this sunday, we are holding our second Out & About event, this time moving back to our original location of Shout. The benefiting charity this month is CHRIS Kids, but more specifically, "The Rainbow Program". I really have taken an interest in this necessary program, that provides a safe and supportive residence for homeless and runaway gay, lesbian,bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Having come out when I was 25 years old, i can only imagine how my parents might have reacted had i been much younger. Sunday also is a warm up to CHRIS Kids
"Premiere Party", which will be taking place at the Georgia Freight Depot the following Sunday. Finishing touches are being made on this month's CD called "Heal", and the first 50 people in the door on sunday will receive one. so come out and support and excellent cause and hear a little good music while you are there.

Out & About - June 10, 2007

"Heal"

1. groove invaderz feat nicole tyler - keep risin (groove invaderz mix)
2. bob sinclar feat gary pines - give a lil love (harlem hustlers vs bob sinclar remix)
3. simply red - stay (grant nelson remix)
4. freemasons feat judy tzuke - vacancies (original mix)
5. dennis christopher - sign your name (soul corporation club mix)
6. disco freaks - take me to the sun (freemasons remix)
7. dj wady and junatik - i want you (hott22 remix)
8. freemasons feat julie thompson - you're not alone now
9. darren hayes - step into the light (moto blanco remix)
10. armand van helden - i want you soul
11. armand van helden - my my my 2006 (stonebridge remix)
12. mika - love today (moto blanco club mix)

keep on jumpin, let your body fly

the weekends are just too short. here's what happened.....

friday night was so beautiful so erik and i went on our own TOGA or Tour of Gay Atlanta ifyouwill. we started with drinks at blake's and left just as the skating rink dj announced that the drag show would be starting soon.

on to amsterdam, or the gay Dave & Buster's as i call it. i just cannot figure out that place, and it is apparent that the owners cannot either. they are trying to cater to everyone, and despite the efforts, they seem to lose everyone. it should be called "pre-heretic" as the place goes from packed to deserted at the midnight hour. so we did as everyone else, we ventured on to the heretic where the music was mediocre at best......as was the crowd.

saturday = on call = time to mix next week's Out & About CD titled "Heal". I am really happy with how it turned out. i plan on posting the mix as well as the tracklisting later in the week.

and then there was sunday. john brown cooked brunch for twelve of us and it was really amazing. my favorite part was the blueberry cobbler with creme fresh. delicious! and a typical sunday ensued. i picked up foreman mid afternoon, and we headed to barry's "summer fest porch party". strangely, i didn't know very many people there, but of course, there were several guys there i would like to know better. on to admire mark and chris's new renovation on elmhurst, and shocker, on to blake's....cause it's on the way home after all. i managed to chat with beardy mcbeardyton that i met only a few days ago. so i flipped the switch and landed a dinner date this week. maybe my 3 month drought is coming to an end.....

bj and my 7 chins

bj and jason - "couple of the year"

the love of my life dori

the very talented john brown

me and foreman taking in mark and chris's new bathroom

You bring light in

You're the sun and the sky and the blue that runs through it

If there is one name that can be associated with the start of house music as we know it, then that would be Frankie Knuckles. Born in South Bronx, New York in 1955, Frankie grew up listening to the jazz music his sister used to play. In school, he studied costume design and commercial art, but that wouldn't be the career path that he would follow. Instead, in 1971, he was offered a job by (the late) legendary DJ Tee Scott who was the resident DJ at Better Days, a club in New York. and every monday and tuesday night, Frankie got to take control of the dance floor from the DJ booth. Having been a long time childhood friend of the also legendary DJ Larry Levan, they first worked together back in 1972 at a club called "The Gallery" in upstate new york. A year later, Frankie joined Larry as the alternate DJ at "Continental Baths". When Larry Left in 1974 to open his own club, the prototype for "Paradise Garage", well Frankie took over as the head DJ at Continental Baths until its end in 1976.

In 1976, while Larry was involved in setting up "the Garage", he was approached by a group of investors and asked to become the resident DJ of a new club they were opening up in Chicago. Larry didn't want to leave, and since "the Baths" had just shut down, Frankie was asked to make the move to Chicago and become the resident DJ of the legendary club "The Warehouse". You have to remember that back then they were only calling it house music in Chicago, the word used to denote something that was "cool, hip, fresh, or bad". And the Warehouse was the place to be for many years. Designed to hold only about 600 people, but on any given night, nearly 2000 people would cram themselves into this 3 story factory building to hear the magic of Frankie Knuckles. The crowd was mostly gay and nearly all black, but one thing that bound this group of people together was their love for house music.

Frankie continued to reel in the masses for years until the Warehouse finally closed in 1982 at which time Frankie opened up his own club just a few miles up the road called "The Power Plant". By this time, house music was in full swing in Chicago so it was deemed to be the birthplace of a genre of music that continues to draw the masses on a regular basis. The whole genre of house music can be traced back to Frankie Knuckles and his influence on the city.....hence the term "house music".

Years later, Frankie would take to production in the studio and churn out such classics as "The Whistle Song" which even today can be heard by many a DJ. He has remixed songs by Luther Vandross, Janet Jackson, Diana Ross, and even Michael Jackson. In fact, his remixography contains more than 200 tracks, so many that even Frankie cannot even remember them all. In 1997, he was the first DJ turned producer to receive a Grammy Award for his mixing skills. He has released several compilations and makes guest DJ appearances at clubs across the world. He is highly respected by his peers and the music industry.

