SHEJAY : : Features : Interviews :: Samira Pass the Beats Writer turned beatmatcher, San Francisco’s Samira tells us about her quick transition from turning pages to turning out dancefloors. 1) How and when did you start DJing? I was a ferocious writer until I dropped out of grad school & DJing pretty much took over where my writing left off. In spinning I found a creative freedom that I had never experienced with writing: I like the transient aspect of the music–the immediacy of call and response, the nearness of your audience. More specifically, I got my first taste of spinning in 1999. My boyfriend at the time had bought decks that spring & that�s when I started buying records. I bought my own decks in January of 2000. 2) How would you describe your sound? I’m a storyteller. I generally prefer to tell my stories with dark, moody, percussive, nu-skool breaks and progressive. I�ve been told that I don’t forsake melody for bassline, and vice versa. Also, I love playing long sets. 3) Who are your biggest influences and why? Son of the Electric Ghost (Bless Records) & the Carbon Community (Bless Records/ Moonshine): I can honestly say that their music has made me a better DJ. Their sound continues to challenge me as a DJ: they keep me on my toes and force me to be a more careful listener. It�s a beautiful thing! The Incredible Melting Man (2 WARS): he is one of the most skilled DJs I�ve ever heard. His sets are powerful, funky, and very precise. I learn a lot from watching him. He is a great, not to mention prolific, producer. He works very hard & he knows a lot about the many different aspects of the scene: DJing, producing, running a record label, owning a club, going on tour. HANKtheGUYwithRECORDS is one of my biggest influences for so many reasons: Paul has given me so much support & has been to more of my gigs than anyone. He is my best friend and my partner. We have shared many hours & days & nights & weekends spinning records together. He has given me so many fantastic records, I�m sure I could record a 3-CD set with just the records he has given me! He is by far one of my favorite DJs�his sound is dreamy, pretty, determined, unafraid. Canyon: I�ve also spent many many hours spinning with this guy. Some of his mixes have left me helplessly weeping. His style is very unusual and complex, yet very danceable. He also has the ability to weave together the most rythmicallly and melodically complex tracks. We�ve been spinning for the same length of time, and it has been great to be witness to each other�s musical growth. Seraphim: Sarah is one of the women in Sister SF and she kicks ass! She plays drum & bass exactly the way I love it�beautiful basslines and very melodic. I love the progressions of her DJ sets. Sarah loves to share her music. She is a great teacher and friend. I can�t think of anyone who is harder working, more dedicated to the San Francisco scene, than this woman. 4) What are your goals as far as DJing is concerned and why? DJing plays a large role in many of my relationships: it has been a means of sharing, a source of inspiration, and an emotional outlet. I love spinning records�it�s loads of fun, so I want to do it all the time. And I�ll keep doing it for as long as I love it. My goals? I want to continue creating more space for female DJs, up & coming DJs. I want to throw good parties with good people whenever I can. As far as my own DJing, specifically: I�ve been very lucky this past year, because I�ve had the opportunity to play a lot�in San Francisco, as well as out of state. I would love to continue playing more out of town gigs and go on tour. I would like to start producing as well. 5) How has the presence of women grown in the industry since you have been a DJ? There are a lot of great female DJs in the scene right now, definitely more than when I first started. I�m lucky to live in the San Francisco Bay Area, because it�s a DJ friendly culture & there are lots of female DJs here. There are still too many places, however, where a female presence is seriously lacking. But we�re actively trying to change that through Sister SF! 6) Are you currently working on anything that you would like to speak about? Sister just had our annual Drag event & we had a blast! All the residents tag-teamed with male DJs in drag. Check out the pictures on the Sister SF website. I�m also working on bringing Son of the Electric Ghost to San Francisco in January. He is one of my favorite producers, and he�s never played on the West Coast, so I�m stoked! I�m also in the early stages of planning a visit to Canada early next year, to produce a track with Anthony Hudson (the Incredible Melting Man). I�m ready! 7) Do you have any advice for up and coming DJs? If you love it, then keep doing it. The rest will follow.
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