Interview with DJ Illegal

Me: How long have you been DJing for?

Illegal: About three years, and the club scene for about two years
Me: Cool, and what got you into being a DJ?

Illegal: Well, I play different instruments, guitar and piano. And um, I can't really sing [laughs], so I wanted to be a rock star somehow. I was online, just watching a bunch of stuff, went out and bought me a pair of technics and learned it
Me: So what kind of equipment are you using now?

Illegal: I got two technic 1200s and then a mixer, I use Serrato Scratch Live, and then got, uh, a crappy HP computer (laughs).

Me: Thats funny, I do the same thing. How would you describe the type of music that you play? Do you do like mash-ups, remixes? What kind of style do you have?
Illegal: I would say my style is a little harder to put your finger on, its um, its mash-ups and remixes but its a bunch of different genres all thrown in. Ill go from top40, to electro house, to hip-hop, to old school hip-hop, to dubstep, to some drum-step. I'm kinda everything in between and I like to switch it up. Its just fast pace mixing.

Me: So what kind of places around Nashville are you DJing at now, or have been DJing at?

Illegal: Well recently its been um, Serrock and I was on the second floor Buckwild but I quit there because I wasn't in a very good environment and it wasn't taking me anywhere. And I was at Toofers which was Frayed Knot. Now I am probably going to be putting my foot in the door at Gilligans. And then Saturday I kinda turn into my travel day. Last Saturday I went to Jackson Missippi.

Me: Were you playing down there?

Illegal: Yeah, it was a pain in the butt. It was a six hour drive and my car broke down in five hours. And I didn't end up making more than 20 bucks.

Me: Do you go out and travel a lot to do gigs around?

Illegal: Um, I am starting to now. Before I was at the same place, just the same club every weekend. Now I am just kinda getting bored with it, just taking different gigs here and I don't really want to keep a residency. Coming up I got, well its next week, I am going out of town to Panama City. My buddy DJs at Levita, I am trying to weasle my way in. Yeah I am switching up my clubs.
Me: What do you think about the other DJs in Nashville?

Illegal: There are a lot of DJs and then there are very little at the same time. Like there is a lot of people that call themselves DJs but all the good DJs in Nashville know each other for the most part. And there is a whole lot of uh, it gets really political, and club owners are kinda taking the low ball DJs. They got DJs that come in and say yeah I'll do it for 50 bucks and some beer, and then there are the real DJs who are like I can't do that because that is how I am paying my rent. So uh, for the most part the little DJ community that I am in there is a bunch a good guys. There is a lot, a lot of very, very good talent in Nashville but its uh, more underground for the most part. Getting better though.

Me: would you say that most DJs have a similar style here? Or, I know in Nashville a lot of people come here for music and its very eclectic and diverse, would you say that each DJ has there own thing or are they kinda more on the same page?

Illegal: I would say that there is a lot of really unique and different styles like there are only a couple guys that are close to having my style. There are a lot of really good EDM DJs in town.

Me: a lot of good what?

Illegal: Electronic dance music, there is a lot of different unique styles in Nashville you just kinda drag it out and find it.

Me: Where would you say most of the good DJs are playing? Are they out at a not very known club, or doing parties? Where is the good scene to be?

Illegal: Well right now its just finding out who the good Djs are I guess, and then it will switch up. A lot of them are like me and will change scenery. Two very good DJs have a residency at Gilligan's right now in Murfreesborough. So every Thursday is good music there. Gilligan's is actually... I haven't heard a bad DJ in there yet. They are kinda getting there act together and you gotta have really good music to make a club good.

And blue bar has a really good DJ on Friday and Saturdays. And then Carma actually has a really good DJ Friday and Saturday, their resident there. And uh, Wednesdays at Gilligan's they got Wick-it... Wick-it the DJ. Mainly its just finding the DJ that you like and following them around because it changes up.

Me: Well cool man, closing up what would you say your mission as a DJ is? What is your goal and what motivates you?

Illegal: It started out a lot different than it is now, it started out I wanted people to like me like I guess like every DJ. But now its more, I really want to provide a sound that is something unique to me and really give somebody a great experience at a club.