If you are in town this weekend, make sure you go hear Frankie, as he is part of Liquified's lineup at WetBar on Saturday night. It should be a very interesting and mixed crowd, which means it will be people there to hear some really great music.

shooters, shooters, guys git ur shooters.....

it's no secret that i spent a lot of time at backstreet. we all did. we are all guilty trashing the place, and frequently on any given weekend night saying "oh, i won't be going to backstreet tonight, that's for sure" (only to walk in later that evening/early morning and run into the very same people that you said this to). the truth is, you knew what you were going to get at backstreet, it was consistent. much like the heretic is/was today. and now with the gay atlanta nightlife as lame as it is, we find ourselves longing to have this dive of a club back.

i have had my eye on a zip up jacket with the above slogan on the front. i should have purchased it when backstreet closed several years ago, and they sold off everything in the place. recently, i saw Juan, the oddly hot and very friendly server at Quattro wearing this very same jacket. knowing that he used to work there, i have dropped several hints to him over the last few months about my desire to have my own. and he has promised to look in his closet for a jacket or shirt for me. then i remembered that a girl i work with is a roommate of the Vara's daughter. turns out it wasn't very hard. the Vara's love to hear that people loved the gay institution known as backstreet. so this week, i scored a t shirt, some magnets, and my very own piece of the dance floor. RIP backstreet.

Carry Me Away

Chris Lake has to be one of the hardest working DJs in the world. The 24 year old Scottish DJ, producer, and remixer has made a big name for himself in the UK house scene. In fact, he has accomplished more in the last few years than many DJs will in a lifetime.

Born wayyyy back in 1982 (geez) in Norwich (UK), Chris was raised for the first twelve years of his life in a small village before moving to Scotland where he is currently based. But it was during his time at the Mintlaw Academy where he was first introduced "to all this keyboard stuff" by a friend and was immediately hooked. After dropping some cash on a keyboard, they were soon creating their own tunes.

But it wasn't until 1999 when Chris was introduced to "Underground Music", that of the UK house scene and he was hooked again. He spent several months landing guest spots at various clubs in Scotland, and then just six months later, he was offered a residency at Passion in Aberdeen. For the next two years, Chris concentrated on his DJ'ing, unleashing driving and energetic house music to the masses that would come to hear him at Passion.

In 2001, he once again returned to the studio to start producing and remixing. He created a cheeky little bootleg of Danny Tenaglia's track "Elements of Der Shieber", and somehow it found its way into the hands of Seb Fontaine who dropped it on his Radio 1 show four weeks running. It even made the live broadcast from Radio 1's Ibiza opening party that very year.

His next production was called "Phatter Planet" which was a re-rub of Leftfield's "Phat Planet". The success of this track has been amazing, receiving the props and respect from some of the biggest progressive house DJs in the world such as Tiesto, Timo Maas, and even Desyn Masiello.

For the last several years, his name has become synonymous with quality house music. His monster Track "Changes" took the country and world by storm, and was even named by Pete Tong as the essential new tune in December of 2005. He has even formed his very own record label called Rising music. Not bad for a guy who hasn't even made it to 25.

This week, Chris returns with a track that I have been anxiously waiting for. The track, called "Carry me Away", features the vocals of Emma Hewitt, is nothing short of beautiful. It really reminds me of something by Reflekt, or even the track released earlier this year by Atrium - called "In love with you". It builds and builds with a nice bass line and piano riff only to be complemented by Emma's gorgeous vocal. pure class. Check it on Chris's website.

Buzzin' Fly Vol 4

Ben Watt, house DJ and former member of the group Everything but the Girl, returns with the fourth installment of his very popular CD compilations called Buzzin' Fly. Set to be released on his very own record label, Buzzin' Fly Records, this time Ben moves away from his signature house sound. I was able to get my hands on a promotional copy, and I was a bit disappointed. And probably because I was expecting something along the lines of the first in this series or even the Lazy Dog CDs. Though it does warrant a further, more detailed listen.

Apparently, the Buzzin' Fly is moving a away from its house origins,and dabbling in deep techno, electro, and even progressive house music. I noticed upon first listen that there are very few if any vocals on the CD, and the first few songs are very techy and bleepy. along the lines of tiefschwarz, which I have found some of their work interesting, but again not what one would expect to hear on a ben watt CD. In addition, the CD comes bookended by spoken word extracts from his long running Out-spoken project.

Paul Van Dyk - Another Way

in honor of the #1 DJ in the world coming to the Tabernacle in Atlanta tomorrow night, I wanted to post a video taken from his 2003 album Titled "Paul Van Dyk: Global". I found the CD in the back of one of my cabinets while cleaning on Sunday, and I forgot how good this mix really is. It brings me back to the Winter Music Conferfence of 2003....And since NO ONE has expressed any interest in going to hear this beautiful man tomorrow night, i guess I will settle for something recorded.....

tonight should be fun though. I am spinning atop the rooftop bar of the Glenn Hotel downtown for the Assistant's cocktail party for the Coca-Cola company. This life sure is hard....

tell me why

my weekend was fairly quiet, as i as on call saturday and sunday. but upon leaving the gym on friday evening, i was offered a last minute ticket to Chastain to hear Corinne Bailey Rae and John Legend. Naturally, I was very excited as they are both very talented artists that I would like to know more about. you see, my interest in music is much deeper and developed than some 4 x 4 beat.... and the company pictured above could not have been better.

we jumped into Thomas's Denali and headed down in style, only to find that the traffic was terrible. it must have taken us nearly an hour to travel 2 miles up to the Blue parking lot. so we uncorked a bottle of wine and put the gwen stefani dvd in and relaxed. it was like a super mom mobile, those yukons....

unfortunately, we arrived at our table just as Corinne was finishing her last song, which was a big disappointment to me. John Legend came on and was phemonemal. He put on a fantastic show, we dined on chips and dips and some really tasty red wine, and the weather turned out to be perfect, despite the "predictions" of rain in the forecast.

