This post is also available in:
This week, Chilean producer and DJ Santiago Samper Manrique, a.k.a. DJ Mad, takes center stage in the MY FIRST GIG series. Although DJ Mad has been based in Amsterdam for many years now, his debut took place in Spain. He still remembers that first night vividly: “At that moment, I was slightly panicking.”
“I remember it very well. It was in the spring of 1991 in Santander, a beautiful city in northern Spain. I was almost 21, and a well-known, experienced local DJ was teaching me the skills of mixing. He was the resident DJ at a small club called Bayahibe, a popular spot in the city center where I worked as a bartender.”
Perfect Deal
“The crowd consisted mostly of people between 25 and 40, and the music was mainly rock and pop, with a touch of electronic. A few clubs were just starting to experiment with that genre. I had always been fascinated by how to record music from different sources – cassette, vinyl, or reel tapes – so I grabbed every opportunity to learn more about it. Working in a club was the ultimate deal: I knew the resident DJ, and the club had a collection of about three thousand vinyl records and a hundred CDs. It was the perfect place to start.”
The Tricks of the Trade
“During three months of practice with my mentor, I not only learned the technical aspects of mixing but also how to gauge the crowd’s taste at a glance. That last part was the hardest. The club was open from 8 PM until 4 AM, which meant eight hours of non-stop music for different groups of people.”
Shaky Hands
“Finally, the day of my debut arrived. My mentor went on vacation, and I got to fill in for him. It was a Saturday night, the club was packed, and I was nervous as hell. I still remember how badly my hands were shaking every time I tried to place the needle on the vinyl. Many of my friends were there, along with the club owners, who were watching me like hawks, which only made me more nervous.”
Read the Crowd
“As the night went on, I became more confident. The crowd responded well to the music, and the owners seemed very happy with the vibe. I followed my mentor’s instructions carefully: check the crowd regularly, monitor your audio levels, and of course, keep an eye on the bosses! And incredibly enough, I didn’t make a single mistake. The whole night went smoothly, and I received tons of compliments for my set. It was a huge success!”
Two Residencies
“A few weeks after that gig, my mentor left the club for a residency at a big discotheque. That meant there was a vacancy for a new DJ, and I was at the top of the list. Naturally, I got the job, which opened doors for me to play in other clubs as well. By the end of that year, I had two residencies in different venues. It was an amazing way to kickstart my DJ career.”
Paul Oakenfold
“Since then, I’ve released tracks as a musician/producer (Ainur/El Santo) on several labels, including the renowned Platipus Records (UK). In 2012, my remix of Union Jack’s immortal track “Red Herring” (Platipus Records, 2011) was selected by Paul Oakenfold for the “Full on Fluoro 008” mix (Perfecto Records).”
“Do I have any advice for upcoming DJs? Absolutely! First, learn how to handle a mixer properly. Red lights mean distortion! Also, never pre-plan your set. Follow your intuition while playing. That ties in with tip number three: read the dance floor! If you do that, everything else will fall into place.”
This interview with DJ Mad is originally published on This Is Our House in July 2018.
Who is DJ Mad?
After more than 15 years behind the decks, DJ Mad decided to create his own music under the name of Ainur, in 2007.
In Chile, Mad was one of the most respected DJs and promoters of the trance scene. During his career he had the chance to share stages with artists as Infected Mushroom, Talamasca, Yahel, Swarup, Protoculture, James Monro, Eat Static, Shane Gobi, Quadra, Perplex, Alien Project, Atomic Pulse, Arkanoydz, X-Dream, The Commercial Hippies, Penta, and many more.
DJ Mad was part of the line up in parties and festivals in South-America, like Earthdance Chile, Moonbow Festival (Argentina), Love Parade (Chile), Moonflower Festival (Argentina), Montemapu (Chile) or Club Noize (Peru)
His music, that he produced with the name Ainur, has been released on several record labels, such as Naturall Productions (Belgium), Ovnimoon Records (USA), Geomagnetic Records (USA), Goa Records (USA), Icarus Creations (Germany) and Platipus Records (UK). Recently, his remix from the Inmortal Union Jack’s “Red Herring” (Platipus Records, 2011) has been selected by Paul Oakenfold for the “Full on Fluoro 008” mix.
Since 2010 DJ Mad is established in The Netherlands, making the connection with the European trance scene.
More DJ Mad?
More FIRST GIGS? Click here!