An Interview with Oscar G

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

By Cary Garcia

REVMiami welcomes guest contributor Cary Garcia. A couple of months ago I received an email from the management of world renowned house/techno DJ Oscar G about an interview and review of his latest album. Cary, who is a personal friend of mine, is a huge fan of house/techno music and the perfect person for the job. Hopefully she will be contributing more and more about Miami's house/techno music scene and culture. - Ed.

oscardjcover “Oscar G.”

If you’re a local, you won’t even need to ask. The name has defined itself on its own, vibrating through our city’s culture as a symbol of true Miami house music.

I remember being 15 years old and hearing the thump of a kick drum for the first time on CD a friend of mine was playing. The feeling that one little sound filled me with was unreal, and before I knew it, Dark Beat, an Oscar G./Ralph Falcon original, had officially morphed me into a house-head.

For years, Oscar Gaetan has rocked the underground and made his way into the lives of electronic dance music enthusiasts everywhere. After giving us the Funky Green Dogs project, his own label Murk with partner Ralph, and dozens of dance-floor bangers that continue to resonate through club walls everywhere, it’s hard to imagine what else he could throw at the EDM scene.

I caught up with O.G. himself at Hoy Como Ayer, where’s he’s recently been adorning the decks, and decided to find out for myself. This is what he said:

So, your new album, “DJ” or “de’ja.” It’s short, concise, and to the point. What inspired the name of the album, and why the double meaning?

Well, the title is really just “DJ,” and then the other thing is just the phonetic pronunciation of it. Everyone’s been asking me about that, but it’s really just “DJ.” The whole point of the album, as far as the title, is more to show what that is, because that’s a term that many people interpret in many different ways. That could mean a million different things to a million different people, and I kind of wanted to show what that means in my case, which is songwriting, production, remixing….and DJing. So, I wanted to show all of that. I’m defining it, basically.

Tamara Wallace, Stryke, Chino – it’s a dream team, pretty much. What was it like for all of you to work together on this one?

It was just really easy, I guess is how I would describe it, because they’re all friends of mine. Chino, it’s the first time I work with him, but I knew him personally already. Stryke is one of my best friends, so that was totally easy. And Tamara, I’ve done many, many hours in the studio with her. So, it was just very easy. And with her, it was cool, because I actually hadn’t worked with her since we were doing the Funky Green Dogs project, so it was fun to get together with her again.

A few years ago, you gave us “Rise Up,” which is very faith-based, and now you’ve given us “What You Need,” which tells us to hang on to our faith because what we have is, literally, what we need. What role has having faith played in your life and in your music?

It’s huge. That’s probably #1 in my life. Sometimes I admit it more than others, I guess. I think since I was a very young kid, I’ve always had a big connection with faith and Jesus. It’s funny you’re even asking me that, because nobody asks me about that, ever…which is sad, I guess. I swear to you, in all the years I’ve been doing this, I don’t think I’ve gotten that question once.

Well, good. I’m glad I was your first.

Yeah, that’s funny. But yeah, it’s weird, because over the years, now that you mention it, I’ve written a lot of songs even specifically about that. I guess in the world that I live in, that’s not really a common conversation. But yeah, it’s a huge part of who I am, basically. Not just my music, but everything.

I also want to talk about “Acere,” which I saw on your CD. Being Cuban and raised in Miami, I saw that and I had to flip to it, because we recognize that word! Do you think that being Cuban and being from Miami has influenced you and your music?

For sure, absolutely. Probably my biggest inspiration at first when I was a kid and just learning how to program and think like a DJ was Ciro Llerena, which was the DJ at Casanova’s, a big club in Hialeah. I was even too young to go there. I used to listen to him on the radio on Super Q, which was the thing back then. He used to do this show that was called Discoteca Lighting, and it’s actually the first live broadcast from a club on the radio that’s been done, and he was the one doing it. And that’s such a Cuban Miami thing, and it was a huge inspiration to me. And apart from that, just Cuban music, still to this day, is my favorite genre of music, especially guaguanco. It’s my favorite form of music. So, yeah, my biggest influence musically is the Miami-Cuban thing.

Speaking of Cubanisms, I hear you’re opening a new restaurant, “Mambo Café?”

Yeah. Actually, it’s an idea I’ve been throwing around for a couple of years with my dad. My dad’s been in the restaurant business for many years with his partners, and this opportunity came up, and I was dying to do it at this point. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do. I got together with my dad and two other partners, and we’re opening it up. It’s on Coral Way and 21st. I just left there, actually.

And it’s Cuban food, I assume?
Yeah, big time.

Do you have an opening date for that yet?

We’re hoping October. But yeah, it’s Cuban food, and we’re also going to have a wine and tapas kind of thing, and we’re going to have latin music, happy hour into dinner.

You think you’ll play there?

I may, but if I do, it’ll be strictly Cuban music, I’ll tell you that.

I want to move into what you’re known for: Space, a place I’ve been to plenty of times! You’ve been a resident there since 2001, which in Miami, is pretty great seeing as how Miami can be fickle when it comes to the music scene. How does it feel to hold the throne for so long at such a long-standing place?

