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Last Updated:
Apr 29th, 2008 - 11:48:51 |
Miguel Migs
The House That Soul Built
When the impulsive beats and smooth melodies of Miguel Migs’ cultured electronic jams transcend across the dance floor, hovering above the audience at a soulful frequency native to the northern California mountains, you’ll want to move your sweaty body until the bartender announces last call. But make no mistake about it — Migs creates music to oblige his own force and passion, drawing from the constant wave of inspiration that comes along with traveling the world with nothing more than a crate of records. The key to his international amount of success has always been playing it by ear, enveloping every facet of spontaneity into his studio productions and live performances.
When Migs is at the helm of the DJ booth, one night at the club can easily become an evening spent exploring the global elements of sound and rhythm. His inspirations are drawn from his adolescent years growing up in Santa Cruz, where all types of music collide into one colossal bundle and are spit back out into a healthy nightlife never short on clubs and venues. His parents often played catalysts to his pivotal moments in musical development, like the time his mother brought home a “funky, old guitar” from a Santa Cruz flea market. “My parents were kind of laidback hippies and were into all sorts of music, so I grew up going to a lot of concerts and festivals,” says Migs who, at the time of the interview, was getting ready to embrace the humid desert conditions of Coachella and enjoy the festival as part of the audience instead of as a performer. “After I picked up a guitar and discovered my own love for music, the progression into electronic music came naturally.”
Migs’ first intoxicating taste of performing in front of a live audience came early, due in part to his role in Zion Sounds as lead guitar player. The worldly tempo, measure and cadence that fueled Zion Sounds was noticed by the likes of early-‘90s reggae heroes Burning Spear, and the group began to occupy their weekends playing the club scene in and around Santa Cruz. “In those days, the excitement came from making a little bit of money and barely getting by,” explains Migs. Last year, as Migs’ desire to perform with a live band once again blossomed, the eight-piece mega outfit known as Petalpusher was concocted. Featuring Jude Gold (Associate Editor of Guitar World magazine) and super producer Tim K, the young group has already had the pleasure of performing with the likes of Stevie Nicks, Lenny Kravitz and Billy Joel. “I definitely want to keep pursuing live music,” says Migs, “but the reality of it is timing — when I’m touring as a DJ full-time and producing on the side, I’ve got to be careful not to spread myself too thin.”
The art of performing electronic music can be a tedious, mechanical act often void of soul and personality, but Migs brings to the table a level of thrill and fervor that habitually separates his technique from the rest. “Performing as a DJ is a way of self-expression like any other art form, and a good DJ will always mix live entertainment into the fold,” explains Migs. “It’s always going to be a little different, and it’s always going to be fresh and new to me. Whether or not I’m contributing to the electronic music scene, I’m always trying to paint my own picture with [my art].” Since his rise to the top, Migs has always had his eye on the electronic music capital of the world: “I always keep in mind the aspect of exploration in the house music that comes from Detroit." | RDW
Miguel Migs • 5/4 • V Lounge
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