QUICK FACTS

 

1. Place of birth? Vallejo, California
2. Year of birth? 1968 - "summer of love"
3. Porn star name (name of first pet + name of first street
    you lived on)? Toolie Rogers
4. Favorite food? A perfectly cooked piece of Filet Mignon
5. Favorite record? My autographed copy of Sinead O’Connor’s 

    – The Lion & the Cobra
6. Worst job you ever had? Receptionist in a law office (didn’t 

    last very long)
          

SERIOUS QUESTIONS  
 
1.You mentioned in a previous interview that, not really knowing any DJs who could teach you, you taught yourself on your own how to spin and mix tracks. That’s pretty amazing! How long did it take you to learn like this? 
Well, my story is anything but typical – I was spinning out in front of a crowd of about 250 after only about 4 weeks experience on the decks! I did, however, come into the game with 12 prior years of classical training. This really gave me an edge, since I already had a firm grasp on music structure and the ability match the “keys” of tracks before I ever started spinning. The ability to “phrase” two complimentary tracks came pretty quickly to me and all I really had to focus on was learning to beat match. A lot of practice, a lot of “trainspotting” and listening to a lot of mix tapes helped me develop that skill. 

2. Your music is pretty dark. Would you say that you are a dark person, or is that just what comes out in your music?
Hmmm… Am I a dark person? No. If anything I’m a realist, but overall I think most people would vouch that I’m a sweet gal with a big heart. As for my musical preferences, I’ve always been into darker, harder edged music. My musical tastes flowed from bands like Kiss in the 70s, to punk in the late 70s & early 80s, to industrial and Goth in the late 80s & early 90s to electronic beats from there on out ... I never had much of a taste for fluff, 
although I do like soft, heart-felt music as long as it’s intelligently done and has some depth to it. 
  
3. Tell us about your very first gig? (Were you nervous? How did you do?)
The first gig I played at was a “rave” in Sacramento California called Euphoria – back in September of 1998. I didn’t even have a “DJ name” yet and was just billed as “Dina”. I had the 2nd slot of the night, it was only a half hour, and yeah, I was nervous as hell. I had played at a few of my own house parties before then, but being billed on a flyer with some pretty big DJs of the time and seeing 200 people looking back at me was a bit more than I was used to and I had some stage fright. But then there was that musical training I brought up earlier and with that came my experience of playing in front of other people, which helped me cope. I remember thinking to myself “it’s just another instrument” and for most of it I closed my eyes and pretended I was home, playing in my living room. Judging from the response I got from the crowd and the handshakes and cards I got from other promoters following my performance, I’d say I did pretty well. (For a quick chuckle, I even have an old flyer image here: www.djdragnfly.com/past/Sept25-1998/).
 
4. Describe your evolution as a DJ? (Has your style changed? Has your attitude changed?)
Technically, I’ve gotten a bit more aggressive with the equipment. Rarely do I find more than a few tracks that hold up solidly on their own, so on most occasions I find myself cutting, tweaking, sampling from track to track – it keeps me entertained and it increases the energy of the crowd. Musically, I’ve gotten a bit more “techy” than when I first started, but other than that, I think my taste for the darker and sometimes harder stuff has remained with me throughout my career. I like to think of myself as evolving along with the music – in other words, you won’t find me playing old tracks over and over. I always bring in the new stuff and keep updating my sound along with the different styles of music that emerge to my liking. 
  
5. From your years of professional experience as a DJ, what is the most important thing you’ve learned about the business – something you never could have known as a beginner but that you definitely need to know to stay in the business …? 
The most important thing is realizing the level of dedication and commitment that’s required to make it  in this business. I didn’t know it was going to be so involved! I don’t think people realize how much work it takes to stay on top of the game. Like most people, I thought of DJs as people who just basically spun two days a week and sat on their butts the other five. Little did I know of how much work goes into promotion, making contacts, staying on top of promoters, legalities, and all the while keeping in intimate contact with my supporters and staying up on all the music I love to share with them. An average workday can actually be up to 16 hours long, but I’ve never had so much fun working”.  
 
