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Once A DJ: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Remote CTRL
Welcome to "Once a DJ," the captivating podcast hosted by Adam Gow, better known as DJ Wax On. For two decades, DJ Wax On has immersed himself in the world of DJing, exploring the art form alongside his other professional pursuits. In this show, he speaks to legends of the DJ game and contributors to the culture, about where their passion for the art has taken them. With a genuine interest in personal growth and a deep appreciation for the unique skills acquired through DJing, he invites you to embark on a journey of self-discovery and exploration.A https://remote-ctrl.co.uk podcast
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- 2 days ago1h 59m
Cut Chemist: The deepest of deep dives
Cut Chemist has been on my list since the day I started this podcast, so getting him on for Episode 85 was a real full-circle moment. He's someone whose records genuinely shaped how I dig and how I think about putting samples together, and across this conversation he traces the whole arc — from kicking along to a Bobby Darin concert in the womb, to a McDonald's straw on a snare drum, to Star Wars soundtracks, to the moment hip hop landed for him in 1983.We get deep into the Hollywood scene that raised him, the Rhino Records parking-lot quarter bins where he and his friends amassed beats nobody had touched, and the Jungle Brothers album that made him realise he could make "a record made out of records."From Unity Committee into Jurassic 5, sharing the production chair with Nu-Mark, the all-45s leap into Brain Freeze with DJ Shadow, the solo tightrope of The Audience's Listening, and right up to his candlelit listening parties now — this one's a masterclass in following the unfamiliar. It's long, it's nerdy in all the right places, and I couldn't have asked for more from a guest who's influenced me this much.In this episode we cover:His earliest musical memories — parents, live drums, Carpenters and a deep sci-fi soundtrack obsessionDiscovering hip hop in 1983 via KDAY, breakdancing, graffiti and the elements one at a timePublic Enemy, Bomb Squad and why Main Source is his production templateThe Jungle Brothers album that turned him into a samplerLearning gear the hard way — reel-to-reel, Roland S10, MPC, the Pro Tools learning curveForming Jurassic 5 out of Unity Committee, and the east-coast heart in a west-coast cityPre-internet sample sleuthing and the legendary Rhino Records quarter binsFirst DJ gigs at 15, learning to cut, and the up-and-down fader style that became his ownQbert and the 1996 X-Men vs Scratch Pickles battleA digging philosophy: is the juice worth the squeeze?Sharing production with Nu-Mark, building Lesson 6, and breaking in Europe with Mr FormatThe Rare Equations mix, the Number Song remix and the all-45s origins of Brain FreezeOzomatli, Brazilian and African digging, and constructing a set like a compositionThe Audience's Listening at 20, The Garden in Brazil, and the Italy trip that changed everythingThe Good Life Cafe education and record shopping with Biz MarkieStable Sound, the Bandcamp subscription, and his candlelit psychedelic sound bathsOn Keb Darge, on Edan, and the Expert of None shows coming next
- 3 weeks ago1h 58m
Eddie Otchere - The Spirit Behind The Lens
Once A DJ is brought to you by:https://www.vinylunderground.co.uk - 10% off your next order using code onceadjhttps://www.sureshotshop.com/ - Record adapters (including customs) & accessorieshttps://myslipmats.com/ - Custom and off the shelf Slipmats, dividers and more.Once A DJ is a https://remote-ctrl.co.uk productionOther ways to support the showFollow the show on Spotify or Apple PodcastsAny feedback or questions? Hit up the Once A DJ Instagram PageSubscribe to the Once A DJ PatreonBuy your Once A DJ Sureshot 45 adapter clampsThis week I'm joined by Eddie Otchere — a name that might be new to some, but his work absolutely won't be. Eddie is the photographer behind some of the most iconic images of 90s hip hop, jungle and drum & bass, garage and grime. He was Metalheadz's official photographer, shot Wu-Tang Clan, Aaliyah, Biggie, Jay-Z, So Solid Crew, Estelle, Chronixx, and pretty much every rapper you cared about