Cevin Fisher Interview

June 20, 2006

If you don’t know the man behind such classic house tracks as “The Freaks Come Out”,”House Is A Feeling” and “House Music”, well then, your about to.

His name is Cevin Fisher and he started out dj’ing at his fathers clubs and local college parties when he was a teenager. His first real gig was a basement party in East Orange NJ. After spending some time on the decks and gaining some experience, he landed a residency at Club Zanzibar. Club Zanzibar was one of the leading spots for the garage house music scene during it’s time. Tony Humphries was the resident at the time and influenced young Cevin’s sound. Also responsible influencing his sound is Francois K of Zanzibar and Studio 54 along with Larry Levan of the Paradise Garage. It was there, at Zanzibar that Cevin got his chance to really showcase his personality through his sets. During that same time he also started his remixing skills in the studio. Danny Tenaglia was the one who convinced him to pursue more original work, and in 1996 Cevin created “The Way We Used To” (Maxi Records). Two years later he made the single “The Freaks Come Out”. The song landed him into his current position as a DJ and producer, one that is well into the hierarchy of the dance music world. Fast forward eight years and I’m calling Cevin for this interview. Cevin picks up on the third ring and after a few minutes of introductions we start the interview.

Cevin Fisher has a story to tell. And your the one who he wants to tell it to.

So Cevin, how long ago did you start dj’ing and where did you get your start?
I started DJ’ing at one of my fathers clubs “Tingles” in NJ.

Who would you say influenced you in regards to your sound?
Well, I was first influenced by DJ Danny and later Larry Levan, Tony Humphries and also Francois K.

Where did you get your first experience as a DJ?
I first started at neighborhood parties , school parties , wedding receptions , college parties . Yeah my first real gig was a basement party in East Orange NJ.

You used to play at club Zanzibar, it was the mecca for the garage scene. What was that like?
Well Zanzibar was a special club in NJ it was the closest thing to the Paradise Garage. It had the best sound system in NJ at the time. It was a Richard Long system. The place rocked!

Two words that would describe your sound would be?
Tribal and Soulful.

What labels do you keep a look out for?
Well ever since I stopped using vinyl it’s really hard to say. I get a lot of one off tracks sent to me. I do love labels like Stealth and Stereo.

“House Is A Feeling” stays in my bag. You can hear the influences of Leven and Humphries in it. I have to know how you make such a great track?
“House is A Feeling” was created by me and my partner Cliff St. Cyr at Hardtrax Records. I found an old gospel tape of my moms, and it had some great samples which totally motivated me to come up with the concept.

What’s Cevin Fishers top 5 records, all time?
Ribbon In The Sky
Imagine
Better When We’re Together
Ooh Mama Mama
Music Is The Way I Live

If there is one track that you could remix, which one would it be?
“Music Is The Way I Live”

How do you prepare for a gig?
I usually start one week before. Just getting all my downloads together and mixing at home.

And how do you pack your bag?
Well I usually pack according to the gig)s) I am playing .. So there’s a lot of shuffling of CD’s, I would say I sort them by genre.

What’s your favorite club?
Pacha New York.

Where do you get your music from?
Luckily, I get a lot of music directly from the labels and promotion companies. I also use Beatport.

If you could tag team with another DJ who would it be?
I’m not really a big fan of tag teaming , I have done it before after a complete set. But I would have to say me and my friend Hector Romero.

Opening DJ’s. Love them or hate them?
I think opening DJ’s is a great idea, because you give a shot to someone trying to get noticed .There’s definitely an art to it, if done properly, it should set the
next DJ up and keep the flow of the night going.

Who’s your favorite DJ?
I have a few and it would be to hard to say who is my favorite. So here’s a list:
Danny Tenaglia, Roger Sanchez, Louie Vega, Tony Humphries, Junior Vasquez. These are the DJ’s I grew up listening to. I love to hear a lot of the new guys
as well.

Any words to the up and coming DJ’s?
If you love what you do and your patient, the sky is the limit.

How do you tackle your work in the studio?
Well my day usually starts in the studio creating or remixing. I do it in spurts. I still don’t like to force it, so I sometimes move from project to project.

Any favorite program or gear you like to use?
Well I am a big fan of Logic , Protools, Trilogy, Atmosphere and Stylus Rmx to name a few.

I heard a rumor about you doing your own label, give us the dirt.
Yes, I will be launching my own label “Limelight Recordings” this summer.

Any words for the people who have supported you?
Indeed, I would like to say thanks to each and everyone who played my records and or just danced to my music over the years. It’s been a long crazy ride and
we’re just getting started.

Anything else we should know?
I have also started a residency at Pacha NYC and can be seen there on a monthly basis.

Cevin goes back to his work in his studio and I thank him for his time. Between starting his own record label, his work in the studio and having a residency at one of New Yorks premier clubs, Cevin is one busy guy. You can check Cevin’s website for updates on his production work and DJ schedule. His next apperance at Pacha is Friday June 30th with Angel Moraes.

www.cevinfisher.com

Interview by - Jon Viera

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