Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Break Mode

His go-to records, his craziest gig and the music you should never ask him to play.

IMAGE: Megan Holmes.

Years DJing: I bought my first pair of turntables and started DJing when I was 16. So I've been DJing half my life now. Jeez.

Genre: I'm not a genre purist in any fashion. Working for K Records and throwing dance parties in Olympia before moving to Portland, being co-founder of Dropping Gems and now co-founder of Bed of Roses, I tend to involve myself in different musical scenes. I will say most of what I DJ is inspired by disco in one way or another. I also enjoy DJing outside of the club occasionally at a day party or something laid-back like that. It allows me to DJ less beat-centric tracks and more chill vibes.

Related: "Dropping Gems Gives Electronic Music a Human Pulse."

Where you can catch me regularly: The Bed of Roses crew and I throw a party called Club Tropicana where I am a resident DJ. I also recently started a party called Temptation, which is more specifically a disco party. Otherwise I DJ at friends' parties around town pretty regularly. I've collaborated with Bridge Club for a couple of parties, and I love DJing at Moloko for Ben Skoch's Salad Nights.

Craziest gig: I DJ'd for two days straight on Vashon Island [in Washington state], and I went a little crazy. The scene is so beautiful there, and we had friends out in boats and dancing on the beach. Unfortunately, there was a microphone and I would greet every stranger whose boat passed by, saying, "Ahoy there!" Eventually, my friends took the mic from me, but they didn't realize I still had headphones that I could plug into the mic input and use as a mic. I was unstoppable that weekend!

My go-to records: Brass Construction, "Happy People"; Out Hud, "Put It Away, Put It Away, Put It Away Dad"; Jah Wobble, the Edge and Holger Czukay, "Hold Onto Your Dreams"; Wav Fuzz, "WVZ."

Don't ever ask me to play…: "Sweet Home Alabama." Maybe I'd feel different if I was from Alabama, but I don't know. I really don't like that song.

NEXT GIG: Follow Break Mode on Facebook for show updates.

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