Music played a major role in my family. My mother’s mother, Virginia, would have gospel music playing every Sunday morning on a scratchy AM transistor radio. Throughout the week my sister Jean and cousin Brenda had organ lessons. My mom Jackie and her best friend Thelma would host lavish parties every weekend at each other’s houses with fried chicken, smothered pork chops and rice, biscuits, and chilled hand shaken cocktails. However, the music was always the center of attention.
It was music that inspired the frying of the chicken in the middle of the afternoon in preparation for the evening. Music played while my mom was getting dressed for the party. And then the music played all night long until the very wee hours of the morning. Back in the 70’s children were not allowed to linger around grown-ups, especially while they were getting their groove on. But how was an 11-year-old kid supposed to sleep while a bunch of adults were downstairs drinking and dancing to Al Green and Barry White? How was I supposed to keep my head on the pillow while the extended mix of “Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Herald Melvin & The Blue Notes was vibrating through the ceiling, its heavy bass line causing the floor in my bedroom to hum? From listening to the AM Top-40 in the car, to the kitchen, the bedroom, the family room, even the bathroom, music was a huge part of the Young Family development and enrichment. Then there were my older siblings Loray, Troy, and Jean and all their friends. Sister Loray being the oldest, she shared many of the same musical tastes as our mom; I remember her going to a James Brown concert in 1976. My brother Troy was a strict Soul and Jazz type of guy: nothing but the likes of Frankie Beverly & Maze, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, and Bobby Womack. I learned about Kenny G before he became famous from my brother. Then there was my sister Jean. She was totally in touch with her musical generation: The Jackson 5, Ashford & Simpson, Switch, and Cheryl Lynn. Yet however much the family is the base of my musical influence, everyone knows that our greatest influences come from the streets. I was struck by the musical gods and goddess when, as a 6th grader at West Side Middle School, I took a long yellow school bus for the fist time. I was totally intimidated riding on a bus with people I had never met before, even though they were all my neighbors. I took my seat and just looked forward for the duration of the ride. Every now and then, I would peek back and check out Manny. He was the guy holding the boom box. Manny was one of the cool upper-classmen sitting in the back of the bus. It was 7:15AM and the music was pumping from his boom box. This was a type of music that I never heard before. It was fast, driven, spiritual, lush, and groovy, with raw and honest vocals. The bass line was thick and kickin’. It was Disco, and I was hooked. From the moment when I saw that small group of upper-classmen at the back of the bus I wanted to be part of them. I could not wait until the end of the school day to jump back on the bus to listen to the music that would come screaming from the back. I was born again. When I arrived home I would run to the radio, trying to find those very songs. But they weren’t on the radio: Disco was too new, too deep, and extremely underground at the time. I learned how to connect my DJ studio myself. I had no idea what I was doing. I just took the equipment out of the box and started connecting the cables. I started to figure out any problems I was experiencing by asking questions, going to audio stores, and reading the manuals, along with a little common sense. My first interaction with a record and turntable was a Close N’ Play. It was a self-contained turntable that was in this little wooden boxed with a green vinyl finish on it and it had a little speaker enclosed in the box. The record player played 331/3, 45, and 78 RPM. I would play children’s sing-along 45’s that came with coloring books or cereal boxes. I remember once I had this all-in-one turntable that I got it for my birthday. It was lime-green with a cool green-tinted plastic dust cover, and I loved it. It sat it on the top of my chest of draws. I hadn’t even started my record collection yet so I was constantly playing my mother’s and siblings’ records, of which I am sure they did not approve. In my household we had a stereo in each room. My mom loved music and played it all the time, especially on the weekend. She was on top of all the latest sounds during the 70’s. She had this bumping stereo console that was about 8 feet long, with a turntable, AM/FM stereo, and 8 track tape, and it would pump when she opened it up. I asked her once why she never played my little lime-green stereo and she said it did not have enough bass for her. “I need to feel it,” she would say. One day I woke up and I decided that I was over the little lime green stereo and I wanted a better one. But when I asked my mother for a new one, she said the one I had was just fine. So I went up to my room, picked up the lime green turntable and tossed it down the stairs. Then I picked it up and placed it on the floor in my bedroom. I went to my mother and told her that my stereo had fallen off the top of the chest of drawers onto the floor, “It’s broken. Now can I get another one?” To my utter dismay, she said no. DJ Lamont
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Synchronize Again gives the up and coming DJ community the opportunity to lean how to thrive in the art and entertainment world from the officials and the professionals of the industry.
