NYC by Lio: Carlos D of Interpol
by Lio | 00.00.0000

Many people only know Carlos D as the bass player in that band Interpol. You know, the one with the guys and the instruments and stuff? Yeah, that band. But Carlos' strong love for music and a healthy nightlife stretches into dimensions more distant from the dark post-punk yearnings and romantic overtones of Interpol. On many a late night (or early morning) you could wander into a dank New York bar or a black-eyeliner-smeared club and catch him spinning records, eyes glowing like he's some sort of evil DJ demon. With an insatiable thirst for music like his, Filter just had to track the man down between sets. In this interivew, Carlos D talks about the records he loves, the band we love, and what makes DJing so much damn fun.

Carlos, I know you've been playing in Interpol for some time now, but how long have you been djing?

I've actually been dj'ing pretty much as long I've been playing in Interpol, which basically means since college--which basically means for a while since I'm an old fart. I was always into college radio and one of the first things I did when I entered NYU was get involved at the radio station WNYU. I had my own specialty goth show for a while. That would then translate into spinning out at bars and clubs.

Where and when was your first dj gig?

It was at a club called Mother (now Filter 14), at a goth/industrial/fetish night called Click & Drag. Chi Chi Valenti and Johnny Dynell ran that club and they were celebutantes, like living legends, so it was an honor for me, especially since they were so friendly. I was this dorky college kid in goth attire with no mutual acquaintances or history, but they gave me a chance anyway. Johnny even taught me how to match beats and how to pay attention to the crowd and stuff, and that's a mighty lesson from him since he was a legendary house dj in the '80s. James Galus, then known as DJ Saint James used to spin mean ass shit every Saturday there. Now he manages Mindless Self Indulgence.

You play a lot of post-punk, new wave, and electro when you dj. Is that your main dj set focus?

It kind of is because they're the most tasteful genres that I can think of that will get people cutting some rug. I'm not that into dance music per se, nor are the kids that dance at the places I frequent. I think every good dj has to be a people pleaser. I am often irritated by djs that try to impose their tastes on crowds. But I do think there's a way to challenge people's tastes and get them into dancing at the same time. That's a tough one and it's fine tightrope a good dj has to walk.

What other kind of music do you like to play?

I am hugely into what 2 Many DJ's do because of the following: one second you're dancing to "Seven Nation Army," then all of a sudden you're shaking your ass to some remix by Felix Da Housecat, and whoops, now you're dancing to the Supremes. That's what makes them geniuses, because they erode the genre lines through sheer and simple dj skill. I try to do that in my own humble, less technically proficient way and when I do feel like steering away from post-punk and electro I tend to gravitate to classic country, metal, classic rock and Neil Diamond.

What are some of your favorite songs of the moment?

It used to be "Hey Ya!" [by Outkast] but now that shit is played out. "Effigy" by Ministry. "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes (yes that's played out too), "Still in Love Song" by the Stills, "Rumble" by Link Wray, "Stand by Your Man" by Tammy Wynette, "Stranger" by Clan of Xymox.

Every dj has some songs that he feels really gets a crowd going? What songs do you get the largest response from?

When "Hey Ya!" came out--and even the decayed carcass of the Pope's grandma was shaking her booty to that song--I used to play it and it would turn a Monday night game of Bingo at the Local 143 into a Saturday night at the Hacienda circa 1988. I mean even the bartenders stopped serving and would jump over the counters beelining it to the dancefloor. It was kind of ridiculous. What are you going to follow up with after such a deluge of feet stomping? It's like headlining a show and having Led Zeppelin open up. No matter what I used to play afterwards, nothing ever compared, and half the dancefloor would leave and that would kill the vibe so I don't spin that song anymore. Traditionally, however, the biggest hits out of my sets are "Go!" by Tones On Tail, "Transmission" by Joy Division, and "World in My Eyes" by Depeche Mode. Without a doubt.

What are some of the places that you have djd at that spark good times/memories?

