I would definately say almost every 80's alternative band. There are ones that stand out in my mind. Yello for instance, that band had an incredible capacity to write music way ahead of their time and the ambient electronic cuts on their albums blew me away. I would listen to them so loud I had the cops called on me many times.
Shriekback was also an amazing band for the same reasons and their ambient stuff was so dark, I love it.
Cabaret Voltaire. Talk about a band who I would consider early Techno and again their ambient music compositions showed their musical abilities.
Howard Jones. I remember seeing this guy in concert and he walked out on stage and performed a Chopin Etute on the piano before even kicking in with his concert. Sort of an in your face I really am a muscian statement. I still remember that to date.
Art of Noise. I could write for hours on how incredible this band is. If you have never heard of Art of Noise, go buy something of theirs and immerse yourself in their amazing electronic abilities mixed with music and composition abilities, mixed with taking a sound (noise) and making a theme out of it (hence, Art of Noise). I got to see this band live in Denver once. Art of Noise never struck me as a band who could perform live. They were definately a computer driven, midi driven band but when I heard they were going to do everything live and not prerecorded, I had to go. To date, I still consider that one of the top 10 concerts I have ever been to. They did excatly what they said...everything was live and they were doing this a decade before ANY modern day electronic artist.
Kraftwerk. What can I say about Kraftwerk that is not already known. They are the originators of Break Beat, Electronica, and plain flat Techno Music SINCE THE 60's. Any modern day artist that claims to be innovators of the underground electronic dance movement in the 90's...I Laugh at you because your arrogant self proclaimed claim to fame was proceeded by Kraftwerk 30 years earlier. I say....learn your music history.
Depeche Mode, New Order, The Cure, Thompson Twins, and OMD to name a few. I have to admire these guys for their stamina and their ability to keep releasing music long after the New Wave era died.
Speaking of releasing music long after the New Wave Era. Pet Shop Boys Hands down wins that award in my book. When they first released West End Girls in 1984, a DJ friend of mine from California called me and said be on the watch for this band, they are going to be big. He was right! It wasn't until 1985 when they released Opportunities, which was more than a song that was the epitome of 80's new wave dance music, but an influence to me as to how those two met. One had the looks the other had the brains and they set out to make lot's of money. Make lot's of Money they did....AND not only that...but continued to elvolve their music to transition from an 80's New Wave Band right into the House era and right into the Techno era. My hat is off to Neil Francis Tennant and Christopher Sean Lowe, they have been a BIG influence and inspiration to me and still are. My music partner Mateusz Stoch and I decided one day we needed to progress our careers and start writing music. The first thing I did was play him the Opportunites video and the lyrics in that song won Matt over and we started to work on our first release of Take it Easy right after. Matt saw that there are opportunities out there and definitely I am not the one with the looks :)
The 4AD artist in the 80's blew me away with their ability to actually compose music. Xymox, Cocteau Twins, and This Mortal Coil to name a few were some of these bands. I mean I have studied the structure of music my entire life, and where the great composers from 100's of years ago left off as far as the advancements of musical composition was trashed with the pop music culture. The untalented way of "writing" music so basic and mundane as most mainstream pop music, I am sure Beethoven and Mozart have done more than roll over in their graves. Where are the harmonies and melodies and chord progrssions so amazing that it would bring someone to tears. People still pay big money to go hear a sympony play a composition writen 400 years ago. Do you think in 400 years from now people are even going to care about 99% of the pop music writen today much less pay to hear it? Music composition has died but in the 4AD era, which coincides with the Birth of the Gothic era....something happened to the underground music scene. These artist were actually composing music for the first time in almost 100 years. It had melodies and harmonies and chord progressions and "gasp' even modulated to a different key. It had ABA structure formats, themes, recapitulations. That entire movement of music and the bands that created it were definately influnces on me, it showed me music composition wasn't dead.
I never knew how much I liked U2 until I saw them at their "Blood Red Sky" tour at Red Rocks in 1984. Amazing Concert. Definately an Influence.