Fall 2011 was the first time Fingersnaps DJ & Art Collective produced such an event that brought members of the community in one environment to share ideas, learn from each other, and to be inspired to get out there and take on the world. Synchronize was an idea I was carrying with me for many years as I learned the one thing that my students and music enthusiasts in the community needed most, information. After the closing of most DJ records shops do to downloading and file sharing, the common place for all DJ’s went away after many family owned small business could not compete with the digital age. The record shop was not only a center place for buying the greatest music that any DJ would ever want but it was now unavailable for a center place were DJ’s would meet. I did not realize the hole that was placed in the community until after 2 years when I found that I did not interact with as many DJ’s as I have in the past. The void that I noticed was the lack of common places outside of the club were DJ’s would meet to purchase new music, network, exchange ideas, share dish on club owners and promoters, connect with friends and establish new ones. The ease of downloading music replaced the common ground of meeting. I really enjoy and appreciate the fact that I could find almost any recorded song by logging into a music search engine, however I morn and feel the lost of the music society that was associated with the records shops. The last UPS delivery of a box of 12’ dance single and the final closing of another sole proprietors shop was a blow to many of us that appreciated vinyl records, CD’s and the social interaction, There was a time were I would travel to cities and towns around the world and I was able to find instant community by seeking out a DJ record shop. Based on my own life experiences life does come after death and Fingersnaps DJ & Art Collective and Synchronize is the new life that stands on the memory of all the great music shops and music enthusitist I have meet over the past 30 years. I hope to Synchronize with you. Spinning outside on the streets of San Francisco provides me the distinct opportunity to create a weekly house music mix coined “The San Francisco Street Inspired House Mix” which airs on KPOO 89.5FM or KPOO.COM: Wednesdays 12midnight to 3:00am.
As the leaves were falling during the autumn season of 2011, I mixed over 16 live sessions on the Embarcadero and Valencia Street in the Mission. Vulnerability is one of the key engines that drive me to create music mixes on the street because I have no idea what can happen next. The SFPD rides by and as they give me a slight glance as they take on matters of great urgency. What I do know is programming music as transits are making there way allows me to connect with the people, humanity. The feelings that I am tossing around while I a selecting songs are wildly incredible. I shake. I tremble. I think. I encourage you to plant yourself on a street corner and create and express yourself for the greater good of your community. Sharing my passion for music with the general public is a great way of being part of something bigger then I. Share your passion with your world and you will realize how generous, loving and engaging people can be. Normally, when I step away from mixing a music set, I am left with an overwhelming state of contemplation and wonderment. Being a personal witness to humanity as I stand still, in a creative state, shakes me to my core with the reality that life is a force, a force that cannot be played with, and a force that thrives on its own no matter what I may think or feel about it. I have relearned that we are all the same on the inside now matter how we make up and dress ourselves on the outside or the body we were born in. I realized that my opinions are important but not necessary to the force of life because now one is living for me or the force of life depends on me. I had no idea that taking on the streets of San Francisco as a DJ will inspire deep thoughts and a reappreication for who we are. I am just doing my thing, playing music, getting myself out of the house and sharing something that I have great passion for with my community. Vulnerability is the essence of having an exciting life. Take the risk and give what you got. Take that one special thing that you have and share it with humanity… the gifts that you will receive will be beyond the words on this page. One of the great things about hosting a weekly radio show on 89.5 KPOO San Francisco is sharing the music that I have been collecting for the past 35 years. The music that I share represents the soundtrack of my life. With each and every song that I program, especially if it a 12’ single or a Vinyl LP, I am able to recount a memory that is associated with the purchase of that piece of music or where I first played it or the people connected to it.