coming up. His work is currently exhibited at the V&A East, and he's spent the last 30 years documenting London's black music and dance culture.Eddie grew up in Brixton, Stockwell and Vauxhall, falling into record collecting at Groove Records in Soho when he was so small he couldn't see over the counter. He picked up his first camera in the late 80s — a Praktika left behind by a friend's granddad — and went on to build one of the most important visual archives of UK club culture. This is a long, deep, wide-ranging conversation, and one I came away from genuinely feeling like I'd learned something. I hope you do too.Topics covered:Growing up in South London and the village mentality of the areaEarly days at Groove Records, Red Records, Dub Vendor and the record shops of SohoGetting online in the mid-90s via Direct Connection in Stockwell — and how hip hop became the global languagePicking up a Praktika camera and falling into photography alongside record collectingWhy being analog matters in a "post-fact" world of remastered records and retconned historyThe Canon EOS 10 and learning to shoot in pitch-black clubsShooting jungle raves, Metalheadz, and protecting young people from tabloid demonisationHow Red Bull, smoking bans and changing crowd behaviour shifted the look and feel of clubsThe art of the loop — Alchemist, Dilla, No I.D. and chasing perfect samplesWorking with Wu-Tang as teenagers and learning to build a body of workPhotographing Aaliyah, Biggie, Jay-Z, Estelle and ChronixxAround the early days of grime and why he gravitated toward So Solid in South LondonDrum & bass being run by women, and the importance of Chemistry and StormThe General Levy "cancellation", gatekeeping, and protecting a cultureThe V&A East exhibition and the tension between DIY scenes and academic curationLee Scratch Perry, dub museums, and what music history should look likeMeta glasses, AI as a personal agent, and digital asset management for photographersHis advice for new photographers: intention is everything
- Apr 30, 20261h 10m
DJ Mag's Carl Loben: "Everyone had to leave their DMs at the door" — 2 Tone and beyond
Once A DJ is brought to you by:https://www.vinylunderground.co.uk - 10% off your next order using code onceadjhttps://www.sureshotshop.com/ - Record adapters (including customs) & accessorieshttps://myslipmats.com/ - Custom and off the shelf Slipmats, dividers and more.Once A DJ is a https://remote-ctrl.co.uk productionOther ways to support the showFollow the show on Spotify or Apple PodcastsAny feedback or questions? Hit up the Once A DJ Instagram PageSubscribe to the Once A DJ PatreonBuy your Once A DJ Sureshot 45 adapter clampsThis week I'm joined by Carl Loben, Editor-in-Chief of DJ Mag and a man who's spent more than three decades chronicling dance music — from blagging his way into gigs as a freelance writer for Melody Maker in the early 90s, to running DJ Mag for the last decade. I wanted to sit down with Carl because he's seen the whole arc from a vantage point most people haven't: Two Tone gigs at Hammersmith Odeon (where everyone had to leave their DMs at the door), an acid house epiphany at Glastonbury, the drum & bass evangelism that defined his 90s, and a publishing career that's covered the rise of the superstar DJ, the bottle-service era and the digital revolution from the front row.We get into Carl's own DJing journey — the false start, the freestyle rooms in Hackney, the international gigs that came with the editor's chair — and the labels he's built along the way: Westway with Barry Ashworth from the Dub Pistols, and Jack Said What with Irvine Welsh and Steve Mac (the underground house Steve Mac, not the pop one — there's a great story in there). He's also really frank about the shifting cultural landscape: the whitewashing he and Ben Murphy set out to address with their book Renegade Snares, the wellbeing reckoning that's reshaping what DJ life looks like, and the sea-of-phones problem that's quietly killing the dancefloor.In this episode we cover:Growing up between Beatles, Buddy Holly and Two Tone, and his first gig at 13 (Madness, Hammersmith Odeon)His acid house epiphany at Glastonbury and the unsung heroes the history books missedThe Hackney freestyle rooms, becoming a drum & bass DJ, and almost