Starlight Thursdays Episode 92 with Gruv42. We’re so excited to share this with you and get better aquatinted with Gruv42 with this exclusive mix and interview!
How long have you been DJing?
I started DJing when I was 16 or so. I stopped playing out for the most part when I was 26 or 27, started again when I was 42. I’m 45 now, so off and on, I’ve been playing for quite a while.
Why did you get into it?
I took an electronic music class in my sophomore year of high school. We learned about waveforms and how to manipulate them with analog synths. I was always a musician (I played just about every band instrument), but there was something about electronic music that just went straight to my heart. That year, my parents bought me a DR-660 drum machine for my birthday and that was it - it quickly became all I cared about. Soon after, my friend got some 1200s and we started learning how to mix.
What events have you played?
A whole lot. I toured as a dj and live performance for many years. I played all over the US in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. The furthest away from Missoula I’ve ever played is Puerto Rico. I took some time off to raise a family and then started playing music again with my son a few years ago. This summer was the first time I really played out in a very long time and it felt amazing to be back behind the decks. I played at Euphrosyne and Forest Creatures. I’m loving playing out again and I’m looking forward to playing a lot more in the coming year.
Where are you from? Connecticut - but Missoula since I was 19ish. I grew up in the New England rave scene, a pretty amazing place to be in the 90s.
What inspires you? I am always inspired by the people on the dance floor. Honestly, this mix is part of my process to get better at playing when people aren’t listening. I rely on the people who are dancing to tell me what to play next and I really hope to give them the best experience possible. So, when they’re not there, sometimes it’s hard to figure out the next track to mix into. I’ve started playing a weekly live stream on Emerald Dragon Company Radio (Sundays from 5-7 on Twitch) to work on my ability to find that energy when no one is in the room.
What genres are in your mix? Techno, house, breaks, electro, trance and a few tracks that are just pure cheese.
Can you tell us a bit about your mix? This mix moves through multiple genres, starting with one of my own tracks. I love mixing different genres because they all mix in different ways, which makes it more interesting and fun for me. I also think that when different genres are mixed together, they can elevate each other- dark brooding breaks can become more powerful when they are mixed in with a straight beat that has an uplifting piano line and vocal. I hope this mix keeps you entertained and maybe keeps you guessing a bit.
For More Gruv42 Check Out
https://soundcloud.com/gruv42