While growing up in Connecticut the greatest impact that I was influenced by was the connection my mother and I had to music and New York City Radio such as WBLS and WRKS. Because of that influence I was driven by the sounds of the city. My friends and I would each have $100. One of use would drive our car to New York City while the rest of use pitched in for gas and tolls. The feelings that we all expressed as we where heading to the big apple 75 miles from our home and 90 minutes south were beyond excitement and anticipation. Once we arrived in the West Village we parked the car and ran to Vinyl Mania Records only to be welcomed by a room of hardcore music enthusiasts. The joy, the joy, the joy. Records were flying off the racks onto the central listening stations the was managed by one of the rotating employees. At Vinyl Mania Records you would find world class DJ’s producers, and artist listening for new music , yet everyone was there under one roof sharing the same passion. Back in the 1980’s the average 12’ domestic single was valued from $3 to $5. My friends and I both would almost spin are entire $100 or 15 to 20 records however, we would save just enough to buy a slice of Pizza at Joe’s Pizzeria on Carmine and Bleecker Street. At the completion of our meal, we would finally head north back to the Constitution State. We would do all that we could to avoid all tolls and additional expenses to get back home because we only had coins left on our pockets and a feeling of purpose and excitement. We played out this ritual for years until I moved to San Francisco. When I visit the east coast and my friends and I try to recreate the pathway to our youth and music only to find that changed has replaced a way of life that was so real to us. If you were to tune in to my radio show the Fingersnaps Music Salon , Wednesdays 12midnight to 3:00am you will hear many of those Classic Disco, House, and NuJazz records. On 11.11.11, I was booked to spin a sweet 16 Birthday party in Tiburon California. The host of honor requested I show her a play list of the songs I would be programming for her party and I informed her that I don’t have play list, I play spontaneous. She responded that’s great but can I see a list. I told her I have over 7000 songs on my computer and that she was welcomed to look through them all. She was surprised by my response to her but I could to think of any other way of letting this young lady that I had things covered. She ask me repeatedly if she could see a list and I responded with the same answer. As the night started to take shape and as her school mates and peers begin to show their presents she came to me once again and ask if I was going to play “this” type of music for long. I was playing a current dance hit from the radio. The type of music that I was playing at the time were many of the songs that she requested along with current hits and genres of her generation. I assured her once again that I got the music covered and to relax and enjoy your party. Friends arrived. The music increased in volume and the room became completely dark for the exception of the glow sticks that were handed out as party favors to her guest. LMFAO Shots was the very song the solidified that her night along with mine was going to be unforgettable. That group of teenagers worked me all night long and I loved it!
I am totally amazed with the quality of music that has influenced my life over the years. Just like the gospel for some, music as been my source for inspiration. I have learned to express myself, create relationships, and travel the world because of music.
As a DJ, I not only create a sound collage of rhythm, tempo, and emotions. I am able to take the time to study human behavior: the group of people in my environment and understand what they want and need and then delivery. It all started back in the early 1970’s when I would steal my big sisters reel to reel player and for hours I would be fascinated with how the reels would rotate. When I learned the reel to reel could record I was impressed with the sounds I was able to capture. Over the years as I progressed and as technology changed the way I DJ, I am challenged with a feeling of withdraw. I feel I am cheating the system when I do mobile Djing. Under normal conditions, such as a even walk way, a ramp, or a short flight of stairs, I can have my entire system, two active speakers, laptop, DJ controller, and cables set up in 15 minutes or less from the time I park my vehicle. It blows my mind. 10 years ago I would take me 45 minutes , 15 years ago it would take 1 hour before I had sound., now it is under 20 minutes. I find myself double guessing thinking i forgot something. Although technology has changed the way we live and interact with each other, I just realized that after amassing vinyl records, CD's, reel to reels, cassettes, digital audio tape, and various other DJ related electronics that most the items in my studio is now obsolete.
I asked myself, what am I gonna do with all theses records? This vary music that is housed in my studio and which takes up the space of the entire room can now all fit in a flash drive that can be carried in my 5th pocket of my blue jeans. The answer to my question come to me with ease, Earth dosen't need more discarded stuff thrown into her belly, such as a land fill...a big hole in the ground. This very library that I have been building for the past 30 years contains artifacts that represents an era of yesterday, you know, the 20th Century. Because of the willingness and openness of my students I can now inspire, educate, and share my life's work with the many persons that are training to be the next generation of DJ's |
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