This interview has been in the works for months, but as Chris Wilson (a.k.a. DJ Soundbwoy) is the hardest working man in the biz, we had to be patient until now. Give him a listen on Soundcloud and it’s clear to see why he’s so in demand. His schedule of shows and projects puts my schedule of procrastination and napping to shame. Not only is he one of the DJ’s of choice for Dudebox‘s famed parties for charity, but he regularly spins Friday nights at either Marben or Nyood and the last Thursday night of every month at Local Co., he has a day job AND he has recently finished a short film…no big deal (check out the teaser here). It looks like there isn’t anything that this dude can’t do. Enjoy.
MADE in 72 Hours: Do you have any tattoos?
DJ Soundbwoy: I do, I have one on my right shoulder. It’s a collage of musical notes and it says ‘Since 1986’. Music is my life since 1986.
MADE: What ’90’s cartoon best describes your life right now? Or which one would you want your life to be right now?
DJ: Hmmm…..I watched so many cartoons it’s hard for me to try and select one. I was a huge fan of Samurai Pizza Cats (laughter) . I liked that whole fun hectic-ness, and that whole ninja stuff. Sometimes I wish I was a ninja, but I’m not. (laughter) My friends always say I’m part Batman part Superman, just because of the DJ [at night] and the day-life that I live. They ask if Chris Wilson showed up or if Soundbwoy showed up. So, that relation gets taken into account sometimes…but I’d say Samurai Pizza Cats, just because I like that cartoon. (laughter)
MADE: What does it mean to be a ‘Wilson’ to you?
DJ: Well for me, I have one brother, so to be a ‘Wilson’ is to be a strong powerful black man in today’s world who is educated, focused, and knows what he wants to get in life.
MADE: Good answer!! What song or artist do you try and put into all of your mixes?
DJ: Al Green. Definitely Al Green. It’s tough because I love soul, but he’s definitely one person that you can catch at some point in the night in one of my mixes. You’ll hear Al Green.
MADE: Finish this sentence, ‘Music fills my soul because …’
DJ: Music fills my soul because it is the answer to all of my problems.
MADE: Oooo, how so? We’ll elaborate on that one. (laughter)
DJ: No matter what mood you’re in, or what issues or anything else that you’re going through in life I feel like there’s always a song that helps to portray that emotion, and it gets my feelings across. No matter what I’m going through there’s always that one song that I can relate to and it kind of makes everything go away for that 4 minutes and 30 seconds or however long that song is.
MADE: You have such good answers! You’ve been practicing haven’t you? (laughter) What was your most embarrassing DJing experience or the worst set that you ever played?
DJ: So, I’ve done a set with my computer and it shut down in the middle. 500 people in there. It sucks when you have the crowd going and everything goes dead silent and there’s nothing really you could do. You have to kind of start over and try to get them back, so that was definitely one of my most embarrassing moments. I mean, other than my birthday, getting really really drunk and hitting the needle off the record. (laughter)
MADE: What one record best describes you?
DJ: It would have to be Michael Jackson’s ‘Rock with You’. I love to dance and enjoy myself, so that record displays how I feel behind the decks when I’m spinning, I kinda have that sway. That would be the one record for me definitely.
MADE: Which 3 movies have you seen most often?
DJ: ‘Man on Fire’ would be one –
MADE: And rate it out of 5 stars!
DJ: Ok, ‘Man on Fire’, and I’d give it 5 stars, I love Denzel and I think that movie, cinematography wise was – like the picture they were able to display, the colours — and the emotion from him, being a cold hearted man to being caring. It was just like a perfect transition. ‘The Usual Suspects’ would be my next one. (nods of approval all around) I’d, ugh it’s hard, I’d give that 5 stars too because I love it so much. Just that whole ‘being able to play with your mind’ aspect as really, really good. And, I’d say ‘Secret Window’ with Johnny Depp, have you seen it? I love Johnny Depp, I think his ability to play so many different characters is amazing, and I’d give that movie probably 4 stars. The other ones are just my all time faves. I watch them any time I can, probably way too much when I should be doing other stuff. (laughter)
MADE: What should fans anticipate from your upcoming shows?
