When Samira went on a mini-tour of Texas in September of 2003, she made sure to look up Leslie McKay--aka St. Blaize. The two women got along famously and spent two days behind the decks together, throwing down breakbeat after breakbeat, playing with Leslie's cat Tallulah, eating spaghetti, and drinking beer & wine. The end-result was a St. Blaize vs. Samira 3 CD set, and a friendship for many years to come. So, for November 2003 we interviewed Dallas based DJ St. Blaize!

Sister SF: OK first off - mini bio: You live in Dallas - what's great about the city to you, and collectives and residencies are you part of?

St. Blaize: As far as electronic music goes, we're spoiled in Dallas. There are so many incredibly talented djs and world-renown producers here. You can literally go out every night and be guaranteed to hear quality tracks and mixes. The music is totally accessible here. House and DnB rule in Dallas, which suits me fine. I like both house and DnB. The shows that the Dallas DnB crews put on are phenomenal.

I'm in Scy High Collective, a group of local djs supplying house, trance, breaks and the like. I'm also part of a national, web-based group called Ultra Fonic. UF consists of eight djs and producers dedicated to pushing the sound of quality music. We post new tracks/mixes on the website each month (www.ultra-fonic.com). Hopefully, we'll be hosting a party at WMC next year.

On a regular basis, I play each second Tuesday of the month at Minc with Squiky. We serve up breaks, 2-step and electro.

Sister SF: You mainly spin breaks, mixed up with very dark and moody progressive tracks, and i've heard you throw down some mean 2-step and even house. How did you end up spinning the genres that you do?

St. Blaize: I do not know :-) I love music. I spin what I love to listen to. I've always been attracted to bass. Booty-shakin' breaks. Before I knew what breaks were, I loved them…we're talking "Tigra and Bunny" breaks. I began spinning a bit of everything, but the more I played, the more I realized that the sounds I was drawn to were mostly in breakbeat tracks. There are elements of house, electro, 2-step, progressive that go so well together that I just can't help but mix them. Some of the best sets are those which always changing. I'm a total whore for percussion blending from one track to the next. Nothing makes me want to shake it more than hearing breaks to 4/4 to breaks to 4/4 (and everything in between)…whew!

Sister SF: Who/what inspired you to begin spinning? Did you any mentors in the electronic music scene?

St. Blaize: I was always intrigued by the djs when I started going to parties. I always had respect for them, but wanted to know exactly what they were doing with all of those knobs and slides. My friend David (E.P.) was given turntables and a mixer for Christmas one year. I was sooooo excited to even get a close-up look at tables and a mixer. I would bribe him for table-time by buying him new records. Then when he was at work, I'd go over to his house and play :-) He was awesome about it though, and gave me lessons on the basics of mixing and phrasing.

Then I went to New York for a visit. I saw Sven Vath at Twilo <<choir of angels "AAAAAAHHH!" inserted here>>. I think most people have experiences like this, I've had a few, but Sven Vath at Twilo playing hard-ass techno totally did it for me. I was hooked. I was mesmerized. I was possessed!! He kept changing the beats up, always bringing the floor to a higher yet different level. I could not believe what I heard that night. And he was so gracious…having the time of his life behind the decks. He was sharing his music, but sharing a bit of himself as well. It was a very moving exchange. I decided after that trip that I needed tables of my own.

Sister SF: How did you choose your DJ name?

St. Blaize: Well, I was brought up Catholic…went to Catholic schools for grade school. I've always been fascinated by the Saints. I never really understood what these people did that made them so much more miraculous than other people who do miraculous things, but I digress… Actually, I found their stories/deeds to be quite strange, but I was still interested in the idea of Saints. Anyway, St. Blaize (spelled Blaze, as well, in the church) is considered the patron saint of the voice. In Catholicism, the Feast of St. Blaize is February 2nd. Each year in school, the priest would bless our throats with candles in order to keep us safe from illness. Fast forward 15 years: I'm looking for a dj name: since music is my voice, I decided on St. Blaize.

Sister SF: Have you had any classical music training?

