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MIKE GIANNINI Bio
Born on the East Coast and raised in Los Angeles, MIKE GIANNINI has been carefully developing his soulful, tribal tech house signature since he was a teenager, eventually becoming entrenched in the Los Angeles underground.
Los Angeles' electronic music culture was especially good to Mike, but in the early 90's he parted from LA to California's Central Coast to escape the smog. His days were spent working out of a dusty mom-and-pop record store called Boo Boo Records, ordering every 12" that he could get his hands on. "I don't think I ever walked home with a paycheck," Mike chuckles. "If it was good, it was comin' home with me..." Quickly, Mike began playing a pivotal role in shaping the sounds and culture of the Central Coast. He began promoting top tracks on local radio stations and playing underground parties. Boo Boo's became the one-stop-shop for DJ's. "To tell the truth," Mike says, "It started with me needing some new needles. Next thing I know, I'm unpacking Technics and boxes of DJ bags, clothing, mixers...you name it..."
You would expect that Mike's sound was influenced by pioneering DJs that he was exposed to throughout the late 80's and early 90's, but that wasn't the case. His true sound was being tuned not from DJs, nor from his buying experience at Boo Boo's, but from his coworkers. "There were long-timers at Boo Boo's who exposed me to music sounds and samples that I had never heard before: Latin acoustics, Salsa, Funk, Spoken Word, Soul, Gospel, Jazz...Without a doubt they changed the way I look at music..."
Invitations to spin at a variety of prestigious SF nightspots have been pouring in since his move to San Francisco in 1998, including world-renowned venues Ruby Skye, Ten15, and Mezzanine. But Mike has always stayed true to his roots, maintaining his distinctive tribal tech recipe by blending funky, tribal, progressive and tech house styles.
SF-based Thump Radio recruited Mike as a resident in 2003, utilizing his talent to produce mixes for Radio shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as XM Radio Channel 80 "The Move". Also in 2003, Mixed Elements, one of San Francisco's premier promotion companies, announced Mike's residency with that organization. In order to bring world-class dance music to the thriving nightlife community in Russia, entertainment group Ray Reason Music began bringing US-based DJ talent to Moscow early in 2004. Ray Reason sought out Mike Giannini for bookings at top Moscow venues in Spring 2004 and Winter 2005. Fall 2004 and 2005 saw Mike's participation in the San Francisco Love Parade, the first ever of its kind in the United States.
Working out of his South of Market-based studio in San Francisco, Mike has produced three new tracks, each a collaboration with other SF-based producers. "Far West", produced with Kramer, is a floor-pounding tribal number with soaring electro synths. "Round That Track", a collaboration with BaLi and John Doe, is a chunky, bouncy rework of Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl". Mike's third production is an upbeat, progressive house tune called "Music Rhythm", which he produced with DRC, and which features DRC's vocals. Mike is currently seeking to release these productions on US and international labels.
Mike packs each DJ set with a good dose of emotion, consistently delivering solid programming and smooth mixing. His sound is chunky, funky and soulful, with a percussive, tech-oriented edge; always uplifting and energetic, with solid kicks and over-sized bass lines.
When asked if he gets nervous before each set, he said, "Sure I get anxious," he pauses, "but, I just look down at my crate, pull my first record, and just start playing..."
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