Ep 188 - PARRIS - House Mix - Starlight Thursdays Episode 188

Starlight Thursdays Episode 188 featuring PARRIS. Let’s give him a warm welcome to the series. It’s always exciting to feature a DJ we haven’t before. He has an amazing mixing style and I just can’t get enough of it. I’m sure you guys will enjoy digging into this one.

What’s your DJ name? - PARRIS, its my last name

How long have you been DJing? - About 15 years. Although I took a 3 year break and came back to it in July of 2022.

Why did you get into it? - I was working at a bar and I had a friend that was a DJ who told me he thought I had good taste in music and that I should give it a shot. So after he would DJ at the bar, we would after party at his house and I learned on Serato using control vinyl and Tech 12’s. I instantly fell in love with it and bought myself a DJ controller. It was a Vestax VCI-300 if I remember right. With an FX processor. At the same time I was doing security for Music Lives Here shows and got to play my first shows with them.

What events have you played? - I’ve played many of the Music Lives Here events around the state as well as most of the bars in downtown Bozeman. Pirate Party always stands out, but lots of other festivals. As of late, I’ve been playing at the Zebra in downtown Bozeman. In Fact, my next live gig is there, Dec 16th, with Red Velvet and Forrest.

Where do you live? - I live in a very small town on the Rocky Mountain front called Choteau. I’m only here until next spring and then I’ll probably
move to Helena. Its very quiet in Choteau. I don’t have a lot of friends here, so I’ve turned to artistry and creativity with all my free time. I work with music and wood.

Where are you from originally? - It’s hard to say. I grew up moving around a lot. My dad was in the Navy, so I spent a lot of time in San Diego. He was a recruiter in Missoula for 4 years though, and when he retired, we moved outside of Great Falls, MT. I was 16 at the time. So I finished school in Montana before going into the military myself.

What inspires you to DJ? - Music is magical. It can alter your mood.pDistract you from things. If you make music, you can be creative with it. I’m not great at producing music yet, but I’m a great DJ. So finding, ordering, manipulating, and blending songs together allows me to unleash the greatness within. I like to think we all have at least one thing we’re good at, mine is DJing. That might sound a little vain or egotistical,
but I have a lot of practice at something I’m passionate about, and I feel the time I put into a mix really shines through.

What inspires you about electronic music culture? - This will probably date me a bit, but the idea of PLUR was always very appealing to me. Especially the Unity. I feel I just fit in with the people that enjoy EDM culture. I think we all search for a sense of belonging and that’s where I found it.

What Genres are in your mix? - This mix is House, Bass House, and Tech House. But I mix all kinds of music. My favorite mix on my Soundcloud is called, Decompression Session. It’s mostly late 90’s trip hop with a little pop sprinkled in. Its super chill.

A few words about your mix? - I put hours into this mix. It’s about as flawless as I can make something sound. I hope you enjoy it. My favorite song in the mix is at 28:37, Diplo & Walker & Royce Feat. Channel Tres - Diamond Therapy. I like the feel of Hip Hop with a House beat. I have a few songs in the mix that are like that. And my favorite transition starts at 40:42. I just really like the way the phrasing of the two songs lined up
perfectly in the mix.

For more of PARRIS’s amazing mixes check out @parris1