A DJ's Journey: DJ Podcast and DJ History Insights

Keith "Deckard" Harris | DJ Interviews and Big Beat History
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I'm Keith "Deckard" Harris, a DJ for over 25 years. On A DJ's Journey I sit down DJ to DJ with the people who built big beat, breakbeat and DJ culture, and get the stories behind the records, the nights and the turning points. Honest DJ interviews and real DJ history, told by the people who lived it.

  1. 3d ago

    The Spacemen: Florida Breakbeat, Alien Masks & 30 Years as a Duo

    Florida breakbeat duo The Spacemen — DJ Trip (Keith Rosenberg) and Danny B (Dana Brown) — have performed as aliens for thirty years, and it started with a library photo of American Gothic. They trace the Miami bass and Florida breaks scene that raised them — Beatmaster Wizz, Vicious Bass, Magic Mike, 2 Live Crew, System II — then the road that followed: pumping compressed air into sealed alien masks ("we had no idea that wasn't good for you"), getting tracks onto MTV, and surviving Napster and the post-9/11 collapse of the record business. It ends on the moment that cuts through three decades of deadpan — a single dad putting out his daughter's first record on his own label. "We can almost finish each other's sentences. And I don't even like the guy." 📬 The Crate Letter (free newsletter): https://adjsjourney.beehiiv.com/ 🎧 A DJ's Journey — the oral history of dance music, told by those who created it.

    The Spacemen: Florida Breakbeat, Alien Masks & 30 Years as a Duo

  2. Sep 4 ·  Bonus

    Crate Digging with Damian Harris — the founder of Skint Records (yes, Fatboy Slim's label) and the man behind Midfield General

    This one's a track-by-track walk through his own catalog and the records he signed. Damian tells the story of the "coat noise" he accidentally recorded on the streets of New York that became a single; Noel Fielding's surreal monologues on "Generalization"; executive-producing Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." before the world caught on; and the four years it took to get "Reach Out" with Linda Lewis right — a record he says he wants played at his funeral. Plus the Lo-Fidelity Allstars, Bentley Rhythm Ace, and Space Raiders — Skint at its most gloriously unpretentious. The oral history of dance music, told by those who created it. 📬 The Crate Letter: https://adjsjourney.beehiiv.com #CrateDigging #DJHistory #Skint #BigBeat #MidfieldGeneral

    Crate Digging with Damian Harris — the founder of Skint Records (yes, Fatboy Slim's label) and the man behind Midfield General

  3. Aug 5

    DJ History: Donald Glaude on Seattle Rave Culture & 35 Years Behind the Decks | A DJ's Journey

    DJ history, first-hand: Donald Glaude on 35 years of Seattle rave culture, from The Underground to the festival era. In Episode 1, DJ Dan told us Glaude handed him the mic and christened him a star. In Episode 22, recorded after Dan's passing, Glaude tells the other half, and how Dan paid it forward into the Funky Tekno Tribe. Beatles records at six. Learning to mix on a Radio Shack mixer. Eight-hour Friday nights at The Underground. The pre-EDM road with Dan, Fatboy Slim and Carl Cox. The Vegas residencies at Drai's and ICE and the deliberate choice to trade EDM paydays for community. It peaks at Joshua Tree, in tears, "I took them to church" and a defiant second act. One of American dance music's most electric showmen, at his most human. The oral history of dance music, told by those who created it. New stories every week in The Crate Letter: adjsjourney.beehiiv.com

    DJ History: Donald Glaude on Seattle Rave Culture & 35 Years Behind the Decks | A DJ's Journey

  4. Jul 23

    DJ Qbert - Turntablism, the Invisibl Skratch Piklz & the Universal Language

    DJ Qbert, the most decorated turntablist in DJ history, joins Deckard on A DJ's Journey. The first US turntablist on the show traces the line from the Excelsior District and the Filipino mobile-DJ crews that built West Coast DJ culture, to back-to-back DMC World titles (and being asked to stop competing), to the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, Wave Twisters, the QFO, and Thud Rumble. Along the way: DJ Muggs' advice about respecting your gift, why he hears scratching as a universal language, and the rule in hip hop that the more you give away, the more comes back.🎧 Listen everywhere podcasts are available📩 The Crate Letter: https://adjsjourney.beehiiv.comA DJ's Journey - the oral history of dance music, told by those who created it.00:00 Intro00:45 The Musical Roots of Qbert03:55 The Journey into DJing and Turntablism06:47 The Rise of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz09:29 Innovations in DJ Hardware and Techniques12:44 Wave Twisters: The First Animated Hip-Hop Movie15:38 The Evolution of DJing and Spirituality17:51 Collaborations and New Projects20:57 The Future of DJing and Upcoming Tours29:21 Innovative DJ Tools and Projects31:19 The Evolution of Vinyl and Digital Music33:48 Embracing Technology and AI in Music37:45 Health, Wellness, and Creative Energy43:13 The Universal Language of Music46:35 Learning from Great Musicians50:23 Future Projects and Collaborations#DJHistory #DJQbert #Turntablism #ScratchDJ #InvisiblSkratchPiklz #DJCulture #HipHop #ADJsJourney #DJPodcast #WaveTwisters

