Victor Calderone Interview..... by ME :)

[joevibe]

I did an interview with Victor, thought I'd share with you all. Victor will be there (Crobar) every other weekend.

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1. What do you think of the club "renaissance" NYC is experiencing right now?

Way overdue. After the whole Guiliani era; he left us an all time low as clubs go. I think clubbing started in New York. Having no where to go, being a Dj, it’s just really sad to see. I’m excited to see it all start up again. I am confident to think this is the beginning. It’s good, very good. That’s all I can say.

2. What places haven't you worked that you'd like to? (area, countries)

I would have said Barcelona, but I recently played there. I am a big tribal head, tribal progressive; and I love a lot of the music that comes out of Spain. I’d like to hit Belgium. That’s somewhere I always wanted to play, to go, that I haven’t been.

3. Is it work?

No. It doesn’t feel like work. It really only feels like work when I get to a room and it’s unkept, feels mismanaged. The place looks beat up, sound system problems, no monitor/busted monitor in the booth; a broken turntable/cd player. That’s when I have no fuckin’ patience. I have no tolerance for that crap. I still wouldn’t call it work, but that’s when it’s… just not fun anymore.

4. Past Residencies…

Roxy, NYC was the worst. It just wasn’t fun anymore. It had gotten o a point where it felt like work. I was there physically, but not mentally towards the end; just totally uninspired. That’s what started the whole transition, me leaving New York.

My favorite is Stereo in Montreal, currently. The sound system is monstrous and it’s an incredible room. The whole place is inspiring. The people are ready to hear new music, be taken on a journey and we really vibe off eachother. They pull me, make me dig deeper and make me place my ass off. It’s just totally inspiring. There are some rooms where you just have to struggle, but that place is magical. The people are just incredible.

The other would be Tel Aviv Israel, TLV. The scene is just great over there. I’m hoping Crobar, NYC will be my new favorite.

5. The current residency at Crobar, NYC. What do you expect from it? The club, the crowd, etc?

I don’t know what to expect. I know what I am going to do. It’s not what I did at Roxy. It will be a new sound from me. I’ve matured. I am going back to my roots, music that I enjoy, stuff I want to do.

It’s not going to be what people expect to hear from me. The situation has me really inspired; excited. I’m really excited to be back in NYC. This is the most excited about a residency that I have been in a long time. We’ll have to wait and see about the crowd.

They are doing everything right. The sound system, the people behind it know what they are doing, they are club people. I am just gonna play my ass off and I think we’ll have a really solid night. I just got out of a long meeting over there and I am just totally amped right now.

6. How has your career matured? How has your choices changed?

Through experience. When I started traveling around the world, got out of NY, I just became more educated about myself and as an artist.

7. You have gone from underground to working with Madonna, totally pop. Now you say you are going back to your roots, explain.

Exactly, couldn’t have said it better. I want to play music that I am proud of, not the payday. The album that really got me going was “ Give it upâ€. I want to get back to that mindset. I wanna have fun doing music I want to make. I don’t want to be in the studio, just pumping out like a machine anymore. I don’t want to doing it to make these major labels and pop stars happy.

8. Does money play in a key factor in your gigs?

It did for a minute. The studio, tools, and equipment; the toys cost money. So it did, but not anymore.

9. What is like being known as a “gay†DJ?

Never put a real thought into it, but I do need to change that perception. People have thought/ think I am gay. I have an amazing wife and a son. It’s not good, it pushes away an audience. The new album is more me, different than what people are used to hearing, less vocal. I have much harder and darker roots than vocal house.

10. Current Album? “Resonateâ€

11. What were you going for?

It is very different than my last two. It wanted it to have nothing to do with those.

I’m in a transition. I need to evolve as an artist and that what this (new album) was about.

12. Did you pick a theme for your album?

I wanted not just big records, anthems, that the clubs play, but something you could put in your CD player 6 months from now and still listen to. I wanted to appeal to a new audience but still please my old crowd. An album/ record doesn’t have to have a lot of vocals to be good.

13. Is there something that drives you to choose certain records???

For an album, I usually go with some kind of theme, but do to licensing, I can’t always use the ones I want.

14. Can we expect a Double CD anytime soon?

I really don’t think 80 minutes sums up a Dj, so maybe a double CD would be better. More of a chance to take someone on a journey. A double album might do that.

15. Are you ever not in the mood to spin? clubs/ recordings, etc.

If I am running around from flights, yeah, it happens. I try and have a great attitude, lay a great set. People pay money to come and see me so that drives me, not the money, but the crowd. The connection with the audience will pull me through.

16. Does the crowd do it for you? Put you “there� Yes.

17. Have you ever woken up the next day dazzled or amazed by a crowd, the night; amazed by yourself?

That just happened. The second week of October in Montreal. They do a big festival there and I did an afterparty at Stereo. It wound up being a Monday. I did a 12 hour set and I was just blown away. The crowd, the music…I put the needle down and the beats were on. I called my wife afterwards, It was that amazing of a night. Just one of those nights. Everything was spot on and you try and do it again and you can’t. It’s just explosive. That night topped every night in the past. I look back on it. That feeling can last for months.

18. If you couldn't DJ anymore, what would you do?

Film. Not acting, but something to do with film. Something behind the scenes; directing or something like it. It is just another way to tell a story.

19. What is the “story�

A story in the music. However the set works. Emotions. Happy, sad, dark, etc.

20. What kind of equipment are you using now? CD's, computers?

I am a big “macheadâ€. Always have been. It is just the best computer for music. I have a small sampler that I always bring with me now. It’s great for loops and effects. I really don’t use CD’s, unless it is something that hasn’t been pressed on vinyl yet. I am a huge vinyl fan.

21. Where do you get your music?

Most of it comes from record labels/ producers. They send it to me. I also belong to a record pool out of the UK called Balance. I do buy a lot of stuff on my own, different shops, etc. I make sure to go shopping once a week and always before a show. You may find two records that you may just have missed.

22. How has MP3 and digital media changed the way you play? produce?

Not the way I play, but definitely the production. Everything is digital. Most of my sounds come right from the computer.

23. A little known fact ?

Snowboarding. I love to snowboard. I have a nine month old son now and as soon as he can stand he is getting one.

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interview courtesy of event.vibe. Joe Levy

Thanks Victor! Looking forward to the new party!!!!!

[funktium]

[foodidoo]

Calderone rocks:)

[jrsygrl]

"Resonate"....fuckin' siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick cd

[cotoncandydream]

I am doing my Will & Grace impression at Crobar Miami Sunday. Always a good time experiencing Victor with 2000 gay men chanting his name.

[reddog4063]

cool interview!

[lola591]

victor is awesome

great interview

lola:)

[joevibe]

thanks....

victor is mad chill. make sure to show some love at his residency..he is very much looking forward to it..really, so if he is stoked, we should be too. it will only make the nights that much better.

[cotoncandydream]

I interviewed him when I was at Clubplanet and he had started his party at ARC. Let us hope for a better party. Victor is really a great DJ and Producer.

[siceone]

BOMB Christmas TIME IN THE CITY BABY !!!!!

[MrCHOOPA2u]

HE IS A GREAT DJ ...... I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO CROBAR IN A FEW WEEKS

[sexxyme]

I loveeeee him:D...Great interview...

P.S. I don't remember who I was arguing with about the fact that he's not gay..but whoever it was...I TOLD YOU SOOOOOOO:tongue:

[brandonius54w]

I've met victor on several occasions. He is one of the nicest, most down to earth people that has real talent that I have ever met. I will be at CROBAR.

[joevibe]

BUMP...

dedicatd to 530 w. 28th...