on sunday, i finally took the time to set up my external hard drive, a christmas gift from my parents nearly 6 months ago. my library of music has become so large that my hard drive was full, even to the point that it was slowing down. and didn't even have enough room to defragment.... it turned out to be a very easy task, and soon i had expunged nearly 30 gigs of music and transferred it all over to my new 160 gig external hard drive.

and as i got in bed sunday night, i was thinking about some of the anger and disappointment that I have been holding in over the past few months about a certain someone in my life. and it has bothered me to no end. my friends know that i am someone who is pretty forgiving, and i just finally came to a realization that all things aside, life is way to short to hold grudges. and with that, just like my hard drive on my computer, i forgave that person and erased all bitterness and anger out of my life. and lemme tell ya, i feel much better because of it

dj john thompson - halloween 2006

here is a live mix recorded at a halloween party i spun back in october.

The infamous John Brown cartwheel

Spin - out & about

I thought i would provide the tracklisting from the promo cd we gave to the first 50 people at Sunday's event. If you didn't make it early enough to receive one, you can stream this mix below.

Spin - out & about 2007
dj john thompson

1.miguel migs - mesmerized (alix alvarez sole channel vox mix)
2.carl kennedy - ride the storm
3.samantha james - rise (eric kupper remix)
4.hott 22 feat angie zee - just friends (hott 22 remix)
5.freemasons - nothing but a heartache
6.booty luv - shine (moto blanco club mix)
7.supafly - moving too fast (northwest remix)
8.goldbumpers - change (extended vocal club mix)
9.noir pres the soul flava - hot (club mix)
10.rockefeller vs alibi - sexual healing (freemasons vocal mix)
11.beyonce & shakira - beautiful liar (freemasons club vox mix)
12.sophie ellis bextor - catch you (moto blanco club mix)

It might just be good for you

If you are a fan of the group Way Out West, then you may be familiar with Jody Wisternoff. As part of this ubiquitous progressive house act know for such tracks as "Stealth" and "Mind Circus", the 26 year old european DJ, remixer, and producer has definitely made a name for himself in the last few years. His production work is nothing short of perfect, having released several tracks in 2006 that progressive house DJs all over the world are rocking at the moment. This includes "Cold Drink, Hot Girl" as well as "Nostalgia", released just a few months ago. Both of the aforementioned track are available for digital download at Beatport. Each month, Jody releases a new house mix titled "Way out There", usually on Proton Radio. They contain a collection of released and upcoming house tracks that are sure to be big in the coming months. On April 26th, Jody released his newest Way Out There mix in two parts, containing new tracks such as "Armed" by Pryda (Eric Prydz alias), and legendary vocalist Billie Ray Martin called "Undisco Me".

But what really caught my attention is the first track on Part 2 by a group called Relation. The song titled "Your Tiny Mind" as remixed by Lifelike is stunning. It sort of reminds me of something by Tiga or the Killers, with a male vocal over an uplifting synthesized and melodic harmony. It is by far the classic sound of Lifelike, better know for his remix of "Discopolis" early last year. Check out a clip of "your tiny mind" below. Enjoy!

your tiny mind

yesterday's out & about 2007 kick-off event at Loca Luna was a great success. we were all a little nervous going into sunday, as we were at a totally different location, and one that lacks its own surface lot now that ANOTHER condo building is going up on the site formerly known as Backstreet....

Surprisingly, the gays showed up in gaggles, even arriving as early as 4:30pm, which was unheard of when we hosted at Shout. The weather could not have been more beautiful, and i think that people really liked the space. though i can see how it would probably get too hot in the middle of summer.

the total in donations collected at the door is just shy of $1800! We estimate that somewhere around 200 people were in attendance. big thanks to johnny sinclair for all of his hard work at the door. who knew that people would donate an extra $5 for a hug?

I think everyone enjoyed the music. I did have several compliments. and i can clearly remember two trainwrecks.....the most unflawless of trangressions....all while flirting with Scott Davis. even three years later, he still melts me....

our next event takes us back to Shout in june to benefit ChrisKids Rainbow program.

come with me

here's the official advertisement for next week's Out & About. It will be a guaranteed good time.

we have everything we need

I think i have finally found a way to post new music and mixes to my blog. so here goes my first attempt. let me know if this works..... click link below to download.

JT's spring mix 2007

me and my imagination

It's that time again. you know, spring in Atlanta, one of my favorite times of the year. and it's time to kick off this years Out & About events. I expressed an interest to become more involved this year, aside from simply spinning at the events, which i love so much. our meeting last week was very productive; it's amazing what kind of ideas can come about in a one hour brainstorming session over salads. it seems like we have finalized the details for our first event, to take place in less than two weeks at Loca Luna. sure i have some work to do, but trust me, it will be a fantastic event. stay tuned for details.

If you are a fan of Chicane, then you will be happy to know that new material from this group is due out this year. It's funny, I was at a party recently and we were talking about music, and I was really surprised to find out how many people have never heard of Chicane. I can remember first listening to Chicane back in 2001, after a long night at Backstreet. It was perfect morning music....

The mastermind behind the group 'Chicane' is Nick Bracegirdle. Back in 1996, after finding himself really bored with bad dance records that seemed to be churned out one after the other, Chicane was formed and the first single "Offshore" was released that very same year. Numerous very popular singles soon followed, including 1998's "Strong in Love" which is one of my favorites. Then, in 1999, Nick teamed up with long time friend Bryan Adams to produce "Don't give up" which eventually surpassed Madonna on its way to #1.

The last we heard from Chicane was last year when the track "Stoned in Love" was released, featuring the vocals of Tom Jones. This was a big track for me last year, though I am not sure that it caught on in the USA.

