Ron Minor doesn’t have skeletons in his closet, but he does have records in his basement.
And just like a relic of the past creeping into the present, the records in Minor’s basement play only a small role in his current life. As DJ Indiana Jones, one of the city’s most well-known and established DJ’s, Minor has, like so many old-school music masters, switched from vinyl to digital DJ-ing to keep up with — and ahead of — the young talent constantly nipping at his heels.
But Minor isn’t too worried.
“We’re as old-school as you get around here,” he said, standing above his household turntables, a poster of Run DMC on the wall behind him. “I’ve been doing this professionally since 1983.”
But the DJ game is different than in 1983, when Minor began spinning records around Indianapolis with high school buddy Alan Roberts, or DJ Top Speed.
Namely, the heavy, bulky crates of vinyl records that were necessary for a successful DJ gig are no longer needed — computer software like Serato Scratch Live enables a DJ to store enough music on a hard drive to play shows for months without repeating a note. Minor brings more than 40,000 songs to every gig. But though such technology may sound like the saving grace of DJs — and their backs — not everyone is so happy.
Seth Nichols has been running Love Vinyl Records since 2001. The mostly online store (he does sell some vinyl to locals from home) includes more than 15,000 records, and about 80 percent of his sales are to DJs around the world. To Nichols, digital killed the analog star, as it did the video and radio star. With many DJs relying solely on pre-created computer mixes, Nichols believes the art of DJ-ing is easily lost.
“You’ll have guys that show up with a computer only. It’s just boring,” said Nichols. “There’s no room for error, so it’s not really a performance. It’s like they’re playing a video game, not actually DJ-ing. (Spinning vinyl) is just a truer representation of skill level.”
Since debuting in 2004, Scratch Live, the software from New Zealand-based company Serato, has become the go-to product for digital DJs. The program acts as a simulated turntable, using mp3 audio but still requiring DJs to match up the beats of songs for seamless transitions.
While many former vinyl DJs have embraced Scratch Live and use both media in tandem, the tendency to use computer programs as a crutch without skill to back it up has plagued DJ culture, say local pros.
DJ Shiva, a 14-year veteran of the Indy scene, has bridged the gap from vinyl to digital.
“I come from punk rock originally,” he said. “I’ve always said the beautiful thing about punk rock is that everyone can get a guitar and play. And the worst thing about punk rock is that everyone can get a guitar and play. The same thing applies to DJs.
“(Digital software) has made an influx of new DJs. I love it when people get excited about music, but you should pay your dues.”
Named after the Hindu God representing destruction and progression, Shiva said that in DJ terms her moniker means “finding the newest, freshest sound and moving forward.” She keeps her real name, however, shrouded in secrecy.
“It’s all got to do with your history. I’ve gotten a lot of guff for using new technologies, but I’ve proven myself on the turntables,” she said. “If anybody wants me to, I’ll do it. Then they can cry and we’ll be done.”
Though easy access to digital music and software has caused an influx in the DJ market, the importance of skills over medium is still emphasized, especially when buying vinyl isn’t light on the wallet.
“A house music single can !be eight to 12 or 15 dollars. Each record will usually hold two or four tracks — so unless you’re playing multiple tracks on the same record, you could spend $100 just for an hour of music,” said Jack Shepler (DJ name: Jackola), who DJs at Therapy Nightclub and uses both vinyl and Serato.
While the medium has changed rapidly in the past few years, the purpose of the DJ has, and will, remain the same, said 39-year-old Minor.
“A DJ is someone who performs, who mixes music live, who has a great conversation with the crowd,” he said while flipping through scrapbooks of past projects with acts like Atmosphere, Sir Mix A Lot and KRS-ONE.
“My buddies are stuck behind a desk — they’re not happy,” he said. “I’m a DJ, the hustler of culture.”