Rock Bands I would say Pink Floyd. Their abilitiy to figure out and master a synthesiser and make it do things no other band of their times could do....Hats off to you guys. BUT what influences me most is their attention to their live performance visuals. If you have ever had the chance to see Floyd in Concert, you would know what I am talking about.
Hands Down David Bowie is and always will be my rock hero. His decades of hit after hit is enough but his unwillingness to conform and continually step out of the box and stay ahead of his time it what made him truely underground to me. Every time Bowie released a new album, I hated it. A month later I thought it was brilliant. That is the mark of someone who is a trend setter. Mr. Bowie you will always be my hero.
In the modern day electronic dance arena there are many bands that influence me. Too many to name here. But again the ones that stand out are the ones who are time tested and true. The Orb, Orbital, 808 State, Most of the Hooj Toons Artist. WOW talk about some music writing. KLF mainly because their Chill Out Album was brilliant. Stan Kolev, Money Domingo, and Phunk Investigation are some of my current influences.
DJ Influences
Hands down the winner is John Digweed. How someone who lives so far away have almost the exact same philosophy of DJing, programming, music selecting, and all and all business sense to make money at this industry we call DJing as I do is amazing. He is truely a DJ's DJ and his vote for best DJ come from fellow DJ's. Much like my rock hero David Bowie, every time Digweed releases a new CD, I hate it. A month later I think it's brilliant. He is a trend setter never a trend follower and he is exactly what I want to be when I grow up. :) I still want to know who did the Danny Tenaglia/ Hong Kong Trash mix first. I guess since John put it out on a CD before me I concede he did it first.
Tracy Jones, my mentor from Rock Island. He was the best mixer in the world and a great friend and I miss him dearly.
Dave Seaman. Now John Digweed and I have the same way of playing a multitude of genres of music in one set doing smooth transistions between genres. Dave does the same thing but he slams from one genre to another and how?, I'll never know. He is the only DJ in the World that I know who can program that way and make it totally work. Dave, my hat is off to you.
Seb Fontaine. Seb plays an amazing mix of music before anybody else. Where on Earth do you get that music from??? :) I mean I played Different Gear "A little Bit Paranoid" the other day and people were running up to me saying that's that Seb Fontaine song. Way to go Seb, see what influence you have not only over me but so many others.
Danny Tenaglia. The Master of the Tribal beat. Danny is in his own little world and he don't care. That's what I admire most about him plus he makes me wish I was still in NYC. He is a great composer too. That tribal beat makes me want to throw on a grass skirt and some African tribal beads and do a tribal dance all night long......Not really....no really :)
I have to say, and people say I'm crazy, but I have to list Paul Oakenfold. Ever since the time I saw him play at that little dive Synergry here in Denver Colorado, before he became big, I was sold on Oakenfold. He has the most uncanny ability to tell a story with music that to date is unmatched. He has a very dramatic style of programming which incorporates mixing out of the beat into ambient music. Just so you know Paul, I was mixing into ambient music in the middle of a set long before you were and I have the proof. HA HA but you're still a big influence on me. And on that note, Mr. D:fuse I was wearing a cowboy hat in the DJ Booth 4 years before you and I have proof of that too! Just joking with you guys.
Those to date are my influences!
Sounds Like
over 35,000 recordings and no not all downloaded onto an Ipod but actual recordings made before the digital age. Original mixes, extended mixes, out of print rare music you won't find on the internet for downloading. My colection reflects my taste which is very ecclectic. It Includes Dance and Pop music from the 50's, 60's, 70's Rock and Disco, 80's Rock, New Wave, DOR, Goth, Pop, Top 40, Industrial, Grunge, Garage, Manchester, Early Rap, Hip Hop, Hip House, House, Deep House, Techno, Trance, Break Beat, Jungle, Ambient, Techouse, Baroque, Classical, Romantics, 20th Century Art Music, New Age, New Accoustic, Electronic, Celtic, Reggae, Jazz, Big Band, Bebop, Fusion, Blues, Country, Bluegrass, and Folk. It's all in my collection.