Back in February of this year, Chicane announced their split from Universal Records. Instead, they are going back to their very own in independent record label, Modena Records, on which the track Offshore was originally released. Their forthcoming album, titled "Somersault" is set to be released on the aforementioned record label in mid June. Chicane just finished shooting the video for the first single from Somersault called "Come Tomorrow" which is scheduled to be released in May.

give a lil love

For years, when you thought of global dance music, you often thought of New York, London, and Chicago - the birthplace of House Music. But it wasn't until the late 1990's that a new wavy of funky and cool tracks began emerging from Paris. This new sound, which was appropriately called "Le French Touch" by the UK music press, was inspired by soul and disco as well as early New York and Chicago house music. First came Dimitri from Paris, better known for his compilations "A night at the Playboy Mansion". Then Daft Punk came on the scene, and has been on the forefront of electronic dance music even today.

But in 1998, the smash hit "Gym Tonic" emerged, featuring vocals sampled from a Jane Fonda workout tape and credited to Bob Sinclar. Of course at that time, no one knew who Bob Sinclar was, though it was rumored that he was a spy, sunglass model, and even a hardcore pornstar. Turns out, his name was just an assumed identity of one Chris Lefriant. In fact, Chris wasn't new to the club music scene. Raised in La Marais, a bohemian and gay neighborhood of central Paris, Chris initially wanted to be a tennis pro. But when he heard DJs spinning hip hop, funk, and soul music, his interest quickly shifted to electronic music. For years, his focus was mainly jazz and R&B, but it wasn't until the late 90's after hearing the likes of Arman van Helden and Kenny "Dope" that Chris found the 4x4 beat of true house music. And that his when he realized what power a track can have on a dancefloor.

The last few years have been huge for Bob Sinclar. And again, his style has now changed into a catch, pop, feel good sound, with soaring melodies and uplifting lyrics. His release of the album "Western Dream" in the Spring of 2006 featured the very popular track "Love Generation" with the vocals coming from Gary Pines of the reggae group the Wailers. In fact, Love Generation sold over 120,000 copies with its first two weeks of release, and is featured as the them song from french TV's Pop Idol (the french version of American Idol). Other tracks from western Dream that have been big include Tennessee, World, Hold on, and Rock this party.

This week, another track from Western Dream is released, called "Give a Lil Love". Featuring the vocals once again of Gary "Nesta" Pine of the Wailers, this track for the changing season. The Harlem hustlers vs. bob sinclar whistle remix is nice, yet it sounds too much like previous productions, ei: world, hold on. Go straight to the "Electro Blues remix" and you will be happy. It has the perfect sound of spring and summer: uplifting vocals, heavy piano riffs, and synthesized strings. And if you listen closely, the sound of children singing in the background? It works.

Look for Bob Sinclar's next relsease, "Soundz of Freedom", due out in May of 2007. It features 14 exclusive remixes and 6 edits of his previous work.

For years, Paul Van Dyk has been named in the top 5 DJs in the world. But in October 2006, for the second year in a row, DJ Magazine named him the top dj in the world. DJ Magazine is known as a prestigious reference point for DJs around the world, and this vote drew over 250,000 votes from over 235 countries. Not only is this DJ a grammy nominated remixer and composer, but he is also a political activist, when he became involved with the "Rock the Vote" campaign in 1994 to encourage America's youth to exercise their right to vote. This marked the first time that an electronic artist was involved with the campaign as he joined other artists such as Mary J Blige, Bono, and Lenny Kravitz.

Growing up in communist Berlin, it wasn't until after the wall came down in 1989 that a growing culture of electronic and techno music emerged. But Paul found himself looking for another sound. The debut of his unique style of dance music wasn't until 1991 at the Berlin club "Tresor". From there, Paul focused on composition of new music, and his first production called "Perfect Day" was released in 1992. In the late 90's, Paul released his first album called "45 RPM" was released, and soon he was gaining popularity with the American house scene. In fact, he even held a residency at the infamous New York dance club Twilo. In 1999, Paul created his own record label called Vandit Records, and since then has released numerous remixes and compilation CDs on this very label.

Now that Eleven50 has closed its doors for renovations (yet again), my enthusiasm for the house music in Atlanta began to fade. Until I found that Liquified has totally revamped their website and has an exciting spring line up. And this time, he won't be here on a Tuesday night, as in previous appearances in Atlanta. And not only that, but he will be playing at the Tabernacle.

Having been described as a "trance" DJ, I have personally read posts and listened to some of his live sets, and can say he really runs the line of progressive house. And from what I have heard, he consistently puts on a fantastic show.

bang the box

This summer, Lovebox Weekender 2007 returns for a two day musical celebration in London's Victoria Park. Now heading into its fifth year, this annual festival organized by none other than Groove Armada, features cutting edge musical acts. It is a far cry from corporate saturated music events. Instead, this event is put on and run by people who live and breathe music. Although the headlining acts have yet to be announced, as you can see above, there is quite an eclectic collection of bands, electronic musical acts, and talented DJs. Even more interesting is that the B-52's will be appearing on Sunday, playing their first UK show in over ten years.

more info is available at www.loveboxweekender.com

i've given up on hopes of leaving, a broken bridge at every choice that i make

when i was making the aforementioned cd on sunday, i was looking at some of the tracks that one of my favorite djs, Luke Fair, has spinning in his recent sets. Luke Fair, the young canadian dj that I have spoken about before, has a certain style that runs the line of funky and progressive house music without becoming too dark and monotonous. in fact, i often think that i like to emulate his style of mixing and song selection.

i came across a group called "add 2 basket" that really intrigued me. after further research, i found out more about this dj duo that call themselves by this name. and here it goes....

