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Dj SOO
by amark |
 Funk,
hip hop, downtempo, breaks, house, drum n bass, rock etc... DJ SOO
steadfastly (some say stubbornly) refuses to be pigeonholed in any
specific genre or style. Long considered one of Vancouver's best
eclectic DJs, SOO has spent the last several years perfecting his
craft and honing his skills - mixing, cutting, and blending a range
of different styles while keeping heads nodding and bodies firmly
rooted on the dancefloor. A veteran of the Vancouver DJ scene, SOO
has headlined countless shows, has supported a host of
international talent (including the likes of DJ Q-Bert, Lorin
Bassnector, and The Stanton Warriors among others), and has
performed throughout the continent including such cities as
Toronto, San Francisco, Portland, and Victoria. In addition to
being a tireless mixtape producer, SOO also finds the time to host
the Shadow Jugglers radio show alongside DJs Socool and MP every
Saturday evening on CiTR. Although he has garnered the dubious
distinction of being known as a "mash-up" dj, SOO prefers to
consider himself simply as a dj of great music communicated via the
art of mixing. |
You can listen to DJ SOO:
Every
Saturday on CiTR as he hosts the Shadow Juggles Radio show at 7 PM
PST.
www.citr.ca or 101.9 on
your local FM dials
www.woodnsoo.com/mixes.htm
Mixdown
Tuesdays at the Bayside Lounge with DJ Socool
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| DJ SOO also recorded the
FU2 Mixtape Volume. 1 |
| Available HERE |
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FU2: Thanks for taking the time do drop
through. Let’s start off with the basics, why and how did you get
into DJing?
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DJ SOO: My first real
experience with seeing DJing live was back when I was in college.
One of our student organizations brought in this diminutive
Filipino DJ who absolutely blew me away with what could be done on
a turntable. That was my first introduction to DJing in the flesh
(as opposed to just hearing the cuts on hip hop tunes) and really
showed me the skill involved in. Incidentally, that DJ’s name
turned out to be DJ Q-Bert. Shortly later I found myself sucked
into the rave scene which, although very different from the hip hop
style of DJing, showed me how a DJ can control the mood of a crowd,
keep a flow through an evening and tell a story with music, and
create something new utilizing existing art via the mix or
blend.
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FU2: Having Q-Bert be your first glimpse
of DJing must have been mind blowing. I know I could watch him for
hours. Back on topic though. So after deciding to get into the DJ
scene, how did you get your DJ name?
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DJ SOO: Back before I
started DJing, I used to joke about how the day I started, (it was
only a matter of time at that point) I would call myself DJ
"something or other" just so that if someone ever saw me play out
and asked who I was, they could reply "oooh... DJ something or
other." When the time came that I actually started, I just
acronymed it and it stuck.
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FU2: I think that’s what I’ll call you
from now on. Next would be your music. What genres do you focus on
and why?
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DJ SOO: I got my start
playing hip hop and drum n bass. Nowadays, I’ll play whatever I
think is good that flows including (but not limited to) funk, hip
hop, breaks, downtempo, house, drum n bass, rock, disco, reggae,
etc. I’m not a big fan of segregating genres and I just like to mix
tunes that sound good and will make the dancefloor go off. I’m also
a big fan of the technical mixing styles that allows the DJ to
essentially create something new from existing pieces of art.
Although it is a little passé nowadays with the “mash-up” scene
being a little overdone, I still consider myself more of an
eclectic party-rocker than any sort of “mash-up” dj. My style is
also constantly evolving as when it really comes down to it, I’ll
play music that I like and I’m always discovering great new
music.
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FU2: Based on that, who would you say
your inspirations are / have been?
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DJ SOO: Really too many
to name honestly. From a DJ perspective, DJ Z-Trip is easily one of
my heroes – he was one of the first that showed me that you could
mix multiple genres and actually mix it well and have the set flow
– but I have a huge list of influences that would probably take up
most of this interview to get through.
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FU2: Over the years, what has been your
biggest obstacle and how did you get through it?
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DJ SOO: Probably just
juggling my time so I can dedicate as much to music as I can while
still taking care of my other responsibilities in life. It’s
especially difficult as I’ve been getting more into production and
that takes up a lot more time. Balancing music, work, and my other
passions (I’ve recently been pretty enamored by Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu) has probably been the biggest obstacle. As for overcoming
it, I’m currently devising a time machine which may help matters
some…
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FU2: Being a DJ can be hard at times,
trying to stay true to the music you like, yet trying to please an
audience. What are your thoughts on playing to the crowd as opposed
to playing for yourself?
