The-Lost-Art.com FTLB Storm-E Exclusive Interview & Promo Mix

For The Love Of The Beat and The Lost Art bring you an exclusive interview and free downloadable promo mix (320kbps) with Storm-E in support of her first breaks release “Swipe The Funk” and “Haze”. Her tracks will be included on “The Numbers EP” coming out on Frontzide Records this month so be sure to keep an eye out for the release and grab a copy!

FTLB: Can you start us off with a brief time-line of the breakbeat career of DJ Storm-E thus far? 


Storm-E:I bought my first record in 2001 (DJ Icey – Frequent Yet Vague) before I had tables when I decided I was going to learn to play. Once I was able to finally get my tables and practice, as soon as I felt I was ready to put myself out there I started making mixes and handing them out. I ended up passing one of my mixes along to DJ Shaolin, who is a local Dallas dj and producer and asked him to just let me know what I could do to improve. That lead to him booking me for my first gig ever. The very next weekend after I played my first show I was asked to join him in my first weekly residency.

I then played alongside Raydar and Shaolin (formerly known as the Breakbeat Brothers) as a member of 2R Recordings for several years holding residencies with them all over Dallas. Eventually I branched out on my own, gaining other residencies alongside Prototype Industries at The World Famous Lizard Lounge and also as an original member of the Vinyl Vixens.

Throughout the years I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to play alongside many of my heroes including Icey, Stanton Warriors, PlumpDJs, and Deekline just aname a few.

FTLB: Is there any history behind your DJ/Artist name and how you came to choose it?

Storm-E: I didn’t really have to think about or come up with a DJ name because it’s my actual real first name, I just spell it a little different. It was a name my grandmother suggested before I was born and my mom liked it so much that she decided to name me Stormie.

FTLB: ‘Swipe The Funk’ is your first breaks release, Was it a natural transition for you from DJ’ing to production?

Storm-E: I actually have always wanted to produce since I was about 13 or so. I was heavily influenced by Missy Elliot and her production style being so different from anything I had heard. The curiosity of wanting to learn how to make the sounds she was able to make with Timbaland was something that initially sparked the urge of me wanting to learn how to make and produce music. I just kind of did it backwards and learned how to dj first. I’m glad it happened that way because the knowledge I’ve learned throughout all the years of me dj’ing has certainly helped me become a more knowledgeable producer and gave me a much better understanding of the music than I think I would have been able to do if I hadn’t learned to dj first.

FTLB: How long have you been polishing your production skills prior to this first release/any previous tracks you produced that went unreleased?

Storm-E: I started producing a year ago at the urge of Justin Villareal from Prototype Records based out of Dallas. He hit me up and asked me if I was producing yet. I told him about me always wanting to learn how and so he hooked me up with my friend Chris of LEFT/RIGHT, who is an incredibly talented breaks producer also from Dallas. We had 2 sessions where he just pretty much taught me the basics of how to get started and I’ve been steadily writing new music since then on my own. “Swipe The Funk” is the 3rd song I ever wrote so I was pretty excited about Frontzide Records wanting to release it.

 FTLB: Do you see yourself slowing down on the DJ’ing now and spending more time on productions, or will you continue to do both equally?

Storm-E: As of lately I have been focusing more on production and learning as much as I possibly can so I don’t play out as often as I used to. but dj’ing has been my passion for so many years that I could never push that aside, especially when I can do both. The best part about making music is being able to play it for the crowds I spin for.

FTLB: Is the release set to be a single or will any other artists/tracks be on it?

Storm-E: It’s an EP release that I’m on with two talented breaks djs/producers, FRENZ-E and JOE C, also based out of Dallas where I’m from. We’ve known each other for awhile because we’ve all played several shows together throughout the years. These guys already have been releasing music and gaining credibility with their breaks productions for awhile so it’s really cool for me to have my first release be with two guys I respect and look up to.

FTLB: How did you hook up with Frontzide records?

Storm-E: FRENZ-E contacted me after hearing some of my original breaks tracks I had been promoting from my SOUNDCLOUD and told me he was interested in signing them to FRONTZIDE RECORDS. We met initially through dj’ing throughout the years at the same shows so there was already a mutual respect and love for breaks that we both share. So I’m really excited to have Frontzide represent and release some of my originals

FTLB: What first got you into breaks and who are some of your favorite/most influential producers?

Storm-E: The very first time I went to a club DJ ICEY was the headliner. I’ve always loved the breaks sound but never knew there was an entire EDM genre devoted to it until I saw him play. I knew that night dj’ing and spinning breaks was something I wanted to learn how to do. Icey is definitely the reason why I fell immediately in love with wanting to spin breaks but I’m also heavily influenced by Stanton Warriors, Deekline, Curtis B, Keith MacKenzie, Plump DJS, Dj Fixx, and DJ Hero just to name a few. These guys have constantly been in heavy rotation in my sets throughout the years.

FTLB: What would be your dream track to legally remix?

Storm-E:This is such a hard question because as a dj there’s so many throughout my years of me playing that I’ve thought would be super cool to legally remix. Sticking to my love for breaks Prodigy- “Breathe”, JJ Fad – “Supersonic”, Stanton Warriors – “Dude Descending A Staircase”, and the classic “Planet Rock” by Afrika Bambaataa came to mind.

                  FTLB: What setup do you use for DJ’ing?

Storm-E:I‘m way old school so i will always have my technics SL1200M3D’s as part of my set up because I prefer to spin vinyl above anything else. Since I had to conform with the times I also have my pioneer cdj1000MK2s and Pioneer DJM600 mixer.

FTLB: What setup do you use for production?

Storm-E: My Mac computer with Logic and some bangin speakers…pretty simple until I can eventually add on to it.

FTLB: Any current/future projects you are working on and would like to talk about?

Storm-E:I just completed my first remix for Frontzide Records called “BLUR” that I’m really excited about. It was my first time remixing any song ever because I’ve always just been writing originals since I’ve been producing so its pretty cool for me to have my first remix be a track that Frontzide Records asked me to do. 

You can check out more from Storm-E and Frontzide Records at:

https://soundcloud.com/storm-e

https://www.facebook.com/stormie.highsmith

https://www.facebook.com/Frontzide

https://soundcloud.com/frontzide-records

“Swipe The Funk” coming out this month On The Numbers EP Released by Frontzide Records

 

 

Exclusive “For The Love Of The Beat/The-Lost-Art.com Promo Mix”