add 2 basket is actually made of Shootie (who is one half of the group the Monkz) and the guy pictured above, named Andras Genser. Genser is a DJ from Budapest who was born in 1979. ironically enough, his love of music started at a young age, much like myself. in fact, i was even further intrigued to find out that he actually went through a point in his life where he was into hair bands, of which he calls his "hard rock season". just like andras, i was really into glam bands in the late 80's, attending the concerts of tesla, poison, and warrant to name a few.

it wasn't until the age of 20 that andras discovered his love of house music. while working as a bell boy during the day, andras saved his tips to which the money went straight to buying house music on vinyl. while working at this five star hotel, he met several "A-list" djs such as sander kleinenberg and nick warran, because as bell boy he was required to carry their record bags to their respective rooms. turns out, it was a chance meeting with harry "choo choo" romero that later landed him a gig at Pacha Budapest, after he gave one of the promoters there his mix and he like what he heard.

while spinning at Pacha, he met Shootie, and they began spending time together in the studio. a collaboration ensued, and soon they decided that they needed to put a name to some of their work. but they wanted something that would stand out, something that was catchy. turns out, their name comes from online record stores, as when you are purchasing music online, and you find a track you like, you must "add it to basket". as their productions improved and work began to take more solid form, they formed an online digital label called "add 2 basket records" which is available on Juno, 3 beat, beatport, and dj download. they have had over 2000 downloads to date.

this past october, andras was invited to sweden on a renaissance halloween party to play alongside nick warren and nic fanciulli. pretty cool that only 4 years before, he was carrying their record bags. check out http://www.beatport.com/ for digital downloads of add 2 basket.

it's hard to describe their style. blending house music with 80's, pop, disco, funky, synthesized, melodic and electro, it somehow really works. i love it.

part of me

how was the weekend? just fine i guess. i spent some quality with flippen on friday night. we dined in the highlands and made an appearance at Amsterdam where i found out they have a kitchen as evidenced by the large condiment cart near the door. i thought you weren't supposed to dine where ya disco? lord i know a certain queen who would love one of those at his house. 'cause you know, nothing is too good for a dipping sauce :)

brett's birthday part on saturday night was much fun. chris's house was full of a very hot and sexy A-list crowd but a definite lack of alcohol. of course, i guess word got around cause there were clearly more people there than had been invited. but then i was criticized by a fellow music blogger at the party for getting too personal and open on my blog. i thought that was what a blog was for, to talk about the things going on in your life, an online diary of sorts? alas, i do know i have spoken a lot about the people in my life, mainly tim, as it seems that was one of the only ways i was able to communicate my feelings with him. pretty sad that these days the most meaningful things to people are expressed in text messages, emails, and blogs. what happened to simply telling someone how you feel, like in person? oh i do remember...


i'm sure that people are tired of hearing about my failed relationships and near routine morning coffees with diane.. so now i look to focus more on music, as that is something i am passionate about and a part of my life where i have actually been successful.

the above picture is of a dj that i just discovered this weekend. his name is serge devant, and he grew up in St. Petersburg, in the old soviet union. serge was trained classically in the violin and piano before moving to the united states. after opening for Tiesto in 2005, Crobar requested him to become their resident DJ. he really has a great sound, and he has signed two new tracks, "surround u" and the forthcoming "part of me" due out later this year on Ultra records. The latter of which has been remixed by Emjae, and the result is a brilliant track with a georgeous male vocal. check out a clip here.

yesterday i sat down and mixed a new CD, this time leaning toward a more progressive sound, as i know with Shout events in the works, i will be playing a lot of freemasons this summer. the tracklist is below, and if you want a copy, i will be happy to email it to you.

DJ John Thompson
spring 2007

1.monkz - space dizko (add2basket remix)
2.emjae - hold me down (jim connor and raw shape remix)
3.damian strong - love shop (12" mix)
4.leama and moor - distance between us (jody wisternoff remix)
5.d-pulse - can't stop the morning light (phunktastike remix)
6.add 2 basket - lovey dovey (main vocal mix)
7.turbofunk - gotta move (trent cantrelle and chris cox mix)
8.the quasar - october (monkz remix)
9.blue amazon - and the rain falls (add 2 basket and monkz remix)
10.emjae - safe from you
11.karran & porter - what killed tony montana (phunktastike mix)
12.red squared - don't be afraid (tom novy vocal mix)

comments are welcome..

the clock was always ticking

today marks the kick off of the wconferenceinter music in miami, and i would love nothing more to be down there right now. so i must live vicariously through the posts of local djs around the world. that's okay, cause i know i will make it back to this week long celebration of music real soon.

and with the conference, comes loads of new music. i came across a new track by mutya buena, one of the original members of the sugababes, who left the group in 2006 to pursue a solo music career. if you remember back to early '06, the sugababes came out with a track called "easy" as remixed by seamus haji, owner of Big Love records. now mutya is working on a new album that is due out early summer of this year. her new track is a collaboration with george michael called "this is not real love", and the remix by Moto Blanco is superb. this time, miki moto and bobby blanco take a slightly more funky progressive approach in contrast to their normal straight up house sound. and it works. i am sure it will be a big track this week in miami.

you have it all, the latest, the greatest

i'm still trying to figure out why i felt so good today. i'm not complaining, but it just doesn't add up....

after two days on call, i was ready to cut loose and have some fun. so after the gym and a yummy breakfast at pot and pan, i set out on a bike ride with bret and johnbrown. it was a near perfect early spring sunday in atlanta, the sky so crisp and clear. we biked through GA Tech (a little too cold for the frat boys to go shirtless), atlantic station, and the highlands. lunch with dori at my favorite spot, Quattro, meant we also started drinking beer. on to BJ's for more libations where at one point i remember bj dancing on his coffee table to one of my new years cds. :)

then to blake's where it was clear upon entering that queens had been drinking since noon. and i mean cocktailed up and horny. if i had any question as to where Diane might be today, i could bet money she was with heyward......

