Tag: DJ

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Alex Gutierrez Blog

What Changed?

DJ Alex Gutierrez/SFDJA/ Yacht Rock Miami / Rewind 1039/Miami Beat 305

When the Pandemic hit and everything shut down, alot of us were left wondering how this would affect our business , since ” Our Business” is all about the one thing they told everyone to stay away from…..CROWDS . DJs all over South Florida at first tried going ” Live” on Facebook many asking for donations , when Facebook kept taking down Livestreams for Copyright issues, most had no choice but to find ” Real” jobs. It was hard for many of my friends.  Drive by Birthday parties became popular but the DJ was taken out of the equation. Clubs and Bars began to close permanantly.  By January, February of 2021 some establishments began calling DJs offering 30-40% less than pre-pandemic fees. Some turned down these offers but most took whatever came their way often for markedly reduced fees.

Attendance at these establishments were weak, most people still feared exposure. Gallons of Hand Sanitizer on the bars and tables did not convince many. Slowly as vaccines rolled out and cabin fever was at a peak weddings and events began to resume. Parties began to look like parties again , except of course everyone was wearing a mask and there were little hand sanatizers with the couple’s name next to buuter and rolls on the tables. But why did it feel weird? Something had changed. People had changed. The way we played began to change , our delievery had to be modified. I called it ” Musical Distancing” the customers at the clubs I performed at were more concerned with ” CONTENT” than they were with my DJ abilities on the decks , back to back mixes tired them out quickly. Microphone interaction were now more important than ever. The key to keeping crowds engaged was becoming part of the entertainment. It worked for me. So I started thinking, how many of my fellow DJ friends have noticed this change and how have they adapted since Covid kicked our businesses ass.

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Alex Gutierrez Blog

We Like To Party: The Future of Going Out

DJ Alex Gutierrez/ SFDJA/ Miami

While many businesses are suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are many challenges that put small music venues in a particularly tough spot. As DJs we see no end in sight to all the venue closures. Many full time DJs have been forced to look for ” Real” jobs as many in the industry call work outside the music biz. We look around and see those establishments that have supported us, in serious trouble and there is nothing we can do to help. Reopening with a reduced capacity for many of these bars and clubs ( if and when that will be possible) just won’t cut it. The business model has always been ” Pack the House” Social distancing and nightclubs are about as compatible as dogs and cats  Event venues and banquet halls have all shut down, some even closing their doors permanently. In an attempt to get creative, DJs have loaded their gear on pickup trucks in order to capitalize on the ” Drive By” party trend. Some ask for donations while playing music on Facebook Live only to be disconnected after 15 minutes because Music Companies have identified songs that belong to the them. The Service ” Mixcloud” has now created a ” Legal” platform for DJs to Livestream and slowly the DJ community adapts to the ” New Norm” in a business that thrived on sweaty bodies , packed side by side at concerts and clubs.

Most people in the industry I’ve spoken to seem to agree that a vaccine could be the only hope. “We open our doors, hire bands or DJs to bring people together for social interaction. If they don’t feel safe, they won’t come. If cases in our city spike , they blame bars.While we are shutdown to protect employees and customers , overhead costs such as rent and insurance will surely put us in debt and chances are we will not be able to open again. At least a vaccine would give a person a little more courage ” said one club owner I spoke to recently

The reality is most who frequented the clubs and bars before are ready to go out. House parties are thriving here in Miami., usually held earlier to avoid local curfews. Social Distancing ” Light” In the local Latin culture Handshakes and kisses on the cheek  are still the norm for most. Hand Sanitizers are close by, next to the Mistolin and Fabuloso

 

They are out there, waiting to celebrate the end of the pandemic, and at that moment, those bars and clubs that survive  deserve our support. 

