Onionz Interview

Onionz Interview

14 March, 2008 | 3.05AM

• Section: Music News
• Written by: airrecords

Forensic Records chatted with Onionz about late nights sleeping in nightclubs, his love for the New York Mets and what is was like growing up in New York City.

Did your parents encourage you to play music from a young age?

No, it was just meant to be. My dad was a bass player and always had some of the best musicians over the house. I would be in nightclubs from the age of 3 or 4 sleeping while my dad was gigging. My mom always brought me to his gigs. I don’t know about encourage because my whole family was engulfed in it.

Tell me about your introduction to electronic music and how did growing up in New York affect your musical roots.

Great question. It was just called djing in 82, not electronic music. I started djing to switch from playing drums, which i started in the mid 70s at an early age of 5 years old. By the age of 7 i was playing a full drum kit, congas, bongos, cowbell and clave with my dad’s bands on the weekends. I wanted something different and I didn’t want to be in a band. So, for me djing was an escape from being in a band. KTU had the Latin Rascals; Red Alert was on Kiss, Mr. Magic n Chuck Chillout was killing it on BLS every Friday ad Sat night. The sounds were new; the keyboards were all very refreshing to hear. The freedom in the music then was impossible for you not to like. There were no rules for a dj, no boundaries; we were all just following a groove.  In NY in the 80’s it was so amazing, my how things change, you had Disco, Rock, the beginning years of Hip Hop, new wave, Funk Salsa, Reggae. I had to have it all in my milk crate (for those who don’t know, djs used to carry their records around in old milk crates that were stolen from the stores at night.) N.Y. had amazing artists, Herring, Warhol, loads of free artists painting streets and trains. U fed off the walls of NY, u got creative energy from the dirty run down buildings, from the horrible smells and everyone in the neighbourhood was friendly, and danced to my mixed tapes at the school park when all the other cats played handball and hoops. By 1988 i was already in full swing ready to hit the clubs and begin to play 4 to 5 nights a week around the 5 boroughs. I am forever grateful to have lived those years here in NY. It can never be duplicated no matter what, only replicated.

What DJs and musicians appealed to you the most both in the past and now?

So many, Victor Venagas my father, Adam Cruz who was my first drumming buddy. Candido who was my dad’s dear friend, Jerry Dodgen, Dave Amran, Steve Berrios, Sonny Fortune, Neil Pert, John Bohnam, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Brand Nubians, The Smiths, Howard Jones, Schooly D, Davey DMX, Giovanni Hildago, Santana. DJ’S, there were 4 dj sets that rocked me in my lifetime, i’ll tell u about them.
• 1.Tony Humphries at Louie Vegas birthday at Sound Factory Bar. Tony played 115 bpm - disco classics like i have never heard in my life. He knew those tunes Backwards-n forwards. What a blessing to hear that craft in action.
• 2. Laurent Garnier, the closing weekend of Cream in Liverpool, 6 hours of just waiting for the next mix. Every master mix was a superb moment, that boy was locked in and served the whole crowd something extremely special.
• 3. Jeno, Full Moon party in Bonnie Dune in SF. He is the man for working 3 decks all his setand losing you and making you drop out of time, SENSATIONAL!
• 4.  Last was Cosmic Twins, Derrick May and FK. About 20 blocks from my house in a school park 5000 people, I WAS ON TOP OF THE SPEAKER FOR AN HOUR. They were ruthless!!!
A lot of people find themselves producing as a necessity to progress their DJ careers, what was your approach and intent on what you wanted to achieve. This music was always about moving forward, learning more, i didn’t know how to use a mixer or turntables when i started but i learned. Studio has been tough as i am not the best scholar but i have always been about learning more, and pushing myself with music, not just playing the same old vinyl records. i think if i never got into the studio i might have stopped djing all together cause the same thing can get stale and the creative side comes to a halt. i have seen it and i still see it on a day-to-day basis.

Your new release on forensic certainly has a big room sound, how would you respond to some peoples views of you moving away from the sound you are most known for..

Onionz isn’t known for just one sound but an amagamation of many sounds.  This record definitely sounds like “Onionz”, just a bigger badder “Onionz” Wherever i go nobody knows what to expect. I think i was never a superstar top 100 dj because i never locked into a genre, it has allowed me the freedom to move around in sound on a daily basis. Its not easy and its mos def a looooonely road. Everyone has something to say, you not deep house, your not techno, your not house, your not this n blah blah. I’m like i know, I’m ONIONZ just a dude who’s been djing for 25 years and playing music for his whole life. If electronic music, djing were not around, i would still be doing music, it’s just what i do and that is comforting enough. YOUR LOVE is a big room style cause i was just in the mood to do a banging tune.

The Onionz & Joeski connection seemed to really cement your sound are joing studio projects something you particularly enjoy and is there anyone you would love to share ideas with, given the chance.

I prefer to work alone in they studio unless i bring in a vocalist or session player. Its personal and the emotions get heavy it becomes hard to explain what my ears are feeling by words so i get angry and then the session is dead. That’s just my experience. Making music is a very personal journey for me.  I am influenced by many sounds I hear from the outside, but in the studio, I need my creative space to do my thing.

Let’s talk about Onionz outside of the studio – besides music what do you enjoy?

I am a nerd, i stay at home, i ride my bike, i love my bike ever since i got rid of my car i bike all over the place. NY is a wild ride.I spend a lot of time with my dog n cat and my girlfriend. I cook, clean and follow the NY METS. NY METS FANS ARE THE REAL DEAL. WE GOT HEART!

What’s else does the summer 08 have in store for Onionz..

I’m amped about the new records I have coming out this year, there are a few releases you can look forward to in 2008, “Your Love” on Forensic Records of course, plus a record for Toolroom!  I’ll be gigging a lot again, from New York to the Middle East.  And of course, I’m thankful for every day of healthy weather, healthy thinking, emotional music, laughs with friends and a lot of bike riding until ENJOYING BEING IN THE WORLD SERIES!

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ONIONZ – “YOUR LOVE” (ORIGINAL & JAY TRIPWIRE MIX IS OUT NOW ON FORENSIC RECORDS (FOR057) AVAILABLE AS DIGITAL DOWNLOAD FROM:

BEATPORT.COM
DJDOWNLOAD.COM
XPRESSBEATS.COM
TRACKINGSPAIN.COM

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