Members of the X and Y generations know Amanda Stepto and Stacie Mistysyn better as simply Spike and Caitlin, key characters from the Canadian cult classic Degrassi Junior High and its later incarnations. But these days, the talented ladies can be found in the DJ booth, assuming their new personas as DJ Demanda and DJ Mistylicious.
"DJing isn't all we're doing right now, it's just kind of a hobby that we've just gotten more and more into as it's developed because it's so fun," Mistysyn said with a laugh. "...The DJing just kind of grew out of our love for '80s music."
The pair grew up surrounded by 80s culture, and really, through their work on Degrassi, helped define the decade for Canadian youth, so it should be no surprise that they still share a love for the music from that time in their lives.
"It's so funny, I don't think I've ever really grown out of the '80s," Stepto mused. "Even before DJing, a lot of the bands that I've listened to are from the '80s and the early '90s."
The pair has stayed close since their early days on Degrassi .
"Growing up on the show we were always friends, but our characters, number one, didn't interact a lot - we were in different grades - and it was really only after the show ended and we both started working on The Next Generation that we really kind of bonded more and really got to know each other better," Mistysyn added.
Their foray into the world of DJing was, in large part, influenced by their friend Shawn MacDonald, a professional DJ who goes by the moniker DJ Shawn MacD.
"He knew how much we enjoyed going to '80s parties and '80s nights at clubs, so it was his brainchild and we just kind of went with it," Mistysyn said.
They began working to learn the skills and tricks of the trade from their friend and other local DJs, which has been a huge process for the two.
"You're getting advice and tips from various DJs and, believe it or not, it's all different," said Stepto, "and sometimes it's completely opposite. So it really is your own interpretation, because one DJ might say it's all about flow, another will say it's all about BPMs (beats per minute), another one will say it's all about the type and genre of music."
Soon, they were hosting a monthly party, the Inbetween Days dance party, at the Annex Wreckroom, a club in their hometown of Toronto. The night, which features loads of fun retro throwbacks, quickly grew a loyal following and before they knew it they were taking the show on the road.
"We definitely had a good following," Stepto said, "I mean, the thing about doing an '80s night in Toronto is that Toronto's a big city and there are lots of things to do, all the time, every night."
So far, they've brought Inbetween Days to Edmonton and Calgary, with a solid turnout at each of the performances.
"It was kind of shocking, actually, because we totally weren't expecting how huge a turnout it would be!" Mistysyn said.
Now, they're heading to Whistler, where the local audience is notorious for loving a solid '80s party, coming out donned in the finest spandex and neon attire.
"We heard that Whistler was really cool and a lot of fun," Stepto said, while Mistysyn added that neither had ever been here before.
"It kind of gives us reason to go there, too. Its like, 'wow, someone's going to take us there? Cool!'" Stepto added.
"We're not experts, by any stretch of the imagination," Mistysyn added, "We're not going to pretend that we're expert DJs - obviously, people make livings out of this. This is something that's fun for us and we're learning as we go, and we've gotten a lot better, obviously, than when we first started."
In fact, while they embrace the fact that their tour will probably draw a lot of diehard Degrassi fans, they hope that people will come to the shows out of their shared love for the music. And don't come out to stand around and watch for earth-shattering technical skills.
"You're not coming to watch a DJ mix or spin, and reinvent '80s tunes," Stepto added. "Basically, we're going to play songs, we take requests and it's more in that general kind of fun party, retro, nostalgic atmosphere."
Even though they don't take their musical endeavours too serious, it hasn't been easy to get people to see beyond their Spike and Caitlin personas and come out just to listen, dance and have a good time.
"I think it does matter to us, in that we don't want it to be all about Degrassi," Mistysyn explained, "We really try and downplay that connection, but there is obviously that tie in to the '80s and that our show was in the '80s and we're not going to mask that - in fact, most people that are coming are going to be fans of the show, which is great! But the reason that we're doing it is mostly because our love is for '80s music."
"If you want to stare at us for three hours, you can," Stepto added with a laugh, "but we're really not that exciting."