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Alex Gutierrez Rewind1039

Cerrone: From France with Love

by DJ Alex Gutierrez Miami/ Rewind 1039 / SFDJA

In 1976 at the age of 15 & 16, two aspiring DJs , unable to get into any of the straight clubs in Miami , found themselves in front of the WindwardResort Motel in Miami Beach. They both agreed that they would say ” We left our IDs in the car ( Those lines worked back then ) Half an hour past their curfew of 10:00pm , they approached the front door and a large bouncer who calmly waved them in, No questions asked . The music was getting louder, the dance floor packed with bodies, and a song that would introduce them to a whole new world of music they couldn’t get at their local record store. The song was ” Love in C Minor” by Cerrone but they wouldn’t find out the name of the song until two weeks later because the DJ had covered the label with tape, a practice back in the day to sound exclusive. I was one of those two kids who would forever be in love with the music known as ” Disco”

Jean-Marc Cerrone born 24 May 1952 is a French disco drummer, composer, record producer. Rumor has it that he had some serious beef back in the day with another Disco superstar Alec R. Costandinos ( Click here for Interview )

His album covers were unmistakable , using controversial images for his European releases that usually had to be sanitized for US Releases. Release after release his tracks became dance floor staples for ” Disctheques” around the world. Here in Miami Cerrone’s tracks especially Supernature have all endured the test of time and can still be heard at bars, nightclubs and events.

Cerrone now tours as a DJ and still performs . He has new material ” DNA” which sounds like a Giorgio Moroder/Kraftwerk hybrid with some Pink Floyd overtones . My personal choice from his new album is “ I’ve got a Rocket “

Happy Birthday Marc

Watch a Full Cerrone Concert

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Rewind1039

Memorial Day Weekend Non Stop Mixathon


South Florida’s Top DJs together all weekend on Rewind 1039 ,Miami’s Throwback Station playing the Best in 70s and 80s . Just Download the App ” Rewind 1039 ” and start listening .SFDJA website allows you to hear from your PC at home or Work

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Alex Gutierrez Blog

Fist Bumps, Handshakes High Fives: What's a DJ to do?

Our business depends on our interaction with people, making a positive impression is crucial and not only with our music and mixing skills. Every one wants to know the DJ. When they see us at our clubs ,at our events on the street they all want to acknowledge you as their buddy. The current climate , has many of us on edge, especially since we are constantly interacting with our public, the ones that come out and make us look good. We must now step back and evaluate every aspect of our DJ routine.

The Coronavirus,is a respiratory illness, that has infected thousands of people across the world. The outbreak began in China, but the virus has emerged in several countries, including the United States, as it has continued to spread. Fear of the spreading the virus has led many people to consider abandoning niceties and recommending against handshakes or physical contact.

Hand to hand Contact can transfer germs that can cause disease, such as respiratory infections like colds or the flu. It appears by some studies that have been conducted that “fist bumps” reduces the amount of bacteria that transfers from person to person, because of the smaller surface area and shorter amount of time the hands are in contact. A person with NO symptoms may be shedding the virus and could make others sick.

Coronavirus can remain infectious on in animate surfaces at room temperature for up to 9 days.    The virus tends to live longer in colder, more humid conditions. Controllers, Headphones, Microphones, even laptop keyboards all are surfaces where the virus could potentially live, sharing those now come with an added liability, our clients use our microphones and then hand them back so we can announce ” The Buffet line is open” DJ friend forgets his Headphones , the girl that hands you their iphone. The scenarios are endless. New procedures must be implemented in our routines during set up and breakdown. We now must be aware about potential forms of transmission without appearing to over-react, Drink glasses left on our subs, must be handled differently than before. Holding purses and coats, phones for guests. Singers and musicians handling your wireless mics.

So, how do we greet our clients , our fans, fellow music industry professionals? Avoiding complete physical contact in my opinion is an option for now . Let them know you are being cautious and not rude although” Fist Bumping” can seem awkward or inappropriate in certain situations. Someone who is coughing and sneezing close to you is more likely to infect you .  The standard Handshake  is part of doing business, especially with older people. You can’t ( or shouldn’t ) fist bump or High Five a 75 year old lady contracting you for $7,000 gala at a prestigious hotel although the way things are going  everything may change in the near future, with cases on the rise. 