painting himself into a cornerBlagging his first reviews for Melody Maker and what life was like as a 90s freelance music journoWhy Melody Maker went down the toilet and how he ended up at DJ Mag full timeInternational gigs in Brazil, Ecuador, Poland and China — and learning why touring DJs burn outThe cult of the superstar DJ and the hangover from rock and rollWestway Records, Jack Said What, and the realities of running a label after the vinyl crashRenegade Snares, the whitewashing of drum & bass, and the genre's reckoning with diversityWhy digital was a blessing and a curse, and what happens when 20,000 tracks a day hit SpotifyThe wellness shift, the sea of phones, and his advice for new DJs trying to break through
- Apr 16, 20261h 16m
"We were limited to 30 minutes of funk" - how Debo established a worldwide funk and boogie brand
Once A DJ is brought to you by:https://www.vinylunderground.co.uk - 10% off your next order using code onceadjhttps://www.sureshotshop.com/ - Record adapters (including customs) & accessorieshttps://myslipmats.com/ - Custom and off the shelf Slipmats, dividers and more.Once A DJ is a https://remote-ctrl.co.uk productionOther ways to support the showFollow the show on Spotify or Apple PodcastsAny feedback or questions? Hit up the Once A DJ Instagram PageSubscribe to the Once A DJ PatreonBuy your Once A DJ Sureshot 45 adapter clampsThis week we're heading to the West Coast to sit down with Debo (Ivan) — the man behind Funk Freaks, one of the most authentic funk communities operating anywhere in the world right now.Born and raised on the west side of Costa Mesa in Orange County, California, Debo's story is one of music as lifeline. From breaking a needle on a Sesame Street turntable at five years old, to getting his hands on a beat-up pair of mismatched Technics at age 12 — after his older brother borrowed them from a friend who was heading to prison — to teaching himself to mix at 4am before school every day for six months straight. The obsession was always there.We talk about what makes Orange County's relationship with 80s boogie and funk so deep-rooted and distinct from LA, the lowrider culture that kept this music alive for generations, and how Funk Freaks went from backyard boogies and house parties to a nine-year residency at the legendary OG Mics in Santa Ana — and eventually to chapters across Europe, South America and beyond.Debo also opens up about the blood, sweat and tears it took to break the stigma of "cholo music" in bars and clubs, his year living in Barcelona, touring European funk bars with nothing but a tourist visa and a crate of records, and how all of that led to opening the record shop and launching the Funk Freaks label.A genuinely inspiring conversation about community, culture, creativity and the power of music to change the direction of a life.In this episode:Growing up on the west side of Costa Mesa and how the environment shaped himLearning to DJ on a borrowed mismatched pair of Technics and a busted crossfaderThe Stanton DJ-in-a-Box moment and the mother who matched his first paycheckThe Beat Junkies influence and applying hip hop technique to funk recordsBackyard boogies, house parties and the stigma of "cholo music" in venuesOG Mics — the Santa Ana residency that became the capital of funk in Southern CaliforniaLiving in Barcelona, buying Euro funk pressings for cents and building the international networkHow the Funk Freaks chapters work (think: graffiti crew ethics applied to record collecting)Digging road trips from New Orleans to New York to Baltimore and why California is slim pickings nowThe Funk Freaks record label — limited pressings, DJ tools, and the story behind the Colors movie recreationWhy there's no such thing as overpaying for a record that means something to youWhat the DJ's job actually is — and why Europe gets it rightLinks:Funk Freaks Instagram: @funkfreaksRemote Control (production): http://www.remote-ctrl.co.uk
- Apr 3, 20261h 24m
Throwback Episode: DANNY DANN BEAT MANN (RIP)
The Bronx legend responsible for Dusty Fingers and Schoolyard Breaks, a true scholar, a man with some great stories, Danny Dann Beat Mann, rest in peace.He was a north start for me from day 1 so it was great to get him on the show.RIP a true king of digging.
