|
| Name: |
Keri Winkle |
| Born: |
Lake Charles, Louisiana |
| Age: |
32 |
| Years DJing: |
hobby since 94' - professionally
98' |
| Favorite record of
all time: |
"Fear" by Sarah McLachlan - all
remixes especially Hybrid's edit
|
Etheral female vocals, reaching beautiful
high notes, float out over the dancefloor,
riding the waves of a driving progressive
beat. You push your way through the crowd
up to the DJ booth, hoping to catch a
peek of the name of the artist on the
record label - and instead, come face
to face with her as she sings out the
next refrain, pausing to mix in the next
record. Meet DJ Keri, singer, producer
and DJ, all rolled into one!
Click here to watch our DJ Keri video
interview
Jennifer: How would
you describe your performance as a DJ
to someone who's never een or heard it?
DJ Keri: An adventure into the
different sounds of progressive house
& break beat with my live vocals - similar
to Hybrid's style but with my own twist.
What made you get started in music?
I have been a musician my entire life
- I started learning how to read music
at age 5 - wrote my first song at age
10 & began to learn instruments also -
I was in band from 10 til I was 18 - instruments
that I have studied include: piano, clarinet,
obeo & guitar. I first started singing
in church choirs when I was just in pre-school.
I did many school pageants and talent
shows - I learned a great deal about how
to perform for people at a very early
age.
Where do you live now and how did
you end up there?
I live in the suburbs of Atlanta - I followed
my husband here because he gained employment
and also has relatives near by.
You've had residencies everywhere
from Aruba to Atlanta - do you have any
residencies right now?
I currently hold residencies at The Kastle
of St. Louis and will soon be one of the
leading residents of a club here in Atlanta
called "RIDE" - it is a really big club
that is being built on the west side of
Atlanta.
Where are some of the wildest/your
favorite places that you've performed?
I loved Amsterdam and Montreal a lot!
I have to say that Aruba has been by far
the wildest place I have seen so far .
. . those foam parties are crazy!!!
What's the craziest thing you've
ever done while performing?
Too many memories come to mind but the
one that stands out the most is the one
gig that I had in Aruba - the dancers
were practically naked and dancing on
these really tall speakers - the guys
below were leaning between the dancers
legs, drinking beer as they poured it
down from their behinds . . . I was kind
of grossed out but at the same time I
thought it was outrageous too!
How did you get approached to be
in Playboy?
I guess I was in the right place at the
right time - a dear business associate
actually "hooked" it all up for me. You
never know what is going to happen during
WMC.
Were you nervous/embarrassed? What
was it like?
I was really nervous - I have never even
streaked or skinny-dipped in my life so
this was a giant leap for someone like
me. I wasn't embarrassed at all though
- I feel I look pretty good physically
for a mother of two. I had the support
of my family and it has been something
I always thought of doing when I was younger
and was modeling semi-professionally.
Playboy staff was very professional and
kind to me - treated me like I was a queen
and I have no complaints about the experience.
Had you ever done anything like that
before?
Nope, never ever. . .
You have another career - tell us
about that, and how do you balance it
(and a family) with a career that involves
being out all night and traveling around
the world?
My career doesn't take presidence over
my family life - my husband and children
come first. If I need to be home, I will
be - I have a nanny to pick up my slack
whenever I am not around and my husband
is home the majority of the time when
I am on the road. I make sure that I take
the time to spend with my family - I do
my best not to miss my kids birthdays,
recitals and holidays in general. All
in all, I think me and my family do a
fairly decent job coping with the traveling
and the crazy hours I spend doing my job.
How have you seen the scene change
since when you first started?
I'll put it this way - I sure do miss
the good old days . . . don't get me wrong
the music still rocks but I don't feel
the neccessity to state the obvious.
Have you or the events you play been
effected by the crackdown on clubs/raves?
Definitely yes . . . but that has pros
and cons that have to be measured heavily.
My opinion could be considered policital
so I will keep it to myself.
Who has influenced your career the
most?
