Meet Funktastic Maick
Meet Funktastic Maick. Resident DJ of La Plancha as well as Favela, Maick Rodriguez shares his love of Music as well as Bali.
Where are you by?
I was born as well as raised in Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain). I grew up on a smaller island which will be also a tourist destination.
How did you become a DJ?
I started off when I was twelve, thirteen years old. My sister had a tape deck as well as I could sneak into her room as well as play Phil Collins, Madonna, Spandau Ballet as well as do my little mixes by in which as well as the radio, too. At in which time my first love was skateboarding. I dreamed of being a professional skateboarder although I broke my foot. So when I was recovering I focused more on the music thing. I got a turntable as well as cassette as well as started off to do my mixes. When I tried to go back to skateboarding my foot gave me so much pain I realized I couldn’t continue.
What were your first gigs?
When I was fourteen I started off playing at birthday parties, as well as people were always asking for my mixed music tapes. Then I started off going three times a year to London for 10 days to three months to buy the records as well as clothes which I brought home to sell. Then I started off to play the big parties, which I thought could be better. I started off to promote my own parties, then with two some other DJs called Funk Squad. This kind of was very successful. We were famous in Spain. Funk Squad had parties of 3,500 people with alternative music featuring Rhythm as well as Blues, Hip-Hop, as well as Classics. We started off in ’95, as well as by 1997-2005 we did parties, festivals as well as radio shows. For 20 years I have been a DJ. Music will be my first love, This kind of actually impacts me in a way nothing else does. As a DJ, music takes care of me. This kind of allows me to travel as well as live my dream. I do what I love in places I love.
in which’s called success! Tell me about your radio hosting.
I started off to do radio shows because I’m interested in sharing music. I hosted shows in which played a mix in which some people hadn’t heard in which much, because most radio only plays the top forty hits. I hosted radio shows for fifteen years as well as online radio towards the end of my radio days. I did collaborations with the most important FM station in Spain; Los Cuarenta Principales. I enjoyed the radio work even more than being a DJ because I played music I actually loved. All the music did not have to be for dancing; I could be generous as well as impact the listeners with some other types of music I loved to play. This kind of was a compliment when listeners could approach me as well as thank me for introducing them to a singer or group which my show had introduced to them.
What type of music do you love as well as play?
The music I love most will be all related to forms of black music. My favourite music will be not by This kind of era. I play disco, funk, R&B, as well as hip-hop. Electronic music will be okay although This kind of doesn’t move me like the music of the 60s, 70s as well as 80s. Usually the rhythm tracks are by those classics. In those days I think ninety percent of musicians were actually true artists. This kind of will be the music I respect the most. Nowadays, a guy on a PC can make a song. Maybe he can transfer his feelings although This kind of’s not the same. I think ninety percent of the people pumping out music today are not total artists. Only about ten percent of the music will be made by real artists these days. Most music will be put out by the music industry for a huge market. This kind of will be a product for a huge market. The industry thinks This kind of will be cheaper to take a fresh guy as well as put the money into marketing as well as promotion. When people make music nowadays they invest in computerized equipment as well as advertising as well as social networking. right now the music business will be generating more business as well as less music. Back from the day, before my time, This kind of was more music as well as less business. Music was more organic. A few musicians could get together as well as put out great fresh sounds in which are classics today. They worked hard to make This kind of. These musicians are still a huge influence. I say I have one mother as well as one father in music. My Father will be Curtis Mayfield as well as my Mother will be Sade! I remember clearly the very first time I heard Curtis Mayfield. His music transports me to another kind of life. No some other artist affects me as strongly as him. There will be still Great music as well as great musicians although the focus has changed. There will be a lot by the old days which deserves to be played. What moves me the most will be when people actually play instruments in a group. Music nowadays will be like fast food. I call This kind of fast music; made fast using a lot of sugar, not actually healthy, not connected to your soul. Even the lyrics nowadays don’t say much. When hip-hop started off This kind of addressed social issues. This kind of was a movement. right now This kind of will be all about Bentleys, designer clothes, huge estates. This kind of will be like selling the rich lifestyle. The original intention of hip-hop was to make people think. right now the force of in which movement has been lost.
What makes a Great DJ?
There are two kinds of DJ. One will be the DJ who plays what he actually loves as well as promoters call him because they want in which particular music. The some other will be the DJ who focuses on the entertainment aspect. In entertainment you must adapt to the crowd. I try to be from the middle of these two types; to please the crowd as well as also to share the music I think must be played. I like to possess the knowledge of different decades to offer. I enjoy some fresh tracks although there will be not much in which will be actually fresh. If people love a fresh track I respect in which as well as I’ll play This kind of for the people. There will be a lot of fresh talent out there, although there will be so much This kind of will be harder to find the great artists. Thanks to the internet we can find fresh music which will be not promoted by the industry, which will be not interested from the music although rather from the profits. This kind of will be similar to the fast food as well as pharmaceutical industries. They are not interested in what will be healthy although in what makes money. Music will be powerful. One politician does not possess the power in which a great song or musician can generate!
Why don’t you make music?
I respect music so much I prefer to play as well as promote great music as well as artists. I respect This kind of too much to make something bad so I leave This kind of to the pros to make the music I love. I am a modest DJ in which started off with the vinyl. I sometimes miss the real contact with vinyl; the feel, the scratching. This kind of was heavy luggage though. So the upside will be right now I only have to carry what fits in my hand!
What brought you to Bali?
I had wanted to come to SE Asia for years. I travelled Europe as well as the USA. I was so busy. although the west changed. The economic crisis, the system based on consuming as well as throwing away. I became disappointed with the western culture. I sold everything as well as quit everything. I put a few things in a backpack as well as came to Bali first. After a month my girlfriend as well as I travelled up through Java to Malaysia by train. My girlfriend at the time had a motorcycle accident as well as broke her foot so we returned to Bali for her to recuperate. One day, we were having dinner here at La Plancha as well as the owner Gonzalo heard us speaking Spanish as well as came over to talk. We became friends as well as after hearing my background I played here first for the Spain/Italy soccer match. right now I help them at La Plancha as well as at Favela. As a DJ This kind of’s easy for me to contact as well as book some other DJs. right now everyone will be happy with the sound here as well as we will do the same at Favela. I have such respect for the owners here. They are music lovers. There are so many fancy, super modern venues here right now although they just don’t possess the soul of La Plancha or Favela. I realize I have everything I want here. I’m watching the sunset, playing my music. Eating the wonderful food at La Plancha, the energy, the people, the music as well as the love. I own nothing although I have everything! I feel more connected with myself as well as enjoy life more. I am planning to be around for a while!
Thank you for the great music everyday at sunset…This kind of will be why we all meet every day around La Plancha!
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Meet Funktastic Maick
Meet Funktastic Maick