My fondest dj memories are at Lit. I used to spin every Friday night before Interpol started touring and the audience definitely grew adjusted to what I would regularly spin and what I would introduce. It was such a great vibe (and still is) so I try to spin there when I can. Justine throws the party and does a wonderful job promoting it. The space is so dungeonesque and cramped but that gives the party an edge that most really, really enjoy. Thank God that place exists.

Besides djing, what have been some of the best parties around the world that you have been to?

Without a doubt, Trash in London is the best party in the world but everybody knows that. Erol Alkin djs there and I'm not even going to go into extolling the virtues of what he has done. He is way beyond anything I could ever do and it's 'cause of dudes like him and 2 Many DJs that I sometimes think I should stop dj'ing. It's just that I have too much fun doing it. Tee hee.

As far as I can remember you're normally a night owl. What are your favorite hours of the night to dj?

2:00am to 4:00am and/or beyond. That's when everybody's toasty and have tired of posturing in favor of actually having fun. That's when you can get away with making people dance to "Desiree" by Neil Diamond.

What is the longest time that you have djd?

When I would dj every now and then at Black and White they would only book me for the night and I would have to start at 10:00pm and go on until 4:00am, so I guess that's six hours. I love doing that shit though. By the third hour you're so in the zone that you feel like you can levitate.

Any secrets to being able to dj so late at night?

Hmmm... tequila!

Some djs/artists have a special ritual that they do before performing. Is there something that you do in order to prepare for your set?

Yeah. I down a shot of Petron Silver, chase it with a Stella Artois, drink a tequila sunrise, down another Stella, then another shot of Petron, and carry my final Stella into the dj booth with me.

I have seen a lot of djs use all sorts of methods (CDs, vinyl, mp3's). What is your favorite format? What do you think of each?

Vinyl is the only format I dj in. Once my dj partner Dana was quite insistent that I include a certain song that belonged to her in my set but she only had it on CD so I stepped away from the mixer to give her room so that she would insert the CD and mix it in. That's how much of a Nazi I am about that shit. Not to overly reference 2 Many DJs, but look at what they do: it sounds like someone's remixing originals but they don't use one iota of technology outside of a pitch shifter on a Technics 1200 and eqs and effects on the mixer. It's amazing and it goes to show the flexibility of vinyl. I take a look at those cd players that simulate the pitch shifting of turntables and I always keep a bucket right next to me for my vomit. I know that sounds harsh and I ain't coming down on people who use CDs, but I guess I myself am a bit of a purist. I think it's been scientifically proven that people are more likely to dance to a certain song if they hear it on vinyl as opposed to a CD. And anyone knows that the bass is richer on vinyl.

Playing records that you love for other people is a sort of special treat. what does djing mean to you? What makes it so much fun?

It's a little bit of narcissism: forcing other people to listen to my taste in music and such. Seeing people dancing their tits off and chanting along to music that I have selected is a fucking rush. There's nothing more depressing than an uncharismatic dj set at a blase, unmotivating evening. But there are those times once in a while when I tell myself "ahhh... this is why I cart these fucking heavy ass records all over the place with me." Like that one time at 5:00am when I had everyone at Lit dancing to Neil Diamond or that other night in Philly when I had the entire place screaming "Send Me An Angel" by Real Life. It feels good.

Have you even been djing somewhere when one of the other djs played an Interpol song? If so, how do you feel about hearing one of your own songs being played in a club?

If a dj knows that I play in the band, sees that I'm there, and then plays an Interpol song, then I think he or she is a tool. It's really uncomfortable and distracting to be in a bar and have that happen. I understand it if they didn't know that any of us were there. That's OK, of course. I also think it is unprofessional for a dj I am partnering with through the course of a night to spin Interpol. If I dj'ed with Nick Zinner I wouldn't play Maps in my set like I normally do. I would forego it.

Lastly, when can the rest of us (djs and fans) expect some new Interpol songs? Are there any new surprises brewing up in your camp that we should be looking out for?

We just finished touring for the first album. Finally. After going into my hibernation chamber for a couple of weeks, we're going to finish up all the new material and get straight into the studio. We're looking for a September/October 2004 release date. And yes, of course, there are oodles of surprises.