Below is an interview with
Sure/Shot's own DJ Spider from
BPM Magazine March/April 2009 issue. Although the interview is more than a year and 1/2 old, in light of the Return of the
Sure/Shot Party (This Coming Thursday) and the mention of the party itself in the interview it's only right that we post it now.
Credits to BPM Magazine/ bpmmagazine.net for the article and Rony's Photo Booth for the image
Hear Spider at work and you can’t deny his talent and knowledge. Check his to-do list and you get the sense that life never stops. He’s been bouncing all over the US and Canada; in April, he’s going to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangkok, plus a few other spots. Not to mention his upcoming remixes, a Super 7 Vol. 2 mixtape, two new Rock Box mixtapes with Lil Jon (yeah, that one), a 4-turntables show with the same Mr. Crunk, a three-man video DJ show with four turntables and two video DJ set ups at once, throwing his own party, Sure/Shot. And oh yeah, he’s getting married in June.
Talk to me about current LA nightlife. You’re seeing a lot more nights being remodeled by DJs who want to play what they want, rather than dealing with promoters and ignorant people. There are more spots opening in east Hollywood and downtown. Nights like Dance Right in Downtown where Pubes and guest DJs play everything, the Heist in Hollywood, which is a huge electro party, Afex at Temporary Spaces on Thursday where Adam 12 and guests play ’80s and ’90s hip-hop, Sundays at LAX where DJ AM, Steve Aoki, Thee Mike B play whatever they want, Dim Mak Tuesdays at Cinespace, Mad Mondays at the Standard in Hollywood and my Sure/Shot Music Video party at Winstons. People don’t want to hear the same thing at every club.
Why video mixing? I’ve always been interested. When Serato came out with the video feature I started diggin’ for videos similar to how I would dig for vinyl. I love scratching and scratch a lot in my regular DJ sets. Video takes it to the next level…having the audio and video in synch. I don’t want to just play music videos in the same way I DJ music, I want it to be a totally different kind of set where I’m doing things with the videos that would never work with audio. Like taking A Tribe Called Quest “Can I Kick It” video and the video of the Obama “Yes We Can” speech and when Tribe asks “Can I kick it” I scratch in Obama saying “Yes we can,” so people can actually see what I’m doing, while keeping the party going and throwing in some humor…
How’s Sure/Shot going? Growing month by month and getting a really good buzz. Everyone that comes seems as into it as we are, which is all I could ask for. Eventually we will take the Sure/Shot party to other cities so other crowds can experience what we are doing. Also starting in March it will be the last Tuesday of the month.