My husband, Mike, has been the driving
force behind me - so many times I felt
like just giving up but he has helped
me grow a thicker skin and lifts me up
whenever my spirits are low - I can always
count on him to be honest - even if it
hurts, I know he is telling it like it
is and that is what I need - he keeps
me grounded but ambitious, hungry and
hardworking. DJ Carlos Hernandez (AREA
51, CDC Soundsystem, Organic - San Francisco)
He is the one who really motivated me
to become a dj and taught me a great deal.
Sandra Collins - probably one of the hardest
working female dj's in the business ...
she is relentless! She has given me valuable
advice over the years. Hybrid - Their
remarkable style has motivated me and
inspired me greatly. lus, those guys are
so sweet and are so down to earth. Good
People!
How did you make your first promo
CD and who did you give it to?
I waited years before I even tried to
make a tape - just wanted to make sure
that it was the right set and the right
time. I believe that Gene Carbonell was
one of the first people I gave one to.
What were some of the tracks on it?
A lot of white labels . . . I think one
of the tracks was by SuperChumbo - of
Tina Turner's "When the Heartache is over"
& Hani's remix of Chris Isaccs' "Wicked
Game".
How has your creativity and style
changed over the years?
I have bounced from UK Hard House to Funky
Breaks to Progressive Trance . . . I get
bored with the same old sound . . . I
started off with Progressive House and
I have returned to my roots ,but I am
also spinning Progressive Break beat more
in my sets now. I dabble sometimes with
intelligent jungle whenever I get the
itch!
How did you decide which tracks to
include in your new CD "Dream Keeper"?
Putting together any cd is a painstaking
effort but usually worth the while. I
had enough material to make 2 cd's but
decided to space out my music. Alot of
the tracks/songs on the cd are remixes
- believe it or not some of the originals
were too long and I couldn't fit everything
I wanted to put on the cd. Thus, there
will be a part 2 in the latter part of
2004.
What makes it different from the
other CDs out there?
It is an artistic album - not just one
track sounding like the next track - it
ventures into progressive breaks, nu-skool,
downtempo, trance and progressive house.
If you were telling a friend why
they should buy it, what would you say?
As for DJs - you could use many of the
tracks in a live set... as a listener
- it is a worthy buy because you won't
get bored with it.
Do you get hit on when you perform?
All the time - sometimes it is flattering
other times I can get really nervous about
it... I take it in stride however.
What would be a pickup line that
might make you interested?
Since I am not a material girl it wouldn't
be anything that would include cars, money
or jewelry... In all honesty, I have to
say that my husband is the only guy that
makes me light up and respond to "pick
up lines"...
Can people hear any of your music
or mixes online?
So many places, but the best place would
be my website @ www.dj-keri.com
.
What is your goal as a DJ and artist?
I simply want to leave a legacy of great
music behind for people to remember me
by . . . my Uncle Cookie will never be
forgotten for all of the great songs he
wrote . . . "Sea of Love" is still playing
on the radio today . . . whenever I hear
it play it makes me smile.
What would you be doing right now
if you weren't involved with music?
I was a 4th generation nurse - I suppose
that's what I would still be doing if
I hadn't burnt out on it so quickly.
If you weren't performing/DJing,
where would we find you at a club: standing
as close as possible to the DJ, in the
middle of the dance floor, at the bar...
or somewhere else?
I use to dance alot... I still do sometimes
but nowadays you can find in me in the
lounge section chillin' and chattin' it
up with people.
What's the best & worst part about
being interviewed by email?
Best: I have more time to think out my
answers. Worst: You don't get to see my
reaction to your questions . . . you know
the "eyebrow raises" and "giggles" that
some of the questions spark.
Anything else you'd like to say?
I have 2 more CD projects pending right
now with labels in NYC (2K Sounds & Radikal
Records). They will be mixed CDs - one
electro breaks and the other is going
to contain various styles of electronic
music. In the works now is a possible
tour for Playboy to support the 50th anniversary
issue. An appearances is scheduled for
Tele Mundo TV this summer. Staying as
busy as I can while producing new tracks
too... look out for the 12" of "In My
Eyes" by myself & DJ Viro - during the
middle of this summer from Good Pussy
Records/MDI Distribution.
Thanks Keri!!
-- written by Jennifer
Warner
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