Untitled Document

This month Vince Patricola (who performs under the nom de plume of "DJ Shortround") launches the print magazine, Detroit Electronic Quarterly, which aims to be a strong global mouthpiece for Detroit's upcoming and established electronic musicians and DJs. Each issue will have interviews, top 10 lists, and other hip culture bits... helping people from around the world to understand more about the music and our city. There's also a Detroit CD sampler with each issue.

Patricola's love affair with electronic music began when he heard Mike Huckaby playing Carl Craig's "The Climax" at Record Time in Roseville back in 1995 or so. Despite not really knowing too much about DJing at the time, he quickly got up to speed. Working and shopping at Record Time also helped him understand more about music and the art of DJing. Sharing a common bond in music, he became friends with other DJs and musicians in the area. "I think the artists here are colorful, talented, fun and cool people to know. Just don't piss them off."

Patricola currently holds residencies at the Town Pump on Sundays (6 years running) and the State Bar on Saturdays. On Fridays he is promoting a night called "Depth", where he brings in guest DJs to spin every week. I also work at Record Time in Ferndale. "My styles vary... depending on the gig. It's usually everything from jazz, lounge, soul, house, and low pressure techno. I'm pretty much a vibe guy... nice volume levels are important."

Patricola took a few minutes during his Sunday night set at the Town Pump to answer thedetroiter.com's famous four questions. (As told to Nick Sousanis)

WHY DETROIT?

Detroit is filled with creative minds. There are a lot of creative people here -- music, photography, layout, design, and more -- so many people are here with those kind of skills, who are all so colorful and so nice. It makes it all worthwhile just knowing the people who are here. That's why they are such valuable commodities overseas and around the world.

Detroit is like a launching pad for successful people.

WHY ELECTRONIC MUSIC?

I just got sick of a lot of the other music that was on the radio and so forth. Electronic music has a lot of really unique elements in it - it's such a creative art form, DJing, the fusion of Jazz, funk, electronic, and the musicianship really make it all worthwhile. It's just more interesting than anything on the radio or any commercial bullshit.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF DETROIT?

It is basically what we make of it.

This is our city.

If we look at things in a positive way instead of looking at things negatively, I think Detroit can be a much better place. If we clean up our own backyards, focus on doing our own things, be influential, and contribute to making things better than when we found it for the coming generations.

I think that Detroit can be something very special.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC?

If people don't quit and just keep plugging away at it, we can keep trying to reach new people and do what we can do to expand this music, it can be something very incredible and a revolution can begin. It already has begun but it can be stronger.

I believe in the future of it.