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Finishing off our interviews this month we have Toronto's very own Lady Bass.
If you have ever attended any rave in Toronto for the past 10 years, the name Lady Bass is surely to ring a bell. Not only because her skills have landed her name on countless flyers, websites and posters, but because she is an amazing person! Havin been in the electronic music scene for nearly two decades, holding several rave and club residencies, she has headlined several events through out Canada and the US, including hosting her own online radio show on Club246 for over 5 years!.
Now with out any further ado the Toronto Queen of Hard House.. Lady Bass
Welcome Lisa. This is not your first time here at The Beat Ranch as you have had a guest mix with us a little while back, which was stompin’ to say the least. Let’s start from the beginning, what got you into the Canadian rave scene? Do you remember your first event?
I first got into the Canadian rave scene almost 2 decades ago. I was really into electronic music and had heard so much about “raves” but had never been to one. I use to see all of these amazing videos on TV of raves in the UK and they looked so exciting. My first rave was an event call “Kosmic” in Ottawa. It was put on every year by the Carlton Engineering students and they took over several buildings to create this event. The year I went the theme was “Beauty and the Beast” from Disney… so they had people dressed as giant candelabras walking around and each room had a different theme from the movie. The entire party was like a maze! It was amazing and such a huge introduction to the scene! From there I was hooked – the entire experience has changed my life and I’m so glad I became part of the scene.
How has the scene changed since your first event?
Since my first event the scene has changed a lot. It’s gotten a lot smaller (unfortunately) and when they city of Toronto started to impose huge stipulations on raves that were so costly to promoters that it makes throwing a large scale event virtually impossible, it made our scene shrink due to lack of large scale venues and the costs associated with hosting large events (and the stigma). I miss the days in Toronto when you could go out to multi-room venues and each room was packed with thousands of people! Promoters also use to go that extra mile and decorate venues so that even if they were clubs or rented spaces, they were transformed into something else… somewhere worthy of hosting a rave and entertaining people… making the experience unique and unforgettable… from the top-notch headliners, to the extreme organization of the event. It made people feel like it was worth their $50 to get in the door… you knew you’d be getting your money’s worth.
What would you like to see come back into our scene? What is it missing or what would help it come back stronger?
I’d like to see more venues, more promoters, more creativity, innovative advertising and flier campaigns, actual party concepts instead of just creative party names with no follow-through… and more professional promoters who treat their party company like an actual business and are willing to take chances and make their parties work… instead of just hosting an event and hoping for the best – actually go that extra mile to ensure that your party is going to be a success… something no raver would want to miss!
With our scene as small as it is, what got you into hard house & NRG music rather than say Drum n Bass that seems to have taken over Toronto?
I love all types of music including Drum n Bass, but there is just something about Hard House and NRG that really speaks to me. I love the feel of the music, the way it flows, the driving sounds behind it and how it just makes me want to dance… every time I hear it! For me, it just seemed like the right fit to spin Hard Dance rather than Drum n Bass. Like you said – Drum n Bass seems to have taken over Toronto, so you have to really love a style of music to stick with it for so long and keep building it, even though other styles of music seem to be more popular.
Who were some of the DJs that have really impressed you over the years? Who would you say is your biggest influence?
My biggest influence is all DJs to be honest. It was KenFinch.ca (my DJ partner) who first introduced me to the decks, but since then I’ve met so many DJs from all over the world with so many different and interesting styles… no 2 DJs spin alike and that’s what influences me and constantly challenges me to keep striving to be better. I love DJing and I can’t imagine my life without it.
Being a female DJ in a mostly male dominated scene, have there been any troubles with getting gigs or even just being treated differently?
There is always competition for gigs with both male and female DJs in the scene, but if you keep evolving and keep performing behind the decks and throwing down tight sets, then people will know your skills. I’m the type of person that loves a challenge, so even with any challenges that come with being a female DJ, I’ve embraced them and tried to forge ahead…breaking down stereo-types and hopefully influencing other females along the way who may be interested in DJing to start and not let anything hold them back. J I have come across some promoters who tend to book all male DJ line-ups and I’ve also come across some people in the scene who when I walk through the door with a guy, they see me carrying a record crate and start talking to him thinking that he’s the DJ and I’m just carrying his records…. that’s always amusing – especially when I smile and tell them that I’m the DJ. J For the most part though everyone has been great – especially the fans, party goers and promoters who keep the scene alive!
