London’s Spencer Parker is one of the latest to link up with DJs For DRC. Since rising on the scene just four years ago, Mr. Parker has had a successful string of releases for labels like Rekids, NRK, Tsuba, and Arearemote. Now a Berlin resident, Spencer is working on his first artist album among several other projects which he discusses below in this brief Q&A. He will donate half his fee from a secret forthcoming date at Jaded, London.

How did you first hear about the DJs For DRC project? Your Rekids labelmate Luke Solomon has also participated.

I was speaking to Jay about records and stuff – as we usually do : )
and I asked him what he’d been doing recently and he gave me the lowdown. I was aware of the project but didn’t have all the facts so i was interested to know more.

What are your thoughts on art/music as a standalone aesthetic entity, versus a tool that can be used to influence the world around it?

I think a lot of good things have been done using music as the driving force – just look at Live Aid for example. So, although i don’t really feel music or art can be produced solely to help people – they can obviously be used as a powerful, and, most importantly, very emotive tool…

What can we expect from you in 2010?

I’ve just remixed “Terris” by Alex Tepper and Paul Harris, which is coming soon on Rekd Records (a sub label of Rekids). I’ve also recently finished a remix of James Teej’s excellent “Seven Day Mend” track on Rekids as well as completing remixes for International Deejay Gigolos, Junior Boys Own, Buzzin’ Fly, Crosstown Rebels and Tsuba Records. In the past month or so I have also released EPs on both NRK and Area Remote and in 2010 I will finish recording and release my debut album which will feature some really amazing collaborations that I can’t really talk about right now, mainly because I haven’t thought them up yet… Other than that I’ll continue to play at parties like Lessizmore, clubs like Panorama Bar and far-flung cities like Tokyo, Paris and New York (all scheduled again for 2010).

Loco Dice was one of the first DJs to join up with our cause, and naturally so, as he shares so much in common with DJs For DRC founder Jay Haze. They both bring hip-hop attitude into the world of electronic dance music, and they strongly respect each other as DJs, having played many parties together. On all his commercially released mix CDs, Loco Dice has included a track by Jay or from TuningSpork Records. Dice is also the man behind Desolat, the label that last year released Jay’s Mama Coca EP, and most recently Dice’s own single-sided, limited edition 12”. Having traveled the world, he is no stranger to social injustice, so was happy to be a part of our project and answer a few questions about it…

Which gig have you chosen to donate half your money toward DJs For DRC? Was there any thought behind why you picked this night in particular?

I have chosen A Desolat Loft Party, Ludwigshafen, on 21.11.09 and I’ll donate my whole fee from that night. There was no particular reason to chose that one but my Loft parties are always nice, packed with amazing crowd and good friends – it feels right to let them also participate on this project.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement, and why? Many clubbers go out as a form of escape, and don’t want to spend their leisure time thinking about tragic realities, such as violence and hunger in the Congo.

Well… I can agree with that as much as with the statement “many people in general don’t want to spend their leisure time thinking about tragic realities, such as violence and hunger in the Congo.” But the fact is that our scene is full of committed and open minded people! This initiative is coming from our scene and I’m proud of it.

Aside from the situation in the Congo, is there an injustice in the world that you especially empathize with, and would perhaps like to help spread the word about here?

We can spend the word about many issues here – war crimes, genocide, climatic changes, pollution and so on – but we live in a part of the world where information is available and I hope that people will use it, think about it and contribute something right to a world we’re leaving behind for our children.

You recently did a remix of “Beep Beep Beep” by Tiga, who was coincidentally the first DJ to join our cause. Your and Tiga’s sounds don’t exactly overlap with one another, so how did this remix project come about?

Tiga and I are good old friends and the idea of doing something together was there for a long time. And then Tiga had a track at a right time and I thought that I can do something with it!

Aside from that remix, so far this year you’ve released two mix CDs and a single-sided 12″. What else can we look forward to from Loco Dice (or your label Desolat) before the year’s end?