St. Blaize: Yes, I began formal piano training at age 6. I trained and competed in piano festivals for about 10 years. I also played the clarinet for a while in grade school. I played the flute in the school band in middle school and taught myself how to play the guitar in high school. I still play around on the guitar from time to time. I don't have a piano, but am craving one lately. I usually sit down and play each time I go home to visit my parents.

Sister SF: What type of music do you think is really popular in Dallas right now? Why?

St. Blaize: House and drum and bass are really popular in Dallas. Dallas has always been a house town. As I mentioned before, there are several global house producers who reside in D-town. The people here love to dance to house music. I always have a blast at any house weeklies in town.

Breaks are gaining momentum in Dallas. More breaks parties are being thrown, more breaks lovers in the crowds, more break headliners being brought here.

Sister SF: How do you feel has the music scene in Dallas has changed since you began DJing?

St. Blaize: The scene has completely changed since I moved here in '99. At that time, there were raves everywhere: in warehouses downtown, at bowling allies, on ranch property in the country…everywhere. There were huge parties each weekend, with loads of national and international talent coming in. The parties were great and there was a feel of cohesiveness and shared experience with partygoers.

Then the Rave Act was passed, making it very hard for promoters to obtain permits to hold parties. The scene went into the clubs. The idea of 'weeklies' and 'monthlies' sprouted everywhere. There were now more locals playing out than ever. Having only clubs as viable venues changed the scene completely…it brought mad segmentation to genres w/in DFW. If a house dj had a weekly at a club, then househeads would be there. Certain clubs became 'genre branded' and such. The movement into the clubs did, however, allow very green djs an opportunity to play out. You were now more apt to be asked to guest at a weekly than to be booked to play a massive.

While the Dallas scene is still mainly in the clubs, I think the scene is getting more and more united. There have been several cross-genre parties and a feel, in general, that being genre-specific is bad. (personal note: genres suck)

Sister SF: What direction do you see it going in?

St. Blaize: I have no idea. I think the scene will continue to grow. There are so many talented local djs and producers who have just begun.

Sister SF: Where is your favorite place to DJ?

St. Blaize: City: New Orleans - it doesn't matter if the crowd knows the music or not, they're just there to have a good time and dance. I like that philosophy…

Dallas venue: Minc - this place is bad to the bone. Whether your there to chill on the patio or dance in the main room, you will have a drama-free time. I like to play there because many of my friends consider this their 'neighborhood' bar (even though it's not close to where they live); it's totally laid back. Also, friend, promoter, bar mistress and diva extraordinaire, Lisa, works the bar. She rocks my world and books me to play there, too :-)

Sister SF: What do you see as being the pros and cons of being a woman DJ?

St. Blaize: Pros: since women djs are considered (by some Neanderthal communities) a 'novel' idea, you may get a gig you would not normally get if you were a male.

Cons: You may be booked only because of your sex appeal.

I've been really blessed to mainly encounter 'pros' as a woman DJ.

First, though, I feel I should say that I don't find that gender is really an issue with most people. There have been a few times where I've been booked because I'm a woman: an all girl line-up, promoter wanting to add a girl in the mix, I guess it's a novel idea to some. But that doesn't matter to me, because I feel comfortable in any situation. I will come to the tables and kick ass. So the 'token girl' thing doesn't offend me. If I were asked to spin with my shirt off or something… now that would be another story. Whatever to that. Really. Don't even call me.

The cons I've encountered really are on a personal level: a friend who can't get over a girl playing harder than him, a local promoter who won't book a female dj to throw down testosterone-fueled break beat (how could this be? haha).

I say gender-smender… If you're truly a gender-blind person, a dj is a dj. What you like about them is their music, technique, and vibe. If you're a female dj, chances are you're pretty thick-skinned to begin with…and you shouldn't run into any problems as long as you promote yourself with integrity.

Sister SF: What do you do to make sure you're given and equal standing and opportunities as a woman DJ?

St. Blaize: I keep an eye on what's going on around me, where other djs are being booked, etc. If I feel like something is going down in an unfair way, I'll speak up. I respect myself. Anyone I work with must respect me as a person and a woman. If they don't, then I don't want to work with them. Period.