You are one of the very few hard house DJs in Toronto that still use vinyl at many of your gigs. How many pieces of wax would you say you own?
Honestly – I couldn’t tell you! I know it’s a lot… but I have no idea how many. I also have a lot of digital music now too – which I can’t wait to also spin on vinyl and CD with Serato/Final Skratch that I just got for Christmas!
You have played the last three Gay Pride Events in Toronto, how did that come about? What were most people's reaction to hard house?
Pride is one of my favourite events to spin at every year. Everyone is so friendly and are there just to have a good time and celebrate Gay Pride! Their reaction to hard house has been amazing. At Pride 2007 I played the Labatt South Main Stage just as the Parade finished and they all came over to the stage. There were so many people there and everyone loved my set and danced the entire time. I played 2 hours and then between each band that played on the stage that day. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had DJing so far
What’s been some of your favorite events of 2008 and what are you looking forward to in 2009?
Some of the best events of 2008 were playing at the final WEMF (and getting the opportunity to play at every WEMF since I started DJing!), playing at Pride, spinning at Darkrave, the birthday event that Mz.DeMeaner and I hosted for our birthdays in January, playing back2back with so many amazing DJ partners like KenFinch.ca, DJ Opel and LeFreak, playing for Braincell, Terror Inc. & White Rabbit, and CHILLS, spinning at the last Goodfellaz event, playing for Bassteasers and CHC, spinning at Blak, Big Bop and Funhaus, spinning in Buffalo for Halloween, spinning in Ottawa, playing on Beatranch Radio and finally ending the year spinning for Nocturnal Commissions!
In 2009 I’m looking forward to so many things including branching out to spin different styles of music, as well as continuing to spin Hard Dance. There are a lot of great festivals and parties coming up that I’m hoping to get the opportunity to spin at. I’m also looking forward to launching a couple of regular weekly radio shows, finishing up my new-web-site and continuing to grow as a DJ and as an artist producing more tracks.
What other styles beside hard dance are you looking at spinning and why?
I've been spinning House, Electro and Retro recently but have yet to play those styles out on a large scale. I enjoy all styles of music (especially with working in the music industry) and love the rough edge of Electro and the grooviness of House. For me, it's not going to be about sticking to just one genre of music anymore - I want play everything... including Retro!!
Besides the time I hit the wrong button on the CDJs and completely stopped the music on you, what’s been your worst gig or gigs?
(LOL! I didn’t even remember you doing that!) My worst gig of gigs would have to be the first gig I ever played out. Being a new DJ, I’d never spun on Vestax turntables before. I stepped up and was wondering why the pitch control wouldn’t work. I tried to communicate this to my DJ partner, but he was too busy helping with the event that we were hosting to help me. As it turned out, I spun my entire first set ever with the quartz lock on! It was the longest most stressful hour of my life! I don’t pitch control touching the records when I DJ, so you can imagine how hard it was for me trying to beat match only using my fingers and the platter to speed up the record. Some of the comments I saw online after my set were positive but others said that my track selection was good but my mixing needed work – if only they knew that the quartz lock was on the entire time! After that I spun on Vestax for years and learned to play on all different types of turntables so that wouldn’t happen again!
You have recently caught the "production bug" as some may say. What style of hard house would you like to produce?
I like producing the style of hard house that I spin which is more on the NRG and techy side and want to continue with that. I also want to start producing Electro and House (with more of the dirty edge and feel) – more things I’m going to start doing in 2009!
When you are not playing out what do you like to do for fun?
For fun I like going out to parties and clubs and spending time with friends, family and my dog Winston. I also spend a lot of time at the gym – especially lately! I also have a full-time career in the music and entertainment industry which keeps me very busy!
Any last words?
I just want to say thanks to all of my friends and supporters and to all the promoters, club owners and radio shows (like TheBeatRanch) who have booked me and come out to see me play. All of you mean so much to me and I wouldn’t be where I am today without your support – thank you!
Related Sites
Click here for Lady Bass's Exclusive Beat Ranch Mix
Click here for tracklisting.
Past Interviews