follow up phone calls today revealed a juicy bit of gossip involving Hottie McPecs that lives just a few floors below me..... sprechen se deustch?

or so the story goes

well i am happy to report that my date last night was not retarded, contrary to what Eric may have thought. i will admit that i did have some reservations after speaking to him on the phone, but that quickly ended when i showed up to pick him up last night. he is a hottie collectible for sure. but more importantly, he is part of the extremely rare limited edition series 2 that I have been searching all over EBAY for: The Vietvanese Hairburner. and the most ironic part is that he lives just down the street.....on charles Allen......

the sun always shines on TV

.....and here is my niece, little Molly-Catherine, demonstrating what happens
when you decide to run down the hill after getting off of the school bus. note:
she didn't lose her front tooth in this accident, just secured a fractured arm
and a very colorful cast.

the new LA fitness over at atlantic station is now open and let me tell ya, it is
without a shortage of hot boys. and the native atlantans are really enjoying the
basketball courts....

it seems i am going on a date with the aforementioned boy i met last thursday
night. i admit it, i was tipsy. what? and eric has ASSURED me that he is in fact very cute......

distance between us

there is nothing like spring in atlanta. every year around this time, people all over the city come out of hibernation, and flock to the streets and parks. it's a chance for all those hot boys you don't see out at the bar to show off the body they have been sculpting in the gym all winter. today was no exception. from the uber-hot-shirtless-straight-boys playing volleyball, to my celebrity sighting of young Davis from the Real World Denver attempting to jog off a few extra lbs, it reminded me of why i love this time of year so much. yet it will only be a couple of months before the humidity, heat, and mosquitoes arrive, so get out and enjoy it.

changes in my life

i felt like i was in PTown this weekend. saturday morning started off cloudy and rainy, and like magic, the clouds broke and a beautiful day ensued. as did a nice bike ride.

dinner saturday night at fuel was real good. the salt-n-pepper-pizza-daddy-chef served up tasty slices and just like real rednecks we drank beer from coolers. it seems it takes a while to get a liquor license these days. just ask the people up in Gwinnett.

todd and brad's cocktail party for Ileana was fun and brought together a very eclectic group of people. i was tipsy and really not feeling like a night out and called it early. i did learn, however, that booty texts only work if the recipients inbox isn't full. who knew?

and then there was sunday. dori and i walked over to johnbrown's for a full on birthday celebration....lesbian style. the only thing missing was the meatballs and pigs n blankets. but lord did we drink some beer. we cut out at a respectable hour and walked back home only to see that cute jaredsapp skateboarding down Argonne. he scores big points for that. then it was on to Baraonda for a delicious dinner. and a little ogling at the wait staff. damn. can you say SAOP? i ignored the calls to blake's. smart thinking for once.

sorry for what i forgot to say, but you know how words get in the way baby.....lately

it's probably safe to say that i have had better weeks. i feel like i am just going through the motions at work. in fact, i am quite bored and find myself becoming annoyed with some of my coworkers. is it unreasonable to hold others you work with to the very same standards you strive for yourself? after all, piedmont is one of the premier heart centers in the southeast and it's time everyone starts acting like it. i really hope to make a move in '07, as i just don't ever want find myself fitting the mold of one of those single nurses from coweta county. i truly believe that there are bigger things out there for me, and sometimes i feel guilty for not pushing myself harder. i suppose it's easy to get stuck in what i would call a "comfort zone", but i know it's time to push forward. i ain't getting any younger.

then there's the boy scout. having sensed that something was wrong for the last two weeks, i finally pulled him aside this week only to find out he is really mad at me. it seems that i have been rude and mean to someone that i value as a true friend. and it has left me feeling really sad. i would never intentionally hurt someone that i care for, and my attempts to tease him were misinterpreted. and for that i am very sorry.

and finally there is Tim. the last six weeks have been great. we've spent a lot of time together, and i really did feel like things were moving forward, however, slowly. which isn't a bad thing. of course, i became a total girl on sunday night and simply posed the question "what are we doing?". it's been nearly four months, and i was simply sticking to one of the four agreements (thanks Flippy) ie: don't make assumptions. it seems that in every relationship, there is always one person that feels stronger about the other at different times. and now things are awkward and it saddens me. he is such an awesome person, and i wish he was ready to explore things further. i can feel good in knowing that i put forth an honest effort.

all of this heavy on my mind, last night i felt the need to get out and see people. so eric and i walked down to ecco for a respectable dinner and a few adult beverages. which turned into drinks back at my house with flippy and a strong showing of the junior league. then on to Whhhettt Bar where the cutest guy in the place decides to chat me up and ask me out. funny how that happens.

i hope this weekend will yield some positivity after such a trying week.

i'm not clean, i'm not pristine, i'm no queen, i'm no machine

gotta love some Fergie....

i have to admit that i sometimes find cheesy remakes of popular 80's tracks fun and enjoyable. for instance, LMC put out the track a few years ago, which mashed up U2's "with or without you" and the popular line from Whitney Houston, "take me to the clouds above". it worked. in fact, it might have made my New Years CD just a few months ago. just might.

i stumbled upon a track by the Hughes Corporation called "what a feeling" recently that was remixed by bimbo jones. yep, it's a remake of the popular track from the movie Flashdance. it's cheesy and dumb and really catchy at the same time. perfect for your ipod at the gym...

with the winter music conference two weeks away, i thought i would put together my predictions of what will be big this year. from the newest tracks to the up and coming producers and remixers. here we go:

1.Fedde le Grand - this 30 year old dutch dj and remixer became well known in 2006 with his hit track called "put your hands up for detroit". his newest track, called "take no shh" i predict will be played at all the big parties in miami.