"My Favorite type of night to play surprisingly would be an 80's retro night. That was an amazing decade for music across the board. Songs had words and meaning and were played longer, unlike current club music which is considered too old for play anymore 5 hours after it was played the first time. As a DJ, everything I bought in the record store was gold. I didn't have to sit there and listen to 100 records to find 2 decent tunes like now a days. Musically everything was happening. The Mainstream Top 40 scene was bumping, The New Wave and Alternative Rock Scene exploded in the 80's from it's early development to it's later DJ friendly mixes. House Music was born in the 80's. The Industrial age was born out of the New Wave scene with founding artist such as Front 242, Ministry, Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy in the 80's all of which became the Techno music domination we hear today. Gothic Music found it's niche in the alternative scene. Early Dance Rap Stemming from the late 70's Sugar Hill Gang's Rapper's Delight to Macolm McLaren, Soul Sonic Force, Grand Master Flash, and the Evolution into Ganster Rap Ice-T and NWA came about in the 80's and even the 80's Glam Rock Bands had an impact. The largest section of my music collection is from the 80's and I like any outlet to pull those tunes out and play them again. No other decade could possibly compare with the 80's music wise"
.........................DJ Tony Diangelo.............................
DJ Tony Diangelo Also Known as DJ Aerich D is not only a Veteran Disk Jockey but a Composer, Producer, Remixer, Musician, and Music Historian. Born Aerich Anthony Diangelo in Brooklyn New York in 1965, Tony has been in the Club and Radio scene for 30 Years. A trained Classical Musician since the age of 5, Tony recieved his College Education in 1983 as a Music Major from the Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He Studied Piano Performance, Vocal Performance, Music Theory and Composition, Music History, and Electronic Music Synthesis. Tony has an amazing music history knowledge that spans music from Gregorian Chants from the 1600's to present day Techno, House, Trance, Dance, Rock, Alternative. It is always a treat to listen to him spill out his knowledge of a band or particular type of music when he hears it on the radio or just his knowledge of the evolution and birth of the Club DJ. In 1978 Tony attended his first School Dance when he was in 7th Grade at age 13. He was entranced by the Local Radio DJ who was playing the records on "gasp" two turntables. Tony thought to himself, so that is how it's done. Needless to say his date for the dance was most unhappy with the lack of attention Tony gave her at that dance. As a visionary, 2 weekends later, when his parents were out of town, Tony threw his first party in his parents basement. He used both his stereo and his parents stereo to play his records using head phones to cue the music. He made Disco lights out of Chritmas Lights altered to blink to the beat of the music on a primitive light control board he made and decorated the basement to reflect a theme (much like modern days Raves). Being that Tony was only 13, His basement parties were the only thing he could do to perform his evolving talents as a Disc Jockey. However, it was before he graduated High School that he got his first Guest Appearance in a popular New York Night Club in 1982...........................
Still to this date Tony applies this method of presentation to his performances. He's more than a DJ. He likes to create an entire atmosphere anytime he plays. It is not uncommon that during a guest spot Tony's crew will show up with a custom created installment of decorations and visual enhancements including extra lighting, video, and laser work. When he had his resedency at the Marquee Club in Boulder Colorado he actually changed the entire lighting scheme and look of the club every night.........................
During Tony's college years, he perfected the art of beat mixing while he studied the structure of music in his college studies. With this knowledge in his posession, Tony was the first DJ in Colorado to perfect the enharmonic and phrase perfect mixing which landed him with a reputation of being one of the smoothest mixers in the evolving club scene. Also during this time Tony got involved with the College radio station. This whole experience changed Tony drastically. He was exposed to the largest music library he had ever seen and expanded his knowledge of music in all genres. This experience also spawned the short but sucessful radio career for Tony. However, most of all, the radio experience taught Tony a very valuable thing in the music presentation industry, that, when applied to his club work, gave him an edge over every other DJ in his market. He applied the concept of programming to his club work. This concept gave him the ability to pack and rotate a dance floor and create an unexplainable energy every night, even when the clubs weren't busy. This made Tony the most sought after DJ in the 80's for being the best to read a dance floor and keep the energy going all night long. His programming abilities tied in with his power mixing abilities and his total club atmophere creations made him the ONLY full time and highest paid Club DJ in Colorado in the late 80's and early 90's.....................
