DJ Total Eclipse On Turntableism & Manifest 2016

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With just a week to go until Manifest 2016 we catch up with DJ Total Eclipse who will be throwing down some epic tunes at the festival. Here we find out where serves the best pizza in his native Brooklyn, as well as discussing CD’s vs turntables.

DJ Total Eclipse, how are you and where are you today?
All is good thanks. Living in Brisbane and loving the tropics aka the tropos as one Oz native described.

How is it there?
I’m loving it. I’m from New York where there are 4 seasons of weather to the extreme feel. We have a pleasant Spring, Hot and humid summers, cool autumns and treacherous winters normally. Living in Brisbane is the closest to a florida feel for me personally. With a southern hospitality in a Queensland way.

We’re super excited for Manifest 2016, have you played there before?
I’m super excited as well to play Manifest 2016. I’ve heard so much good things about it that I am ready to experience. Now that have been living in Australia for almost 3 years and now a permanent resident, I am honoured to play along side some great artist on this year’s lineup.

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Manifest 2016 Line-up

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Coming from Brooklyn, where would you say does the best Pizza?
Tony’s Pizza in Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn is still the best pizza ever since my childhood but I did get to experience some really good pizza around the world but could compare. There is a place called Soul Pizza right off Brunswick St in fortitude Valley. That place is amazing!

And where’s the best place for Hip Hop in Brooklyn?
I honestly wouldn’t know where to go in New York for pure Hip Hop Now n’ Days as everyone taste buds are on shuffle but Jarobi White from A Tribe Called Quest has a Restaurant call Ode On Babel that attracts an all-star lineup of great DJ’s from the Hip Hop genre that plays and also have an amazing taco Tuesdays for any taco enthusiast out there.

For people who are visiting NY, what are the 5 things they have to experience whilst there?
For tourism it is a must to take a tour on the Big Apple Bus in Times Square. Visit all Museums including the Hip Hop Museum. Certainly a fairy ride to the Statue Of Liberty. A Hip Hop tour of the Bronx and Manhattan with Grand Master Caz visiting sites where the evolution of Hip Hop began and finally, purchasing a Hotdog from a vender in the City.

Your mixes often chuck in a couple of surprise tracks, why do you do it?
When DJ-ing, I like to cater to the likes of general popular songs playing it in my signature way but breaking new music or obscure songs that people will dig in a seamless mix is stimulating and self satisfying for me as a DJ. It is the thing along side turntablism that keeps me grounded to want to created and add more to my style.

How do you go about selecting what you’ll play at a show?
Just knowing songs by sets usually helps sustain a vibe throughout from the 1st to last track. I don’t usually take requests from people simply from the reasons of them not being a DJ. Most requests has nothing to do with what a DJ is playing at the moment so I as a DJ would decide to take that request, they would usually trainwreck the vibe they were creating which brings them back to square one as a result.

How many records do you have in your collection?
I can’t answer that really but for Vinyl, I have over 30 creates in the States. Digitally I don’t really know. Maybe 4 times the amount of files than I have on Vinyl. It’s a tough question to ask but interesting at the same time. Certain Vinyl records are extent to the modern day population for particular edits that where made and was never released online. The reason I miss my record collection which I try to upload to an mp3 as much as I can when visiting my storage space back in the States.

Do you stay true to turntablism or are you a fan of bringing in computers for live shows?
Turntablism is all translatable with what ever device you like to use rather it is CDJ’s or Turntables. The digital aspect is part of the evolution. Laptops are used by DJ’s in every type of genre. It’s all about your weapon of choice on how you DJ. I myself use Turntables and a Laptop for my source of music.

How do you source the music you play?
Most of my source is cross genre when it comes to my general sets. Open format works for me as the general population listens to different genre of music. I for one come from Hip hop / Turntablism that consist of scratching and BeatJuggling which I apply to my open format style sets. A fun unpredictable and spontaneous element of surprise if your not educated about me.

Where’s the best record shop in NY?
There are a few Vinyl stores that are left. A1 records on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and Academy Records closer towards midtown on 18th St. The rest I can’t remember where the are located unless I’m physically in the city by knowing the location by memory. Besides, I wouldn’t want to give you all the secret spots for vinyl shops anyway. I haven’t shopped much for vinyl as of late but if I’m with friends that’s fellow DJ’s, it is certainly something to do.

What first made you want to become a DJ?
The energy that a DJ brings to people at a party. DJ-ing is one of the most powerful skills to learn in the world. Opportunities await if you practice, passionate and dedicated enough to take it to a professional level. I have a DJ school called Generation X here in Brisbane. For any inquires please contact me at [email protected], or follow me on social media on Instagram.com/djtotaleclipse, twitter or facebook.com/djtotaleclipse.

Thanks so much for your time and we look forward to seeing you at Manifest 2016!

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