AJ Falcon member of the South Florida DJ Association say ” It will be business as usual , but with heightened precautions such as having hand sanitizer more available , interchangeable foam microphone windscreens. Respect personal space. I would not stop shaking hands. This form of greeting is essential, particularly in the latin community” 

Because there are no specific treatments for COVID-19, many experts are focusing on prevention. Basically, clean everything ! Agents, including hydrogen peroxide, ethanol, and sodium hypochlorite (a chemical in bleach), can all inactivate corona-viruses.

A good DJ Prevention kit could contain the following;

Hand Sanitizer ( Any Brand) Some DJs are even custom labeling their own bottles to hand out

Clorox Wipes Lysol Spray Disinfectant Alcohol ( 60-70%) Tissues

Foam Covers for Microphones Buy Here

At the end of the day , just a few BASIC precautions could dramatically reduce the chance of transmission.

DJ Alex Gutierrez

South Florida DJ Association

 

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Blog

Open House Radio

THE OPEN HOUSE RADIO STORY
Mike and I have worked in just about every nightclub and every radio Station in
Miami. Collectively we share over 30 years in the business. We have been
witness to the evolution of dance music ,since the days of Disco to the
present. Technologically Mike has been at the forefront of Studio Engineering and the
Recording Industry.
Mike’s father, Miguel Triay is the most respected Radio Engineer in the country
,responsible for massive broadcasting projects both in South Florida and Puerto
Rico.Mike Jr.was the producer/remixer of the English version of the worlwide hit :”
La Macarena”There is no doubt that music is our passion. Unfortunately this
business is not kind and most people who work in it only care about one
thing….themselves… and true talent often gets cast aside in favor of behind the
scenes deals and strategies to stay in “power” for as long as possible in this very
unstable line of work. Alliances are formed and those who shine by way of their
talent are often squashed by the powers that be. Radio Formats rely on ” research” .
Most stations play “safe” music ,in other words stuff you’re tired of listening to. So
alot of artists get lost in the cracks,especially those who did not achieve
“mainstream” or radio play.So we took matters into our own hands,hey it’s not everyone that has access to a full blown radio production studio 24 hours a day. We decided to create a “radio”
program for people our age with the music we used to listen to ,plus…. the music
that would catch our attention today. Throw in a little Salsa and those slow jams that
mad us run towards that girl we had our eye on all night and we had a program WE
would listen to and hopefully everyone else too.
We were right………In the first week we had over 2000 subscribers on I Tunes . The
Emails were overhelming. We had connected with an audience that had been
overlooked,an audience that didn’t like Hip Hop ,Reggeaton andother urban styles
that wasn’t really listening to Radio anymore.Our program is 100% authentic mixed the way DJs used to mix with the information you want to hear about these artists that you never knew before.Even the actual
artists themselves in many cases have lent their voices to the program. It’s exciting
,very exciting to be able to talk to and play the music of these great musicians and
vocalists who otherwise may not have an outlet to keep their music alive.
Open House Radio or OHR is a station I always dreamed I could listen to, and
MILLIONS OF YOU seem to agree.
Mike and I Thank you for letting us serve you in this manner.
Part 2

