This is a transcript of the Beyond the Decks Podcast 009 with DJ Jace. The timestamps in the transcript are clickable links that take you directly to that point in the main video. Please note that the transcript is machine generated, and may have errors. Here are some useful links:
Go back to this episode’s main page:
https://learningtodj.com/btd009-dj-jace
Watch the full YouTube version of the podcast:
Table of Content
Table of Contents
00:00:00 – Introduction to the Podcast
00:02:01 – Early Influences
00:05:54 – First Gigs in Kitchener-Waterloo
00:09:14 – Formation of Fine Grind
00:13:17 – Residency at Revolution and Renaissance
00:16:53 – Decline of DJ Residencies
00:22:14 – Community Vibe in Clubs
00:24:26 – Balancing Responsibilities
00:36:14 – Starting a Label
00:44:28 – Collaboration with Poets
00:46:13 – Future Releases and Projects
Introduction to the Podcast
(00:00:09)
Robert Simoes
Welcome everybody to the Beyond the Decks podcast, your guide to mastering the, the art and business of the DJing, dance and electronic music industry. I’m your host, Robert Simoes here with learning to dj.com, and today we are speaking with an individual who is well known on the east coast of Canada in the dance music scene. His name is DJ Jace and he’s a recording artist and co-owner of the label Fine Grind Audio, based in Kitchener-Waterloo. Jace has been a DJ for 15 plus years, originally holding down two residencies in two of Kitchener and Waterloo’s most coveted nightclubs, Revolution Nightclub as well as Club Renaissance. He’s also played at various venues across the East coast of Canada, including Toronto’s former government and System Sound Bar, as well as Comfort Zone, which is still around today. And he’s played across North America in other different venues and internationally as well, specifically having a very important experience at the World Electronic Music Festival, which we’re going to talk about. He currently runs a radio station and entitled Hi Tech Funk on the Like That underground syndicated radio stations every Saturday at 5 p.m. central, eastern, Central European Standard Time for all the finest in techno, electro and more.
(00:01:22)
Robert Simoes
His first release was The Warrior on Hard Signal technical recordings of VA entitled Hard Signal 009, and in this episode we’re going to talk to JS about his experience in being so intimate with Kitchener and Waterloo’s electronic music scene and nightclub scene, as well as growing from a DJ into a recording artist and now into his own label manager. So with that, DJs, welcome to the podcast. Thanks for having me, Rob. Amazing. Good. good. Good homework.
(00:01:53)
DJ Jace
Well done. We try our best. We try our best. You’re like, You’re like nada.
Early Influences
(00:02:01)
Robert Simoes
So, Jace, usually how I like to, you know, start these conversations is always going to kind of the roots. I feel like for every DJ, they always have a some sort of experience where they, they find music for the first time in a way that really touches them. And, you know, it might not be the first time they’ve heard music, but it was the first time that they really were like, oh, this is something that’s really, really important to me.
(00:02:21)
Robert Simoes
So where does that start for you? as a, as a, as a DJ and, and a recording artist.
(00:02:30)
DJ Jace
that’s a great question. yeah. I don’t remember, like a definitive moment. I was like, oh, I got to do that. Like, our music really struck me. I just I’ve always been into it. I do remember, this is going way back now, the movie juice, Tupac Shakur. And anyway, it’s about a deejay, and that really, really took me in that that’s when I got into it. And this would have been in the early 90s. of course, I started out in hip hop and turntable ism wasn’t very good with turntable ism, so I just kind of messed about. I had, you know, got the crappy old turntables and I was into the beats too. So making making beats. So getting a sampler and drum machines and things like that, didn’t really take it too seriously until, I got talked into going to, went 1999 and, yeah, that was a game changer for me.
(00:03:25)
DJ Jace
I was just blown away by the experience. wasn’t my first rave or party, but, just the experience blew my mind, and I was, Yeah. From that on, I went and got 1200s, took a little more seriously. And, that’s really how it started for me.
(00:03:41)
Robert Simoes
So when being the World Electronic Music Festival, can you talk a little bit about that? Because in the research, I didn’t know that this was a, you know, festival. It went on for a couple of years as my understanding. But what was that experience going to, I guess what would have been a classic kind of 90s rave for you.
(00:03:58)
DJ Jace
well, yeah, just like I said. pretty, pretty mind blowing. for a guy that’s used to the hip hop scene, so was much different. it was, you know, more open and accepting and, loving will say, so it’s just a little culture shock for me, really, because I’m just so, you know, the hip hop world was a little more edgy, we’ll say.
(00:04:23)
DJ Jace
And, yeah. So just I was like, wow, this is crazy. just just the love and the vibe in the community. So kind of really, really took to me for sure.
(00:04:34)
Robert Simoes
And was it, was it just, I guess even the music too. Did you find that that was something that you weren’t, hadn’t been exposed to as much, or were you had already been exposed to a little bit of dance to house and techno?
(00:04:46)
DJ Jace
Yeah. I mean, I’ve always been a record collector, so I, I have friends that listen to techno through high school and in the early 90s, so I was always very aware of it. I definitely had a good share of electronic, vinyl. Like just everything across the board. So I liked it. I listened to it. one record that really kind of helped me notice house music was the Armand Van Helden’s, I can’t remember the name of the EP, but as the Witch Doctor EP, I heard that on the radio and I was like, oh, this blew my mind.
(00:05:18)
DJ Jace
so I was like, I need to go get that vinyl. So it’s kind of like my first, like proper House, record that I bought and I believe it was 94, 95 or something like that. But yeah, again, never really got into that, scene until later on. After after length.
(00:05:33)
Robert Simoes
And then you mentioned that you had picked up your turntables. I guess you had some hip hop vinyl already. Maybe you started buying a little bit of house and techno vinyl. When did you kind of, or were you already like kind of gigging out in the city, or was that the point when you decided that, okay, I gotta start trying to find gigs and places around Kitchener-Waterloo.
First Gigs in Kitchener-Waterloo
(00:05:54)
DJ Jace
well, even in high school, I would deejay house parties and things like that. Just little, little events. So, definitely, I’ve always been into the performance aspect of it. and then it’s definitely a different world in the house world, as opposed to the, you know, the corporate, settings will say the mainstream settings.
(00:06:18)
DJ Jace
So, I really need to step my game up, just with, the whole beat matching and learning to play, you know, proper, proper, you know, riding out mixes and stuff like that. So it’s a little bit different. Bit of a learning curve for me. so yeah, it was I didn’t want to rush it. So I think like I said, it’s about 1999 where I started getting into the trance and techno, playing that, but didn’t really get a club gig until 2001. Me and some friends, just, you know, like, play, opened up some, played a pool hall, a billiards hall of some sort, and water, I can’t remember the name was on Weaver Street in Waterloo. So that was kind of our first club experience in 2001, and she had to leave.
