DJ VIBE: LX Interview

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DJ VIBE: LX Interview
March 7th, 2007

DJ Vibe, António “To” Pereira, the MAGICIAN, a house music legend to be reckoned with. This dj/producer got his start in Portugal at an early age, his father owned a record shop, became a dj at 15 and hasn’t looked back since. His musical journey has involved him as a dj playing a large variety of music for everyone, he played guitar for the Portuguese band LX 90 and plays a weekly radio show, “Dancefloor” on Antena 3.(http://www.antena3.pt/)

Most notable for the huge hit, “So Get Up” as Underground Sound of Lisbon with fellow Portuguese friend Rui Da Silva. DJ Vibe has spent over 20 years involving himself with the biggest clubs in Portugal. He has held a residency at the infamous club Kremlin for 7 years, there Vibe would develop his sound through his long meaningful sets. The love Vibe has for music is as passionate as the culture he comes from, its all about the music. Vibe has played at the most distinctive spots such as Space, Pacha, Stereo, Ministry of Sound, etc… and has a residency at the LUX Fragil in Lisbon. He’s released many tracks on Tribal America, Kaos, Twisted, Funktástica, and many more.

DJ VIBE has impeccable and unique mixing skills and knows how to work the dance floor. DJ Vibe has left a big impression on music fans around the world and has worked with a cast of honorable friends like Danny Tenagalia, Victor Calderone, Carl Cox and Mastiksoul. At the Dance Club Awards 2005 event, Dj Vibe was distinguished with Best National DJ House Award by Dance Club magazine readers.

Before coming to play at Ruby Skye in San Francisco, we were able to get in touch with DJ Vibe and share this interview with you.

VM: Tell us about growing up…. you must have been be diggin’ up records way early, with a father who owned a record shop in Portugal? What style had your ear first? favorite old school hip-hop artists?
DJ VIBE: I grew up in the 60’s with a house full of records, since I know myself (im, talking about the 70’s ). In Portugal, we didn’t hear any hip hop artists until the beginning of the 80’s, a few imports showed up like Shalamar, Earth Wind and Fire, only after that did we first hear Grand Master Flash or Kurtis Blow, to name a few. I did have the privilege to listen to all kinds of music from rock, funk to the classics, etc etc etc….I mean etc. Having this background was the base for me playing today, from vocal house to techno then going over into progressive.

VM: People are really directing their attention to the tribal sound from the Spanish regions across the way. What was YOUR first experience with house music?
DJ VIBE: When I left school and started working at my pops shop in 1979-80. Luckily for me, I was the first to listen to all the dance music arriving in Portugal. Portugal was always a rock-n-roll country until the 90’s and in 94′ I was a few of the djs( maybe the only one) that already didn’t play that music. Since 1985, I started to introduce new styles to my mixing like new beat and acid house. At this early stage some people called me crazy to play that kind of music. I would start to work it in more at the end of the night. It was a funny process.

VM: You have acquired quite a bit of a discography, you got there. What’s a typical routine spending time in the studio? Give us the quick ritual.
DJ VIBE: During the week I go out surfing. I also spend my days in the studio where I record my radio shows for antena 3 (nacional radio station, kind of like the BBC, radio 1) which are broad casted every Saturday night for more than 10 years now. I also record my mix cds and just edit and play my remixes. Then on the weekends I go out and dj.

VM: With Global Grooves 3 out, what impact did you see from this?
DJ VIBE: This record went through several licensing problems and it was released late. It was scheduled to be released last summer. I did a promotional tour for it as it was to be released in July\August. Everybody was expecting the record in the shops by that time. Also, the marketing plan of the record was strongly affected and the campaign didn’t happen properly. There was a big impact lost with that, if compared with GG2.

VM: Tribal, KAOS, Antenna 3, Underground Sound of Lisbon, playing in Japan for Womb any highlights from these particular portions
of your musical career?
DJ VIBE: In all those names there is someone that was or still is important in my career. Rob Di Stefano, founder of the house music label TRIBAL and Danny Tenaglia, definitely were a big impact on me about 13 years ago.

VM: OK Vibe, Spill the beans, whats this new track with Mr.NYorker Danny Tenaglia?
DJ VIBE: While Danny and I were in the studio in Portugal, we got some ideas together and I kept developing the project over here. It’s now in Danny’s hands to be finished, don’t know if by Miami WMC 2007 there will be any news.

VM: On the mixer, getting loops, bringing the next track up,
describe what the music does for you and how do you give it back to your audience?
DJ VIBE: I think music is the reason for my existence, I dont know what I would do if it wasn’t for the music. Music to me is happiness and emotions, it’s what I feel. Back at home I get to listen to all this new music, then I select what’s to be played. When I play, those are the feelings I like to share with the people and I work the tools to create more emotions to the crowd.

VM: Any digital accessories(toys, speakers) that impresses you?
DJ VIBE: Each day there’s a new toy on the market, I’ve been using Serrato and I’m quite happy with it.

VM: Your an artist, what gets you going creatively…?(Fashion, Architecture, ART, Magazines, Other DJs)
DJ VIBE: Music and a few djs.

VM: LOL…Dance music, you’re definitely bringing it.
Would you like to say anything to global dance culture in 2007?
DJ VIBE: If I’m here today answering your questions that’s because of one person, my Father. My father left, worked at the nightclub and ran the downtown store, and I started djing at 15 years old. Wherever you are, THANK YOU DAD! Also, I would like to thank Ruby Skye and Ross for the invitation it’s my first time there and I look forward to it. San Francisco, it’s a lovely town.

DJ Vibe, we’d like to give you a tremendous “Thank You” in return for the many years of building a prescious thing many of us have grown to love, it’s house music. May you bring more and enjoy more of what you love most in life. -Best. A.

Visit DJ VIBE’s website & DJ VIBE’s Discography