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DJ SOO: It’s pretty much
a give and take I find. Personally, I don’t play too many gigs or
shows where I’m expected to cater 100% to a specific audience and
generally have the good fortune of playing most shows where people
are there to see me play the music I like to play. Generally, as a
DJ, your job is to get people dancing and make the party hype so
ultimately, you do have to cater to the crowd as much as you can,
but I also believe in displaying my own personal flavor and style
and showcasing great music that some club-goers aren’t always
familiar with. Whenever I play, I try to keep both the audience in
mind but I’m pretty steadfast about playing music that I would want
to listen to myself. This is probably why I’ll never make it as a
Top40 DJ.
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FU2: Your mixes with DJ Wood have gotten
great reviews (myself included), would you say that you prefer
playing with another DJ or by yourself?
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DJ SOO: I enjoy both
equally although they’re different experiences of course. DJing
solo requires a little less preparation and less communication - I
can “get into a zone” so to speak, and just read the crowd myself.
When I play with Wood, we try to prepare at least some set routines
that utilize the 4 turntable format to its potential so it
generally requires more practice time. When we play together we
will generally have a few rehearsals to work out some good routines
which we’ll drop throughout our set when we feel the time is right.
I don’t really believe in playing completely pre-planned sets but I
do believe in playing some set routines (both solo and with Wood)
so our 4 turntable sets tend to be a mix of improvisation and
rehearsed segments. We also try to jam out on a regular basis just
to keep the idea flowing and to keep a good level of comfort going
so in that sense, it’s a little like a band – only much less gear
and coordination required.
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FU2: With Serato now becoming somewhat of
the industry standard, do you think it has had a positive or
negative effect on DJing as a whole?
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DJ SOO: A bit of both
honestly. The hefty price tag required to get started as a DJ is
definitely shrinking. Nowadays, if you can front the cash to get 2
decks, a mixer, and Serato, you’re pretty much good to go DJing
wise. Before the advent of digital mixing, even after the cost of
setting up the hardware, you had to spend a couple months
collecting vinyl before you even remotely had the tunes to play a
set. Now anyone with a bit of money for gear and Serato can
instantly have a collection in the thousands. This accessibility is
both good and bad – good because now more and more people get a
chance to try their hand at DJing, but bad because the quality of
DJs is now rapidly being diluted by people who don’t take the time
to learn the skills required to become a good DJ. The instant
accessibility of all music due to file sharing is also diluting the
industry where people think that they can immediately DJ anything
they feel like with a few clicks and downloads. Before, there’s no
way I would dream of playing a set in something I had no knowledge
about simply because I didn’t have the records to do it whereas
nowadays, people feel they can simply download someone else’s top
50 tracks and call themselves a DJ for whatever genre they choose
regardless of their knowledge or experience with that scene. Also,
as a vinyl lover and an ardent vinyl collector, it’s a little
depressing seeing what’s happening to the vinyl industry due in
part to the proliferation of digital solutions. That being said, I
have recently fallen in love with Serato simply due to features
that open up a complete new realm in technical mixing that is
simply not possible on vinyl. My back is also very happy with
Serato now that I don’t have to lug 3 crates of records to every
show I play.
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FU2: Any words of wisdom or pieces of
advice for people just getting into Djing?
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DJ SOO: Take your time,
learn the basics, and learn the history of the medium. Don’t be
discouraged and make sure you maintain a passion for the music
always. DJing has lost a lot of its romance in the last couple of
years and it’s a hard industry to really become successful in, but
if you do it for the right reasons, it can be one of the most
rewarding experiences out there. I think people really recognize
when a DJ is into their musical selection vs. a DJ that’s just
playing what they believe others want to hear regardless of their
personal tastes.
FU2: Alright, last question - What can we
expect from you in the future?
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DJ SOO: Wood and I just
released our newest mixtape: 4 Wheel Drive. It’s a 4 turntable mix
consisting of over 70 tracks surgically blended and mixed to
perfection. We cover a huge range of styles and will keep the
listeners on their toes wondering what tunes or styles will be
dropped next. Copies are currently only available at local record
stores Boomtown Records and Beatstreet Records. *UPDATE – You can
now download 4 Wheel Drive here* I have a few upcoming local gigs
including playing at the Chinatown Cultural Festival on August 12th
and a 4-turntable set at Shine nightclub on August 23rd. Wood and I
are also trying to get our east coast tour off the ground - we were
supposed to head out several months ago, but circumstances keep
getting in the way – we’re hoping to head out in the autumn. I’m
also planning to get a few more beats out of my head and onto my
computer in the next few months in addition to throwing a few shows
in town bringing in some artists that I really dig and respect.
Additionally, I host the Shadow Jugglers radio show on CiTR every
Saturday at 7pm alongside DJs MP and Socool where we showcase some
of Vancouver’s best and brightest underground talent.
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