Desolat will release a 2×12″ by Guti (”Las cosas que no se tocan”), a very talented musician from Argentina, there will be a sampler by the end of the year, Martin Buttrich is finishing his first solo album and there will definitely be some new Loco Dice music soon. Also, we’re always looking for new exciting music and we never know what’s on the next demo CD we just received.

The special guest for next weekend’s event at T-Bar, London, has just been revealed! Thanks to Luke Solomon for donating half his DJ fee towards victims in the Congo.

The Times recently ran an article titled ‘The party philanthropists’, also duplicated at the Times Online as ‘Philanthropic hedonism and cool charity parties’. They highlighted Jay Haze as one of the “DJs, celebs, and bands sexing up fund-raising”. Here’s an excerpt:

Recently, the Berlin-based and creatively credible DJ Jay Haze decided to give all the proceeds from his latest mix album, Fabric 47, and 50% of his income from a four-month tour, to relief efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His understanding of the political situation there is as deep as his passion for highlighting its complex ills. Despite this, he says: “We don’t really feel the need to advertise that the gigs are for charity — we don’t want to kill the hedonistic vibe.”

Jay Haze and Tim Rustow, plus a surprise special guest DJ, will play at T-Bar, London, on the 8th of October. All DJs will donate half their fee toward DJs for DRC, and compulsory donations — of any amount at the discretion of each guest — will be taken at the door.

Tiga is one of the first DJs to join DJs for DRC. Tiga is the boss of Turbo Recordings and has also released singles, albums, remixes and mix compilations for a number of other well respected labels like !K7, NovaMute, DFA and BPitch. He is currently touring in support of his new album Ciao! and single “Beep Beep Beep”, both available from PIAS/Different. While DJs for DRC requests a participating DJ to donate half their fee from any one gig, Tiga went above and beyond and decided to give away his fee in full. And this isn’t Tiga’s first foray into charity: for example, last year he designed a T-shirt for H&M’s Fashion Against AIDS. DJs for DRC asked him a few questions in advance of his appearance at the Electric Zoo electronic music festival in NYC.

What initially attracted you to DJs For DRC?

I remember reading a press release for a CD Jay Haze was working on, and it mentioned he was supporting the cause. I was actually quite surprised and impressed to see ANY DJ doing anything philanthropic, and I was moved to contact him. I have always been very interested in Africa, and specifically African history and post-colonial development, and I wanted to get involved. The fact that I liked his music and label helped seal the deal.

Were you aware of what’s happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before you heard about this project?

I had a general understanding of the situation, and a pretty good understanding of the history (at least as a Belgian colony). Essentially like many people I know how many problems exist…. and I also am ignorant to the real extent. I plan on learning much more; and ideally not only thru books.

You’ll donate half your DJ fee from your appearance at NYC’s Electric Zoo toward DJs For DRC. Do you plan to do anything else at the festival to raise awareness?

I’m changed my mind, and I’m now goingto give my whole fee. I don’t have any more plans for THAT festival, but I do plan on continuing to give a portion of future shows to charity. Ideally, I just want to set up a foundation that gives a significant amount of all earnings to a few causes. As a DJ, I feel very genererously rewarded for what I do, and I can afford to share.

Why do you suppose there is little history of philanthropy in the global club scene? Do you think it will always be that way?

It’s a good question, and one that i think about. If I look at myself as an example, I think it comes down to being lazy and feeling isolated. I really feel if there were some organized systems in place, especielly though the promoters and agents (ie the touring revenue), then most working DJs and artists would be glad to contribute. I feel the global nature of DJing, the fact that you fly into countries and TAKE money, makes it even more natural to give back. The fact is that dance music, nightlife culture and much of modern youth culture have become quite apolitical, especielly nightlife land: it’s a massive industry that somehow exists outside the mainstream when it comes to any kind of real philanthropy. I think it could change easily.

The money earned from this project goes to victims of violence and hunger in the Congo. If you were to start your own charity, what situation would you aim to improve?

Specifically I would like to help displaced children and women. I find the sexual violence that is so widespread in African conflict zones truly disturbing, and it’s shocking how little airtime it gets, and how little priority it receives. I’m quite tough about the world, but this aspect is genuinely horrific and heartbreaking.

www.tiga.ca