USA – DISCO pioneer discjockey interview for the polish leading deejay web site  www.djsportal.com

as same as for the books: "Disc Jockey and "Silent Records" Disco Encyclopedia by Janek "Yahudeej@y"Pawul

Hello Yahudee,

Thank you for the opportunity to go back in time and give you my point of view as how going into the DJ art and the music industry changed my life and has become a life long love affair. 

1

Y@HU - when did you decide to become a disc jockey

- when and where did it really start

- how long have you been a deejay ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

It was after High School in the late 60’s my whole world was dancing and going to the Discotheques.  In those days the magnificent mix of music & sounds I heard (Motown, Gospel, Rock & Roll) being played was enough to make me fall in love with the night life.  So one day out of work hungry and rejected by the army I found a local newspaper and with the assistance of my girfriend at the time, now my wife, we sat on the steps of the New York Library and found a DJ wanted ad and I went to the audition, there were about 15 other dj’s waiting their turn untill my turn came and I flipped all the switches on and 45 minutes later I had the job.  2 weeks later I had the longest line of people waiting to come into the club to hear me play.  I have been playing ever since - for 38 years.

2

YOUR MEMORIES

Y@HU - Tell me something (as much as possible) about the pioneer deejays or artists you

know / you've met in your career ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

Growing up in New York gave me the advantage to see the originators that transformed the simple task of playing a vinyl record into an art form.  Watching a DJ like Francis Grasso the originator of the “slip cue” mixing who manipulated hundreds if not thousands of people per night into euphoria gave me the assuance that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

3

Y@HU - Do you keep / hold any contact with the other disco deejays /artists / '70 mega stars (can you mention any names) with whom you've become close friends maybe, because of your work ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

Later in life Francis became a dear friend and he will be remembered for future generations as a pioneer. Paul Casella, Al Garcia, Aris Rodriguez, Eddie Rivera among others became good friends of mine.  Of course as time went by a considerable amount of great pioneer friends of mine have passed on.  Just by looking at the list of dj’s pioneers in your web page I can recall all of them, their memories and their creativity will live forever and I thank you for keeping it and showing it to the world.

4

Y@HU - Tell me about the most exciting moments in / about your deejay / producer career ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

Man, it will be hard to narrow it down to just one specific event or one exciting moment.  1975 I participated in the Billboard Convention where I met Phil Gary.  For those who don’t know Phil is the gentlemen who brought in the Rolling Stones to U.S. for the first time.  Along with Roy Webb, an influential promoter responsible for the Eletric Circus, Abra Cadabra, Copa Cabana, Cat Club etc., I began a relationship with these people that took me all over the U.S. to open clubs.  At the same time I met someone who was putting a gigantic show in Honolulu Hawaii and I was chosen to do 3 days of TV and Radio appearances with the final show at the Waikiki Sheraton “Dico Fever 2000” which took place in the year 1976.  Being somewhat of a novice in touring the most exciting moment was when they called me onto the stage and 10,000 people and camera flashes sparkled towards me.  Later on in 1977 when I was hired at 20th Century Fox in Charlotte, North Carolina I was in the mall and these few young women on the escalator started shouted at me “IT’S YOU... THE DJ FROM HAWAII”.  At that point I knew I was a professional DJ.  In the late 70’s people everywhere were asking for more and more disco, not only because everybody wanted to be at Studio 54 but because they wanted to dance 24 hours disco.  So...Roy Webb being the innovator that he was approached one of the hottest radio stations in NYC at the time, 92 KTU FM, and convinced them to start a 4 hour non-stop disco show called “The Boogie Man Show”.  Well I was the given the opportunity, once again, to start something that to this day still exists all over the world, non stop music radio.  I, Luis-Mario along with Jimmy Stewart, who had passed on a few weeks earlier, headlined the beginning of the non-stop 4 hour disco music show.  (Tape available)

5

Y@HU - Do you remember / can you tell which was your best DJ gig ever ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

1978 Once again I was approached by Roy Webb and chose me to open one of the most luxuriest and exciting nightclubs in the country...DaVinci in Dallas Texas.  Originally I was hired for the first 3 days only for the opening as I was usually hired.  After 3 days performaces my reviews were so overwhelming that I was hired for a full 1.5 years.  I was being paid exceptionally well with my own apartment.  That led me to go and open in other cities such as Louisville, Kentucky, Columbus, Ohio,  Los Angeles, California and to top it all once again I was taken to the top by asking me to perform at the Disco Funeral.  I said “wait a minute what do you mean disco funeral”.  My career has been engulfed and built on disco music.  How can I go to Las Vegas and kill disco?  Well money talks and bullshit walks.  I was offered a great sum of money and the opportunity to achieve one more success to culminate the 70’s I accepted the engagement to kill disco nationally on Entertainment Tonight (video tape available).  It is obvious that I have devoted till this day the love and admiration to the 70’s decade. 

