A 3x DMC Champ & OG Perth DJ is back to fight for the DMC crown
As a partner with the WA DMC DJ Championships, Rappfox is excited to bring to you the 2018 Perth heat following a successful 2017.
In the lead up to tomorrow's event, we spoke to DJ Junior about his return to the DMC competition, how he thinks he has improved in the past 14 years since he won in 2004 and what can we expect from his set.
Hi Junior, we’re all very excited to hear you’re coming back to the DMC DJ Competition in 2018. What drove the decision to come back?
I actually did the mix 2 years ago and then couldn’t be bothered entering. Was happy just mucking about in my studio, since I retired from DJing altogether in 2013. It was the same feeling last year. This year, I mentioned to my wife that I was sick of the mix and didn’t just want a showcase set, so I finally made the commitment to enter the DMCs again. Plus DJ Midsole is the only other 3 x WA DMC Champion so I thought I’d give it a crack and see who gets the 4th title or maybe DJ Bace Kadet will join the threepeat club. Either way it’s gonna be a fun night.
You last won the WA competition in 2004, 14 years ago now, assuming you’ve been practicing in that time. How have you skilled up/improved on previous years?
Yes and no. I love DJing at the clubs, so mixing has always been priority. You can’t bust out a continuous scratch or an intense beat juggle breakdown in a club set. I used to practice in the mid 90s for 4-5 hours a day\7 days a week. Nowadays it’s maybe an hour every few weeks (before my forearm and shoulders start hurting hahaha).
What can we expect from your set?
Bit of fun and a showcase. That’s what attracted me to the DMCs. It wasn’t just technical stuff back then. It mashed innovative trick mixing, musical scratching and it was big on showmanship. So I am keeping those traditions but still have a couple of tricks up my sleeve.
You’re considered an OG in the Perth scene, how do you thinking DJing and turntablism has changed?
Wow, I feel honoured to have made somewhat of a positive dent in the scene. Turntablism - for the last several years I have seen too many scratch DJs that look like they are constipated and without even a single smile. I couldn’t do that, I get pretty darn happy on stage with the crowd in awe – that’s the DJ high! As for DJing – the abundance of ‘free’ music and cheap equipment has taken away the rariety of the art form. So now everyone’s a so called DJ. I took a long time to save up for my pair of 1200s at age 16 earning $5\hr ($1000 for each turntable). It naturally became a passion of mine and I wanted to learn everything about it through videos, going out and seeing veteran DJs (no internet, no youtube, no online forums, nothing). DJs now have every opportunity at their fingertips but no persistence and no discipline. Hope the next generation of DJs learn from this and hits the reset button. Quality over quantity J
Thanks for your time and all the best for your set in Sunday’s competition.
Thank you Kylie and looking forward to this Sunday night.
For more information on the 2018 WA DMC Championship, check out the Facebook event page here.
In the lead up to tomorrow's event, we spoke to DJ Junior about his return to the DMC competition, how he thinks he has improved in the past 14 years since he won in 2004 and what can we expect from his set.
Hi Junior, we’re all very excited to hear you’re coming back to the DMC DJ Competition in 2018. What drove the decision to come back?
I actually did the mix 2 years ago and then couldn’t be bothered entering. Was happy just mucking about in my studio, since I retired from DJing altogether in 2013. It was the same feeling last year. This year, I mentioned to my wife that I was sick of the mix and didn’t just want a showcase set, so I finally made the commitment to enter the DMCs again. Plus DJ Midsole is the only other 3 x WA DMC Champion so I thought I’d give it a crack and see who gets the 4th title or maybe DJ Bace Kadet will join the threepeat club. Either way it’s gonna be a fun night.
You last won the WA competition in 2004, 14 years ago now, assuming you’ve been practicing in that time. How have you skilled up/improved on previous years?
Yes and no. I love DJing at the clubs, so mixing has always been priority. You can’t bust out a continuous scratch or an intense beat juggle breakdown in a club set. I used to practice in the mid 90s for 4-5 hours a day\7 days a week. Nowadays it’s maybe an hour every few weeks (before my forearm and shoulders start hurting hahaha).
What can we expect from your set?
Bit of fun and a showcase. That’s what attracted me to the DMCs. It wasn’t just technical stuff back then. It mashed innovative trick mixing, musical scratching and it was big on showmanship. So I am keeping those traditions but still have a couple of tricks up my sleeve.
You’re considered an OG in the Perth scene, how do you thinking DJing and turntablism has changed?
Wow, I feel honoured to have made somewhat of a positive dent in the scene. Turntablism - for the last several years I have seen too many scratch DJs that look like they are constipated and without even a single smile. I couldn’t do that, I get pretty darn happy on stage with the crowd in awe – that’s the DJ high! As for DJing – the abundance of ‘free’ music and cheap equipment has taken away the rariety of the art form. So now everyone’s a so called DJ. I took a long time to save up for my pair of 1200s at age 16 earning $5\hr ($1000 for each turntable). It naturally became a passion of mine and I wanted to learn everything about it through videos, going out and seeing veteran DJs (no internet, no youtube, no online forums, nothing). DJs now have every opportunity at their fingertips but no persistence and no discipline. Hope the next generation of DJs learn from this and hits the reset button. Quality over quantity J
Thanks for your time and all the best for your set in Sunday’s competition.
Thank you Kylie and looking forward to this Sunday night.
For more information on the 2018 WA DMC Championship, check out the Facebook event page here.