(00:07:04)
Robert Simoes
And what did you do? Did you just approach the the owner and you just were like, hey, can we bring our 1200s in play in the pool hall?
(00:07:12)
DJ Jace
it was a friend of mine, Steven Steven Tremor, he, he was friends with the owner, so he had the connection there.
(00:07:18)
DJ Jace
So, yeah, that’s essentially it. So, yeah, we just, did a night, like, I think 4 or 5 of us. DJ basically just for friends, mainly. And then whoever was playing pool in the. In the hall.
(00:07:30)
Robert Simoes
Yeah. And what was the early, that kind of early scene like in Kitchener-Waterloo, like, like I mentioned, we, you know, Kitchener-Waterloo used to have quite a lot of, you know, nightclubs like Revolution. And I guess what became Pearl. and it was a very vibrant scene. So what could you tell us a little bit about the the feeling and the vibe around that time?
(00:07:49)
DJ Jace
Well, obviously I was a bit. I’m not super old school in the KW scene. There’s, I know there’s things happening in the early to mid 90s that I’d only heard about, so I can’t really speak on that. but in the mid to late 90s when I got a little more into it, the Purple Room was, another good introduction, for, for house music.
(00:08:13)
DJ Jace
I know, and even in the Revolution, which was Peal, they would do, I can’t remember it was a, it was a Thursday night, before Easter, before Good Friday. And they always had Kenny Glasgow come in and play in the main room. So it was that was a proper underground experience. again, this was before I really kind of took off with it. So. But Kenny Glasgow, a definite definite early influence as well. and it was, it was yeah. Very good vibes. in the, in the 90s. Of course.
(00:08:43)
Robert Simoes
And when did you, when did you then go on to actually, you know, start playing, That revolution and renaissance.
(00:08:51)
DJ Jace
Okay. Okay. So now we’re. First things first. We kind of formed. Fine. Grind with, me, myself, Benny Knox. and then Chuck Lee was kind of the founder of it, so he started a club night, downtown Kitchener called frequency. So that’s kind of where we all banded together. that was a great opportunity for us.
Formation of Fine Grind
(00:09:14)
DJ Jace
We brought in, a number of Toronto DJs. So we made lots of connections with the Toronto DJs. and they just kind of put our name on the map a little bit. and then from there, fresh entertainment, I believe is their name. It’s the, Derek Dennison. They were doing Knights, in the prop room after, Matlock. I got a shout out. Matlock and Isaac. Yes, there were the the original guys, as far as I know. Anyway, in the program back in the 90s, and then moving into the 2000, the Hans French Fresh entertainment. They took over the poker room. So they’re responsible for getting me in there? that would be maybe 2004, 2005, somewhere around there. and I’m not even sure. I think, they were working their way out, and I spoke with the owners, but, you know, being interested in, taking over, essentially. So my knights seemed to be pretty good. So they, let me do my thing. And it was a great run, a poker room.
(00:10:20)
DJ Jace
So.
(00:10:21)
Robert Simoes
Yeah. And so. Well, let’s take a step back, because I guess you pointed out an important landmark there, right? You started Fine Grind with a few collaborators. So can you talk about the origin there? Was it were you guys making music at the time? What was the the sort of origin of fine grind in that case?
(00:10:40)
DJ Jace
fine Grind was created by Chuck and, Benny and I, Benny Knox, Gizmo back in the day. we were we were partners. We we produced together. Benny taught me a lot of production things, so I gotta give him a shout out. And then. Yeah, we just just met Chuck, out and about at events, and, again, just joined forces with him and, took it from there.
(00:11:05)
Robert Simoes
And so is there a kind of was there like a vision at the start of what you foresaw find Ryan kind of dealing out in terms of sound, in terms of genre, or has it always kind of been more around the techno world?
(00:11:20)
DJ Jace
We were definitely harder edged techno, and even like tech, trance, German trance back in those days.
(00:11:27)
DJ Jace
Benny was Benny was like hard techno in Chicago, techno, Jack and techno. And I was a little bit of both. I played some massive techno. And then Chuck, he was tech, trance and trance mainly. So we had a little bit of everything.
(00:11:42)
Robert Simoes
Yeah. And so then you sort of all joined forces as a way to, I guess, promote your own own music or your own sound.
(00:11:49)
DJ Jace
Well, we weren’t spending and I were producing at this point, but we weren’t ready to put it out. so we were it was early stages. I would say 2003, 2004. We were just, messing around on on Fruity Loops, essentially. So, yeah, we didn’t actually start, distribution, like, properly start the label until about 2009. And that was mainly just Betty and I. So and then my brother and, a few other people again, even as well.
(00:12:22)
Robert Simoes
As an artist, how do you how did you know when you or how did you feel ready to to go ahead and start distributing your music? You mentioned that you sort of felt like you were just messing around.
(00:12:31)
Robert Simoes
You weren’t ready yet. What was the the path to that?
(00:12:37)
DJ Jace
that’s a good question. I guess, we would test it out in the clubs, a little bit. So that helps, gets a good reaction And compare it to other tracks that are that are out there. there’s another another way to go and just seem like the, the next step really, for us to progress and proceed.
(00:12:55)
Robert Simoes
Yeah. In developing and developing your career, you made.
(00:12:58)
DJ Jace
Correct?
(00:12:59)
Robert Simoes
Yeah. So. Okay, so so we’ve got fine grain guy, we’ve got Jace and Penny Knox, you know, producing in the studio, I guess making some tracks. And then meanwhile, you’re now mixing and DJing every weekend at at the Purple Room at Revolution. Is that right?
Residency at Revolution and Renaissance
(00:13:17)
DJ Jace
it at one point, yes. It was pretty much there at least bi weekly. And then there’s sometimes whereas we were there quite often for sure. Like definitely we definitely had owned it, I guess for, for quite some time in the late, close to, you know, anything from like 2008 up to 2014.
(00:13:38)
DJ Jace
I think I played my last gig there in 2016. Halloween, I believe, was the last gig there. So how has.
(00:13:45)
Robert Simoes
how has I guess the tastes in, in Kitchener-Waterloo changed? if at all. Right. Compared to what you were playing at that time period?