"I used to tell my fellow DJ's when asked how I made the music work on my nights, It's all about the programming! The music, mixing, and fancy turtable tricks are just the icing, without the programming you don't have the Cake nor do you have a night. I don't think many of them got that."
In the early 90's Tony jumped on the Rave wagon and started the Denver Rave Company with two of his crew members. He played parties with the likes of world class DJ's and Artist such as Steve Loria, The Energy Posse, DJ Hipp-e, Dale Charles, 808 State in their first ever Colorado appearance and Moby in his first ever Colorado appearance just to name a few. The excitement of turning an old warehouse space into a themed party for the night brought a whole new era to Tony in the entertainment industry plus a LOT more money. What amazed him the most was the advancements in lighting, laser, and video technologies. Tony started to show a new talent. His ability to create visual atmospheres beyond what he dreamed about with his unsurpassed programming ability with this new lighting technology and set designs that continually amazed people with his creativity. Soon he was being booked for his visual creativity instead of his DJ experience which was okay with Tony.................
"I would be amazed when I would go to a rave party or even a big concert and there would be millions of dollars of advanced lighting hanging on the trusses that were doing absolutely nothing creative. I mean anybody can figure out how to turn the fixtures on and make them move and even program them but where the real talent lies is somebody who has the creative abililty to make these lights do what they truely are capable of doing and create with them and I don't see much of that happening".
This new and exciting technology prompted Tony to Start Cowboy Production Design Company in 1996. Cowboy Productions was a full service production company and as it grew offered full concert sound, lighting, lasers, video production on all levels pre, post, and display video, custom sound production, photography services and set design. Tony was so immersed in this new industry that the DJ world took a back seat to this new venture for awhile.........................
It wasn't until 2000 when the Rave scene was having so many legal issues with law enforcement and the scene was returning to the clubs that Tony also returned to the clubs but with a bigger and better show. Which is where he remains today. Tony has a new ideal for the Next wave in club evolution. He won't speak much of this ideal because he doesn't want someone to steal it but I can tell you by the excitement in his voice that it is going to be HUGE. For booking information for Tony Diangelo Entertainment and Productions please E-mail John Esau at tony_d_entertainment@yahoo.com. ....................................................................................................................................................................... Justin Davis/ Denver Entertainment................................. Don't forget to check out my interview with DJ Legend Tony Diangelo in the blog section.
....................................... Club and Event Biography...............................
Radio Residences: KIKX FM/ Colorado Springs, CO. 1984-1986...... KRCC FM/ Colorado Springs, CO. 1983-1986................................................
Web Cast Residences: Elegance/WDA1.com/ Denver, CO. Kansas City, MO. 2008-Current
Guest Appreances Clubs (Partial List).....
Limelight/ NYC..... Danceteria/ NYC..... The Roxy/ NYC..... Studio 54/ NYC..... Palladium/ NYC..... The Annex/ Colorado Springs, CO...... Pogo's/ Boulder, CO...... Faces/ Dublin, Ireland..... Tracks/ Denver, CO...... Boulder Express Club/ Boulder, CO...... The 90's/ Denver, CO...... Stars/ Denver, CO...... Club Synergy/ Denver, CO..... Corleon's/ Greeley, CO...... Bar Standard/ Denver, CO..... Funky Buddah/ Denver, CO..........TwoAM/ Denver, Co.........
Rave Company and Special Party Billings (Partial List).....