On December 9, 2012, at the age of 48 Mike in the Night Triay host and producer of ” Open House Radio” passed away in his sleep. It was a devastating and emotional event in my life.His influence in my life both personally and musically was beyond words. Mike and I would sit in his studio for hours talking and dreaming .We worked as a team in local nightclubs and concerts. All we wanted was to bring joy to those people like us that grew up during the 60s and 70s. Mike with his voice , myself with the music I loved….. Disco. Filling his shoes on our program ” Open House Radio” would be a difficult task. To find someone who shared the same love of this music and possessed the knowledge and experience in this genre. Long time friend and founder of the group ” Expose” Lewis Martinee fit right in , bringing his DJ experience from the legendary Hallandale nightspot ” The Limelight” and his studio/production expertise from countless of hit records. The show continued. Open House Radio can be heard all over the world on any given night. Cities such as France ( Amys FM, Generation Soul Disco Funk ) New York ( Disco 935) Miami ( Wepa.fm) and Canada to name a few. The show is a selection of personal favorites from the early 70s and 80s formatted in a ” DJ Mix” style to recreate the feel of an authentic 70s Discotheque. Soul dance Crossovers, Boogie Down as well as Rare Disco grooves constantly surprise an audience who had just about given up hope on ever hearing these tracks again.Open House Radio
Mike in the Night was a popular South Florida Radio Personality since the early 80s from the popular station SUPER Q FM , he later went on to work on Salsa 98 , and Clasica 92 where he lead the station in ratings for his shows on Friday , Saturday and Sunday most notably Saturday Night Fever transmitting live from many of the areas nightclubs. Mike was also involved in the Remix of the world wide sensation La Macarena.mike-in-the-night
DJ Alex Gutierrez has been heard in just about every local nightclub as well as radio stations since 1974.He has remixed hits for many of today’s Latin superstars and has been a fixture in the local Disco and Salsa scene. He is the innovator of the Latin, Beat Mixing technique emulated by most of the nation’s Latin Djs. He has recieved various awards on a local level as well as a nomination from the International Dance Music awards for best Latin Mix Show when he was on Salsa 98.10685528_569693269824278_2454184071725655875_n
Lewis Martinee is a producer, songwriter and disc jockey based in Miami, Florida. Lewis reached number one on the Billboard Pop Charts, and has had multiple records reach top ten. Martinee received Billboard Songwriter of the Year as well as BMI Songwriter of the Year. In addition to founding the girl group Exposé in 1984, he also wrote and produced all songs on its first two albums, Exposure (1987) and What You Don’t Know (1989). He also contributed to the group’s third effort, Exposé, in 1992.
Martinee has also worked with many other artists of note, producing, writing and or remixing tracks: including Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, Celine Dion, Company B, Arika Kane, Jermaine Jackson, Sequal, the Cover Girls, Debbie Gibson, Vanessa Williams, Pet Shop Boys, Son by Four, and Elvis Crespo, among others
Combining our technical as well as years of music industry experience Mike and Alex and now Lewis have set out to capture the essence of a 70s style local Disco show ,reminiscent of the popular ” SHOW DE RIKKI TIKKI’ with Enrique de la Maza back in 1977,78,79
Lewis and I also produce a weekly Dance Music Program ” Rhyhtm Mix 24/7″ heard on Clubbing Station in Canada ( Clubbing Station) and have remixed several projects for local as well as International artists.
You can Listen to past shows at our Mixcloud
Lewis and Alex

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Alex Gutierrez Blog

Disco Gets Lucky Again

As a DJ who started back in the late 70s Daft Punk’s release and success with the single
“ Get Lucky “ got my hopes up that the mainstream would once again embrace this style albeit under another name. Then came Bruno Mars with his Treasure, Justin Timberlake with his “ Suit and Tie” Robin Thicke with “ Blurred Lines” and I was sending my white suit to the cleaners. Am I overreacting ? Was this just a trend ? Or was music actually becoming “musical “ once again?
Disco music Culture is open to all. Artists who produce it , regardless of previous musical orientation are embraced by Disco Fans. In other words a Rock band or artist can produce this music without being ostracized for being from another Genre. Kiss did it with “ I was Made for loving You” Bryan Adams with “ Let me take You Dancing “and Rod Stewart with “ Do You Think I’m sexy” Disco’s message is simple “Dance” The style has thrived for years under different sub –genres of Dance music, now called Nu-Disco or Disco House . The UK label Hed Kandi has been releasing Disco Flavored material since it’s inception in 1999. Nu disco DJs play to sold out crowds all over the world , yet here in the US the style is still only heard at “ boutique” type clubs usually on an off night or at trendy restaurants as background music. So for us “ Disco Bunnies” we continue to keep our fingers crossed that someday the style that started it all ,will return and take it’s rightful place in the history of Dance Music. Instead of having a bunch of people on the dance floor pointing their index fingers mockingly in the air.
Alex Gutierrez

