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Biography
“(Underground)” is basically being able to choose for yourself what you enjoy, not having it forced on you…not being fooled or swindled into believing something. That’s hype, not talent. Underground has talent. Underground can move in mysterious ways and still get the job done, even more so than someone (in the mainstream). It’s covert…not to be seen, it’s not for everyone to put a face on it and market to the masses. Being in a magazine every month, every week … and being just “entertainment” and not being there for a purpose … that’s not underground. I set the ball up for people sometimes. People look at the dunk but not the alley-oop. That’s my sentence. I chose this because I’m underground." – DJ Bone
It’s no accident that two letters always precede Bone’s name whenever he’s on the bill. First and foremost, Bone is a DJ—-in the truest sense. When he spins, it’s as if the turntables and the mixer become a physical extension of his body. He employs every possible technique in the disc jockey arsenal masterfully: blending, scratching, backspinning, no monitors or headphones; unrivaled in his use of the fader switch and he incorporates them all into every set. From his standing room only residency performances to after-hours spots, he rocks every show as if it’s his last.
What the general public and far too many DJs don’t realize is that Bone spins as much for his own enjoyment as he does for the audience. It’s a compulsion that only those who live for what they do possess and those who don’t can never understand: Bone lives to spin-it’s a necessary part of his existence. His dedication to the art of dance music and DJing is so untainted and intense that the tales of his confrontational encounters with flashy booking agents and “big name” DJs are already the stuff of legend. No hype or trends, just a relentless drive and passion to take the party to another level. That’s why he’s one of the few spin masters other DJs hate to follow.
Bone has wanted to spin since he was a kid…he rigged an all-in-one stereo to overdub scratching over cassette tapes. He’d practice on any turntable he’d find. He listened to MUSIC, not genres…and then he found techno. From that moment on, he knew what he had to do.
To some he is the champion of the underground. Others see him for the first time and ask the person dancing like crazy next to them, “Where did THIS guy come from?”
Think of Detroit Techno and DJ Bone might not be high on your list of luminaries because he is 100% independent and does things on his terms and on his terms only. He won’t tap dance or bend to fit the “popular” dj mold. Those who recognize Bone know him for his uncompromising and innovative ways.
“If the gig is set-up with the music as the main focus (as it should be), then I have total control over the vibe. That’s my duty. I’m not worried about having a Hollywood production going on or special effects with video images, smoke, etc. Just playing the best possible music as well as I can. I feel the need to constantly progress skill-wise and I feel my 3 deck sets are truly unique. Many DJs have 3 decks in front of them but how often do they actually have 3 records playing all at once (with the levels up)?” – DJ Bone