- Mar 25, 20261h 14m
"It helped me to escape family life" - Dan Lish on hip hop, his NY pilgrimage and life as an artist
Once A DJ is brought to you by:https://www.vinylunderground.co.uk - 10% off your next order using code onceadjhttps://www.sureshotshop.com/ - Record adapters (including customs) & accessorieshttps://myslipmats.com/ - Custom and off the shelf Slipmats, dividers and more.Once A DJ is a https://remote-ctrl.co.uk productionOther ways to support the showFollow the show on Spotify or Apple PodcastsAny feedback or questions? Hit up the Once A DJ Instagram PageSubscribe to the Once A DJ PatreonBuy your Once A DJ Sureshot 45 adapter clampsDan't IG: https://www.instagram.com/danlish1/The first ever live Once A DJ — recorded at Canopy Menswear, DerbyDan Lish is an illustrator and lifelong hip hop head whose work sits right at the intersection of culture, art and memory. In this special live episode — the first Once A DJ has taken out of the studio and in front of an audience — recorded earlier this year at Canopy Menswear in Derby, he tells the story of how B-boying and hip hop found him at exactly the right moment — and never really let go.He opens up about a difficult childhood, moving between families and a stint in boarding school, and how the battle culture of B-boying gave him a platform to express things he couldn't yet put into words. From erecting coat hangers around his bedroom window to pull in the Capital Rap Show on pirate radio, to catching second-hand American records in tiny Suffolk shops thanks to nearby US Air Force bases — Dan's path into the culture was shaped by scarcity, which made it all the more precious.He eventually made it to New York, where he spent around seven years immersed in the grassroots scene: practicing in the Bronx, attending block parties in Queens, linking with Spike from Zulu Nation, hanging with original writers like Stay High 149, and entering battles despite — by his own admission — being stiff as a plank when the nerves hit.Back in England, his illustration career took off through a series of portraits of hip hop icons drawn during his train commute — work that went around the world, got bootlegged onto mixtapes, and caught the attention of Rakim, Pete Rock, Paradise Gray from X Clan, the RZA and De La Soul among others.He rounds out the episode talking about his upcoming illustrated book Wonder Love, a love letter to Stevie Wonder's classic 70s albums, published by W.W. Norton.Show notes:Dan Lish's work: danlish.com (verify current link)Velocity Press: velocitypress.ukCanopy Menswear Derby: canopyonline.co.ukBook mentioned: Brakesploitation seriesUpcoming: Wonder Love — illustrated Stevie Wonder book, W.W. Norton
- Mar 11, 20261h 48m
DJ Super Dmitry on Deee-Lite, Nauti Siren & his musical roots "Elektra didn't think it'd go anywhere"
Once A DJ is brought to you by:https://www.vinylunderground.co.uk - 10% off your next order using code onceadjhttps://www.sureshotshop.com/ - Record adapters (including customs) & accessorieshttps://myslipmats.com/ - Custom and off the shelf Slipmats, dividers and more.Once A DJ is a https://remote-ctrl.co.uk productionOther ways to support the showFollow the show on Spotify or Apple PodcastsAny feedback or questions? Hit up the Once A DJ Instagram PageSubscribe to the Once A DJ PatreonBuy your Once A DJ Sureshot 45 adapter clampsDJ Super Dmitry | Dee-Lite, Nauti Siren & The Sound of a Life Lived in MusicThis week on Once A DJ, Adam is joined by DJ Super Dmitry — one third of Dee-Lite, the group behind one of the most joyful and enduring records in dance music history. But Dmitry's story goes far beyond 'Groove Is in the Heart', and this conversation goes all the way back to the beginning.Dmitry grew up in Soviet Ukraine as a third-generation musician. His grandmother — unable to afford a piano during the disruptions of the Russian Revolution, Civil War and World War Two — cut piano keys from paper so she could practise by hand. That love of music carried through the family, and Dmitry began lessons at five, was attending a conservatory music school by seven, and was already writing his own compositions in the style of Gershwin and Scott Joplin by eight.Western music was tightly controlled. Records could only be obtained on the black market — for around $50 each — and were copied onto reel-to-reel before being traded on. A track from Jesus Christ Superstar introduced him to something funky he couldn't yet name, and the search for that sound would shape the rest of his life.At 14, Dmitry and his family left the Soviet Union — the first in their town to do so, and treated as traitors for it. After periods in Austria and Italy, where he discovered punk (the Pistols, the Damned, X-Ray Spex, Iggy Pop), the family arrived in New York in 1978. On Halloween. In a Black neighbourhood in Brooklyn. Having never seen Black people before.From a 50-cent bin in a record shop, he picked up 'The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein' by Parliament because the cover looked insane. That was the moment. 