Space, man, is like a dream come true, DJ-wise. When I was a kid and I started DJing, there were no Tiestos or that kind of thing flying around, so my goal was to be like Ciro, to play in the coolest club in town. So, honestly, when I got into Space I had been doing production and traveling around the world for years with my buddy Ralph, as Murk. So, we had achieved this whole level DJ-wise. But when I got to do Space, I felt like that was a dream come true. Even though everything changed and the ceiling really went up as far as what a DJ can do, I still, in my brain, always had that the biggest thing you can do is be the DJ at the club in town. My town is Miami. So, that’s why I fight tooth and nail to keep it cool there. When I play there, that’s my favorite place to play because, like I said, I feel like that’s my thing and I want to keep it there. I always tell Louis, the owner, I want to play the last record that’s played in this place the day we’re going to close. I want to be there.

What’s it like to stand in the booth and see all the craziness that’s going on at Space? Is it as fun for you as it is for us?

I don’t think so, man. I always hear stories. Friends of mine and people who message me will tell me stuff that happened. Like, “Oh, did you see when this happened?” I guess I’m focused on what I’m doing to a certain degree where I don’t notice that many details like that. I feel the energy 100%. It’s one of the best feelings there is. When there’s that connection there, it’s great, like when we were talking about faith. You wouldn’t think of it in that situation, but for me, when I’m up there and I have a connection with the crowd like that, I feel thankful. But like I said, I don’t really see those details like that. I almost feel like it’s a mass of energy, and I’m trying to feed it and keep it rowdy!

I was actually at your opening night here at Hoy Como Ayer, and comparing it to Space, It’s much different. Space is great, but you have the line, the cover, the big DJ, and the big crowd. This is very different! What spawned the idea for such a unique party?

I’ve come here over the years a couple of times, and I’m also involved in this project with Spam Allstars. Back to the Miami and the Cuban thing, these guys accept the DJ as an artist and as a musician. This being a live-music venue, and a very respected one at that, for Cuban music, actually… number one, I feel honored that they feel that the DJ is an artist and they’re willing to put me on as an artist. And that’s really what turns me on about it. And, mostly, on the other hand, is the fact that there is no line and it’s very simple. We don’t do a guest list. We don’t do any of that stuff. There’s no doorman really choosing anyone. It’s seven bucks, whether you’re the coolest guy in town or not. There’s no VIP area, there’s no bottle service. It’s none of that stuff. It’s more back to basics, you know? That’s it: very simple, music-based. There are no big lights, there’s no big smoke, there’s no horn, there’s none of that. It’s a totally different thing.

I saw on your myspace page that you have a lot of travelling lined up. You’re going to NC, Ibiza, Cabo Rojo, etc. What’s it like to play out away from home?

Man, it’s always different. You never know what you’re going to get. It’s fun because sometimes I go to these places that sound remote, and it’s incredible how music travels. They’ll know the words to songs, and there will be kids there with CDs. So, it’s awesome to see how your music travels fast, and further than you would ever imagine. And a lot of times, I have great experiences because it’s brand new crowds, and they’re so enthusiastic. It’s really cool. In Miami, I have to prove myself every time I play. They’re kinda like, “What are you going to do tonight?” I love that, too. But when you go out of town, a lot of times, it’s the first time I even visit these places. So, they’re so enthusiastic, that it’s fun.

A lot of people would say that you’re actually a true Miami success story. You’re someone who grew up here and really made a name for yourself. What would you say to other bedroom DJs out there who share the same love for this stuff and just want to make it?

I guess the first thing is your motives. If your motives are pure, which means you love this music and you love to play this music and make this music, you’ll be fine. No matter what level of success you reach, you’re going to be happy. A lot of my friends are DJs who you may not be interviewing and don’t get any kind of notoriety, but they love this music, and they’re happy. As far as succeeding, I guess the best thing is to be original and to offer something that others don’t.

On track #11 of your live set, we have “What is House,” and we have a powerful voice asking us “What is House?” And she defines it as joy and happiness and all of these other things. So, in the eyes of Oscar G….what is house?

There’s a famous classic that says house is a feeling, and I think that’s the best way to describe it. It’s been chopped up into so many little pieces at this point because it’s been around for a while and there are so many people doing different things. They call it “house,” “techno,” “tech-house.” There are a million different genres and sub-genres at this point. But I think the overall thing is a feeling, and it only happens when you gather and there’s a DJ and there’s a dance floor. I think there’s a certain feeling that you capture, and that’s what house is. That’s what keeps it going, and evolving, and growing and doing all the things that it does.

LINKS

Oscar G's Myspace (www.myspace.com/djoscarg)
Oscar G's Website (www.djoscarg.net)
Buy Oscar G's Album De'Ja Online

If You Enjoyed This Post, You May Also Like:

Tags: De'Ja, Oscar G

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 at 9:49 am and is filed under Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

NOTE FOR COMMENTS: Do not flame or leave obnoxious comments, THEY WILL NOT BE APPROVED. Constructive criticism should always be welcomed by any artist, but don't be a d-bag, show some class. Thanks. - REVMiami Staff