With more than two decades of experience, DJ Remedy is one of the most senior selectors on the South Bay nightlife scene. The San Jose native has been spinning since 1993—back when beat matching was done by ear and scratching took serious finesse. His skill and dedication are highly respected in the local DJ community. Cutso, of the The Bangerz crew regards Remedy as “one of San Jose’s unsung heroes.”
Many know Remedy from his weekly sessions at Soul Therapy, the Friday night dance party at Myth Taverna and Lounge. Fewer may be familiar with his long history of rocking house parties and competing in DJ battles. And fewer still likely know his favorite item on the CREAM menu. Remedy covered all this in more during a recent chat with Metro.
Where are you from and how long have you been DJing?
Born and raised in SJ and been Djing since 1993.
How did the name DJ Remedy come about?
It’s a funny story. My name at first was Poison—I even started drawing a logo and then my brother took it. Finally on a Saturday night, my older brother said, “what would be the opposite of poison—remedy.” I thought to myself that it was dumb, as everyone else had names like Grandmaster Flash and what not. But with Remedy, it just stuck.
So tell me how you came up in the DJ world?
I started practicing my freshman year with two records, P.M. Dawn’s Set Adrift On Memory Bliss and Erik B. and Rakim’s Paid in Full. I just practiced mixing it back and forth and studying the drum patterns. During those days you relied solely on your ears and you would count the breaks on your own. Then I quit, for about month. One day though, there was a lunchtime DJ at my school and I noticed a lot of girls going up to him. (laughs) I thought to myself, “I think I wanna learn again” I started practicing, quietly for about a year, before I told anyone. I started DJing house parties with just a small crate of 30 records. During that time freestyle, house, and hip hop was part of the scene. My friends used to get mad at me, because I always wanted to battle. I would go up to different DJs and ask them if they wanted to battle. My first battle was organized by a church when I was 14 years old and my mom had to drop me off. I was also part of a DJ crew called Mad Hatters, which consisted of myself, Evilhead, DJ Fresh Sy-ence, Venom 347, and Classic.
Sounds like you have some deep roots in the DJ scene out in San Jose and across the Bay Area. Your brother had a hand in that, right?
Yes my brother owned Hot Wax Records in San Jose from ‘95 to ‘98. I got to meet all kinds of DJs there—DJ Fresh, Majestic Chris, Jazzy Jim and The Bangerz—pretty much everyone in the Bay Area.
With your musical background, how do you balance the old school with the new school?
For me it is really simple. There are those classic songs that you can drop and you know people will love it, like a Biggie song. And for the newer stuff, I don’t separate them from the old school stuff. I just play beats. That is my trademark. My definition of “beats,” is when you hear it and your body is moving, your is head nodding and you can’t resist it. I try to keep that vibe and have the crowd follow me on a musical journey.
What do you have in mind when you are putting a mix together?
I take it like story telling. I start it off with an introduction and then I go deeper, to finally ending it on a happy note. I think in threes. When it is a live mix, I go with the way the crowd feels. I read the crowd and freestyle it from there.
How do you feel about the current scene in San Jose?
I think it’s really good out here. We have everything. Spots like the Cardiff Lounge for Return of the Boom Zap and Rubber Soul and music of all kinds like Top 40, hip-hop, Motown on Mondays, Sunday Sessions, Soul Therapy…
What are your favorite spots to eat in SJ?
Taco Mania. Mini Gourmet. CREAM—I get a chocolate chip cookie with mint chocolate ice cream.
Football season is here. Who is your favorite team?
The Philadelphia Eagles.
Anything else we should know?
Yeah! (laughs) I’m a huge Oaklands A’s Fan!
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DJ Remedy will be spinning at Myth Taverna & Lounge in San Jose on Friday, Aug. 29; at Taste Restaurant & Nightclub in Santa Clara on Saturday, Aug. 30; and at the Season Finale of the Sunday Sessions day party at Myth Taverna & Lounge in San Jose on Sunday, Aug. 31.