6. Who are your major influences when it comes to spinning? Why? 

Every DJ I’ve ever watched and heard has influenced me in some way, but if I had to lay it out for you with specific people in mind, then it would work out like this: 
The DJ that first inspired me to spin was Happy Kid Marty. I had been partying off and on for 7 years or so and while I was really into the music, I had just never had an interest to check out the DJ. 

 

Sounds crazy, but it’s true. Then one night I get trapped in an over-crowded party in a balcony section overlooking the decks and to keep myself occupied (no room to dance), I just stood there watching Happy Kid Marty and Happy Kid Ian doing a 2x4. I was literally blown away by what I saw.  See, I’m a sucker for gadgets, and seeing all that equipment for the first time, with its knobs and sliders, well… it intrigued me. I left that party knowing I was gonna buy decks. 

The DJ that has most influenced my technical style is Ethan Miller of Friends & Family. The guy is a complete sonic manipulator and I just had never seen anyone actually use a mixer so much; he was cutting back & forth, sampling tracks w/o the help of an FX module and just being downright crazy. That was inspiring and I watched that guy every chance I got. I think some of my own style reflects his influence on me. 

DJ Zeel, aka Polyvinyl also influenced me both technically and musically. An aggressive mixer, Zeel has the ability to create actual journeys through his musical programming. From the soft ethereal sounds of old Platipus tracks to hard-as-hell trance and techno, Zeel showed me how to create a musical journey and how to do it with style!  
  
Currently, my biggest influences are the people that dance with me every time I hit the decks. Most people cite other DJs, but I’ve spun with some of the biggest and I just have to say that the big names have been somewhat disappointing – most have been more of an illusion than a reality. So, I like to keep things in perspective and say that the things that inspire me today me are things that are real –  not the intangible things like image.  
 
7. Do you practice every day or are you to the point where you can just put a couple records on and make it all come out nice right away? If you practice, how often a day do you do it?  
I don’t set aside specific time to practice. Usually, my schedule requires me to play an average 4-5 days a week as it is, so that gives me plenty of time to keep my skills sharp. The one time I actually get to sit around and listen to some tracks is right after I get my weekly shipment of records. I’ll let the  tracks play, usually while I’m conducting other business (mostly at the computer) and while I’m  listening I can get an idea of which ones might sound good together. When I have some free time, I might play around – to see how some of the tracks might work together, or more importantly to see if any simply DON’T work together! I also don’t rely on “knowing” my records to get by. Instead, I’ve learned to anticipate changes within the track by reading the grooves. This keeps the tracks fresh for me and when I get one that sends chills up my spine, then I know that the crowd is gonna go nuts!!!  
 
8. What kind of equipment do you use? And how important is your choice of equipment to your ultimate success as a DJ?   
Right now I have 2 Technics MKII tables and my trusty Vestax PMC15 MKII mixer. I think that any professional DJ will vouch that Technics and a professional level mixer are desired for all occasions, but I also think it’s important for a professional DJ to be able to perform under ANY circumstances! Some DJs will refuse to play on equipment that is not up to their “standards”. I’ve seen them walk away or bitch profusely if they didn’t get the specific Pioneer model they wanted or the tables were set up battle style instead of club style and I think that is just silly. If you got skill, you can work under the funkiest of circumstances. Yeah - it may be a bit more work, but it can be done. After all, it’s not the equipment that makes the DJ, but the DJ that makes the equipment.   
 
9. There are so many DJs out there. What do you have or do that sets you apart from the other DJs?   
I personally don’t see what sets me apart – you’d have to ask the crowds and promoters that question. What I do know is that I have a passion for what I do and I think people can feel that. One of the best and most frequent comments I get are from people who explain to me how they literally feel like I take them on a journey and so they are able to completely let go during my set. That kicks ass! I also think that people appreciate the fact that I am not about my image – what’s more important to me is having fun and feeling connected to the crowd. Another thing people have told me is that I’m really fun to watch because I do a lot of manipulations and tricks on the turntables. Some even go as far as to say I have an “uncanny skill” at mixing.
 
