How’s it going?: DJ NU-Mark
How are you? How are things going for you right now?
I’m concerned and I don’t feel safe with this current administration guiding our country during this pandemic….they’re embarrassing to me. My pops isn’t well at the moment but I’m making the best of each day and saying positive things out loud while surrounding myself with new music.
What are some of the key pieces of gear in your arsenal to help you stay active through this period, and why?
Ableton Live, Push, Technics 1200 turntables and the Pioneer S9 mixer. I’ve utilized my vintage microphones for my new drum pack series “Crate Expectations”. I’m making beats and sound designing every day non stop.
What are your top 3 watches right now? Movies, TV shows, Documentaries. Anything.
The Rainman Sisters, Honey Boy and Ozark (all seasons).
What’s your secret in staying productive and getting stuff done when you’re just around home all day?
My work flow hasn’t changed a bit. Actually, I’ve worked everyday straight for the last two weeks developing more drum sounds for my upcoming Platinum Drum Pack bundle with Ableton and I’m two songs away from finishing another production project. The secret is that I wrote down my goals for projects to release in 2020 and each day I try to make the best of my current project.
What would your advice be to younger DJs/producers who are struggling to find a direction and feel a bit lost through this period?
Work on what you want to express to the world as if it were a personal conversation. I treat my projects more like “bucket list” goals I want to attain before I leave earth. When I think about my music in those terms it makes it easier when a project doesn’t connect with the audience and incredibly rewarding when it does! Either way, I’ve expressed what matters to me as a Producer / DJ in that specific period of creation.
How do you think this period is going to impact the DJ community in the near future?
I’d like to see big brands step and ask us to send in mixes for our fees in exchange for deep promotion. I’d like to see more of the streaming / digital sites like Spotify, Apple Music and Itunes do promotions where they don’t tax the artist on their catalog and promote the artists that have been so loyal to them for so long. In my humble opinion, Bandcamp has been the only platform with the courage to promote us on their socials while waving their fee for a day of promotion around the artist. My Bandcamp out of nowhere is on fire. When I realized I only had two projects on their site, I spent 2 days uploading my entire catalog. Hope it works for all my DJs / Producers. This, more than ever will be a content driven world for artists. This time off from performing live will hurt our pockets no doubt but the adaptive will survive….not the strong. On a side note, I’m buying stocks / bonds and if the housing market crashes as predicted…..I might have to make some real estate moves. Oh….planting a vegetable garden as we speak. Everyone stay safe, think outside the box and do the best you can with what you got!
