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Since its inception in 1998 as a means to train and develop DJ’s to compete in the Battle of the DJ’s competition, DJ Mix Club has been training and unleashing a new wave of educated, informed and skillful DJ’s into the South African and ultimately the world DJ market. As a DJ School with over 2000 students trained by some of the most gifted DJ’s that always inspire and leave a mark on their students, it is the biggest, most respected and longest running DJ School in Africa.
The original DJ Mix Club was opened by Reggy and Lyn Kerwin who at that stage had been running the “Battle of the DJ’s” competition, among other events for nearly 15 years, and had crowned many South African DMC champions such as Nelson (Afroboogie Records), DJ Dizzy as well as hip-hop sensei Ready D who, incidentally Reggy sent to the UK and New York in consecutive years to compete in the Technics DMC World Finals. The original school was run off a pair of trusty ol’ Technics SL1200 mk2’s and a hardy Technics SH-DJ1200 battle mixer connected up to a Technics Component Hi-Fi system. Out of these humble beginnings, in the back-room of Mental Groove Records in Randburg, a new DJ faction was born that was to inspire and unlock the musical consciousnesses within many potential masters of the decks.
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At the core of the training philosophy behind DJ Mix Club was the concept to train and accustom the students to DJing on the industry standard equipment available, and then to graduate them by having them play at a venue to really get the feel of what it can be like to perform on a bigger sound system with the added pressure of the attendance of friends and family. A trail by fire if you like, the ultimate test for an up and coming DJ to go through. Combine this with Theory lecture’s encapsulating Equipment set-up, Dance Music styles, Music Structure, Marketing, Basic Sound Engineering, and Basic Production skills and you have a well rounded foundation on which to build a successful DJ career like many of their past students including Rude Boy Paul (Y-Fm), DJ Syren (Top 100 Female DJ’s and ESP resident), and Paul Bingham (ESP Resident with releases on Juicy Music and Chameleon), as well as a host of mobile and club DJ’s that have most likely impressed you at one point or another.
The first teacher to run and manage the course was DJ Decksky, who had finished in top three in the National Battle of the DJ’s for three years running at that stage. Heinz was instrumental in inspiring many a DJ not just to win the Battle of the DJ’s but also to go on and forge themselves careers in DJing. That has always been the focus of the DJ Mix Club. To train and prepare DJ’s for what the up and downs of the DJ world and keep them abreast of new innovations and developments in the world of DJing. This includes an ability to try and market themselves and their respective brands effectively, so when the opportunity arose to try and organize a gig, not only would they be able to play the gig professionally they would be able to organize and arrange the gig like a professional would.
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After DJ Decksky, one of the students from the original course, Mika affectionately known as “Lady Chaos” took over the reigns at DJ Mix Club. Mika trained many successful students in a 2 year tenure at DJ Mix Club before she was succeeded by one of her students and future SA champ Jayson “the Fool” Faber. In early 2003 a decision was taken between Reggy who was operating a successful Technics franchise at the time and the current manager of Mental Groove Dave Skinz, to take over the Mental Groove Records premises and convert the store into DJ Mix Club. This, as well as burgeoning relationships with the suppliers that Reggy had started to develop led to opening of the original DJ Mix Club in Blairgowrie Plaza, Randburg with the guidance of a partner that had previously negotiated the tricky fields of the record store business in Dave Skinz. Funnily enough the shopping center had entertained many record stores years before the establishment of DJ Mix Club, with Rhythm Records, BPM Records and as well as the afore-mentioned Mental Groove taking premises there over a 10 year tenure. One could say a home had been established for those dance music purveyors over the years and it remains still.
The original mission statement of DJ Mix Club was to be a store that catered for all aspects of DJ Culture, from the training one would receive, the equipment one would need, the music necessary to entertain, to most importantly, the knowledge and inspiration one would need to acquire to sustain ones DJing, whether it be at home, or in the throngs of club or event. The emphasis for DJ Mix Club has always been on personal relationships and that combined with a concise knowledge of the product, would in itself lead to good service. A friend, after all will never let you down, rip you off or give you bad advice. And that is one of the reason’s that DJ Mix Club brand has been so successful, we always have time for our friends.