10. You say that you don’t have any problems getting taken seriously as a woman in the music industry – and maybe that’s because of your tomboyish looks – but is that always the case 100 percent of the time or have you indeed experienced some sexism?   
Not that I’m aware of – but then, who knows what people say behind closed doors? All I know is  that I’m the most frequently booked DJ in my area – male or female, so if there is some sexism trying  to work against me, it’s failing miserably! Overall, I feel very well-respected in my field and I think my reputation precedes my looks and my gender.     

11. Are you part of any collectives and do you think collectives can help female DJs advance in their careers? Why or why not?  
Yes, I’m part of a collective known as Epiphany (an underground crew from SF) which actually gave me some headway early on in my career. I am also involved with other collectives as an affiliate
(such as Lost Tribe in SF and Illuminaughty from Burning Man). None of these collectives focus on "female DJ” advancement; rather their goals are aimed at advancement of the underground dance scene in general. I think any DJ (male or female) can benefit from a collective that has a good reputation of excellent event production and high quality talent. I don’t think it’s necessary for a female DJ to be a part of a collective to be successful, but if she finds one that is in line with her goals as a DJ (not solely as a woman, but as a DJ), then she should go for it. One of the negatives about collectives is they can isolate DJs from being involved with other productions. Free agency is my preference, but having friends can’t hurt!   

12. Is it easier for a woman DJ to break into the scene than it was, say, 5 years ago?   
Yes.  
 
13. How would you compare the music scene in Sacramento and San Francisco compared with that of, say, Miami?
I haven’t had the privilege of spinning in Miami…yet… but I hear it’s a big breaks town.  What I’ve experienced from my gigs outside of Northern California is that some other states tend to be a bit more behind in terms of what’s new out there.  I always seem to shock people at first, but after the first ten minutes I have them eating out of my hand. Literally!  I think that Northern California has more of a potpourri of styles than some other places I’ve played, and people here tend to take risks which helps put us at the forefront of the rave scene. I also see less of a focus on big named talent out here, especially in Sacramento, where your skills had better match up to your name or you will be relentlessly criticized.

14. You have said before that you don’t stick to certain labels, preferring to use whatever catches your attention. What’s the craziest and most atypical record you’ve ever used in a set?   
I actually opened up a recent party with an original copy of Yello’s “Oh Yeah” and was able to sample into it and mix out of it with a hard German tech-trance track put out by Riddler & Headcrusher. That was pretty crazy. I also threw mixed Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” down in the middle of a techno set  last year and that threw ‘em for a joyous loop. Other than that, I can’t think of anything I’ve played out that was too much over the top of human understanding. Oh – I did end a Teknocracy broadcast     with a special treat – Johnny Cash’s A Boy Named Sue from his “Live at San Quentin” album, but I don’t think I’d torture people by playing that out live on stage. LOL.  
  
15. Being a professional DJ seems like a dream job. You get to travel, play music and entertain crowds. Is it really as glamorous as it seems and are you happy about your choice?   
Well, like I said before, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that one has to do in order to get the recognition and gigs that provide travel, hotel, and the big crowds. It’s not easy. But is it worth it?   Hell yes!!! I’m having the time of my life, despite the hard work, and don’t regret it at all!  

16. How has your personal life changed since making the decision to go professional?  
Well, with the decision to become a professional DJ came the decision to turn down a stable job in the biotech industry. Yeah – before I was a DJ, I was a lab rat, cloning genetically manipulated bacteria. I just didn’t have the time to commit to both careers, so goodbye paid vacations and health benefits. That was a HUGE risk and at times stressful (since when is the life of an artist easy?), but so far things have turned out nicely. I’m also a pretty shy person, so all the attention that comes my way from excited fans is something I have to get used to. I actually think that DJing helped me in this respect, as I’ve gotten a bit more outgoing over the past few years. So far, the changes seem to be good ones…    
17. When you are not DJing, what kind of things do you enjoy doing?  
I like to lock myself up with a big bag of popcorn and a good movie (not very flashy, huh?).  

  
18. What’s the next big step in your career?   

I think the next logical step for me is music production. I think it’s almost a natural evolution for anyone  who plays out on a regular basis for a few years or more. You spend countless hours listening to music that others have created and, at least for me, it has gotten to the point where I constantly hear music in my head: 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week. And being able to get those sounds out of my head and made into tracks that others can hopefully enjoy is something that I’m really excited about.