    DJ Qbert - Turntablism, the Invisibl Skratch Piklz & the Universal Language

  5. Jun 26

    Kelly Reverb on the Starck Club, Lone Star Records & Getting Sober (Part 2) | A DJ's Journey Ep. 20

    DJ history you haven't heard: Kelly Reverb returns to A DJ's Journey — our first-ever two-time guest — for a deep dive into 1980s and '90s Dallas dance music. From the legendary Starck Club (designed by Philippe Starck, "ground zero" for MDMA before it was criminalized) to Lizard Lounge, the original Hard Rock, and the night Jerry Jones turned up on his dance floor, Kelly maps a scene the history books skip. He tells the DIY origin of the iconic red-white-and-blue Lone Star Records, the hand-stamped "F**k You We're From Texas" white label, and how his track "Go Get On It" (as Southside Reverb) landed on the soundtrack to Blade. Then the conversation turns: the MP3 crash, the open-format grind, the alcoholism it bred, and five years of sobriety that sparked a creative renaissance with co-writer Chad LeMans. Part 2 picks up where Episode 3 left off. The oral history of dance music, told by those who created it. Subscribe to The Crate Letter at adjsjourney.beehiiv.com. CHAPTERS 00:00 The Dallas Club Scene: A Historical Overview 03:04 The Starck Club and Acid House 05:58 The Rise of DJ Culture in Dallas 09:07 Influences from the UK and Chicago House 12:05 Radio and the Dallas Music Scene 14:59 From DJing to Producing 18:10 Renegade Soundwave and Local Artists 20:56 The Shifting Dallas Scene 27:07 Turning Point: The Aha Moment 28:52 DIY: Starting My Own Label 30:30 Collaborations and Early Productions 33:32 From Idea to Reality: The First Record 35:20 From Local Gigs to Touring 39:32 Reflections on Career Choices 40:43 White Labels and Remixes 42:43 The Music Industry: Challenges and Luck 48:40 The Rise of Lizard Lounge 52:08 The Decline of the Record Business 55:12 Adapting: The Shift in DJing 58:05 The Struggles of the Entertainment Industry 01:01:50 Rediscovering Passion and Creativity 01:05:50 The Journey to Sobriety and Music 01:09:42 The Evolution of Music Promotion 01:13:22 Legacy and Impact of Music 01:17:22 Adapt or Get Off My Lawn

    Kelly Reverb on the Starck Club, Lone Star Records & Getting Sober (Part 2) | A DJ's Journey Ep. 20

  6. Jun 3

    Breakbeat, Funk & the DC Underground: Rusty Belicek of All Good Funk Alliance | A DJ's Journey Ep 19

    Rusty Belicek found a Slick Rick tape in an Oklahoma parking lot at age 11 — and it set everything in motion. From DC's 18th Street Lounge to opening for James Brown to building All Good Funk Alliance with Frank Cueto, Rusty tells the inside story of breakbeat's mid-tempo underground. Topics covered: the Star Wars soundtrack as first musical memory, finding forbidden music in a Seventh-day Adventist household, meeting Frank at NOVA, the Funk Weapons label, DC's Go-Go scene, 18th Street Lounge residency, Swing the South production breakdown, opening for James Brown, the wedding DJ sacrifice, Burning Man and Funky Town, scene vs. community, and the hardware store as creative discipline. Listen on all platforms: 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-djs-journey-dj-podcast-dj-history-insights/id1804651291 📧 The Crate Letter: adjsjourney.beehiiv.com 📸 Instagram: @adjsjourneypod Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro 0:01:24 First Musical Memory: Star Wars Soundtrack 0:02:36 Off the Wall, Thriller, and the Sister's Record Collection 0:03:33 Punk Rock, Fugazi, Depeche Mode 0:06:06 The Slick Rick Tape: An Oklahoma Parking Lot Origin Story 0:08:05 Oklahoma to the DC Area via the Air Force 0:09:08 Meeting Frank Cueto at NOVA 0:10:50 The AGFA Sound: Trance-Techno Meets Hip-Hop and Breaks 0:13:22 Maxi Records, Choosing Mid-Tempo Over House 0:16:04 Going Full-Time: Labels, Day Jobs, Economics 0:18:00 The Wedding DJ Pivot: Kids and Sacrifices 0:22:33 18th Street Lounge: No Top 40s, Full Nights 0:24:45 U Street Music Hall: Opening and Closing 0:26:40 Winter Music Conference: First LP Deal 0:28:37 Go-Go: DC's Indigenous Sound 0:30:50 Baltimore Club: BYOB and Mark Farina 0:35:06 Swing the South: The Production Breakdown 0:41:25 How AGFA Changed Deckard's DJ Philosophy 0:47:35 Record Store at 16 and Learning to Beat Match 0:51:03 Burning Man: Funky Town and Early Bassnectar 0:55:55 Opening for James Brown: The Briefcase and The Splits 0:59:30 Ghetto Funk Origins   1:01:10 Whistler: Matthew Alien and Vinyl Richie 1:04:30 Z-Trip, Uneasy Listening, Cut Chemist 1:07:45 Where AGFA Is Now 1:10:00 The Hardware Store Life #breakbeat #AllGoodFunkAlliance #RustyBelicek #DJHistory #FunkMusic #DCMusic #NuFunk #ADJsJourney #DJCulture #DJPodcast