6

Y@HU - Who were (as you remember) some of the great parties and DJs of the time ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

Working 7 days a week didn’t leave me much time to socialize in other clubs.  The only opportunity that we, the professional DJ’s at the time had, was going to the record pools like 99 Prince Street,  David Mancuso’s The Loft, to pick up our “product” (records) and socialized amongst the record pool members.  Exchanging information about what was going on around the city clubs and exchanging re-mixes done by some of the DJ’s at Sunshine Sound.  After a couple of years some of the members from 99 Prince chose to move to another record pool I.D.R.C. International Disco Record Center owned and operated by Eddie Rivera and the Rivera family.  Eddie being a DJ himself and a pioneer knew that we needed to hear the artists performing their releases and he managed to bring each week especially for the record pool DJ’s a variety of acts where we could actually give our feedback directly to the record companies.  I think those were some of the great parties where DJ’s among DJ’s could be themselves. 

7

Y@HU - Have you ever done something else or is DJ'ing your life ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

In the beginning of the 80’s I realized that maybe DJ’g was not going to last forever.  I opened a graphic agency in NY with my wife and father-in-law.  I worked with my agency as well as working at the Copacabana until 1986 when once again Roy Webb knocked on my door and approached me with his next venture.  A new concept in nightclubs marrying the “new wave” and theater called The Cat Club in NYC.  I never even imagined that my career had any more excitement left but here I found myself back on top.  Once again putting my signature on a new generation.  In the late 80’s I went to work at the Rooftop (after the Cat Club) NYC and at Levels in Fort Lee, NJ. 

8

Y@HU - Since you're one of the pioneer disco DJ's - how was the DJ regarded in the beginning and how has it changed during the years ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

One of the reasons that a lot of disco pioneers can relate to is the fact that DJ was admired and respected by the masses.  Talent without the use of hi-tech we were able to turn a night into a memory.  We were able to tell a story throughtout the night answering one record after the other without interrupting the dancing with any dialogue.  The music was everything.  The chanting of the DJ name while he was playing was an incredibly uplifting experience.  The sound system was simply a mixer with 2 knobs, amplification, Thorens turn tables, voice of the theater speakers and the DJ.  Then we got some help by sound technicians like Alex Rosner, just to mention one, who started to build new cabinets for speakers and we got wonderful mixers like the Bozak and Technics 1200 turntables

9

Y@HU - What do you think about today’s techno / house etc. and deejays who use old tracks, samplers, CD mixers, put new beats of computer programs, and "create" special versions of the songs and burn CD's at home of their "creations?” or produce on 12” vinyl. Is this serious or just fake ? - I mean they create nothing in fact - they just use good music made by someone else from the past. In other words they can create nothing if it wasn’t from such old, good records of the '70 ?

More explanations to this very important question:

What if people (poets, writers, painters) change (destroy in fact)  great poetry, books, paintings - if they cut of parts of the well known poetry, books, paintings - mix them and pretend it is new and created by them. My opinion if any deejays / producer     - want to be creative - then should create own music as Vince Montana did, as many other real musician / producers did in the past. Techno / house deejays just use other music and destroy with wrong BPM, sound, etc.

Disco music not belongs to techno / house - it is very separate music of the past and it is good as it was created - need no any shit changes - "creations" of the people who have no idea, knowledge - do not know how to play instruments. This is very sick if deejays pretend music creators. Deejays are just to play other people - real musicians music - that is it.

House music is OK for those who like it (NOT ME - because it is too much techno - machines play too much - not real musicians)  but house not existed if not use this unique rhythm created by real musician - Salsoul Orchestra and many other drummer - Earl Young. Earl is godfather of house music - not any shit deejay who just stole Earl Young creation and pretend  as his own.

Problem with present time deejays is - they pretend someone - they are not in fact. They hire real musician to create and record music in the studio - then put his nick name or name on CD cover and pretend this all music is created and made by them. It is shit crime !!! - shit crime.

No one ever in the music history did such dirty tricks before - except one German producer name Frank Farian who created fake and plastic "artist" name Milli Vanilli. Do you remember that their fake creations got Grammy and then they should give back Grammy because of crime they did ???!!! Same creators as this F. Farian and his shit Milli Vanilli are today’s techno / house "creators" / deejays whose cut and mix pure disco music and destroy all in their own sick way. 

On the end - can you imagine my interview with you other writer cut - mix and publish under his name as his interview with you as his "creation" ? It would be shit stupid crime - simply !!!