Panic Productions/ War of the Worlds/ Denver, CO...... Global Communications/ Outlands/ Littleton, CO....... Electric Company/ Peace/ Denver, CO...... Denver Rave Company/ T'was the Night after X-mas/ Denver, CO...... Club X/ Better Body Beats/ Denver, CO...... Energy Posse/ Monolith/ Denver, CO...... Rock Island/ Private after concert party for 808 State First appearance in Colorado/ Denver, CO...... Rock Island/ Aerich's Space Party/ Denver, CO.......Nootrophia/Stratosphere/ Boulder, Co..........AD-DA Productions/Odyssey/ Boulder, Co.........AD-DA Productions/Odyssey II/ Boulder, CO..........Marquee Events/ Dracula's Ballroom/ Boulder, CO.........Marquee Events/ Sick and Twisted Christmas/ Boulder, Co.....Marquee Events/ Dog Days of Summer/ Boulder, Co.........Marquee Events/ The Second Coming/ Boulder, Co........Marquee Events/ The Third Coming/ Boulder, Co..........Marquee Events/ The Fourth Coming/ Boulder, Co............ Denver Rave Company/ X-otica/ Denver, CO...... Electric Company/ 4-Play/ Denver, CO...... Electric Company/ Moby-LIVE his first appreance in Colorado/ Denver, CO...... Poor Boy Productions/ Nightmare on Blake Street/ Denver, CO...... Poor Boy Productions/ Microrave Denver, CO...... UFI Project/ Heaven/ Denver, CO...... Poor Boy Productions/ Planet E/ Denver, CO...... Poor Boy Productions/ KFE/ Denver, CO...... Poor Boy Productions/ Eden/ Boulder, CO...... Poor Boy Productions/ Eden 2/ Bouler, CO...... Poor Boy Productions/ Return to Eden/ Boulder, CO...... The Messiah and Neural Network/ Rise to the Bass/ Denver, CO...... The Messiah and Neural Network/ 3D Groove/ Denver, CO...... Denver Rave Company/ The Planets/ Denver, CO....... The Messiah Productions/ Spring Fever/ Denver, CO...... Productions/ Close Encounters/ Denver, CO...... Skywire-Big Johnson Entertainment/ Beyond Oblivion/ Denver, CO.....Big Johnson Entertainment/ Know Your Roots/ Boulder, Co.............. Happy 2008/MTM Events/3131 afterhours-DiAngelo House Sessions/Denver, Co. 2008..... Love/MTM Events/3131 afterhours-DiAngelo House Sessions/Denver, Co. 2008..... Starry Eyed Spring Night/MTM Events/3131 afterhours-DiAngelo House Sessions/Denver, Co. 2008........Elegance/ MTM Events/3131 afterhours-DiAngelo house Sessions/Denver, Co. 2008.........A Nightmare On Vine Street/MTM Events/3131 afterhours-DiAngelo House Sessions/Denver, Co. 2008........Toys For Tots/Big Johnson Entertainment/Denver, Co. 2008..........The White Party/MTM Events/3131 afterhours-DiAngelo House Sessions/Denver, Co. 2008.........Save Our Sanity/MTM Events/3131 afterhours-DiAngelo House Sessions/Denver, Co. 2008........Happy 2009/MTM Events/Anniversary/3131 afterhours-DiAngelo House Sessions/Denver, Co. 2009......Masked Valentines Ball/ MTM Events/ Sub Level 31/ Denver, Co. 2009......Second Annual Love Party/ MTM Events-RDN/ Sub Level 31/ Denver, Co. 2009.......X Refresh 09/ Utopia Beats-MTM Events/ Atzlan Theatre/ Denver Co. 2009.......2nd Annual Starry Eyed Spring Night/ MTM Events/ Sub Level 31/ Denver, Co. 2009.......Battle of the Coast/ MTM Events/ Sub Level 31/ Denver, Co. 2009................
and the list goes on...........................
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Hey Tony. Thanks for the comments. And I agree 100% that learning electronic music is done best the old-fashioned way: analog synthesizers. Don't get me wrong, I love my Yamaha Motif 7 & my Roland RS-9. But I also remember how hands on my playing was when I had a Pro-One hooked up to a Drumulator and a Korg Poly six underneath that....Cheer's! We are now old friends!
Hey Tony, thanx 4 the comment! I have'nt been on for a while until today. Anyways, id be honored if you could make it to our show on the 27th! If not, we should get together in the studio or throw down on the decks sometime!!!
hi just stopin by to show some love make sure to check your comment's and event invatations for up comming D-Town event's feel free to hit me up with questions and comment's PARTY LIKE A RAWKSTAR FAMOU$
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