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| The DJ store format was an instant success, and the store soon expanded, taking the premises next door as well, to cater for the increase in students, customers and expanding stock levels. In 2004 Jayson and the DJ Mix Club sadly parted ways, with Mika called in afresh to manage and teach at the DJ School again...
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Back in 2003 DJ Mix Club opened the doors of its first branch in Vincent, East London with two ex-students from the Jhb School, Saffron and Paul Foggerty running this branch for the first two years of its existence. This branch was in turn taken over by another ex-student who had done the first course in East London, Paul Chavez. Paul has grown the first and only DJ store in East London in leaps and bounds, recently moving the store to a more styling location and in turn growing a compact dance community in East London. Then in Sept 2004, DJ Mix Club were approached by Electromode Music to compile and mix a CD, and in Nov 2004 DJ Mix Club’s Electrofunk was released. Dave Skinz rose to the occasion and put together a mix of music that was indicative of the sound DJ Mix Club had started to develop through their regular vinyl imports. The compilation was warmly received by the dance community, who responded well to the unique mix of house and electro.
Pouncing on an opportunity that arose in Durban, DJ Mix Club acted to secure the services of a stalwart in the Durban scene in Steve Roets. Steve was to open and manage the Durban branch of DJ Mix Club, which opened at 231 Stamford Hill Rd. in early 2005. With the proverbial ball rolling and iron red hot, DJ Mix Club followed this up later in the year with a beautiful branch in the Cape Town CBD with another ex-student of the DJ Mix Club, in Rick Hunter who had just returned from a successful residency in Holland. In doing so, DJ Mix Club had ensured that all the managers at the relevant stores are all experienced club DJ’s who are currently gigging and/or holding residencies in their respective cities. All the managers at DJ Mix Club run, and are involved in teaching at the DJ School whether it be in a practical or a theory sense of the matter. With the growing work load, the Durban branch hired DJ Notas to assist Steve Roets and Rodney “DJ PFB” and Aaron “DJ Bullet” were employed to help out Reggy and Dave at the Jhb branch.
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In 2006 DJ Mix Club went from strength to strength, on the DJ School side of things Mika decided to leave, with the DJ Mix Club employing the efforts of Shane Halcyon of the DJ trio the Grim Brothers to train and manage the students, in 2007 Shane moved on to Sheer Music and DJ Amanda was pulled into the ranks to not only train students but to manage the web aspects of DJ Mix Club. Currently the original Jhb branch has 3 booths for students, to practice and record in. All the booths include two Technics SL1200 or SL1210 turntables. DJ Mix Club also has a variety of mixers, CD Players and monitoring systems including 2, 3 and 4 channel mixers, 12” & 15” club speakers, studio monitors, as well as a range of Pioneer and Gemini CD players including CDJ800’s and even a Dual CD Player to accustom the students to the variety of equipment they might encounter in DJ booths around the world. One of the larger booths at the DJ Mix Club in Jhb has been converted into a fully equipped production studio and a Reason production course has been started which has been enlightening many past DJ school students into the next level from DJing. All four branches have also begun to cater for a growing rental business, after seeing that many of the students needed to hire professional gear to throw parties or events of their own.
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With the music market taking a hammering, and dramatic shift’s in the way DJ’s are playing and purchasing their music, DJ Mix Club is striving to stay abreast of DJ and economic developments and to cater for a market that is not only growing, but also becoming more intelligent in the ways that they shop for, research and purchase their DJ products. DJ Mix Club has always tried to offer the customer the best deal, whether it be in advice, price, or product. That is the crux of their success. With an already established foundation, and many happy customers to boot, DJ Mix Club has also just signed a deal with Sheer Music to release a new compilation end 2007. Onwards and Upwards!
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| JO'BURG: |
Shop 2, Blairgowrie
Plaza
Conrad Drive (cnr Susman) – Next to Steers
Blairgowrie |
| Tel: |
Pro
DJ Store: +27(0)11 886 9113
Technics DJ School: +27(0)11 886 9291
Administration Office: +27(0)11 886 9113 |
| Fax: |
+27(0)11
886 9291 |
| Email:
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info@djmixclub.co.za |