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

To surmise my answer to the above question....It is very noticeable that artists and some DJ’s are trying to do everything too fast too soon and they accomplish nothing, even with the help of techology and using bits and pieces of old music, without creativity, one comes out with crap.  I must say that every once in a while I stop and listen to an artist with something worthwhile.  As you know working in this industry you learn to accept only the best.

10

Y@HU - Where do you live now ?

DEEJAY – I live in South Florida for the past 13 years.

11

Y@HU - Who were (as you remember) some of the great show and artist of the time ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

As a kid I was introduced to an incredible variety of music from my family.  I learned the Spanish/Italian music you know....the standards, and from groing up in New York I was listening to The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Santana, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, The Family Stone, Andwella, Cat Mother, Exuma, Osibisa, Edwin Starr, Curtis Mayfield, Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Traffic, Rare Earth, just to mention a few. 

12

Y@HU - Do you regular work now as a deejay ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

Yes, I keep myself busy running my entertainment company getting gigs for all types of functions.  With offices in New York & Fort Lauderdale I handle a diversified clientele that requests DJ’s and Bands, so I pick & choose what I want and also enjoy playing for partys and clubs.

13

Y@HU - What music style do you prefer and vinyl or CD ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

I still enjoy dance music where I can get to play up tempo/high energy disco, and I had to learn to use CD’s as well but my real enjoyment is vinyl.

14

Y@HU - What was your favorite club you worked for ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

My nightclub line-up is pretty extensive, but I would say that I had the most fun playing at The Cat Club in 1984-1986 simply because I felt sure of myself as a professional and I put all my experience from the past decade to create and be different than the rest by giving the club an identity that will be remembered for a long time.

15

Y@HU - Do you plan to write any book about ’70 discos / deejays or an autobiography  ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

Absolutely, as a matter of fact I just put an ad on Craigs List looking for a gost writer.  There is just so much to tell and no much time left.

16

Y@HU - No doubt for me that black artists created late ’70 disco music, disco history

 based on soul and R&B - what is your point of view ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

One of the reasons that I became a DJ is the influence that all the Black Artists had in the creation of dance music and the relevance to that whole generation of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and today

17

Y@HU - Do you feel yourself as connected any way to the deejays whose created late ’70 disco

- discotheques and today clubs history based on soul and R&B ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

Without a doubt, I can’t separate myself from it I was part of it in every step of the way.  Remember out of all the DJ’s that created the disco era some decided to make dj’ing into a hobby, some went in studios and some of us made a successful career.  

18

Y@HU - Do you prefer very early old style, (radio close style) deejays use microphone, speak to the people or those came later - just mixing records with BPM, pitch control ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

The way I see it is that when a DJ is hired in a nightclub you are supposed to be able to make people dance and let your performance be the only thing people can hear and enjoy, not your voice interrupting the mood.  I always was against a Dj talking over the music. As for the BPM it is only your knowledge of knowing how to mix a record that counts although the pitch control is nessesary nowadays.  I remember just using my finger to either slow the record down or to spead it up in order to mix.

19

Y@HU - What was your favourite club, how do you remember: Studio 54, Sanctuary, Limelight, Funhouse, Gallery, Palladium, Paradise Garage or maybe David’s Mancuso – Loft ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

I had the opportunty to work in most of the top clubs and I can’t even explain it in words, the joy, the fun and memories  all these clubs bring to me.  The Sanctuary 1970 Michael Capello will open the night for Francis Grasso and by midnight the street was a sea of people as Francis arrived at the club.  He would get out of his car and people would scream his name.  He would go upstairs where at the top of the stair was a statue of the Devil welcoming you.  As you walked to the right there was a huge salon (this used to be a church).  He went through the crowd to get to the Altar where he would get ready to take over and the anticipation was overwhelming because nobody knew what he was going to play.  All of the sudden he would take a record and you heard C’mon Children by Earth, Wind & Fire.  I happened to have a tape recorded live as Francis was playing, the reaction of the people speaks volumes.

20

Y@HU - are you married, any children ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

Yes I’m married for 34 years with no kids.  In a way I am relieved because otherwise my life wouldn’t have been the same.

21

Y@HU - What is your life now - deejay, producer - what projects are you working on ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

I have a terrific life lots of memories still playing and producing shows here and there, mainly enjoying life.

22

Y@HU -  Has today's music become too technically driven, thus losing some of its magic touch when you were performing ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

Yes, as I stated before you have to know how to utilice technology and still be creative.

23

Y@HU - Tell me about your cooperation with any labels (if) ?

DEEJAY – Luis-Mario

None.

24

Y@HU - what do you think of the Disco era now ?