(00:13:57)
DJ Jace
we definitely, when we shifted to proper, were still playing pretty hard. but it got a little more, more, more clubby, I guess you could say a little more house oriented because of the overflow of the main room, you’d have a little more of a mainstream crowd dipping in there. So, things slowed down musically, too. Like in the early 2000, we were playing around 140, and then it dropped to, you know, in the 120, 21, 28 or so. A lot of it was a popular tempo, you know, around, I don’t even know, 26 to 2012. the vibe changed, I guess, when EDM got really popular, beta came to town. so it’s definitely got a little more mainstream at that point.
(00:14:45)
DJ Jace
so we felt the proper room was, you know, still a little more edgier and underground than them for the most part. So,
(00:14:53)
Robert Simoes
And so with the you mentioned so 140, was it playing things out like trance or I guess more? Yeah.
(00:15:00)
DJ Jace
France, techno, hard techno. A lot of the techno even still was, like hard groove was, was 140 ish back in those days. So. Yeah.
(00:15:09)
Robert Simoes
And how did you manage that, as, I guess, you know, a DJ being in, I guess what would be like a more small room being adjacent to a larger room, was there like dynamics or things that you learned in doing that, or did you just sort of say, okay, this is our vibe. This is, you know, people come to the Purple Room because they expect this particular sound.
(00:15:31)
DJ Jace
yeah. I mean, I’m a bit of a three Wheeler when it comes to DJing, so I like to take chances and and left turns and I’m pretty open minded to what I like.
(00:15:41)
DJ Jace
So, yeah, like like you mentioned my radio shows techno, electro and house. I’m kind of all over the map. so it makes it makes it interesting, I guess so, yeah. And then. Oh, go ahead. Sorry.
(00:15:55)
Robert Simoes
Oh, no, I was I was just going to add on to what you’re saying. I mean, I think as a DJ, it’s it’s almost hard to put yourself so much into just like wonder. I speaking kind of from a similar perspective. It’s like I listen to a lot of techno or I listen to a lot of German beats and stuff and it’s hard to pick. Yeah.
(00:16:10)
DJ Jace
True. and then we bring in a wide variety of guests too. Right? So, you know, we still bring in the techno people. we brought in the hard signal guys, Pat and Frank that had me out on, the heart signal there for my first release. So we did some, like, hard techno nights there that were very successful. And then we did, you know, deep house nights as well.
(00:16:30)
DJ Jace
So, yeah. And then.
(00:16:34)
Robert Simoes
Something that I thought was interesting was that you don’t Really with.
(00:16:39)
DJ Jace
A lot of.
(00:16:39)
Robert Simoes
New deejaying. You don’t see this concept of the residency as much. Can we talk about, like the decline of the residency? Like what? What do you think happened?
Decline of DJ Residencies
(00:16:53)
DJ Jace
yeah. I mean, club clubs kind of faded a little bit for sure. Right? So, that’s a good question. I mean, in my, for me personally, was the clubs closed, so, that was that was really the downfall there. and then since those clubs have closed, I’ve, it’s just trying to get nights here and there. So after, Pearl, we moved on to district, which is like the old club abstract for those who know. and then that closed as well. Then we went on to Ace Ping Pong Lounge back in Uptown, and that was kind of our last. I think we’re we’re there monthly or something like that. So it’s really the last residency I guess I had.
(00:17:37)
DJ Jace
Now it’s just kind of throwing off random parties here and there, wherever we can find a space. Yeah.
(00:17:42)
Robert Simoes
Do you think that’s like a more like a larger phenomenon throughout, you know, North America, or do you think it’s just in some particular communities? Because even I just noticed in Toronto, like there’s a lot of DJs, but you don’t have like this one single DJ playing like six hours anymore. And maybe it’s because there’s so many more.
(00:18:01)
DJ Jace
True. Yeah, it could be a factor for sure. Yeah. The, the mark all of our nights at government, would be a good example of that. Right. So. yeah. That’s a that’s a good question. Rob, I don’t really have a definite answer for that.
(00:18:16)
Robert Simoes
Yeah. I just, I just thought it was kind of, you know, like going back to even we said Mark Oliver, like I was reading an article on the government, the history of the government and like, his how the government had changed and like, how he used to DJ and everything like that.
(00:18:30)
Robert Simoes
And it just got me thinking, going through your history, I was like, oh, wow. It’s it’s quite fascinating that you used to have Basically DJs that would play every, every weekend like they would be there. They lived there. Right? That’s the residency aspect. but you don’t you don’t find that as much anymore. And part of me was wondering, okay, is that maybe because there’s such a large number of DJs now, or is it that maybe the clubs like you mentioned have been closing? Or maybe there’s other factors like, I know that there’s there’s this new kind of entertainment concept of like a dinner club now. yeah. So, but I just thought it was, it was, it was kind of interesting to just, like, observe that even in your history, because I do remember, you know, revolution. And I do remember seeing, like, you know, particular nights, like, I think they used to have a Euro night there at one point, right?
(00:19:25)
DJ Jace
like.
(00:19:25)
DJ Jace
Yeah. I mean, that’s kind of what the main room would have been back in the 90s was a lot. A lot of Euro dance, for sure. another spot. Speaking of Euro would have been lyric, which would have been before that. That’s really, really going back into the 90s. So the Chris Sheppard days and whatnot. So yeah, again, a little before my time, but.
(00:19:44)
Robert Simoes
But you were also playing a different club club Renaissance too, right?
(00:19:47)
DJ Jace
Correct. Yes. So, I was there for probably seven years and it was actually, a gay club. So, definitely a different experience. yeah, it was a fun spot. they were great. The owners were great. a little more. I played a little more commercial, so a little more healthy, but some more anthems and stuff like that. A little more accessible music, but, yeah, nonetheless. Now, that was the night where I would play all night, like I would do the 4 or 5 hour sets.
(00:20:15)
DJ Jace
So whereas Purple Room would always bring in a guest. So, how do you.
(00:20:20)
Robert Simoes
Think about designing your sets when you have something like 4 or 5 hours?
(00:20:27)
DJ Jace
well, for those Renaissance nights I played, I played deep, you know, and a lot of stuff I tested a lot of stuff that I really liked. some more deeper house and things like that, less commercial. And then as people start trickling and get a little more vocal action going and then, you know, past midnight when things really start building up, then you start dropping the bangers and have some fun hands in the air. So and is it kind of what the crowd wanted?
(00:20:52)
Robert Simoes
So you would, you would use kind of the crowd as a way to, to kind of direct.
(00:20:56)
DJ Jace
Yeah, yeah. And it was interesting there too, because your booth was in the back and you were kind of out of sight a little bit, so it wasn’t like you were the center of attention, and I was fine with that.