2.Carl Kennedy - there is a lot of buzz over his latest track called "Ride the storm". it's really a hot song, reminding me of something by junior jack.

3.Michael Gray - what a big year for music for this DJ. from the popular house track "borderline" to his latest song called "somewhere beyond". the latter of which a vocal was recently added by Steve Edwards. also, i have heard clips of another track that is yet to be released called "walk into the sun" that may also be a big conference tune this year.

4.Dave Spoon - his popular song called "Sunrise" was huge in 2006, and now Seamus Haji (who owns Big Love records) have remixed this song and added a vocal. it's hot.

5.dirty south - man have these guys become popular. from their remix of depeche mode's "just can't get enough" to Chris Lake's "changes", i predict big things from them at the conference this year. the big buzz right now is their remix of Kaskade's new track called "sorry".

6.chris lake - from his song earlier this year called "changes" to the forthcoming tune called "carry me away", i can bet this guy will be played out in miami. he also has a new remix of a Robbie Williams track called "She's madonna" that is big buzz right now.

7. bob sinclar - this french house dj and producer returns from a big '06 with his track called "world, hold on". this time his track called "tennessee" and "champs elysees theme" that hold true to his signature house style.

8. miguel migs - there is big buzz over his new tune called "mesmerized". it's hot, perfect for hearing out by the Shore Club in miami. sexy, real sexy. it will definitely make the next "Beach House CD".

9.groove armada - the new track called "get down" is being talked about all over the internet. having produced quality house music for years, they can do no wrong with this one. i'm waiting for the remixes....

10. seamus haji - i love his signature big room funky house style. he returns with a remix of brand hew heavies "i don't know why". sure it's diva house, but it works.

honorable mention: new stuff from Funkagenda, sebastian ledger, kris menace, axwell, laidback luke, and roger sanchez. damn, i wish i was going to Miami this year.....

nothing can replace it

nothing like a little Chris Evans to brighten up your monday....

even your emotions had an echo, in so much space

they say that most disagreements in life, whether it be at work or at home, often times arise from miscommunication. in my case, it could probably be attributed to a lack of communication. i tend to analyze and over analyze things in my head, yet hold these feelings and thoughts inside for fear of the insecurities and vulnerabilities that may come from laying it all out of the line. in fact, every year when it comes time for my annual review, my only fault is that I tend to try to please everyone at work, often times avoiding conflict and confrontation. but alas, these are things that take time to change and overcome, and i'm working on it. so i spent that better part of last night thinking when i should have been sleeping, i know that relationships aren't easy, they take work and are never guaranteed. but as long as two people are clear about what they are feeling, a solid base can be established and you work from there.

sunny and 70

what started out as a dreary, rainy morning has quickly taken a 180 degree turn and become simply beautiful here in atlanta. a stark contrast from deer valley, where a group of my friends are snow skiing. i should be there, however, the powers that be, ie: work, have kept me here. i am reminded every day by the picture messages i receive from the ski slope and apres ski. but i'm not complaining, because the next several days here are supposed to be beautiful. is spring here for good? always nice to drive down 10th street and see the Georgia Tech track team out for a run....shirtless.

so it's ash wednesday, and it always makes me chuckle to see all the overweight nurses running for the hospital chapel to get "ashed" by on of the local catholic priests. this is a time where they vow to give up something for lent. diet coke, eating out a fast food restaurants, chocolate, all the things that single nurses cherish in life. only to fall back off the wagon in due time and stretch out their elasticized landau scrubs. thank god for polyester and lycra. and support hose.

so i had an idea for a new betty butterfield skit. cause it has been way too long since we have had any new material from her. in her endless search for the right church, this time betty decides to visit the hospital chapel and take in one of their services. only to find out there way too many prayer requests for Ethel and her hip replacement, or ardell and her terrible case of pneumonia. what about betty and her prayer needs?

she will, however, find it very convenient that the hospital chapel is located adjacent to the gift shop. and those lovely ladies of the auxiliary in pink smocks are happy to assist you with any of your "get well" gift ideas. candles, incense, lace doilies, get well cards, silk flowers. it's like being in a glorified michael's craft store.

on your keychain, or in the coffee spoon

with the winter music conference exactly one month away, new music continues to emerge in hopes of making an appearance in miami. if you aren't familiar with the WMC, it is a week long celebration of house music where the biggest DJs, promoters, producers, and musicians converge in miami for a festival of sorts. the official conference is held during the day, but at night, the city of miami comes alive. each night, record labels host parties at various clubs and venues, some of which are private and very esoteric. having only attended the WMC once back in '03, it is paradise for a DJ like myself. i remember distinctly attending a Nervous records party and standing five feet away from peter rauhofer, satoshi tomiie, and chris cox.

my buddy arjan has already commented on sophie ellis bextor's new track called "catch you". if you remember back four or five years ago, sophie had a popular song called "murder on the dancefloor" that got major play in the US. this time, she returns with a track remixed by none other than miki moto and bobby blanco, collectively known as moto blanco. unlike most of their other remixes, this time they take on a slightly more progressive-tinged house sound that is very refreshing. check out arjan's blog for a streaming sample.

i can't say that i'm not lost and at fault

with all the tabloid coverage of miss spears and her erratic behavior in the last few days, it has me wondering what kind of statement she is actually trying to make. seriously, it kind of reminds me of that old 80s movie, "the legend of Billie Jean", you know where she gets on TV and screams, "Fair is Fair!". I suspect things will only get worse for this troubled Looosianan laydee. next up, britney exiting a limousine in beverly hills with a visible coke ring in her left nare. and if anyone could produce such a photo, it would be perez hilton.