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Alex Gutierrez Blog

DJs In Love by Alex Gutierrez

DJs in Love
DJ Alex Gutierrez
Did you know that 9 out of 10 DJ marriages end in Divorce? Don’t worry I just made that made up , but it sure seems like alot of people have a hard time keeping a relationship together while on the ” ONES AND TWOS ” Most DJs have full time jobs and use this profession as a way to supplement their income, although they love it many don’t want to give up the benefits of a ” regular” job A small percentage dive in head first and actively seek gigs as their full time profession, an extremely difficult task to say the very least and one that takes years before seeing results ( actually being able to subsist from it) leaving in many cases little time to attend to a partner. Both the Casual DJ and the Career DJ early in their career are focused mainly on DJing and inexperience and vision of DJ Stardom often cloud important relationship decisions.
THE CASUAL DJ
This individual usually begins in High School as a hobby. Parties , Weddings, upgrading gear by working part time jobs or ” well to do parents ” In many cases DJing is just a ” phase’ and the interest is replaced with other newer hobbies. Some continue well into College using it as a social tool while still enjoying the financial aspects of the job. While still looking for the ” Big Break” the Casual DJ continues to take more traditional routes and and DJing takes a sideline to their chosen career and education. Relationships are easier to maintain in this ” normal” life path. Partners accept this as a “hobby” and are able to influence their mates as to when they should work. Gigs are fitted in whenever possible and the behind the scenes networking hours required to succeed as a full time DJ are just not available to invest. Eventually the Casual DJ settles for an occasional event to release their inner passion for DJing. In some cases even though ” they met you as a DJ” the job becomes a thorn in the side of any relationship when the time spent on DJing is perceived by the partner as intrusive in the relationship ( no matter how little work the DJ actually gets) You could have a gig planned months ahead of time and on that day your partner’s job is having a get together which you obviously cannot attend.Of course there are exceptions to any rules and you will occasionally find a handful who are supportive.
THE CAREER DJ
Starts out exactly as the Casual DJ. With the advent of current technology and available software, and the lure of ” DJ Stardom” by way of ” Producing” The Career DJ plots his path. The success stories about young DJs producing at an early age and securing a spot at EDM Festivals only serve to fuel the fire. A regular ” 9 to 5 ” is not an option and a steady relationship usually is not either. The amount of hours of practice, going out to listen to other DJs , listening on line to new tracks to purchase. All this time spent perfecting their craft means less time for their partner. The Career DJ cannot afford to be a ” Starving artist” in today’s technological approach to DJing ( an expensive undertaking ). A fancy evening for two can easily be replaced by a new pair of Alan and Heath Headphones. A supportive partner can be understanding….for a while …but not forever and the DJ Dream can very rapidly be perceived as a DJ Fantasy. Results are expected quicker than realistically possible.It is therefore very difficult to maintain a steady relationship as a Career Dj struggling to reach their goal. A mate can actually be seen as a hindrance or obstacle standing in our way.
THE FREAKS COME OUT AT NIGHT
Anyone who has ever touched a turntable, a controller or a pair of CDJs in front of a crowd knows how easy it is to get laid. Yes I said it. Part of the ” High ” of Djing is the attention , wait 99% of it. More Intoxicating than the strongest Drug on the planet. Resisting urges is no easy task, it doesn’t matter how old or young the jock is . You can tell your partner ” I only go there to work” til your blue in the face, but the reality is the lights, the music, the crowd , the feeling you you get when you see a thousand bodies jumping up and down in front of you will break you down in most cases. Going into this profession an individual must be prepared to deal with a variety of factors that can prevent them from having a ” Normal Relationship” The Career DJ is most susceptible since they will function in this environment most of their time . The Casual DJ controls and has the luxury to ” Switch off” this segment of their life at will. For the Career DJ it is a means for survival
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
At the end ,it’s really about what makes you happy. It’s not to say that a DJ can’t have a long and meaningful relationship and still head out to the club night after night while your partner stays home. It will always be perceived as “You are going out to a party” and they are right to some extent. We love what we do , we wish we could do it full time providing us enough income to pay bills , take vacations and later have enough to retire. Some of us ( very few) will actually achieve that goal ,we might be lucky enough to find a supportive mate . Whatever level of support they provide us, we in this field must make a conscious decision to reward them with the time and attention they rightly deserve for allowing us to indulge in our passion.