(00:21:07)
Robert Simoes
So that’s really fun because that that is something that we’ve talked about on this podcast before.
(00:21:15)
Robert Simoes
this idea of like the changing dynamic of the performer. Right? Like the DJ and being front and center versus being in the back or being on the side. So from your perspective, being in the back, for example, do you think that that gave you more Freedom as like an observer to pay attention to the party versus being like up in front where you feel like you’re kind of having to do this, like dual roles of like MC, hype, man end and DJ for sure, for sure.
(00:21:44)
DJ Jace
It’s definitely nice. A little more relaxing for sure. you know, you don’t get as many people coming, coming up to you because they don’t know where you are. So they’re just they’re just on the dance floor having a good time.
(00:21:55)
Robert Simoes
So and I imagine then that the, the clubs and the atmosphere at that time would have been much more, I guess like a club in a community, right. Like people kind of bumping into like it was more about like a lot of times what I noticed now is we go to events because of a particular name.
Community Vibe in Clubs
(00:22:14)
Robert Simoes
And then I had a, a friend of mine, he said something really interesting, which was that like a lot of shows, the even the design, right is like meant to kind of point you towards the DJ. And it’s helpful because it’s like this central orienting point. But prior to that, the idea of the DJ becoming a performer and like the centre of the stage, you wouldn’t have had that. So people’s attention would have been directed everywhere, I imagine.
(00:22:40)
DJ Jace
Correct? Yeah. Anywhere really. Right. So how do you think?
(00:22:44)
Robert Simoes
What do you what do you think we we’ve gained and lost with, with that change from like, even a dance floor experience perspective as well as perspective.
(00:22:55)
DJ Jace
I mean, I’m, I’m a little bit taught because I kind of like watching the DJ perform myself. so, but at the same time, the some, you know, the DJ culture has gotten pretty big. And, you know, the superstar guys have really, driven up the, the prices and everything.
(00:23:14)
DJ Jace
So it’s kind of it’s really hard. It’s not as affordable as it used to be. Really. Right. So there’s that drawback for sure. So there’s some DJs I’d like to see, but just you look at the ticket prices and you’re like, wow, it’s crazy.
(00:23:28)
Robert Simoes
So yeah, I remember, yeah. Depending on like where you’re going, like for I think for a visa, for example, like some of the headliners are like, 50. I don’t know what it is now, but it would be like €75 or something like that for. Yeah. And of which I guess in, in dollars would be like, like 80, maybe like 95. so it’s, I guess that accessibility whereas like back then cover would have been like $5 or something for sure.
(00:23:56)
DJ Jace
Yeah.
(00:23:58)
Robert Simoes
So moving them along. Right. So you you then you this is around I guess 2009 fine grind is kind of taken to the point where you’re starting to do distribution and you’re doing regularly out now in Kitchener-Waterloo. Is that is that correct?
(00:24:13)
DJ Jace
That’s correct.
(00:24:14)
DJ Jace
Yeah.
(00:24:15)
Robert Simoes
And so at that point in your your development, were you just actively focusing on on making music and just getting additional gigs and bookings or what were you doing?
Balancing Responsibilities
(00:24:26)
DJ Jace
well, I still had at this point, I’ve had a son. Yes. He was born in 2007, so that was a game changer to, kind of need to change my priorities a little bit. for sure. So, the, the dreams of, you know, being a touring DJ around the world, we’re kind of like, yeah, probably not going to happen now, like extensively. Anyway. and that was fine. but I still had a full time job outside of, music, so, Yeah, it’s it was definitely a lot going on with with everything. So it’d be hard, hard to get, the time to work on music so much if you’re gigging, like, every weekend. So, you know, yours are tired and you’re out late, so, Yeah, a little, you know, you don’t want to get up right away and work on beats once you’re, you know, after a late night and then potentially have to gig again that night.
(00:25:20)
DJ Jace
So, getting the production in was, was tricky at times, for sure. Yeah, it can be.
(00:25:26)
Robert Simoes
Become a muscle all consuming especially. And I know that like for example, you’re a personal trainer as well. So you have this whole other like wellness aspect, right? Where.
(00:25:34)
DJ Jace
Correct.
(00:25:36)
Robert Simoes
How do you how do you practically manage that as somebody, I guess, who’s been through the ringer? Do you have any strategies or habits that you’ve developed?
(00:25:45)
DJ Jace
you mean like for personally or for career or.
(00:25:48)
Robert Simoes
Personally and career for managing that, right? For example, if you’re out to like, 3 a.m., how is it that your is it where you doing things like not drinking in order to make sure that you could, you know, stay up or get up in the morning, things like that.
(00:26:01)
DJ Jace
Sure. Yeah. For sure. yeah, it definitely changed. Like I said, the priorities. So, I, you know, I need to be sharp, for clients, right in early Monday morning.
(00:26:11)
DJ Jace
So there’s no, you know, not really an option. I’ve taken a lot less gigs, since, since Covid, just because the personal training has been, very busy. So, Yeah, I need to be sharp for that, So. Yeah. To, to grind out, you know, DJ gigs every weekend. Probably not optimal for me. so, yeah, I’ve turned down a lot of gigs, in the last few years.
(00:26:37)
Robert Simoes
So it’s just a kind of balancing because I’ve talked to a lot of DJs and it’s it’s the common theme that I noticed is there’s like a multi kind of stream of like where how people are managing their, their music and their DJing. Like it might be like 33% of their time or 50% of their time, but it’s not as much. 100% of the time I notice, either people are teaching or they have, you know, some sort of main job or something like that, and then they’re doing this on the side. What kind of advice would you have for people who are new DJs, who I feel like can kind of become almost all consumed with this, like wanting to succeed in this world, and sort of lacking that balance.
(00:27:21)
DJ Jace
I mean, definitely put the time into practice and master the craft, but also networking is quite key. so you need to get out there and meet people. Like that’s really how it is nowadays. Like virtually all my gigs come from, you know, just people, people that know me. Right. So, get your name out there, get get your mixes out there. Any type of, videos are great. Probably. Videos are probably better nowadays. People like to see you in action. So, I would go for that. And, Yeah, I think that’s, I think that’s it. I think, for the balance wise, yeah. Try to keep that balance, you know, be, be healthy when you can, take time to decompress, get some sleep. sleep’s become much more important for me. nowadays it’s a little bit older now, so it’s the recovery is a little bit rougher. We’ll say, when, you know, come, come Monday, come Tuesday. So it’s, can be tricky.