DJ: I’m going through a lot of transitions right now, and learning a lot more about music. Digging deeper and deeper into crates and trying to find new things. They should expect a lot more of a travel, an experience. A ‘musical journey’ is what I like to say. I’m trying to go to different countries and different places around the world and listen to different things, so they should expect off the wall stuff. As long as your mind’s open to having a good time, that will be the experience.
MADE: Finish the sentence “Every time I drink tequila I…”DJ: (laughs)
MADE: You can’t! No one knows what happens!! (laughter)
DJ: Every time I drink tequila I spend a LOT of money and don’t end up in my own bed. (laughter and applause from the MADE crew) That’s a good question. (laughter)
MADE: What was the game changing moment in your career?
DJ: For me I’d have to say — well I don’t think it’s really come yet, but the thing that pretty much puts everything into perspective when I think about it would have to be when I went away to school and kind of met the dudes who have driven me to pursue this career. I went out to Waterloo for school, and didn’t really expect to find what I found there, my mentor, who I look up to, and my manager now, were the 2 dudes who I met there that pretty much gave me the chance to kind of hone my skills and abilities. So if I never when out there, I don’t think things would be at the point that they’re at now. That’s what started and kick drove it. As far as the ‘game changer’ I think I’m still waiting for it. I have such big dreams and big hopes for it, and I think that I’m close to it, but it hasn’t arrived yet.
MADE: Do you have any hidden talents?
DJ: I love to cook, I guess you can consider it a hidden — umm my friends know I can cook too so… I can clean a tub really well. (laughter) I have to thank my Jamaican mother for that. (laughter) And I can do a whole sink of dishes in less than 5 minutes, and they’ll be really, really, really clean. I won’t have to worry about re-washing them. Scrubbing pots and pans. (laughter)
MADE: When was the last time you needed help?
DJ: I think it’s everyday! I try to do a lot in a little time. I wish there were 28 hours rather than 24 hours in a day and I’m constantly trying to ask for help. I try to keep things to myself a lot, which is bad, but I’m trying to ask people and dish things out a little bit more.
MADE: So when was the last time?
DJ: Um, 10 minutes ago. (laughter)
MADE: ‘How do I get to Ocho?’ (laughter) Other than DJing, what is your dream job?
DJ: It would probably be working for a record label, under Jay-Z. (laughter) Having the opportunity to sit in on recording sessions and listening to all the different artists that he works with and comes across. Being able to produce, or have a part in someone’s album.
MADE: What was the last favour you did for someone?
DJ: Hmmm….I ask for help but I don’t give it? (laughter) Um, my buddy called me because he was stressed out because of something that happened and his favour was to ask me to listen to him. It was small, I should be able to do that all the time, but that was his favour.
MADE: What’s the latest thing you’ve learned about your craft?
DJ: Hard work. Hard work pays off. People say it but then when you see it, you put in the hours and you see your peers doing the same thing. A friend recently just won the Red Bull Thre3style, he puts a lot of work into his craft. We work so hard for this and love it so much and love music that sometimes we forget why we do it, but him winning it kinda shows that when you put your mind to it, it actually can turn into something.
MADE: We have one last question, what is the newest thing that you’ve learned about yourself?
DJ: Umm…the latest thing? I’d have to say that I don’t – (laughs) I guess, I thought…
MADE: No need to be diplomatic, just put it out there!
DJ: (laughs) Before I didn’t think so much that I was ready for settling down and finding Ms. Right and the whole getting married and having kids. But as I start to get a little older, I’ve been starting to look at things differently. I think I’m changing.
MADE: That’s wonderful! Aw!!
DJ: I sound sappy but…yeah, that’s the thing that’s changing, going from a badass to a soft cuddly person. (laughter)