last week, i counted nearly eight new remixes of JT's newest single, "What comes around (goes around". each one a little different. and i really like the track, including Paul van dyk's progressive-trance remix . i'm looking forward to his concert next week here in atlanta. a full review to follow.

don't let this world drive you crazy

so it is Valentine's day, and i for one am excited. maybe it's because i haven't had anyone special in my life to share this day with in four years. and for that reason, i have never made a big deal about it. this year, however, i do have someone special in my life. after a shaky start, things with Tim have only gotten better. and he's exactly what i need in my life. devilishly handsome, extremely genuine, and one of the funniest people i know. the latter being one of the most important qualities i seek in a mate. our time together is easy and effortless, and for that i consider myself lucky. so we're off to South City Kitchen for dinner, y'all have a Happy Ballemtines Germennens...

show me what the girl does, to the boy

after listening to tracey thorn's new album a few more times, i have to say that I agree with johnbrown in regards to track #4, called "get around to it". it's sexy, real sexy. i can't wait to see which tracks will be remixed off of the new album, and if Ben Watt will be commissioned for any of the remixes.

my trip to ikea on saturday was anything but productive. i did have my first dining experience in the cafe where i chose the swedish meatballs and steamed vegetables. and let me tell ya, i have never seen so many fat people from the burbs grazing up in there. and going back seconds and thirds, often pretending that it was their first time at the buffet.

i did find a small wall mount bathroom cabinet, perfect to organize all of my hair product and salves, only to later find that the aforementioned piece of furniture is only available online. i find that place to be totally confusing when it comes to locating an item. much like i find itunes to be completely user unfriendly. first you have to know the name, then the location based on aisles and rows. the only problem is that the one item that I was interested in had neither of these. and when i attempted to use the "computer finder kiosk" it wasn't much help either. so i left empty handed.

dinner at sweet lime on saturday night was great, and an overdue trip to mary's was fun as well. though the crowd was anything but cute. being on call, i couldn't get quite the buzz in needed to perform at kary-OK. clearly, there are a few regular performers up in there. including the cute but annoying pocket-gay army cadet, part of the second series military line. apparently, he likes to get up on stage every saturday night and see just how well he can butcher a song in hopes of coming across as super cute. sort of a Top Gun character though not nearly as handsome but equally as crazy as Tom Cruise. i probably could have come off as talented had i chosen to sing right after him.

and sunday featured a nice visit with the family and a celebration of mom's birthday. it's funny, we all got together for her special day and she ends up cooking. but she loves to cook, so the digital meat thermometer was a welcomed gift. as well as the fancy chocolates i picked up at chocolate pink. she called me today to tell me how good they are. my nephew Carter, pictured above, is finally in that stage where he is starting to interact. i can tell by his red hair and demeanor that he is going to be a handful.

whenever blue teardrops are falling

so it's true. i may have secured a promo copy of Tracey Thorn's new album, "out of the woods", due to be released on March 7. guess it pays to have dj friends in Europe. this is the first solo release from Tracey in twenty five years, the last one coming out in 1982 just before she joined Ben Watt to form Everything but the Girl. and i have been listening to it all week; in the car, at home on my computer, even at work during procedures. and the more i listen, the more i like it. she has such a beautiful and unique voice, though at times on this album she reminds me of annie lennox. my favorite track so far is #11, called "raise the roof". more reviews to come.

cause in the dark of the night you're all i can see and you sure look like a star to me

so i promise not to bore anyone, especially that brat Beatrice-Elizabeth, with an hour-by-hour recollection of the weekend, including menu selections and kryptic komments. she's just jealous as she had to spend her weekend with a bunch of private-school thespians......that's just typical.

Rockefeller returns this year with a remake of Marvin Gaye's track "sexual healing". the remix comes from none other than the Freemasons, and it is pure funky house in nature. Rockefeller, who is made up of , Mark Nieuwenhuijzen, Dennis Christopher & Dimitrie Siliakus, first came to my attention last year when they produced a remake of the SOS band - take the time (do it right). This time, they return with solid production that only lacks the original vocal by marvin gaye. due out later this year, i am sure it will be in heavy rotation in ptown this summer.

FUPAstar

i've recently had some snide comments about my blog. people saying it's boring, filled with nothing more than menus and such. well, if you don't like it, then stop reading it. and lay off the hateraide for once in you life.

i have had a couple of dreams about davita dialysis debuting a new "drag therapy" program up at the hospital. and as foolish as the idea may appear at first, i think it could be quite entertaining and therapeutic for some patients. and if doesn't go over well at piedmont hospital, i am sure it would work well at the gay retirement home i plan to open one day...... i can only imagine buffet brunch conversation to include, "y'all, last night at the T-Dance i did two bumps of Geritol and ended up in the biggest G-Hole. I lost my walker and my shawl".

on to the music. Above and Beyond return this year with a new single called "for all i care". the track is being released on their very own Anjunabeats label. above and beyond, who is made up of Jonathan Grant, Paavo Siljamäki, and Tony McGuinness, originally came together in 2000. but it wasn't until 2002 when they made their first dj debut appearance in japan, in front of 8000 tokyo clubbers. since then, they have performed all over the world, even making Pete Tong's infamous essential mix show on Radio 1. the remix of their new track "for all i care" comes from an up and coming dj duo called spencer and hill. i predict these guys will be huge in 2007 with their signature big room house sound that is versatile and could fit in many different venues. check out their website for a clip of "for all i care". it's groovy, with synthesized melodies and just the right amout of vocal.