(00:28:28)
Robert Simoes
Now, what were you doing when it came to the networking? Was it. Whereas were these opportunities mostly coming out of your own adventures into, you know, the nightclub scene for yourself, or did you go out with intent?
(00:28:42)
DJ Jace
yeah. I mean, any residency, I just inquired. I mean, that’s, you know, email people, like, reach out to people, you know, you just got to take that initiative, right? and then, yeah, from booking DJs, they would return the favor. So I booked them. They booked me. so we’ve had a couple of good adventures, just with gig trips. So that’s another, another opportunity. If you know people from other cities or other provinces or states. So it’s a good way to do it.
(00:29:09)
Robert Simoes
So yeah, I think, you know, the the idea of reciprocity, right in, in kind of the music industry and just even the, the gate, like I think of some of the gigs that I’ve played, for example.
(00:29:21)
Robert Simoes
And it’s like either through your own party and you invited your friend to play, and then he threw a party that he invited you to play. And it’s it’s kind of this, you know, circle of like trading, I guess. Yeah.
(00:29:31)
DJ Jace
Yeah. For sure.
(00:29:34)
Robert Simoes
but also even, even I found meeting people out in the, you know, the night, the nightlife and just, you know, you run into somebody. It’s a little bit trickier now I find, because, there is a, there is a lot of DJs. Right. And so it’s, Yeah. You, you don’t want to I guess go and bother the DJ instead and be like, hey.
(00:29:55)
DJ Jace
And sometimes it’s even better to get in touch with the promoter or the club owner. I find the promoters would be the people of contact. if it’s again, if it’s the DJ is also the promoter. That’s a different story, I guess. But, yeah, it’s sometimes it can be, you know, tricky because, yeah, there’s that expectation of a gig trade.
(00:30:16)
DJ Jace
Right? So, people will book me and then it’s like, okay, I want to return the favor. But at the same time, I’m not sure if your sound really works for my nights, really. So that’s a bit tricky to you, so can lead to problems as well. So yeah, just get out there, meet people and yeah. Network.
(00:30:42)
Robert Simoes
And how do you position yourself to these promoters or how did you position yourself to these promoters? was it on a kind of a basis of like, look, here’s a now I feel it’s a little different. You can say, okay, look, here’s my following. I have this many people on my email list, or I have this and that. What was what was some of the things that you were positioning yourself with back then?
(00:31:01)
DJ Jace
You should be emails. for the most part it was local hand out CDs, mixed CDs. So yeah, mainly emails for out of town or, out of province, clubs or events. Yeah.
(00:31:15)
Robert Simoes
Until you just reach out and be like, hey, I’m interested in playing at this place or, you know, would love to do a gig or do you want to come play at my gig sometime?
(00:31:22)
DJ Jace
Yeah. It’s like if I know I’m going to, to Europe. I’ll start reaching out to various promoters over there and try to make it happen that way. So yeah, a lot of a lot, a lot of cold calling. So it’s a lot of it’s a lot of failure along the way for sure. But sometimes did you so.
(00:31:42)
Robert Simoes
Did you have any ways that you kind of maintain resiliency in the face of.
(00:31:46)
DJ Jace
That? yeah. I just I’m pretty stubborn, I guess so. So just, what else am I going to do? Right? So just, you know, do music, I love it. And if I can turn it into some, trips as well, Why not? So. Yeah.
(00:32:06)
Robert Simoes
So moving in along the case. So, so, you know, you’ve been DJing, you’ve had your son, you changed a little bit of priorities, maybe pull back a little bit on the deejaying.
(00:32:14)
Robert Simoes
Was that when I guess production ramped up a little bit more because you weren’t out as much, you didn’t have as much of that recovery or.
(00:32:23)
DJ Jace
Yeah. So, yeah, there’s definitely a stint where, me and Benny would collab a lot. So, we we were all right. And back in the day, like, when we started, we had a bigger, bigger artists, like, we we would get lots of demos. We, had a lot of artists on the roster. So as we didn’t put out as much, just us, just changed a little bit. And we’ve just we’ve kind of tightened things up. so not as many artists on the roster at the moment. but that’s fine. Just managing artists is a big, big time too, right? So kind of get to the point where it’s like, okay, I just want to be creative. I just want to, you know, just want to work on music. that’s why I took the radio show, too, because it would keep me motivated to DJ every week.
(00:33:10)
DJ Jace
So, now that I’m not doing the club gigs, that’s nice. I come down, record my show every week. I do have some guests, of course. but I just. It keeps me. Keeps me in the loop a little bit. And it’s a good opportunity to get, get our, songs out there. And I’m going to say that’s a good opportunity to, to, meet people, you know, plugging other artists playing their stuff. It’s a good opportunity as well. Made a lot of good contacts just by playing other people’s music. you know, they see that, good opportunities can come from that as well. So, you know, you end up making friends and then, you know, they start sending you music. So it’s that’s a good thing as well. but getting back to you. So I went off a little bit there, getting back to the production. it was really. Yeah. We stayed pretty steady with producing. yeah. When, when the gigs stopped a little bit.
(00:34:03)
DJ Jace
like Covid, for example. Like it was. I got so much done during Covid. It’s a lot of a lot of, I did an album in 2020 and that probably wouldn’t have been able to happen in the span of a year. you know, on a regular schedule. Right. So lots of free time during Covid. that was that was a big one. that definitely changed, the production. So just had loads of music to put out after that. So.
(00:34:31)
Robert Simoes
And when it came to, to that kind of I guess what would have been an A&R type of experience. Right. With flying. Right. And you mentioned you were signing a bunch of these artists. How how was it just through demos that you were discovering these artists? Was it the connections? yeah.
(00:34:48)
DJ Jace
Connections mainly. we would well, for example, I’ll give a couple examples. a name you might know, Amber long. We. I don’t even know how I discovered her. Just found her music somehow. And I reached out to her and, signed her and put out a bunch of music with her.
(00:35:07)
DJ Jace
And she had a bunch of people as well, so she would, you know, infiltrate all her people into her label to. So that’s that was big. And then same saying another another name. You might know Tyler Hill, him and I connected around 2019 I believe. And he kind of got on board with us. And again he had all his people starting to, you know, give us music as well. So that was mainly the big drivers of, when we have, you know, big release years and having, having more people come in.
(00:35:36)
Robert Simoes
So any kind of, I guess getting into those networks, as you mentioned, those like artist networks, like Members Network or Tyler’s network and you just have, you know, essentially them, I guess, promoting your label. Right. And then those artists that becoming interested in buying. Right?
(00:35:50)
DJ Jace
Correct.