'There it is,' he thought. 'That's the sound I've been looking for.' He's been a funkateer ever since.New York in the late 70s and early 80s was extraordinary — punk, disco, hip hop, and house all converging in the same sweaty rooms. Dmitry became an elevator operator at Danceteria, practising guitar in the lift between floors while Sisters of Mercy and the Sugar Hill Gang did soundchecks below. He ran into the pre-fame Beastie Boys regularly, worked at the Pyramid Club (run by drag queens, and a real education in showmanship), and played for Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash at block parties in Harlem and the Bronx.Dee-Lite formed as a direct attempt to bridge the gap between house and funk. They built a following through monthly shows drawing up to 1,500 people, which caught the attention of a Billboard writer and eventually sparked a label bidding war. They signed to Elektra — choosing them because their A&R, Nancy Jeffries, had signed Iggy Pop and Bjork, and that felt like the right kind of open-mindedness.Elektra didn't believe 'Groove Is in the Heart' had any traction. They let Dee-Lite do the video anyway, and Dmitry remembers
- Feb 25, 20261h 25m
"I saw a sea of masks of my face" - Steve Davis on his unexpected journey into Djing
Once A DJ is brought to you by:https://www.vinylunderground.co.uk - 10% off your next order using code onceadjhttps://www.sureshotshop.com/ - Record adapters (including customs) & accessorieshttps://myslipmats.com/ - Custom and off the shelf Slipmats, dividers and more.Once A DJ is a https://remote-ctrl.co.uk productionOther ways to support the showFollow the show on Spotify or Apple PodcastsAny feedback or questions? Hit up the Once A DJ Instagram PageSubscribe to the Once A DJ PatreonBuy your Once A DJ Sureshot 45 adapter clamps6-time snooker champ and lifelong record collector Steve Davis took the mainstream by surprise when he started DJing...his career blossomed quickly, but he'd been paying his dues with digging and collecting for decades previous...In this interview we get into the day job and also the new hustle, and how they complement each other, and also how they're very different.In this fascinating episode, we sit down with one of Britain's most famous sporting icons - six-time world snooker champion Steve Davis - to explore his journey into electronic music, DJing, and his band The Utopia Strong.Steve shares incredible stories about the golden age of snooker in the 1980s, including the legendary 1985 World Championship final against Dennis Taylor that 18.5 million people watched until the early hours of the morning. But more importantly, we dive deep into his lifelong love of music, from discovering prog rock and psychedelic music as a teenager, to becoming a respected DJ on the alternative electronic music scene, to creating experimental instrumental music with The Utopia Strong.This conversation explores the parallels between elite sport and creative pursuits, the importance of obsession and dedication, dealing with success and failure, the power of humor and perspective, and why at 68, Steve feels like Peter Pan with no intention of retiring.Whether you're interested in snooker history, electronic music, or the mindset of elite performers, this episode offers unique insights from someone who's mastered multiple crafts.GuestSteve Davis OBE - Six-time world snooker champion (1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989), BBC snooker commentator, DJ, and member of electronic music trio The Utopia Strong.Known as the "Romford Terminator" during his dominance of snooker in the 1980s, Steve has become equally respected in the alternative electronic music scene.Key Topics CoveredThe golden age of snooker in 1980s BritainThe 1985 World Championship final - 18.5 million viewersFinding your obsession early in life (snooker at age 14)Parallel journey with music from teenage yearsDiscovering prog rock, psychedelic music, and krautrockThe transition from sport to musicDealing with success, failure, and being replaced (Stephen Hendry era)The importance of humor and not taking yourself too seriously</
About Once A DJ
Welcome to "Once a DJ," the captivating podcast hosted by Adam Gow, better known as DJ Wax On. For two decades, DJ Wax On has immersed himself in the world of DJing, exploring the art form alongside his other professional pursuits. In this show, he speaks to legends of the DJ game and contributors to the culture, about where their passion for the art has taken them. With a genuine interest in personal growth and a deep appreciation for the unique skills acquired through DJing, he invites you to embark on a journey of self-discovery and exploration.A https://remote-ctrl.co.uk podcast
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