"I consider myself an eclectic player, and I play something for everyone," says DJ Erin Pimm, a top Whistler spinner also known as DJ Spinderella .
Last Friday night, Pimm held a CD-release party for her new album Passion .
The debut collection is highlighted by grinding house, part of her ongoing theme night at Tommy Africa’s which goes by the same name.
Passion
is an all-live set."There may be the occasional pop and scratch on the album versus a completely computer recorded set, but I think it has a very ‘real’ sound," says the DJ.
Her music style includes funky house, vocal house, progressive house, tribal house, breaks, deep house and down tempo.
Pimm says mixing is all about the combination of beats and the dance floor vibe.
"I start with a pile of records and say ‘this is where I want to go with the set’ and keep track as I go along. I’ve never been a DJ that (rehearses) a set and plays the same thing," says Pimm, who aimed to produce her first CD around the five-year mark in Whistler.
"You have to watch the crowd as you build a set up" she says.
Part of building that sound, is finding the records.
"In record shops, I listen for beautiful voices, and deep funky bass lines or a twang to a bass line – and sometimes music with a Latino has more of an organic sound," she adds.
Highlights in the DJ’s repertoire include her 1997 performance at Summer Love and at Dreamfields, near Squamish, with around 4,000 people in attendance.
Additional events include Altitude 2002, and the Farfalla hair & Body Spa Fashion Show this past year.
Pimm is also resident DJ for locals’ night at Garfinkel’s.
Pimm says she is promoting Passion to LA, with plans to pitch it in Australia.
Her approach has been part of her success.
"When I first got to Whistler I saw her play at a Halloween after party, and then at Garf’s on a Thursday, and then I asked her to play on Fridays. She’s very professional, and lots of fun," says Alastair Gregor, manager at Tommy Africa’s.
A second music project is also in the works, and while she is mum on the details she says the collaboration "will bring the Whistler sound to the rest of the world."
She will also bring new DJs in.
"Bringing in new talent is key for Whistler – you can’t just rest on your laurels, it’s important to bring a lot of music to town."
The CD release party was a fund-raiser for Easter Seals Camp-24 Hour Relay.
Swollen Members win four Much Music Video Awards
West Coast hip-hop band Swollen Members, who played Garfinkel’s nightclub last winter to a packed house, took home four awards at the Much Music Video Awards last Sunday, June 16.
On winning more than once for the single Fuel Injected, band member Prevail said, "it’s amazing, really amazing."
They are currently working on a third album, Monsters in the Closet .
Wendy Morgan took home the award for best director for Fuel Injected.
The band also won the Best Rap Video Award for the same single.
"Wendy stuck with us for the whole video, and we do a real hands-on approach with the storyboarding, so it was great to see her up there winning."
Prevail says the single was one of the last songs recorded on the album. The song is a collaboration with long-time friend, Moka Only.
The band also took home the award for Best VideoFact Video for the same song, as well as Best Independent Video.
The awards were held in Toronto.
Fuel Injected is unusual in that it has received airplay on both urban and pop radio stations.
"We realized there’s a way to make music without sacrificing your message and getting airplay – it’s kind’ve like a mathematical equation," says Prevail.
And if you do the math they’re doing well.
They sold 50,000 copies of their first album, Balance , which also earned a Juno for Best Rap Recording in 2001.
They also picked up a Juno this past year.
When asked about their performance in Whistler, Prevail added, "we love coming up there to ride and hang out – soon, sometime soon!"
Their albums are distributed through bandmember Mad Child’s label, Battleaxe Records.
