Three Questions with
DJ DAN

DJ Dan began as the top techno DJ in Los Angeles in the early '90s. Since expanding his horizons to include production of the music itself, he has been at the forefront of the house/techno/breakbeat scene. He is also a part of the Bay Area collective known as The Funky Tekno Tribe. DJ Dan will be making an appearance in Denver on August 17 at KTCL's "Weekend of E" at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (visit www.ktcl.com for more details).

What's your new CD like?

I tried to give it more of a retro feel; I used a lot of tracks with older sounds, and tried to give it a more '70s vibe. I actually had two different versions for this CD; the first was deeper, but with the influence of friends, I decided to take a more fun approach to the CD. The first version took me about two weeks to get together, and took a few takes to get recorded. Once I decided on the new, fun version, I recorded the final copy in the first take. It was recorded directly from turntables and a mixer out onto DAT.

What do you think of Denver?

It has always been one of my favorite places to travel. It was one of the first places I traveled to once I started travelling, and I always feel a great sense of "home" when I am there. Since I have been playing there so long, people seem to be more open to my style, and I feel freer to go off on tangents. I have a real sense of comfort when I am there; the people seem to be so much more open-minded than in other cities. I have to give Denver a lot of credit-- I always love coming there, and have a lot of appreciation for the people there. I want to make sure to let them know that they have a great thing going there-- keep it up! I don't think Denver normally gets the credit that it deserves, because while it is not one of the biggest scenes, it is one of the best. I remember the Funky Tekno Tribe party was really interesting because it was a meeting of two of my families-- the San Francisco family and the Denver family.

What do you think of the negativity surrounding the scene today?

I think it is sad that it is focused on the rave scene because every generation has its parties. It seems as though drug use has overshadowed everything else; there is so much good in [the scene], too. I think the thing that scares people most about the rave scene is that they cannot control it completely. There are so many different facets to our scene that they cannot stop it with just one law. It just seems as though lately the people there who are using drugs are just so blatant about it, laying on the dance floor and such; people should really be more considerate. When the scene first started, it was about the music, and having an open mind to all different kinds of people. Now it seems that the same people who preach about having an open mind are the same people who are like music purists. They get so into keeping what they have that they tear down everything else without realizing that that is not how it should be. There are certainly music styles that I don't like, but I don't go around tearing them down. It's like some people have become music snobs. The scene in Toronto started out with everyone helping everyone else out, and that is how the scene got to where it is today. In most places, that is just not the case anymore.

--Erin Marsh

Media Notes

Sci-Fi Channel viewers are just as skeptical, mocking "Crossing Over" on SCIFI. com's bulletin board. "New age pseudo-science," wrote one viewer, "a blight on Sci-Fi." Others publicly considered boycotts. Now "Crossing Over" will be a blight on Denver's own little sci-fi channel, the one that held its viewers in such high regard after the "Voyager" pre-emption that it issued an apology on Starland.com "for any inconvenience and disappointment." "Crossing Over" attracted record numbers of viewers for the Sci-Fi Channel, and may also boost ratings for UPN 20, depending on what time the show airs. This is the same station, after all, that schedules 35-year-old episodes of "Hogan's Heroes" against Letterman and Leno. . . . WB2's Rich Pageant-- Trading tiaras for microphones, a former Miss Colorado is now a TV journalist for Denver's WB affiliate, Channel 2. Shellene Cockrell was named Miss Colorado-- a feeder into the Miss America competition-- in 1994 at the beginning of a tumultuous time for the state pageant. Cockrell and Regina Flores, Miss Colorado 1997, confessed their disillusionment with the state system in a 1998 documentary, "Contestants Tell All ... Secrets of Beauty Pageants Exposed," broadcast nationwide on UPN. The documentary showed how Flores, in particular, was stripped of her crown in a public battle with state pageant officials. Through arbitration she eventually won back her title, pageant scholarships and $78,000 in damages.

Now Cockrell is in front of the camera again, reporting for WB2's 9 pm news. She has reported for 850 KOA, ESPN, Fox Sports, PAX and USA Network. --Eric Beteille

Local Music

And the winner is ... Battery Park won the Jim Beam Northwest Regional Finals leg of the Jim Beam National Unsigned Rock Band Search. The band progresses to the National Finals to be held here in Denver, August 24 at the Gothic Theatre. It will be a free show. Last year, another Denver band, Yo Flaco!, won the prize, so with enough support, maybe we can do it two years in a row. Not to be outdone, Rolling Rock and the Hard Rock Café are holding their own Battle of the Bands with the winner getting the chance to play before a huge national audience at the Rolling Rock Town Fair. Again, Denver's in the running with Rocket Ajax as the representative for the region. Votes count! Go to www.hardrock.com . . .

Since August 9, 1995, Deadheads around the globe have mourned the death of Jerry Garcia. The innovative and groovy guys of Quixote's True Blue and Sancho's Broken Arrow have devised a new road for the weary-- Quixote's True Blue on the Rocks, an all-day festival tribute to Garcia on the anniversary of his death. The show will feature a truly tie-dyed line up of revelers including Lazy Lightning, Chief Broom, and Gregg's Eggs featuring Grateful Dead keyboardist Vince Welnick. Check listings for times. Tickets can be purchased at Quixote's or Sancho's for only $10. . . . Creative Music Works executive director Alex Lemski will be leaving the position that he has so craftily and (ahem) creatively held for 11 years ( www.gogomagazine.com/0302/music.html). Lemski has been a pillar of insight and support for the jazz and eclectic music scene in Denver and has brought national recognition to Denver as a place where expression and experimentation in music happens. As he moves east, we can only say thanks, Alex, and look out New York! . . . Condolences go out to the music community and specifically to the family of Vince Scott, vocalist for local band Tyfoid Mary. Scott was killed in a car accident early Saturday morning, July 21. Sportsfield Roxxx held a benefit concert on July 26 and a CD was made of the show featuring Rogue, Tread, A Band Called Horse, Blister66, Tirade, Full Circle, Cold Moon, and N.P.O. CD sales from the event will also benefit Scott's family and can be purchased at www.hapiskratch.com photo by micah smith/ william hames inc.