(00:35:52)
Robert Simoes
And then from the I guess fine grain would have been digital, from this start then or. Okay. Yeah. And so I’m curious how I guess that experience, because I feel like a lot of labels have probably undergone a transition from like the pressing the vinyl to a digital world, but you started purely on digital.
Starting a Label
(00:36:14)
Robert Simoes
So how, I suppose, did you. Did you get started like if, if there’s a DJ listening to this and they’re like, I want to start a label, I have music. What was it that you, I guess practically did to go set up that that kind of distribution?
(00:36:28)
DJ Jace
Initially you I mean, it’s different now because you can self release. but back in those days you pretty much needed to have like a plan for a distributor. So you need to have at least at least four releases ready. So then they knew your schedule for like the next 6 to 12 months, sort of. So they wanted to have stuff good to go. And they you know, they knew you were ready. So it was it was tricky initially to get a distributor, when you have nothing. So we kind of had to build up, get those 3 or 4 releases good to go. And then and then sign, get, get on with the distribution at that point. so that’s again, if you want to go for a proper distributor, that’s probably, the way you need to go if you just want to self-released on, say, Bandcamp.
(00:37:12)
DJ Jace
You don’t need to go that route. So, it’s a little easier. There’s other distributors too, that, make that happen for you. I think, like distro kid and or examples where it’s a lot easier just to get your music out there. So.
(00:37:26)
Robert Simoes
Yeah, it’s, I mean, even this, the self-released, like the toolkit of self releasing has, has expanded so much like I’ve put stuff I used CD baby, for example, for a couple. but what’s, what’s I guess unique about the, the tracks is that they’re kind of different. Right? So if you release through CD, baby, it won’t necessarily help you get into things like Beatport or Source or anything like that. You have to go through, alternative distributors, like, for example, like label Works, proton or a few of these other ones, I think.
(00:37:59)
DJ Jace
Correct. Yeah. Correct. and.
(00:38:02)
Robert Simoes
So.
(00:38:03)
DJ Jace
Go ahead. I was just going to say, like we actually kind of have three labels on the go.
(00:38:10)
DJ Jace
there’s the original Fine Grind, which we signed with, a German distributor, and we didn’t traditionally, we didn’t love the deal. so we wanted to switch to proton, actually, as you know, I can’t remember when that was maybe around before Covid so late, late teens, maybe 2016, 2017, 2018. Somewhere on there, we switched to proton and it was a little easier to make that switch. unfortunately, we couldn’t bring our catalog over. but we or we couldn’t even really use the name either. So that’s when we switched to FDA, as well. So that’s kind of label number two. So FDA’s label number two. And then I’ve recently kind of started another sub label where it’s just more of my experimental music. so it’s I kind of just take out the vowels. It’s like f, n, g, r, and d. So it’s like still fine grind, but like broken down. And that’s more, ambient and experimental music that I’m doing essentially on my own, so.
(00:39:11)
Robert Simoes
Yeah. Well, you just put out a few releases recently. I was listening to them, actually. They were like, the ambience was quite nice. I’d love to. Can we, can we, can we go a little deeper into that? Like where was the inspiration desire? Where did that come from? From a guy who was really all about the techno.
(00:39:28)
DJ Jace
so, yeah, kind of being in the wellness world, my girlfriend, she’s involved in wellness as well. So she does a qigong instructor. So, I’ve been to a few yoga classes to where they’ve incorporated the music. so I’ve really enjoyed that. so I was like, it’s kind of useful, functional music. it’s, you know, stressful times. It’s it’s it’s again, I find it useful and there’s a market for it, I find. And it’s just something I’ve liked. as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten a little more into the deeper sounds, too. So, I like the ambience in my album from 2020.
(00:40:05)
DJ Jace
I’ve got a few ambient songs touched on it there. Sometimes if I make like a deep house or techno song and I like the elements. I will do an ambient version of that base, which is an ambient edit. So something I’ve since I always have done, but it’s, it’s throughout time. It’s I’ve done that for sure. And more recently, I’ve hooked up with a poet. He’s a local poet here. and he approached me to do an album for, like, do the music for his poetry. plug him arc Ghandi. his book read rhymes. A little plug there for him. yeah. His his book did pretty good. And then he wanted, you know, basically pick poetry out of that, from the book and then put it to music. So that’s the last, I guess would have been much of this year early on. It’s been that’s kind of been my my project has been working on this album with him. So, kind of slowed down on the club music and just doing ambient, kind of downtempo, even cinematic type stuff.
(00:41:05)
DJ Jace
So that’s been a major, artistic challenge for sure this year. So,
(00:41:11)
Robert Simoes
I’ll have the, I guess the how’s the design process changed? Right. Because I feel like maybe it’s like the hammer. what’s that quote? It’s like, for a carpenter, everything looks like a nail or something. If you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. I think, like the the analogy you would draw to deejaying is like, if you’re only used to that for on the floor kick drum, like myself, for example. Right. Your natural like reaction almost to any, I think. For example, I hear like a gospel sample or something like that, or this and that and I think, oh, put that like put, put that on a for like for for kick bar and you know, put some hats and put some claps and let’s, let’s turn that into a track. Yeah. How does that work for the ambient stuff though.
(00:41:51)
DJ Jace
That’s I, it’s funny you mentioned that because I have that same thought process when I’m making music because like I do a little bit of everything.
(00:41:58)
DJ Jace
Right? So it’s like if I’m taking taking samples or just listening to stuff or, you know, playing things. you know, it’s always like, okay, I like that sound. I like that melody. What would that be like? What would what would that work is, you know, like, what genre? So I kind of, I basically just I’ll go on a mission and like, just if I’m like some of it’s accidents for sure. But a lot of the time it’s like, I’ll go, Kevin, my mind is like, let’s go, let’s do some ambient stuff. So let’s just go collect as many sounds as I can, whether it’s from sampling or playing some things. and then, yeah, collecting it and then just kind of it’s, it’s a bit messy to be honest. The way I do it, I just have all these, all these sounds that I kind of pick and choose which ones go together, and then that’s how it goes. And then you’ll find some things like, oh, that sounds actually that’d be, that’d be a nice house record.
(00:42:49)
DJ Jace
Sounds. So some of it’s accidental, but some of it’s, there’s definitely some, thought to like what I’m going to shoot for, so, ambient. Definitely. Definitely different vibes. you know, a lot more pads and things like that. Longer, longer sounds more drawn out. when I make my house in techno and very, I like lots of changes in it. So, not really ideal in ambient stuff. You really want to just be smooth and almost more flowing, right? You don’t want you don’t want those harsh changes because goes against what ambient? The purpose of ambient. Right. So you want people to chill out and just almost like I don’t want to say it’s background noise, but yeah, it certainly can be.
