vinyl with turntables and a mixer. It was after this that I realised it was something I wanted to try and it was then that my journey began. I had a friend who got a pair of turntables and that was it.. I practiced everyday, all day.

Was there anyone who really helped you on your way?

There were a few people, mostly a few homies and my brother. I pretty much jumped in and I was like a fish in water, I did nothing but get on the decks and try to play as long as I could. We were four teens who used to hang and enjoy music instead of gangbanging and selling drugs, which was a very real part of my time in Chicago.

Read the full interview by Marcus Barnes over on http://www.meoko.net/interviews/dj-sneak-defining-house-music

[milsmilsmils]

So now the difference between me and THEM is very simple, while I'm Organic, they are Synthetic, while I do this for love and homage to the music and DJing craft they constantly figure out ways to make it the most commercial noise they can make, their main focus for creating is to make some HIT, it is not about creating something original and soulful, it's about following the calculated steps to come up with a hit for the purpose of their own success. They measure success by spending ridiculous amounts of money paying their way to the top. They are not the first ones, "Tiesto" was a master at creating the super DJ brand, with big budget marketing, financial support, and a well managed team this is something that now anybody can try to reach. So called DJ/Producers like Avicci, David Guetta, Afrojack must all be down with the same fabricated manufactured DJ superstar manual because they are all doing it the same way, often supporting each other to become bigger better BRANDS. I guess if this is what you are into then they are doing the best they can to play a role, to make people believe they are actually talented when they are clearly manufactured like Coca-Cola.

The difference between them and I is that they don't care about the hard work a lot of people including myself have put into this music, they simply picked up on the most commercial aspects of this industry and are killing it by disrespecting the art of DJing, the art of Production and entire House sound. What they are making and playing is NOT House music! Listen to the classics, look back at the history, it sounds nothing like the crap they are selling as House. I understand that music needs to evolve but is what they are playing really a musical evolution?! If you're going to start making or playing House music first educate yourself and second respect the sound.

AND THAT IS THE GOSPEL.

Same goes for BROSTEP.

[nandi]

The point is educate yourself..