Exclusive Interview :The Funky Vinyl Junky: Splattermonkey

Yes people, there are still very good Vinyl Dj's around there. Maybe they should be called Vinyl Junkies!


As our close funky friend: Splattermonkey.This time we decided to Interview canadian friend who has been so active in the Toronto area. He has been active for 8 years, holds the "Shindig" party in the Italian neighbourhood on Toronto. He is also the guest in a weekly funky party called "Pass The Butter". And if this is not enough he co hosts a radio Show, BruckBeat Radio" on Monday evenings on CKLN 88.1 Ryerson University...Oh and I almost forgot: he can spin ska, reggae, afro beat, tropicalia, hip hop, funky breaks, house, electro house, booty house, deep house, future funk and soul, broken beat, drum and bass, jungle and dubstep...

Exclusive Interview: SPLATTERMONKEY

1. Why Splattermonkey??
Thought it sounded cool and suited my personality.


2. How did you come up with Splattermonkey?
The name came from a painting that a friend made for me as a gift. I started collecting things with images of monkeys and apes on them when I was in High School. Back then I was calling myself "Monkey Boy" My friend splattered paint all over a canvas and made it into an image of a monkey and gave it to me as a gift. I called the painting my "Splattermonkey" painting. One day I was sitting in my room trying to think of a good DJ name because the ones I had previously chosen were either already taken or they sounded lame. I looked up at my painting and it hit me. Splattermonkey was born.


3. How's the Bruckbeat radio show doing?
The show's doing well. We're currently having problems with our broadcast licence at CKLN 88.1 fm because of a "non compliance" issue with the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, but Bruckbeat Radio will continue as long as people are listening and people are still making great music for us to play.


4. Have you ever Dj outside Canada? Where?
No. I've never played outside of Canada. I've only played in cities in my own province of Ontario. I've tried to set up gigs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States and in London, England but my contacts there never came through with anything. So, I just ended up buying all their records

"I found that aggressive underground music seems to be more popular in desperate economic times. During the recession in the early 1990s, bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden were very popular. When the economy started to come back, bands like the Backstreet Boys and Nsync were very popular"

5. We know from your Facebook profile, you studied at Off Centre DJ School. Can you describe your time a this Centre?
Off Centre DJ School is a School for DJs run by Toronto's DJ Steptone of iNSiDEaMiND. iNSiDEaMiND is a turntable band from Toronto who specialize in improvised music composition. DJ Steptone taught me "scratch" theory and technique in a "one on one" tutorial environment. Steptone is a great teacher and can teach anyone from all skill levels. I personally went there to learn how to scratch better because I felt I already had all the other DJ skills like "beat matching" "mixing" and staying in "key." Steptone teaches every skill that DJs need to learn but I went there specifically to learn how to "scratch."


6. When and how did you fall in love with music?
I've been in love with music my whole life. When I was a baby my mother used to put me in a playpen in our living room beside the family stereo and play music constantly either from records or 8-Track Cassettes or FM radio. I would just play and listen. The music was very soothing to me as a baby and I've always had to have music on ever since. My earliest childhood memory is falling asleep to "Family Affair" by Sly and The Family Stone. Funky music has always been my favorite.

7. Can you tell us a little bit about the music scene in Toronto??
Toronto has an amazing music scene. There are hundreds of amazingly talented musicians, bands, singers, producers, songwriters and DJs playing all kinds of different sounds from all over the world. My only complaints about the music scene in Toronto is that it seems that the talent has to be recognized by people outside of the country in order for people in Toronto to realize that they are really good. Although that kind of attitude is not as popular as it used to be. Torontonians are starting to wake up and support local talent more and more in the last few years and it is creating more unity and a sense of community among the musicians and Djs who live and perform here. My other complaint is that a lot of people in this city don't seem to want to go out and see a performance until about midnight. I've been to cities like Paris and London and I've seen parties going strong as early as 9:30 p.m. but in Toronto, people don't show up until after midnight and the bars stop serving alcohol at 2 a.m. and they want to shut the party down at 3 a.m. That only gives us three hours to have a good time. We still have some "after hours" clubs but  not many. The Police do a very good job at shutting these kind of parties down.


8. What is your greatest fear?
A world without music. Rape and Torture.


9. What advice you should have taken but did not?
Start using a laptop to DJ with.

10. Vinyl, Cd's ?? Can you tell us your thoughts on laptor DJ's..??
99.9% Vinyl. I sometimes use CDs if I want to play a song that I haven't found on vinyl but for me part of the fun in being a DJ is the thrill of the hunt and the excitement I feel when I find a song on vinyl. I have nothing against Laptop DJs as long as they use high quality MP3s and use the software to create a unique dance floor vibe. There is nothing more boring than a lazy DJ who pays no attention to the crowd and pre-mix or pre-BPM all of their music. Low quality MP3s sound like the music was recorded in a tin can. No highs and no bass. Part of the fun in going out to dance is hearing good quality music and the creative ways DJs put different types of songs together to keep the party rocking.

11. Do you think music should be free? Why or Why not....
Ideally, I'd like to see us evolve to society that no longer has any use for a monetary system but since that isn't happening any time soon, I don't think music should be free. I pay for most of my records and I feel good about it. Artists deserve to be paid for their work like everyone else. Sometimes I get free records from labels who feel that I could give the artist good exposure on the radio show or my podcast but I always make sure to tell people where they can buy the record or pay to download the MP3s.


12. How has Facebook / Internet help in your Dj career?
Facebook and the internet has helped my DJ career immensely. I started DJing before MySpace, and my e-mail contact list was small. I used to stand outside parties and hand out flyers and put up posters all over the city. This was very time consuming and all I wanted to do was stay home and practice my sets and listen to records. When MySpace and then Facebook came out, I was able to connect with like-minded people easier and get the word out about my parties and gigs without having to leave my house. I also started my podcast and gave people the opportunity to listen to the type of music I played. A poster and a flyer can only do so much, but if you send someone a mix, they can really get a sense of what the party is all about.

13. In your pesonal opinion, how is music related in human history/culture?
I found that aggressive underground music seems to be more popular in desperate economic times. During the recession in the early 1990s, bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden were very popular. When the economy started to come back, bands like the Backstreet Boys and Nsync were very popular. Recently, loud aggressive electronic music has been very popular and I can see a resurgence of Pop acts like Justin Beiber and Michael Buble becoming more popular if things start to bounce back. That's what I've observed in my time. Music has always reflected the social economic situation in lyrical content as well as the types of sounds being played. Music affects mood and mood dictates the types of sounds that you feel like playing.
Culturally, musical style is very important. As a Canadian I find that I have a choice in the kind of culture, I want to be a part of. I chose Hip Hop for the longest time but as I got older I found myself being drawn more and more to the culture of the 1970s and the 1960s and now, more recently, I find myself being drawn more to the culture of the 1950s. The clothes I wear and the way I speak all relates to the type of music I listen to. I'm really into Rockin' Rhythm &;Blues from the late 1950s right now. Ya' dig?

Very many thanx to Splattermonley for this Interview

Juan Sinmiedo

So can we get funky now?  YES! Here is the special Mix Splattermonkey cooked specially for Juan Sinmiedo:

And one more thing, If you really dig Splattermonkey as we do, then you should definetely check his podcast >>> Splattermonkey Podcast