Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Maxx Bass

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

IMAGE: Courtesy of Facebook)
By Matthew Singer

Years DJing: Since I was around 16, so about 21 years.

Genres: Everything. Dance music is what moves me—hip-hop, disco, house, funk, soul, new age, darkwave/industrial. Anything with a synth. You can see my taste on the shelves of my store, Clinton Street Record & Stereo.

Where you can catch me regularly: Every second Friday at Dig A Pony, every third Friday at Century, at least once a month at Church and Jackknife. Many other random gigs around our great city.

Craziest gig: I have had quite a few fun crazy ones, but the first that comes to mind is Back to Back with Marcellus Pittman, who's in the group 3 Chairs with Theo Parrish, Kenny Dixon Jr. (aka Moodymann) and Rick Wichita. We put on a show at Blue Monk a couple years back, and found out that an after-hours party was going on. We went over and played one-on-one until 6 am. Playing with one of my favorite DJs was a dream.

My go-to records: If I am playing hip-hop, Too $hort's "Blow the Whistle." If it's a disco night, Bileo's "Let's Go." If it's a funk night, Mobley Gang's "Groove for You."

Don't ever ask me to play…: I'm open to anything. You can ask, but if it doesn't work with what I am playing, it's not happening. If it makes sense, I'll do my best.

NEXT GIG: Maxx Bass spins at Moloko, 3967 N Mississippi Ave., with Benjamin A. Skoch, on Thursday, June 15.

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