Sister SF: I had a lot of fun playing with you in Dallas! We vibed really well together, we recorded a 3 CD set & we both came away from our sessions feeling inspired. Can you fill us in a bit about some of your experiences playing with other people, men and women?

St. Blaize: Yes, we did have quite a time together! I was so floored by the way we communicated musically. No negativity! There are a few people I spin with on a practice basis. These are my close friends. The vibe is always non-threatening, creative and safe. I have tagged with some close (male) dj-friends and things just didn't go as well. It's interesting how egos come out on the tables. I don't want to be competing with anyone, so I try and avoid those sessions now.

For the past year I was booked a lot of the time with a tag partner, DJ Leigh. We totally vibed on the tables. She plays more tech-house/progressive with breaks, so our styles really melded together in a killer way. She left Dallas to go to school, so those tag sessions are few and far between.

Sister SF: What women do you admire most & why?

St. Blaize: Not sure if this question is specific to women djs… I dig the hell out of Loes Lee. This woman is not only a kick ass dj, but she's a mad producer! If this is not enough, she started her own label that is taking the breaks world by storm! Every release off of Moving Target is solid.

I admire Margaret Coble (DJ Mags, New Orleans). Mags urged me to get out and get gigs once I felt comfortable spinning records. She's been a dj for over 15 years and has been in the business heavily. She was also editor of the national magazine Dance Music Authority (RIP) and got me into music journalism (writing reviews and such). She taught me that I was capable to breaking into electronic music if I just went for it. She gave me the confidence to try. Otherwise, I would have never gotten my first residency!

Margaret Cho rocks everything in my world. She is the ultimate voice of self-esteem. She is a true role model for women and minorities in any capacity. I want to take her out for dinner and drinks.

Sister SF: What do you do when you're not DJing?

St. Blaize: Go out to hear my friends DJ, read, play with my kitty, Tallulah, work my 9-5 in marketing, watch movies (I have a serious Netflix.com problem…).

Sister SF: Exactly what equipment do you use for DJing?

St. Blaize:
• Technics 1200 MK2 turntables
• Vestax Mixer PCV-275
• Ortofon (red) cartridges/needles
• Sony headphones

Sister SF: Got a gig horror story?

St. Blaize: As a matter of fact, I do. Gig from hell. Someone tripped the power of the whole dj set-up three times in one hour set. THREE TIMES. And if this wasn't enough, the needles had to be switched out, too. Instead of changing the needle (one-by-one) of the turntable I wasn't using to play a record, the owner stopped both tables and changed them out. In silence.

THEN, he put the needle back on the record that it was on before, but placed it on the wrong track and pressed PLAY. So the music was back on, but it was some random song that I did not care for…

Sister SF: What labels do you look for in record stores?

St. Blaize: I look for Functional Breaks, Distinctive Breaks, Moving Target, MOB, TCR, Marine Parade, Hooj. I've really been digging the electro-house tracks that Hooj has put out recently.

Sister SF: What are your goals for the future in regards to DJing?

St. Blaize: I would love to do this full-time. I would feel successful if I were able to make a living solely on creating / mixing music. Another goal of mine is to play a gig in Europe. That would be dope.

Sister SF: If you could steal anyone's record crate and get away with it, whose would you run off with?

St. Blaize: Yours. You may want to keep an alarm on that thing…

Sister SF: And finally, gimme five pieces of advice for DJs just getting started.

St. Blaize:

• Don't limit yourself to one type of music. Listen to a broad range of music and buy what you like.
• Record your sets often. Not necessarily to pass your sets out each time you do, but to get a feel for what you sound like to the listener. You will sound totally different than you think you do in your headphones. Listening to a recording of your set is as important as practicing.
• Go see as many djs as possible, whether they're superstars or locals. There is so much to be learned from other djs. Pay attention to what they do at the mixer and you'll certainly pick-up a useful tool, even if it's their attitude (good or bad).
• Pay attention to your levels. Even if your tracks are beat-matched the mix can sound awful if your channels are outputting at different levels. Make sure the red lights are even. :-)
• Buy comfortable shoes…

St. Blaize was interviewed by Samira. Want to know more? Visit the St. Blaize bio in our Guest DJs section.

Contact St. Blaize for bookings at: stblaize@stblaize.com