(00:43:35)
Robert Simoes
So yeah, even that even the way that you’re framing that is kind of is kind of interesting. Right? Thinking about I mean, because because dance music is for the most part looped, repetitive. Right. And so actually the main points of intrigue are the transitions, right? Whether it’s correct or in a bar loop, and then you have some weird symbol or something, and then that kind of engages the mind versus ambient is like the the full flow and experience is the entire track.
(00:44:09)
Robert Simoes
You’re not waiting for that stimulus again.
(00:44:12)
DJ Jace
True. Yeah.
(00:44:14)
Robert Simoes
And so are you taking, I guess. Is this the first time you’ve ever worked with, like, I’m not what would be a vocalist, but I guess, a different kind of modality with the music.
Collaboration with Poets
(00:44:28)
DJ Jace
not really like, Oh. And the poetry. Yeah. I mean, I’ve worked with vocalists before. yeah. In the, in the 2020 album that I put out, I actually have a few hip hop songs. so, that was that was fun. It was, it was went pretty well. I would just make make beats, send it to them, they’d send it back, and then I’d mix it after and send it off. And I thought it turned out pretty good. I enjoyed that whole process as well. So, admittedly, my studio is not really set up for like, you know, a vocalist to come over and and sing. so I kind of like. Like I like that trade off. Sending them music to inspire them.
(00:45:06)
DJ Jace
it was a little bit different, with, Ravi there, the poet, he would he sent me all his vocals, before I even really sent him music. So I would try to capture his vibe. just what he would be talking about some was a little something would be a little more ominous. Some would be a little more uplifting and inspiring. So that would really, that would be how I would, you know, make my music, for him. So he didn’t love everything. But for the most part, it was it was pretty good. He liked a lot of it. So I think I think we did a good job with it. Yeah. And even the.
(00:45:43)
Robert Simoes
Fact that this is a possibility. Right. It kind of just shows you how being a DJ can open you up to so many different opportunities. Like, like I just think, for example, like you would be DJing, let’s say, and then you could start doing a music stream, you could start a radio station, kind of like what you’ve done, and now you’re sort of almost opening up to this other world of possibility where you’re producing music that you wouldn’t necessarily play out at the nightclub for sure.
(00:46:12)
DJ Jace
Right?
Future Releases and Projects
(00:46:13)
Robert Simoes
So what then, does the, I guess, the future of of Jason and Fine Grind look like? You know, you’ve mentioned that you’ve got this album coming coming up. Do we know when it’s going to be released? Potentially.
(00:46:24)
DJ Jace
we’re going to do a physical release first. I think he wants to do so. He’s got USB, sticks to put out. So, you know, with the current male situation that there’s a male strike going on, I guess. So it’s the manufacturing factor. There might be a little bit delayed. It’s going to be early New Year. We were hoping to have it out by the end of this year. But some delays, with that, because like I said, we’ll do the physical first and then the digital. so that’ll be, yeah, early, early, New Year. And then also, I’m going to do a full ambient album again, as you mentioned, I put out a few songs. I’m going to put them as a big collection and then some other unreleased stuff as well.
(00:47:03)
DJ Jace
Again, that’ll be early in the new year. and then we have another artist, Jenny. He’s a partner in the label now. He does all the work. He’s from London. he does all the artistic work, all the designs. along with Benny, who’s still on the team. But anyway, Jenny, he’s got an album dropping as well. A little more, abstract, a little bit of everything. I haven’t heard it yet, but he’s, he’s pretty excited about it, so, Yeah, not. We don’t. We’re not just doing, you know, club music for sure. it’s we have lots of club music, coming out early in the new year. Tyler Hill has a release coming out for us, early on as well, but, but, yeah, so it’s a little bit of everything, and I like the album aspect too. So, it’s nice to create a vibe with an album. So, as opposed to just putting out 2 or 4 track EP’s which are nice, which is kind of good for house or techno, so.
(00:47:57)
Robert Simoes
Do you. Do you approach creating an album with a particular philosophy like I think of. I don’t know if this is actually how like rock stars and stuff would have thought about their albums, but some people think about an album as a way to tell a story or a narrative or compose a sort of, experience. Do you approach your albums in this kind of way? Do you have any rituals or systems that you use?
(00:48:22)
DJ Jace
well, again, I’ve only completed one full one at this point. So the process for that was, I called it music for Your mind, body and soul. So it was a little bit of, again, just I only put I think there’s only one techno song on that album and then two electro songs, and then it was, like I said, I think 3 or 4 hip hop songs and the rest ambient. we tried to shoot for positive vibes in In Everything. there’s some ominous vibes as well. again, it’s 2020, so Covid times, some ominous vibes.
(00:48:54)
DJ Jace
Uncertainty. Right. But, you know, trying to inspire some, some positive positivity as well. so yeah, the the album kind of I feel like it has a little bit of a story. I tried to, you know, when I did the track selection of it, I tried to, you know, have a good, good, good connection from song to song. So which is can be tricky when you have multiple genres on the go. So,
(00:49:20)
Robert Simoes
Keep it even the fact that you’ve had kind of, an epicenter of an organizing idea, right? Mind, body and soul. Like I think about that sometimes from a creative project perspective. and sometimes it’s not clear. You might have like an idea for a track and you’re trying to, I don’t know, do something with this creative idea, but it doesn’t. You sort of only are able to, like, come up with the rhetoric and explanation after the fact, like you’re like, oh, I don’t know why I’ve made this track the way I did, but here’s like my kind of projected explanation of why why I did that.
(00:49:54)
Robert Simoes
But I guess with the mind, body and soul, that was that something that was driving the project or did that come after everything was completed and you’re like, oh, interesting.
(00:50:04)
DJ Jace
I’m trying to think back to how that went down. yeah, I definitely wanted to have that that vibe a little bit of, you know, everything. So, the ambient stuff was on the album was a little more, you know, thought provoking, hopefully just not provoking and and inspiring. and then the hip hop that we did was positive, I think, and inspiring. And then the techno and electro was definitely a little more edgy and darker. So, yeah, that’s. Yeah. I can’t remember if, if I set out for that. Well, the whole concept of mind, body, soul or if it’s just like I definitely would have at the the end when it was all, complete for sure. Like, this is when I selected all the tracks to be on the album.
(00:50:51)
Robert Simoes
So yeah, it’s kind of like I’ve made all this stuff and then you’re like, oh, like, okay, all the all the red goes here, and then all the blue goes here, and then all the green goes here and you’re like, oh, look, it’s sort of like a completed story here, which is kind of wild.
