Every DJ has one.
A night when everything that can possibly go wrong does – and it does so in spectacular fashion. Returning again, Clash brings you DJ Disasters, featuring some of the most respected figures in the dance world reminiscing about those moments when it all went badly wrong.
Put simply: DJ Pierre is a legend. A true pioneer of house music, the producer has spent more than two decades preaching the Chicago gospel to crowds around the world. Remaining ahead of the game, DJ Pierre has continually revised his sound to keep in touch with time and trend.
Of course, it doesn't always go to plan…
– – –
My DJ Disaster happened on Margarita Island, Venezuela. I arrived on the Island a day early without my bags (which included my records) to much media and PR at the airport with cameras flashing everywhere! I was so excited at the energy that the island had. Being interviewed by E Latin America was definitely a highlight. They were asking me what music was I going to play, so I told them some Wild PiTcH, Acid House, techno and some nice bangin' soulful house!
Now I was told that my bags would arrive later that day, so I wasn't worried, but suffice to say they did not come later that day or night. So the next morning (the day of the festival) I was a bit concerned but I was still assured that they would get there on time. By now I was already taking precautions on a Plan B. With no record shops on the island I had to resort to asking around to playing another DJ's records. It took all day but finally we had got in contact with one of the Island most popular DJs but he couldn't arrive until just before my set! Crazy! I am the headlining DJ of this festival!
So with more calls to the airport and the bad news that my bags where seen last somewhere in Europe (don't even ask how they ended up there) I realized I had no choice but to play records from this guys who isn't even here yet! They tell me I have ten minutes to show time and I'm starting to really feel like this show is truly in jeopardy then up walks the dude, so with no time to look through his records or listen to them before I played I could only tell the guy: "Yo, you need to hit me with the hottest joints you got for my first songs!" So I'm trusting this guy, and to put even more pressure on I was told that I would be rising from the middle of the stage to smoke and flames. My opening tracks had to be straight fire!
There were these mad drummers all blowing fire out of their mouths, and then the flames start shooting up from the stage as they introduce me: "From the Chicago USA, the creator of Acid House DJ PIERRE!"
Then I come up from the middle looking like I'm the baddest dude on the planet, just as the guy hands me the first record and when I drop that joint I'm like "huh?! what the heck?" I'm like: "dude, did you not see all this craziness going on and you giving me this?" My heart is pounding out of my chest by now. People looking like "is this it?" Then the next tracks were just as bad if not worse. Looking through his records I couldn't find one tune that I heard of before and I kept wanting to get this night over with already. People were like: where's the Wild Pitch, where's the Acid House? To make a long story short I've never been invited back to that Island to DJ.
I did eventually get my bags though… they arrived to my home three weeks later!
– – –
DJ Pierre and Joey Beltram are working on a series of mixes for Halocyan.
The latest issue of Clash Magazine is available to purchase online – click HERE for details.