    Breakbeat, Funk & the DC Underground: Rusty Belicek of All Good Funk Alliance | A DJ's Journey Ep 19

  7. May 20

    DJ History: Damian Harris on Founding Skint Records, Creating Fatboy Slim & the Big Beat Boutique | A DJ's Journey Ep 18

    DJ History from the architect's chair. Damian Harris founded Skint Records, designed the Fatboy Slim logo, started the Big Beat Boutique, and A&R'd Norman Cook into the biggest DJ on the planet. Now he tells his side of the story. From punk gigs with his brothers in Canterbury to acid house in Brighton, from living with Norman Cook to watching "Santa Cruz" become Skint's first release — Damian traces the full arc. He walks through the A&R instinct that signed the Lo-Fidelity Allstars in two minutes flat, the night he played a Justice remix in his office and said "this is the future," and the moment he walked away from the label he built. This is the companion episode to Ep 17 (Fatboy Slim). Same story, other side of the desk. First label boss on A DJ's Journey. Damian now runs Vicious Charm, his own independent label. 🎧 Subscribe to The Crate Letter: adjsjourney.beehiiv.com 📸 Instagram: @dj.deckard   Chapters:   00:00 Introduction to Damian Harris and Skint Records   03:42 Musical Beginnings: Punk to Hip Hop   12:19 Art School and Early DJ Experiences   16:53 Brighton: A Musical Hub   17:41 Life with Norman Cook   21:20 The Birth of Big Beat and Skint Records   30:13 A Historical Coincidence: The Birth of Skint Records   31:51 Transitioning to Label Ownership   35:05 The First Releases: Building a Foundation   37:15 Instinct and A&R Decisions: The Early Years   39:32 The Promise of Lo-Fi All-Stars   40:43 The Big Beat Boutique: Origins and Evolution   45:42 The Big Beat Boutique Era: A Cultural Shift   49:26 Balancing Multiple Roles: DJ, Producer, and Label Owner   51:40 The A&R Pipeline: Finding New Talent   54:29 Curating the Big Beat Sound   57:08 The Evolution of Breakbeat: Diverging Paths   01:01:48 The Evolution of Breakbeat and DJ Culture   01:02:42 The Rise of Fatboy Slim   01:05:40 Navigating Success and Pressure   01:08:44 The Shift in Musical Genres and Personal Growth   01:13:11 Challenges in Creating Iconic Albums   01:17:57 The Difficult Decision to Leave Skint Records   01:18:27 Exploring New Ventures and Creative Freedom   01:21:04 Returning to Skint and the Changing Music Landscape   01:26:03 Future Aspirations and the Vision for Vicious Charm   #DJHistory #SkintRecords #FatboySlim #BigBeat #BigBeatBoutique #DamianHarris #MidfieldGeneral #Brighton #UKBreakbeat #ADJsJourney   #DJCulture #IndependentLabel

    DJ History: Damian Harris on Founding Skint Records, Creating Fatboy Slim & the Big Beat Boutique | A DJ's Journey Ep 18

  8. Apr 29

    Fatboy Slim: Big Beat, Brighton & the Big Beat Boutique | A DJ's Journey Ep 17

    DJ History meets Big Beat in this keystone episode. Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook) joins Deckard for a conversation nine previous A DJ's Journey guests have been teeing up since episode one. From punk bass player at 14 to the biggest DJ in the world, Norman traces the full arc: The Housemartins, Beats International, the four-ingredient recipe for Big Beat (Beatles pop hooks, punk attitude, hip hop breaks, acid house energy), the Tuesday-night Brighton club that named a genre, and the 360 DJ-in-the-round he invented at Brixton Academy because he felt outgunned following rock bands. Inside this episode: → Confirming the Krafty Kuts (Ep 11) dubplate story from behind the Southern Fried counter→ The James Murphy origin moment at Don Hills strip club in New York→ Damien Harris (Ep 18) being called in to be fired from Loaded and talking his way into inventing Fatboy Slim instead→ The NHS-funded DJ workshops Norman runs for autistic adults→ The night at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, summer 1999, that made Deckard become a DJ 27 years ago 📧 Newsletter: https://adjsjourney.beehiiv.com/Sign up for cross-episode stories, deep dives, and the conversations that didn't make the cut.

    Fatboy Slim: Big Beat, Brighton & the Big Beat Boutique | A DJ's Journey Ep 17
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I'm Keith "Deckard" Harris, a DJ for over 25 years. On A DJ's Journey I sit down DJ to DJ with the people who built big beat, breakbeat and DJ culture, and get the stories behind the records, the nights and the turning points. Honest DJ interviews and real DJ history, told by the people who lived it.

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