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“Music
soothes my soul and releases my mind” are the spiritual
words of DJ Shellac, a person
who has been around
music his entire life. Shellac, whose real name is
James Jones Jr., has officially been a DJ since the mid
80’s, but was introduced to the concept of arranging and
changing sounds to his perception by his father James Sr.
earlier than that. Listening to his father on weekends making
custom tapes for friends of all types of R&B, Soul, Jazz,
and Blues began the journey. This concept fused with the
countless hours of listening to the pioneers of mixing helped Shellac
to tune his ears to the art.
Shellac
had many influences and mentors as he learned how to DJ
growing up on the South Side of Chicago. “I used to just sit
and watch in awe as cats like Hugo Hutchinson, Wayne Williams,
Mike Dunn, Cochese, and Devastating Darryl mixed and made
edits in my friend Ted’s basement”. They taught Shellac
how to mix and not just play records so you always kept the
crowd hyped. “My biggest thing was being able to blend and
these guys made sure I understood that.” Listening to
countless hours of radio shows like WBMX, WNUR, WKKC, WCRX,
and later WGCI where legends like the Hot Mix 5, Steve Hurley,
Frankie Knuckles, Walter “Get Down” Brown, and others made
Shellac realize “This is what I am destined to do”.
Going to parties at the Muzic Box, Bizmark Hotel, and the
Hotel Continental to hear masters like Ron Hardy and Lil
Louis, gave a clear understanding to Shellac of what it
took to elevate the crowd.
As
a student at Southern Illinois University, Shellac became
one of the top DJ’s as he did a majority of the local
parties and venues around the campus. He had a regular spot as
a DJ on the campus radio station, WIDB, and also started a
famed weekly mix show with their own version of the Hot Mix 5.
Shellac has worked in many different places and cities
like the Cotton Club, Seagulls and La Mirage in Chicago, First
Ave and the Qwest in Minneapolis, various venues in Memphis,
and many private affairs.
“I
have played in many different places playing all types of
music, I even DJ’d a country western prom once, but my
passion has always been to play house music.” Shellac, who
is one of the founders that established Infinite Soundz back
in 1993 (www.infinitesoundz.com),
not only DJ’s at clubs, private parties, and other venues
but is producing his own music along with collaborations and
remixes with others in the industry. The Infinite Soundz
organization, comprised of brother AJ Regal and cousin KJ,
are now working hard to expand their talents into the realms
of house, R&B, and hip hop production.
“No
matter what I do in life and where I go music will always
guide my spirit because God placed it in my life for a
reason”……….DJ
Shellac
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