DJ
Kool T
Interview by Johnny Johnson
Photos by Alan
Ortanez
Years DJing?
25. I started in 1979.
Your current club residency?
I spin in the North County every Thursday,
Friday and Saturday at Pompeii
Room. My DJ company is called UMS. Universal Mobile Sound. I do a little
carpentry for the DJ Store. I built both DJ booths at E Street Alley
and the booth in the hip hop room at On Broadway. Email:UMSISKOOLT@yahoo.com.
Music styles you spin?
My style is continuous crowd sensitive and creative!
I spin for the crowd
not for myself or any other jocks! I spin hip-hop, r & b, reggae/
dancehall, seventies, eighties, nineties, alternative rock, meringue,
house, etc. To radio and the record labels... Please put out more of
your positive music. We all need it.
Why did you convert from spinning vinyl to cd?
I play a lot of music.
I didn't like carrying 4-8 crates of vinyl (just in case). I get my music
cheaper and easier on cd. You can do so much mix-wise and recording-wise.
The creative factor here is crazy. I record my own remixes, rearrangements,
intro's, breaks. I'm now more of an artist. I'm not just pushing buttons
when I do my thing. Hell no!
How did you get started DJing?
I played percussion in this band called "Royal Funk" and
I could never hit my "solo" exactly right. Remember GQ and
the break on "Disco
Night".. I still hate that song. My first DJ gig ever was in 1979
for these really hip, bi, gay, straight, cool ass Soul Train dancers
at this big ghetto mansion in South East San Diego. It was off the hook!
I said, screw the band stuff!
Where was you first club gig?
Spanky's Saloon on Midway and Rosecrans
(now The Sizzler) around 79' or 80'. It was called Jam Night. It was
packed every Monday. I got $35- $55 a night.Over 20 years ago, you
did a show with Run DMC here in San
Diego. The ticket had you billed as the headliner and Run DMC the opener.
That was sometime between 82'- 84'. TCB Productions booked em' at The
Rodeo Club (now Rock Bottom on La Jolla Village Dr.) for two shows
on a Sunday.
I DJed and warmed up the crowd. Then my M.C., Prince Whipper Whip would
come on. Then Run DMC would finish the show.
Who were your favorite DJ's coming up?
DJ Rockin C.W. at Abby Road Club and Palisades Skating Rink in
East San Diego. He used to rock the crowd and play some good soul, funk,
slow
jams and could MC to death. On the other side of town, I learned technical
stuff from DJ Jeff Marcone at Rasputin’s disco in Point Loma. I
can learn from any DJ. Back in '86 I learned about alternative, electronica
and fashion from you (DJ Johnny Johnson) and your click at Stratus Dance
Club.
Funniest thing that ever happened to you while DJing?
My Mom is a Baptist Preacher at a church called the Christian
Love Center. Her name is Pastor Tamasha Spears. One night, she drove to
the club with some of her church girls (all wearing their church clothes).
There were a lot of people in the club. I gave her the mic and she started
preaching! She was all, "Can I get a hallelujah!" She got the
crowd going. Everybody couldn't believe what they were hearing. Top that!
Any interesting DJ stories?
There was this boat cruise party that I got to DJ. The party was
thrown by Eddie Love (formerly of Z-90). Notorious BIG was on it with his
people.
I kept hearing people saying stuff like, "The king of hip hop is
here." I
didn't get to meet him, but I did hear that he and his people were really
feeling the set I spun. That was cool. He was gone (died) a few days
later when he went up to L.A. That was a trip.
The best gig you ever did?
There's a few. Back in the early to mid eighties, I DJed these
illegal parties at Ski Beach and Balboa Park. Plug in your gear and spin
till the cops come. Packed, no violence, happy, mixed crowd, dancing, skating,
free food, straight, gay, no gangs. We also had some huge events at Montezuma
Hall. 1800 people and only four disco lights, two speakers, everybody swingin'
and no fights.
Worst gig?
About ten years ago, I DJed a Quincenera for this nice Latino
family. These girls were high school age and everyone was dressed really
nice. A friend of one of the girls was in a gang. He brought his boys with
him. About an hour later, they started fighting with my crew, chasing them
down the street. Then they beat up the parents. They didn't fight with
me. But,
they broke the tone arms off both my turntables and threw bricks and
rocks at my van. Thrashed it.
Do you still drink a big gulp of coffee before you DJ?
Coffee has been in my blood since I was about 11 years old and
that was when I started doing carpentry. I would drink coffee before I
started
work. For some reason, neither drugs nor alcohol ever became part of
my routine. But if that's your thing, do it... don't let it do you. Myself...
coffee, cream and sugar please.
What do you like the best about being a DJ?
Simple. I want to make everybody happy! Which as we all know is
totally impossible. There lies my challenge! Working nights also also gives
me a day life of which I spend a lot of time with the family.
Any last comments?
How it was and how it is now. People have it so good now in the
clubs. Man, it was so segregated back in the day. White folks went to white
clubs
and black folks went to black clubs. That was it. I've learned how to
appreciate other styles of music and other cultures and lifestyles. A message
to all DJ's... Take your job seriously but remember "It's
all about Love!"