(00:51:05)
Robert Simoes
How how that happens. It’s it’s almost it’s unconscious. Right. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. so coming to, coming to I guess the almost the end here. Jace, I want to ask, you know what? What is the future of of of just looking like is it you’ve got a couple of these tracks, you’ve got a few tracks coming out with, with Fine grind in the next upcoming year. But is there any bigger, ambitious things that you’d want to share that you’re working on or thinking about?
(00:51:34)
DJ Jace
yeah, just making that shift a little more. I guess you could say, I feel like when you make house and techno club music, you’re more so making music for DJs. you know, nowadays in the streaming world, it’s, you know, They don’t even really like you sending them like a 6 or 7 minute house or techno song to Spotify, for example. Right? So, that’s another reason I kind of want to make music for this. Other other areas like other for the fans, really like people that, you know, love that music.
(00:52:07)
DJ Jace
so not just for the clubs, but a little bit of a little bit of everything. yeah. Just, I don’t know, inspire people, again, trying to keep those positive vibes. But then also, you know, times are tough too. So, for some folks. So, inspire them. But then also, you know, it’s all the moods, really. Right? So, I mean, depending on my mood is going to determine how or what kind of music or vibe I’m going to create or at least hope to create. it’s. Yeah, as far as we’re just going to keep putting out, putting out the club music for sure. and then yeah, just focused on quite focused on, you know, just getting out as much music as I can. Hopefully it’s the goal. Got lots to say, lots to lots of thoughts. But just trying to, you know, put it together. So thoughts and ideas. Yeah you know how it is right. So the the very abstract the palette I’ve got going on.
(00:53:06)
DJ Jace
So just to put it together and in an organized fashion is a is the goal I guess. yeah. But yeah, you know, just get some more, you know, keep up with the DJing. I still enjoy the performing. but, yeah, keep that going for sure. Have some adventures along the way with that. So yeah, that’s again, you know, meeting people that so many amazing people, through music and, you know, whether it’s local or travel. So it’s, it’s it’s a blessing really. So keep that, keep that going. Why not? Right.
(00:53:39)
Robert Simoes
So yeah, you do you really do meet a lot of, I always find, the music festival scene is quite, serendipitous in terms of like where you where and how you meet random people and then how those people then meet you later in life at some point for some reason.
(00:53:56)
DJ Jace
For sure. For sure. Yeah.
(00:53:59)
Robert Simoes
Absolutely amazing. Well, jeez, the last segment here, I prepped you with this. I hope, we want three tracks, in the following categories.
(00:54:10)
Robert Simoes
the first is under the radar. It’s a track that you feel that you feel hasn’t really gotten the air time or play that you think it deserves. the second is on. Repeat it. The track that you’ve got on repeat over and over and over again. any of these can be on any genre you want. in the last is your guilty pleasure. So it’s something that, maybe a little bit left field from what you typically playing out. could be hip hop. Could be anything, but, we that’s what we’re looking for from. From you.
(00:54:40)
DJ Jace
Okay. Guilty pleasure. definitely. Definitely the grimy hip hop, for sure.
(00:54:46)
Robert Simoes
I was thinking that.
(00:54:47)
DJ Jace
Yeah, yeah. I’m not a lie. I like those 808s, man. I can’t let that traffic go. Eight minutes. It’s feel that. It’s good. you know, the lyrics are a little can be a little sketchy at times, for sure, but, no, that would definitely be my guilty pleasure. Music. I would say, on repeat.
(00:55:06)
DJ Jace
that particular song, the song I’m working on, the loop is loops for hours. Right? but no, other than that, well, I can’t really say a certain song, but, in our house, my son, he’s really into classical music. So, we have, we have Beethoven going pretty much 24 hours a day. our Beethoven playlists are going, so it’s Beethoven on repeat. trying to think. And then under the radar track. That’s a good question. Let me think about that one. I mean, I feel like our. I’m biased, of course, but I feel like our our labels, put out some some good music and then we just don’t have the, you know, the big marketing budget or, you know, just to get get it, get it out there. I definitely think, you know, Benny Knox’s stuff is definitely a worthy under, you know, slept on music for sure. but so, with that being said, unplug him a little bit. He’s got his, new.
(00:56:14)
DJ Jace
Is it out? I can’t even remember. I think it’s maybe out in early December. That bad plug, but. Yeah. Benny. Benny Knox. Immense power. I think it’s out for pre-order somewhere. So it’s he’s a he’s a slept on guy that, puts out really good music. So it’s I, I’ve been playing the track. So, immense power. It’s a good one so.
(00:56:31)
Robert Simoes
Yeah. Well, he he just started. He just came back from, like I saw there was a he came back from retirement or something like that to play a show. Yeah.
(00:56:39)
DJ Jace
Yeah, yeah, he’s been, he’s been semi-retired, I guess so, but yeah, it’s good to have him back. We played a few times this year. So, yeah, that’s again, big, big influence on me. So since the start. So, happy, happy to have him still doing his thing with us. So amazing.
(00:56:57)
Robert Simoes
We’ll put all of those into the show notes then. All right, well, thank you so much for taking the time today to to sit down with us and tell us about, you know, your experience about the or, you know, your origins behind grind as well as, you know, some interesting adventures into alternative avenues that some deejays and producers who might listen to this might not think of it right, like ambient or wellness music.
(00:57:21)
Robert Simoes
Is there anything else you want to share with the audience? Just, you know, before we reach the end of the podcast.
(00:57:28)
DJ Jace
go support your local scenes, I guess, you know, your local scene needs it. it really starts locally. So, clubs are really hurting out there nowadays, so, you know, don’t don’t forget about your, your local talent and, you know, just support the music when you can keep. Keep it alive. Really? Right. So. Yeah.
(00:57:51)
Robert Simoes
Yeah, yeah. That’s, Yeah. Making sure that you. Because that’s also where you’ll find those organic connections, right? You never know. You never know where something might go.
(00:58:01)
DJ Jace
For sure. For sure. Absolutely wicked.
(00:58:04)
Robert Simoes
Well, jeez. thank you again so much for taking the time today. And, we’ll have to catch up, once again soon. and be sure to check out this album coming out, in the new year. and check out some of fine grind audios. I’ll put all of those notes into the the show notes.
(00:58:22)
Robert Simoes
for now, this has been, Robert with Learning Studio, dj.com, and, we’ll catch you next time. on the, on the decks. all right. Thank you so.
(00:58:32)
DJ Jace
Much. Thank you. Rob.
